Post on 17-Dec-2015
transcript
The Pentateuch (II)
The Meaning of Torah• Individual Pronouncement
• Num 19:14; 31:21; Exod 12:49
• Laws on Similar Subject• Num 6:13, 21; Lev 6:9
• Particular Collection of Laws• Exod 20:1-17; 24:12; Deut 31:9
• General Description for God’s Law• Gen 26:5; Exod 18:16; Deut 4:8
• Combination of Narrative and Law• Deut 1:5
The Mosaic Covenant: Law and Worship
• Torah expresses the will of God • The law preserved the sense of God’s
presence in 2 ways:• The Priestly law: dwelling of God among his
people • Character of Yahweh pervades all the law
collections
• God’s redeeming grace as a foundation for living under the law
The Mosaic Covenant• The covenant was associated with
God’s promise • To enable Israel to live as God’s
people. E.g. Israel should imitate• God’s holiness (Lev 19:2) • compassion (Ex 22:26-27) • justice (Deut 16:18-20) • merciful to aliens (Lev 19:33-34), slaves
(Deut 15:12-15)
Nash Papyrus 2nd Century BC Hebrew Decalogue
Four main collections of laws
• Decalogue (Exod 20:1-17; Deut 5:1-21; Exod 34:10-28) and the Book of the Covenant (aka the Covenant Code) in Exod 20-23.
• Tabernacle Law (Exod 25-40)
• The Laws of Leviticus (Lev 1-27)
• The Laws of Deuteronomy or Deuteronomic Code (Deut 12-26)
Different ways of grouping laws
• Division by content:
• moral
• civil
• ceremonial
• Division by form-critical method:
• Apodictic
• Casuistic
Alt’s categorization• Apodictic: unconditional,
categorical assertion• Prohibitions in the Ten
Commandments: “You shall not kill” (e.g. Exod 20:13)
• Active participle laws (e.g. Exod 21:12)
• Curses (e.g. Deut 27:24)
Alt’s categorization• Casuistic law: defines a specific case, e.g.
Ex 21:18-19
• Twofold formulation: a protasis with a “when” or “if” clauses, and an apodosis “then” stating the legal consequences of the case
• Units of casuistic laws are logically ordered, similar cases are treated together and juxtaposed to cases with different rulings
The Uniqueness of the Decalogue
• The Decalogue is the “foundation scroll of the Israelite community”
• Special role within ancient Israel• Given directly by God (Exod 20:1, 18-19;
Deut 4:12; 5:4, 21)
• Written by the “Fingers of God” (Exod 31:18; 32:16; 34:1, 28; Deut 4:13; 5:19; 9:10), accompanied by theophany
• Placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Deut 10:1-4)
Role of Decalogue in the Cult
• A basic formal affirmation in the religion of Israel
• Apply to all individual in Israel
• Conditions for membership
• Renewal of Obligation
Role of Decalogue
• Each of the 10 Commandments (except the last one) appears in a similar form elsewhere in the Pentateuch
Parallels to the Decalogue in other parts of the Pentateuch• First 2 commandments: Exod 20:3-6 //
Exod 34:14; Deut 5:9b; Exod 23:24; 34:17; Lev 19:4; 26:1; Mica 5:12 etc
• 3rd (20:7)//Lev 19:12; 5:22• 4th (20:8-11)//the Covenant Code
(23:12; 34:21;; Deut 5:13-14) and the Priestly Code (Exod 31:12-17; 35:1-3; 16:29-30; Lev 19:3; 23:3; 26:2; Num 15:32-35; Jer 17:21-27)
• 5th (20:12) //in the affirmative (Lev 19:4) as well as in the negative formulation: Exod 21:15; 21:17; Lev 20:9; Deut 27:16; 21:18-21
• 6th (20:13) cf. Exod 21:12; Lev 24:17; Num 35:30-34; Deut 19:11-13
• 7th (20:14) cf. Lev 18:20; 20:10; Deut 22:22; Num 5:11-30
• 8th (20:15) cf. Lev 19:11; Exod 22:1-12 (casuistic laws)
• 9th (20:16) // Exod 23:1; Deut 19:16-19 (casuistic)
Parallels to the Decalogue Cont.
Other law collections that resemble the Decalogue
• Lev 19
• Deut 27:15-26
• Ezek 18 and 22
• Psalms 15, 24
• Isa 33:14-15
Discussion on the ethical authority of the Old Testament
• Luther • The dispensationalists • The theonomic approach• More comprehensive approaches:
• Jubilee Centre • Key for Christians: Jesus’ relationship to
the law• Wright’s concept
Wright’s Assumption of the Ethical Use of the OT
• The authority and relevance of the OT for Christians
• The unity of Scripture
• The priority of grace
• The mission and purpose of Israel
• The function of the law in relation to the mission of Israel
• Israel and its law as paradigmatic
Wright’s Method of appropriation of the OT laws for today
• Distinguish the general categories of the OT law
• Analyze the functions of particular laws and institutions
• Define the objective(s) of particular laws
• Preserve the objective but change the context
Case Study
• Lev 19:18-19• While moral relevancy of v.18 is
clear, v.19 is puzzling, how do we appropriate that?
• Deut 12:1-7• How do we apply this law today?
Hazor Canaanite High Place
Arad Israelite Temple
Taanach Cult Stand