transcript
- Slide 1
- Slide 2
- Leviticus 17-18 & the Jerusalem Letter
- Slide 3
- Lev. 18:24 for by all these the nations which I am casting out
before you have become defiled. 18:25 therefore I have brought its
punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants.
18:27 for the men of the land who have been before you have done
all these abominations, and the land has become defiled. Lev. 17:13
So when any manin hunting catches a beast or a bird which may be
eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. 5 The
reason is so that the sons of Israel may bring their sacrifices
which they were sacrificing in the open field, that they may bring
them in to the L ORD 3 Any man from the house of Israel who
slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters
it outside the camp, 4 and has not brought it to the doorway of the
tent of meeting to present it as an offering to the L ORD before
the tabernacle of the L ORD, bloodguiltiness is to be reckoned to
that man. 7 They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the
goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a
permanent statute to them throughout their generations. Jerusalem
Letter Leviticus 17-18 & the Jerusalem Letter Things Sacrificed
to Idols Things Sacrificed to Idols Blood Blood Things Strangled
Things Strangled Fornication Fornication LEVITICUS 17-18 Idolatry
Eating Blood Improper Slaughtering Sexual Sin Is Lev. 17-18 the
basis of the letter? 1.Order 2.Applicability to Gentiles Leviticus
17 LEVITICUS 16 Day of Atonement LEVITICUS 19 Peculiar to Israel
Sabbath, mixing seed/fabric/etc. Romans 1 Genesis 9
- Slide 4
- Jerusalem Letter Leviticus 17-18 & the Jerusalem Letter
Things Sacrificed to Idols Things Sacrificed to Idols Blood Blood
Things Strangled Things Strangled Fornication Fornication LEVITICUS
17-18 Idolatry Eating Blood Improper Slaughtering Sexual Sin Is
Lev. 17-18 the basis of the letter? 1.Order 2.Applicability to
Gentiles 3.A Needed Caveat Due to Knowledge of Jewish Law Romans 1
Genesis 9 James rationale (Acts 15) 19 Therefore it is my judgment
that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the
Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from
things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is
strangled and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient generations has
in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the
synagogues every Sabbath. James rationale (Acts 15) 19 Therefore it
is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God
from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they
abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and
from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient
generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is
read in the synagogues every Sabbath.
- Slide 5
- Jerusalem Letter Leviticus 17-18 & the Jerusalem Letter
Things Sacrificed to Idols Things Sacrificed to Idols Blood Blood
Things Strangled Things Strangled Fornication Fornication LEVITICUS
17-18 Idolatry Eating Blood Improper Slaughtering Sexual Sin
Conclusion: God prohibits these things for all men at all times The
prohibitions were essentials The prohibitions were essentials The
Holy Spirit concurred The Holy Spirit concurred The alternative
makes James and the rest out to be hypocrites The alternative makes
James and the rest out to be hypocrites Romans 1 Genesis 9 Acts 15
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you
no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from
things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled
and from fornication
- Slide 6
- Jerusalem Letter Things Sacrificed to Idols Things Sacrificed
to Idols Blood Blood Things Strangled Things Strangled Fornication
Fornication LEVITICUS 17-18 Idolatry Eating Blood Improper
Slaughtering Sexual Sin Romans 1 Genesis 9 Prohibitions, or Merely
Requests? F.F. Bruce: The conditions stipulated in the apostolic
decreehad to do, not with the basis of the gospel or the terms of
church membership, but with the facilitating of social fellowship
between Jewish and Gentile Christians. F.F. Bruce: The conditions
stipulated in the apostolic decreehad to do, not with the basis of
the gospel or the terms of church membership, but with the
facilitating of social fellowship between Jewish and Gentile
Christians. F.F. Bruce: If Gentile Christians found that their
practices in food matters raised difficulties for the weaker
consciences of Jewish Christians, then let them abstain from these
practices, not indeed under compulsion but by their free choice, as
a gesture of Christian charity. F.F. Bruce: If Gentile Christians
found that their practices in food matters raised difficulties for
the weaker consciences of Jewish Christians, then let them abstain
from these practices, not indeed under compulsion but by their free
choice, as a gesture of Christian charity. Acts 15 28 For it seemed
good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden
than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed
to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from
fornication not indeed under compulsion compulsory Weizscker: The
decreeonly imposes on the Gentiles the avoidance of a few things,
in order to enable the Jews to hold intercourse with them without
causing grave offence. Weizscker: The decreeonly imposes on the
Gentiles the avoidance of a few things, in order to enable the Jews
to hold intercourse with them without causing grave offence.
- Slide 7
- Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing James rationale
Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols Misconstruing things
sacrificed to idols Jerusalem Letter Things Sacrificed to Idols
Things Sacrificed to Idols Blood Blood Things Strangled Things
Strangled Fornication Fornication LEVITICUS 17-18 Idolatry Eating
Blood Improper Slaughtering Sexual Sin Romans 1 Genesis 9 Why
Thought To Be Merely Requests? 21 For Moses from ancient
generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is
read in the synagogues every Sabbath. i.e. The Jews are still
zealous for the law
- Slide 8
- Why Thought To Be Merely Requests? LEVITICUS 18 Marriage
prohibited within degrees of consanguinity Jerusalem Letter merely
advisory Calvin on Acts 15:28 But we know that this law was
foredone by Paul so soon as the tumult and contention was once
ended, when he teacheth that nothing is unclean, (Romans xiv. 14;)
and when he granteth liberty to eat all manner [of] meats, yea,
even such as were sacrificed to idols, (1 Corinthians x. 25.)
Calvin on Acts 15:28 But we know that this law was foredone by Paul
so soon as the tumult and contention was once ended, when he
teacheth that nothing is unclean, (Romans xiv. 14;) and when he
granteth liberty to eat all manner [of] meats, yea, even such as
were sacrificed to idols, (1 Corinthians x. 25.) Misconstruing
James rationale Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing things
sacrificed to idols Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols Clarke
In Corinth St. Paul felt at liberty to urge [the Jerusalem letters]
food regulations on the ground of charity only (1 Cor. viii).
Clarke In Corinth St. Paul felt at liberty to urge [the Jerusalem
letters] food regulations on the ground of charity only (1 Cor.
viii). 27 Anglican W. K. Lowther Clarke 27 Anglican W. K. Lowther
Clarke 27 F. Gavin 27 F. Gavin 48 Rom. Catholic Bonsirven 48 Rom.
Catholic Bonsirven c. 49 Hauck & Schulz in TWNT 59 Rom.
Catholic H. J. Richards 59 Rom. Catholic H. J. Richards c. 65
Haenchen 76 Rom. Catholic Joseph Fitzmeyer 76 Rom. Catholic Joseph
Fitzmeyer 27 Anglican W. K. Lowther Clarke 27 Anglican W. K.
Lowther Clarke 27 F. Gavin 27 F. Gavin 48 Rom. Catholic Bonsirven
48 Rom. Catholic Bonsirven c. 49 Hauck & Schulz in TWNT 59 Rom.
Catholic H. J. Richards 59 Rom. Catholic H. J. Richards c. 65
Haenchen 76 Rom. Catholic Joseph Fitzmeyer 76 Rom. Catholic Joseph
Fitzmeyer
- Slide 9
- Why Thought To Be Merely Requests? LEVITICUS 18 Marriage
prohibited within degrees of consanguinity Jerusalem Letter merely
advisory Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing James
rationale Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols Misconstruing
things sacrificed to idols Defining fornication as incest Defining
fornication as incest
- Slide 10
- REBUTTALS LEVITICUS 18 Marriage prohibited within degrees of
consanguinity Jerusalem Letter merely advisory Misconstruing James
rationale Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing things
sacrificed to idols Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols
Defining fornication as incest Defining fornication as incest In 1
Cor. 5:1, Incest is indicated only by the subsequent explanation,
and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one of
you hath his fathers wife. Incest is not the only sexual sin
mentioned in Leviticus 18! , used of every kind of unlawful sexual
intercourse, (BAG, 693) suits the diverse sexual sins in Leviticus
18. Incest is not the only sexual sin mentioned in Leviticus 18! ,
used of every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, (BAG, 693) suits
the diverse sexual sins in Leviticus 18. LEVITICUS 17-18 Idolatry
Eating Blood Improper Slaughtering Sexual Sin =fornication
- Slide 11
- Jerusalem Letter merely advisory LEVITICUS 17-18 Idolatry
Eating Blood Improper Slaughtering Sexual Sin =fornication
Jerusalem Letter merely advisory Isaiah 24:7 Terror and the pit and
the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! Isaiah 24:7
Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the
earth! Defining fornication as incest Defining fornication as
incest Qumran Literature: Codex Damascus three nets of Belial Zenut
Wealth Defiling the Sanctuary Qumran Literature: Codex Damascus
three nets of Belial Zenut Wealth Defiling the Sanctuary REBUTTALS
the builders of the wall are trapped in zenut in two ways Zenut
Multiple wives Incest Defiling the Sanctuary Intercourse during
menstruation the builders of the wall are trapped in zenut in two
ways Zenut Multiple wives Incest Defiling the Sanctuary Intercourse
during menstruation the builders of the wall are trapped in two
Zenut Multiple wives Defiling the Sanctuary Intercourse during
menstruation Incest the builders of the wall are trapped in two
Zenut Multiple wives Defiling the Sanctuary Intercourse during
menstruation Incest zenut Is zenut a technical term for incest? CD
explains: they take each one the daughter of his brother and the
daughter of his sister CD quotes Lev. 18: whereas Moses said, You
shall not approach your mothers sister Is zenut a technical term
for incest? CD explains: they take each one the daughter of his
brother and the daughter of his sister CD quotes Lev. 18: whereas
Moses said, You shall not approach your mothers sister Is zenut a
technical term for incest? How can it be a technical term for
incest when it includes polygamy?? Is zenut a technical term for
incest? How can it be a technical term for incest when it includes
polygamy??
- Slide 12
- Jerusalem Letter merely advisory LEVITICUS 17-18 Idolatry
Eating Blood Improper Slaughtering Sexual Sin =fornication
Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing James rationale
Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols Misconstruing things
sacrificed to idols Defining fornication as incest Defining
fornication as incest REBUTTALS
- Slide 13
- Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing James rationale
Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols Misconstruing things
sacrificed to idols REBUTTALS Idol + sacrifice
- Slide 14
- Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing James rationale
Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols Misconstruing things
sacrificed to idols REBUTTALS 1 Corinthians 8-10 now concerning
things sacrifice to idols Ch. 8Ch. 9Ch. 10 8:1-139:1-239:24-10:22
Love vs. Knowledge act out of love for others PaulsownExample
foregoing financial income from Corinth Israel Overthrown in the
Wilderness Flee Idolatry Cannot partake of the table of the Lord
& of demons 10:23ff Meat in the Market Dont worry about it eat,
asking no question not called though a pagan may attach religious
significance, describing it as Sitting at meat in the idol temple
The Table of Demons
- Slide 15
- Misconstruing James rationale Misconstruing James rationale
Misconstruing things sacrificed to idols Misconstruing things
sacrificed to idols REBUTTALS R EVELATION 2 14 But I have a few
things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the
teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock
before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols,
and to commit fornication. R EVELATION 2 14 But I have a few things
against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching
of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to
commit fornication. 1 C ORINTHIANS 10 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as
were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and
drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as
some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty
thousand. 1 C ORINTHIANS 10 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some
of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink,
and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some
of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty
thousand.
- Slide 16
- Jerusalem Letter LEVITICUS 17-18 Idolatry Eating Blood Improper
Slaughtering Sexual Sin =fornication Conclusion The exception
clause in the divorce passages is not merely a reference to incest.
The exception clause in the divorce passages is not merely a
reference to incest. Only clear NT prohibition of incest is the
Jerusalem letter interpreted in light of Leviticus 17-18. Only
clear NT prohibition of incest is the Jerusalem letter interpreted
in light of Leviticus 17-18. Acts 15 prohibitions applicable to all
peoples of all times Acts 15 prohibitions applicable to all peoples
of all times They served as a caveat to the exemption from the Law,
noting that some things mentioned in the law have always been
prohibited to all men. They served as a caveat to the exemption
from the Law, noting that some things mentioned in the law have
always been prohibited to all men. The issue involving things
sacrificed to idols pertains to participation in the idol feast.
The issue involving things sacrificed to idols pertains to
participation in the idol feast.
- Slide 17
- Conclusion Some difficulties remain: sexual relations during a
womans menstrual period sexual relations during a womans menstrual
period It seems this too was part of what God found detestable in
the Canaanites.
- Slide 18
- Conclusion Some difficulties remain: Abraham married his
half-sister (or not?) Abraham married his half-sister (or not?)
marriage between siblings at the beginning marriage between
siblings at the beginning Possible solutions to this problem
include the following: Lev. 18 condemns illicit (i.e., non-marital)
relations between certain relatives, or marital relations following
a divorce; but licit marriage in such cases is not condemned by
God. Lev. 18:16 vs. Dt. 25:5 Lev. 18 condemns illicit (i.e.,
non-marital) relations between certain relatives, or marital
relations following a divorce; but licit marriage in such cases is
not condemned by God. Lev. 18:16 vs. Dt. 25:5 K&D argue from
Lev. 18:18 that the text condemns marriage between the specified
K&D argue from Lev. 18:18 that the text condemns marriage
between the specified One may argue from the same passage that
licit marriage is not in view prior to 18:18 One may argue from the
same passage that licit marriage is not in view prior to 18:18
Abrams marriage to Sarai was not in accordance with Gods will, but
was one of those things that God overlooked Abrams marriage to
Sarai was not in accordance with Gods will, but was one of those
things that God overlooked
- Slide 19