1 law & covenant psalm 119:97 o how i love your law! all day long i meditate on it. 119:98 your...

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Law & CovenantLaw & CovenantPsalm 119:97 O how I love

your law!All day long I meditate on it.

119:98 Your law makes me wiser than my enemies,

for I am always aware of it.

119:99 I even have more insight than all my teachers,for I meditate on your rules.

Psalm 119:97 O how I love your law!

All day long I meditate on it.

119:98 Your law makes me wiser than my enemies,

for I am always aware of it.

119:99 I even have more insight than all my teachers,for I meditate on your rules.

Galatians 3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has

bewitched you? … Although you began with the Spirit

are you now trying to finish by human effort?

5:4 You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated

from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!

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The Problem The Problem

A. We easily apply some laws (usually the “moral” ones)1. Leviticus 19:18 You must not take vengeance or bear a

grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself.

2. Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.

B. But not others 1. Leviticus 19:19 You must keep my statutes. You must not

allow two different kinds of your animals to breed, you must not sow your field with two different kinds of seed, and you must not wear a garment made of two different kinds of fabric.

C. So how do we know?

A. We easily apply some laws (usually the “moral” ones)1. Leviticus 19:18 You must not take vengeance or bear a

grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself.

2. Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.

B. But not others 1. Leviticus 19:19 You must keep my statutes. You must not

allow two different kinds of your animals to breed, you must not sow your field with two different kinds of seed, and you must not wear a garment made of two different kinds of fabric.

C. So how do we know?

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1. Toward a solution: First, what books make up the Law?

1. Toward a solution: First, what books make up the Law?

A. ____________ is the first formal statement of the Constitution (Book of the Covenant, 24:7) with its summary (10 commands) and ratification (24:1-13)

B. _______ adds much ceremonial or sacrificial law

C. ___________ is the more formalized and comprehensive statement of the Law as the best statement of the Constitution of the nation.

A. ____________ is the first formal statement of the Constitution (Book of the Covenant, 24:7) with its summary (10 commands) and ratification (24:1-13)

B. _______ adds much ceremonial or sacrificial law

C. ___________ is the more formalized and comprehensive statement of the Law as the best statement of the Constitution of the nation.

Exodus 19-24

Leviticus

Deuteronomy

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D. Semantic range of “Torah”D. Semantic range of “Torah”

5 books of Moses,i.e., Pentateuch The three books

Just mentioned

Any law, commandStatute, guideline

In the OT

Deuteronomy

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2. Second, The Law is like a diamond: whole lot of facets2. Second, The Law is like a diamond: whole lot of facets

A. To Reveal who God is“You shall have no other gods before me” Why? Because he alone is

supreme and all others are imposters.“Love your neighbor.” Why? Because God loves his creation even in

rebellion.“Be honest.” Why? Because God is true and dishonesty is destructive.

B. To Guide Israel, (showing Israel how to enjoy life and flourish). The Law was given to a nation already in covenantal relationship with God to show them how to live well with Him as their king. (Deut 6; 28:1-14)

1. Even in the NT Jesus says “If you love me (relationship) you’ll keep my commands” (evidence, John 14:23).

2. “If you knew all that God knows you would easily and quickly choose his way every time.” “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! (Deut 5:29).

3. The Law never produces a relationship with God, it only measures or evidences it.

A. To Reveal who God is“You shall have no other gods before me” Why? Because he alone is

supreme and all others are imposters.“Love your neighbor.” Why? Because God loves his creation even in

rebellion.“Be honest.” Why? Because God is true and dishonesty is destructive.

B. To Guide Israel, (showing Israel how to enjoy life and flourish). The Law was given to a nation already in covenantal relationship with God to show them how to live well with Him as their king. (Deut 6; 28:1-14)

1. Even in the NT Jesus says “If you love me (relationship) you’ll keep my commands” (evidence, John 14:23).

2. “If you knew all that God knows you would easily and quickly choose his way every time.” “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! (Deut 5:29).

3. The Law never produces a relationship with God, it only measures or evidences it.

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A. To Reveal who God isB. To Guide Israel, (showing Israel how to enjoy life and

flourish). The Law was given to a nation already in covenantal relationship with God to show them how to live well with Him as their king. (Deut 6; 28:1-14)

C. To make sin obvious. The law shows unbelievers in the nation how and when they fall short, but with a redemptive intent (Deut 28:15-68)

1. The Law was never intended as a means of earning merit with God2. Nor did it ever require sinless perfection; rather, it assumed sin on

the part of the people, and forgiveness on the part of God via the sacrificial system

A. To Reveal who God isB. To Guide Israel, (showing Israel how to enjoy life and

flourish). The Law was given to a nation already in covenantal relationship with God to show them how to live well with Him as their king. (Deut 6; 28:1-14)

C. To make sin obvious. The law shows unbelievers in the nation how and when they fall short, but with a redemptive intent (Deut 28:15-68)

1. The Law was never intended as a means of earning merit with God2. Nor did it ever require sinless perfection; rather, it assumed sin on

the part of the people, and forgiveness on the part of God via the sacrificial system

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D. To prepare the nation to want Messiah.At his best, David, gives a glimpse of Messiah…

but David & the other kings leave us longing for more, especially in the exile and the ensuing Roman oppression—the “curse of the law”

E. To isolate and protect them from the enemy and a culture of death until Messiah came.

a kosher diet is a powerful social force.

F. To provide for organization and order in society.

D. To prepare the nation to want Messiah.At his best, David, gives a glimpse of Messiah…

but David & the other kings leave us longing for more, especially in the exile and the ensuing Roman oppression—the “curse of the law”

E. To isolate and protect them from the enemy and a culture of death until Messiah came.

a kosher diet is a powerful social force.

F. To provide for organization and order in society.

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3. Third, exactly WHY do we not follow the law today?

3. Third, exactly WHY do we not follow the law today?

• It was a way a way of earning merit with God

• Now, in the New Testament we have replaced all rules (law) with “freedom” (grace)

• It was a way a way of earning merit with God

• Now, in the New Testament we have replaced all rules (law) with “freedom” (grace)

It was the constitution of an ancient nation, of which none of us are citizens.

It contained not just moral, but civil laws (taxes, building codes) that were specific to the nation.

It contained many laws of worship that have been superseded because of the Seed’s coming.

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3. Third, exactly WHY do we study the law today?

3. Third, exactly WHY do we study the law today?

1. It still reveals much about the character of God

2. We can still learn a lot about how to live

3. It provides the necessary background to God’s program in Christ to redeem and restore his creation.

1. It still reveals much about the character of God

2. We can still learn a lot about how to live

3. It provides the necessary background to God’s program in Christ to redeem and restore his creation.

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How to study for Celebration #1 on Monday


A. The test itself1. Multiple choice questions that test your ability

to think through class material

2. Open, unmarked, non-study Bible

3. People generally take from 30-50 minutes to complete

A. The test itself1. Multiple choice questions that test your ability

to think through class material

2. Open, unmarked, non-study Bible

3. People generally take from 30-50 minutes to complete

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B. My strategy1. Not to trick you, but to test your knowledge of

the most important concepts.

2. Open the PowerPoint files on the S drive and pretend you’re teaching your imaginary friend.

3. Answer the study questions (correctly) on the S: drive

B. My strategy1. Not to trick you, but to test your knowledge of

the most important concepts.

2. Open the PowerPoint files on the S drive and pretend you’re teaching your imaginary friend.

3. Answer the study questions (correctly) on the S: drive

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C. Your strategy (in my opinion).

Study in little chunks of time long before the exam.

1 hour tonight of concentrated study each night before Sunday and several hours on Sunday and you should be good.

The Celebrations are the most significant percentage of your grade, so overstudy for the first exam, until you get an A

C. Your strategy (in my opinion).

Study in little chunks of time long before the exam.

1 hour tonight of concentrated study each night before Sunday and several hours on Sunday and you should be good.

The Celebrations are the most significant percentage of your grade, so overstudy for the first exam, until you get an A

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1. The main goal of the Bible is to teach us about:a. History

b. Morality

c. Theology

2. If we had to make an educated guess we would say that most of the men in the genealogy of Genesis 5 are ______

a. Saved

b. Unsaved

c. We don’t know

3. The main idea that God wants the reader to learn from the story of Cain and Abel isa. This is the very first recorded murder in the Bible

b. Jealousy between brothers can easily erupt into murder

c. People from different lines have conflict between them.

4. The significance of the price that Abraham had to pay for the cave in 23:1-20 is that at that time:

a. God had fulfilled his promises to Abraham

b. Abraham had to pay the going rate for funeral plots

c. God had not fulfilled his promises to Abraham

d. God had blessed Abraham with sufficient resources

1. The main goal of the Bible is to teach us about:a. History

b. Morality

c. Theology

2. If we had to make an educated guess we would say that most of the men in the genealogy of Genesis 5 are ______

a. Saved

b. Unsaved

c. We don’t know

3. The main idea that God wants the reader to learn from the story of Cain and Abel isa. This is the very first recorded murder in the Bible

b. Jealousy between brothers can easily erupt into murder

c. People from different lines have conflict between them.

4. The significance of the price that Abraham had to pay for the cave in 23:1-20 is that at that time:

a. God had fulfilled his promises to Abraham

b. Abraham had to pay the going rate for funeral plots

c. God had not fulfilled his promises to Abraham

d. God had blessed Abraham with sufficient resources

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4. Fourth, the nature and function of law


A. Apodictic law is the declarative law consisting of commands and prohibitions.

B. Casuistic law describes a particular event and prescribes consequences, e.g., “If A takes place, then B is the consequence”

1. Even in modern systems of jurisprudence, laws are often made to speak to a particular situation or violation.

2. This is why law students study specific cases of “Dean versus New Hampshire” or “Roe vs Wade”. These specific cases make precedents from which a whole host of other similar cases can be compared and then adjudicated.

C. BUT, both of these laws are representative of the kind of behavior desired, not exhaustive listings which cover every possibility.

A. Apodictic law is the declarative law consisting of commands and prohibitions.

B. Casuistic law describes a particular event and prescribes consequences, e.g., “If A takes place, then B is the consequence”

1. Even in modern systems of jurisprudence, laws are often made to speak to a particular situation or violation.

2. This is why law students study specific cases of “Dean versus New Hampshire” or “Roe vs Wade”. These specific cases make precedents from which a whole host of other similar cases can be compared and then adjudicated.

C. BUT, both of these laws are representative of the kind of behavior desired, not exhaustive listings which cover every possibility.

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A weak (perhaps) analogy

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A weak (perhaps) analogyA weak (perhaps) analogy

The laws of the OT are like the poles of a fence…They are the anchor points that stake out the main boundaries.

However, inherent in the meaning of law is that there are almost unlimited implications or parallel cases which, though unstated, are like the chain link fencing that stretches between the poles.These implications are the “spirit of the law”

1. E.g. “Don’t get drunk with wine, but be filled”2. Jesus and “Don’t murder” also means “Don’t get

angry” and “don’t treat other with contempt”

The laws of the OT are like the poles of a fence…They are the anchor points that stake out the main boundaries.

However, inherent in the meaning of law is that there are almost unlimited implications or parallel cases which, though unstated, are like the chain link fencing that stretches between the poles.These implications are the “spirit of the law”

1. E.g. “Don’t get drunk with wine, but be filled”2. Jesus and “Don’t murder” also means “Don’t get

angry” and “don’t treat other with contempt”

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D. A misunderstanding of this truth is the basis for much legalism, particularly the error of keeping the “letter” of the law, but not the “spirit” thereof. One can not say “I haven’t violated this very specific instance, therefore, I have kept the law.”

D. A misunderstanding of this truth is the basis for much legalism, particularly the error of keeping the “letter” of the law, but not the “spirit” thereof. One can not say “I haven’t violated this very specific instance, therefore, I have kept the law.”

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When Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) “You have heard it said” he was NOT contrasting OT Law with His law

Rather he was contrasting

When Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) “You have heard it said” he was NOT contrasting OT Law with His law

Rather he was contrasting

a Pharisaic misunderstanding of the letter of the law (just the poles) with

the true meaning of the OT Law, i.e., the Spirit of the law (the chain-link fencing too).

1 law & covenant psalm 119:97 o how i love your law! all day long i meditate on it. 119:98 your...

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