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Jesus and the Law“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets” Mt 5:17

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Began studying Jesus’ teachings at Mudjimba, Queensland, 2008

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. I am telling you the truth: until the sky and the earth pass away, not one letter nor one stroke will disappear from the Law, until everything takes place.

So anyone who removes one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven. And I tell you that unless your actions are more righteous than the teachers’ of the law and the Pharisees’, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.” Mt 5:17-20

The Relevance of the Law

“It is easier for the sky and the earth to disappear than for one stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law” Luke 16:17

The Law Still Remains

• Whenever Jesus was asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”, he always referred to the Law: “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments” Mt 19:17, and pointed to commands from the Law Mt 19:17, similarly Mk 10:19, Lk 18:20, Lk 10:26

• Jesus said that at the Judgment, the“workers of lawlessness*” Mt 7:23 and “those who do lawlessness” Mt 13:41 will be thrown out of the Kingdom (Greek anomia despite NIV ‘evildoers’).

The Law is Relevant to Eternal Life

*ie not following Law of Moses

Mudjimba, Queensland, 2008: 4 mo studying Law, >12 mo studying Jesus’ teachings; patterns and logic emerged towards the end

The Law (of Moses)

Attr. Moses ~ 1400 BC By 600 BC

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Genesis

Aka Torah, Pentateuch, Law of Moses

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Genesis

The Law

Jesus and the Law: Outline

A. The Parties: God & Israel

B. The Requirements (the Law )

C. Blessings and Curses for keeping the covenant, or not

D. How the New Covenant compares with the Law

E. Jesus, Pharisees and the Law

A The Parties: God and Israel

Remember…

God’s Covenant with Israel (the Law)

The PartiesGod and Israel + descendants(Ex 34:27, Dt 29:1, 12:28, 4:9-10, 31). Not other nations (Ex 19:5, Lev 20:26)

Requirements The Law (Gen, Exod, Lev, Num, Deut—esp Exodus 20-24).

BlessingsPeace and prosperity and possession of the land of Israel, and God’s dwelling among them (Lev 26:3-13, Dt 28:1-14)

Curses Famine, disease, war, defeat and exile, temple gone (Lev 26:14-46 and Dt 28:15-68)

Duration At least 1,000 generations (Dt 7:9); til sky and earth pass away (Lk 16:17, Mt 5:17-20)

God made the covenant/Law with Israel only:

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, because I have made a covenant with you and with Israel on the basis of these words”” Ex 34:27

“This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the children of Israel: 4 … 5 Now if you fully obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be my treasured possession out of all the nations. For the whole earth is mine, 6 but you will be a kingdom of priests for me and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the children of Israel.” Ex 19:3-6

The Parties: God and Israel

The Law still applies to Israel; it never applied to other nations.

B The Requirements (the Law)

1.The Law’s Main Commands2.The Law’s Three Categories of

Commands3.Righteousness and Sin (Dos and

Don’ts)4.The Law was Attainable5.The Law did not require

sinlessness

B1. The Law’s Main Commands out of 613

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart soul strength and

mind

Love your neighbour as yourself

Two GreatestCommandments

No other gods

No murderNo images

No adulteryNo

blasphemy

No stealing

Keep Sabbath

No lying

Honour parents

No coveting

The Ten Commandments

Relating to God Relating to OthersMt 22:37-40

Ex 20:1-17 Prototype commands

The Law’s Main Commands by category

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart soul strength and

mind

Love your neighbour as yourself

Two GreatestCommandments

No other gods

No murderNo images

No adulteryNo

blasphemy

No stealing

Keep Sabbath

No lying

Honour parents

No coveting

The Ten Commandments

Relating to God

Relating to others

Prototype commands

Mt 22:37-40

Ex 20:1-17

B2. The Law’s Three Categories

Love God Love Neighbour

National


Love GodWorship/blasphemyNo idolsForgiveness of sin, sacrificePrayerHear from GodSabbath (assembly)7 annual feastsClean & UncleanMedical functionsDedicating

Love Neighbour

National

VIA TEMPLE

AND PRIESTS



Love Neighbour

Love neighbourHelp with problems

Not harm: murder, safety, injury

Property: giving, lending, stealing, coveting

Honesty, lying, oaths

Sexual, marriageHonor parents, train children in law

National

VIA TEMPLE

AND PRIESTS



Love Neighbour

Love neighbourHelp with problems

Not harm: murder, safety, injury

Property: giving, lending, stealing, coveting

Honesty, lying, oaths

Sexual, marriageHonor parents, train children in law

National

Judicial functions, punishmentsNational assemblies Choosing a kingWaging warCensus, temple taxExpelling CanaanitesUse of trumpets

VIA TEMPLE

AND PRIESTS

Commanded good actions = RIGHTEOUSNESS (40%)

“If we observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, it will be our righteousness (tsedaqah)” Deut 6:25

“Return [a poor man’s] cloak to him by sunset so that he may sleep in it. Then he will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act (tsedaqah, righteousness) in the sight of the LORD your God” Dt 24:13

B3. Righteousness and Sin (Dos and Don’ts)

Prohibited bad actions = SIN (60%)

“When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD'S commands…” Lev 4:2

“Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just andwhat is right (righteousness, tsedaqah). 6 He does not .. (do various bad things) …but (does various kind and honest things) 9 He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.” Ezek 18:5-9

Righteousness (tsedaqah H7407) = righteous actions, what is right

Righteousness means righteous actions

“But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has been doing and observes all my statutes and does what is just and what is right (tsedaqah), he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the offences he committed will be held against him; because of the righteous acts (tsedaqah) he has done, he will live. … 24 But if a righteous man turns away from his righteous ways (tsedaqah) and does the same wrong and detestable things that the wicked do, will he live? None of his righteous acts (tsedaqah, tsedaqah) will be remembered” Ezek 18:21-24

Righteousness means righteous actions 2


Examples of Righteousness

“David reigned over all Israel,

administering justice and doing what was right (tsedaqah) for all his people” 2 Sam 8:15

“Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped (see Num 25:7-8; he speared 2 people sinning). This was credited to him as righteousness (tsedaqah) for all generations” Ps 106:30-31


“Be careful not to do your righteous actions (dikaiosynē, righteousness) before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy… 5 And when you pray…16 When you fast…” Mt 6:1-16

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what is right (dikaiosynē, righteousness), because the kingdom of heaven is for them” Mt 5:10

Jesus viewed ‘righteousness’ as actions

Righteousness (dikaiosynē G1466) = righteous actions

At the Judgment of the Nations Mt 25:31-46, those who actively loved their neighbours are called “the righteous (dikaios)” and will inherit the kingdom; those who did not are called “the cursed” and will be sent away.

Jesus viewed ‘righteous’ as doing right actions

RIGHTEOUS CURSED

righteous (dikaios G1465) = good and right, referring to actions or those who do them

Righteousness (noun) means good and right actions, esp. those commanded by the Law

Righteous (adjective) means good, right, upright, just – referring to good actions or to people who do them.

Summary of Righteousness

B4. The Law was attainable

“Now what I [Moses] am commanding you today [the Law] is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.

It is not up in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it to us, so that we can hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go across the sea for us and bring it to us, so that we can hear it and do it?’

But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” Deut 30:11-14

Some people were righteous

“They [Zechariah and Elizabeth] wereboth righteous (dikaios) in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly” Luke 1:6 NET

“Joseph her husband was a righteous (dikaios) man…” Mt 1:19, as were John the Baptist Mk 6:20, Simeon Lk 2:25, Joseph of Arimathea Lk 23:50, Abel Mt 23:35 and the gentile Cornelius Acts 10:22.

Jesus referred to the “graves of the righteous” Mt 23:29, “many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see” Mt 13:17 and “I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinful to repentance” Lk 5:32.

Psalms have 38 references to “the righteous”.

B5. The Law did not require sinlessness

• There was a recovery mechanism for minor-moderate sins via sacrifice, and the person would be forgiven eg Lev 4:20,26,31,35 5:10,13,16,18

• The standard required was to love, serve and obey God with all your heart and soul Dt 4:29 6:5 10:12 11:13 26:16 32:2,6,10 – not sinless or perfect.

Righteous ≠ sinless

“Sinless”?

• The concept of ‘sinless’ is not in the Law.‘Without sin’ mentioned later only tosay that no one is Job 33:9, Pr 20:9, Ecc 7:20

• Jesus did not teach ‘sinless’.“Sinless” (anamartētos) occurs only in Jn 8:7 (“let someone sinless among you throw the first stone”).

• Jesus taught that we need to be righteous, not sinless. Many people have been righteous, but none sinless*.

*Except Jesus

Sinful means full of sin (actions)

Sinful (hamartōlos,G283) = full of sin, doing a lot of sin“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” Lk 5:8“…a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town…” Lk 7:37

“the sinful” (hamartōlos) = people who sin a lot, more than others“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinful people?” Lk 5:30“He has gone to be the guest of a sinful person” Lk 19:7

eg hairy

“Sinner” ?? Sinner = “someone who sins” (English Dictionary).

(Would include everyone, since no-one is sinless).

No word or concept for ‘sinner’ in the gospels.

Every “sinner” in NIV gospels is actually hamartōlos sinful G283 and should be translated as “sinful person” or “the sinful”.

eg “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them” Lk 6:32 should be “Even sinful people love those who love them” see G283

‘sinner’ incorrect; replace with ‘sinful person’

Righteous

(dikaios)

(Do good things)

Unrighteous

(adikos) Sinful (hamartōlos)(Do bad things)

Sinless (anamartētos)

Jesus

Satan

Righteous & Unrighteous, Sinful and Sinless

Righteous

(dikaios)

(Do good things)

Unrighteous



Jesus

SimeonJohn BaptistCornelius“Many”

Satan

ZechariahElizabethJosephDavid


Righteous

(dikaios)

(Do good things)

Unrighteous



Jesus

SatanHerod

Tax-collectorsSinful womanPeter fishermanSinful generation


Righteous

(dikaios)

(Do good things)

Unrighteous



Jesus

Satan

PhariseesTeachers of the LawCrowds?


Righteous

(dikaios)

(Do good things)

Unrighteous



Jesus

Satan

?

Hermit?Dead man


Righteous

(dikaios)

(Do good things)

Unrighteous



Jesus

SimeonJohn BaptistCornelius“Many”

SatanHerod

?

Hermit?Dead man

ZechariahElizabethJosephDavid

PhariseesTeachers of the LawCrowds?

Tax-collectorsSinful womanPeter fishermanSinful generation


With all your heart & soul & strength & mind

Righteous & Unrighteous, Sinful and Sinless: Summary

Righteous (dikaios G1465) =good and right (actions or people)

Righteous ≠ sinless (though righteous people will do less sin).

Sinful (hamartōlos G283) = full of sin, doing sin a lot

C Blessings and Curses for keeping the covenant, or not

(Lev 26; Deut 11 & 28)

The Law’s Blessings and Curses

Blessings for obedience

Curses for disobedience

ProsperityFruitfulness and abundance

PovertyBad crops, drought, famine

Freedom and peacePeace, security and victory

Subjection and slaveryInvasion, war, defeat, conquered, occupied, plundered

Live in the LandLive long in the land of Israel

Exiled out of the landCities destroyed, scattered, exiled, serve enemies in their lands, persecuted, killed

God among them in Sanctuary, be their God

God withdrawDestroy sanctuaries (temple)

The Way Back from the Curse 1

“But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers—who in their disobedience acted unfaithfully against me, so that I was hostile toward them and sent them into the land of their enemies—when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sins, I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember

the land” Lev 26:40-42 lit. Dan 9; Neh 1

The Way Back from the Curse 2

“When all these things come upon you—the blessings and the curses I have set before you—and you take them to heart again, among the nations where the Lord your God has driven you; and you and your children return to the Lord your God, and obey his voice with all your heart and soul according to everything I am commanding you today, then the Lord will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you”

Dt 30:1-3 lit.

The Law: Two States

Blessed in the land of

Israel

Prosperous, free, in the land, with

God

Cursed in the land of their enemies

Poverty, slavery, exiled from Israel, no temple

Break covenant

Admit sin & fathers’ sins

Pay for sins , Seek God, Obey God again with all heart

and soul

(Lev 26; Deut 11 & 28)


Love Neighbour

Love neighbourHelp with problemsNot harm: murder, safety, injuryProperty: giving, lending, stealing, covetingHonesty, lying, oathsSexual, marriageHonor parents, train children in Law

National


Love God

Worship/blasphemyForgiveness of sin, sacrificePrayerHear from GodSabbath (assembly)7 annual feastsClean & UncleanMedical functionsDedicating

VIA TEMPLE

Love Neighbour


National


Law in normalblessed state

(with temple,living in Israel,free)

Law in the cursed state

(temple destroyed, exiled from Israel, loss of freedom)

NO

TEMPLE

IN E

XILE

VIA TEMPLE

The Law in Exile (cursed state)

When Israel went into exile and the temple was destroyed, all of the Law’s temple worship and national commands

became very difficult or impossible (586 BC and 70 AD)

Slaves of the conquerors Temple in ruins

What about Synagogues?

The Law referred to “the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name” Dt 12:11 and required that the Israelites should bring their sacrifices, offerings and tithes to it, and rejoice there before the Lord. They were not to offer sacrifices anywhere else Dt 12 esp verses 13-14.

The Law never mentioned synagogues. Synagogues could not replace the temple.

If Israel’s relation with God was so bad he destroyed his own temple, replacing it with synagogues was not the solution.

Israel: Blessed and Cursed periods

United IsraelBlessed in the land of Israel

Joshua, Judges, Kings to Rehoboam

Deported to

Assyria10 Lost Tribes

Northern IsraelBlessed in Israel

JudahBlessed in Judah

Babylonian exile

Judah~blesse

d in Judah

Destroyed by

Romans

World-wide exile

~1300 BC

931 BC

722 BC

586 BC~520 BC

70 AD

1948 AD

Jesus 30 AD

time

(Lev 26; Deut 11 & 28)

Israel today: blessed or cursed?

Blessings for obedience

Curses for disobedience

ProsperityGDP per capita $33,000 (26th) (NZ’s is $27,000, 31st)

Poverty

Freedom and peaceNot in open war

Subjection and slaveryThreat of war ever present. Weekly terrorist attacks.

Live in the LandState of Israel since 1948. 6M Jews live in 60% of habitable land of Israel.

Exiled out of the land8M+ Jews still overseas. 4M Gentiles in 40% land and temple mount. Land disputed.

God among them God withdrawnNo temple. Up to 80% of Jews in Israel are secular.

D The New Covenant

How the New Covenant relates to the Law

Which parts of the Law did Jesus teach?

Someone asked Jesus:“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mt 19:16 Mk 10:17 Lk 10:25 Lk 18:18

The “Eternal Life” commandments

The “eternal life” commandments

Jesus answered:

• “Obey the commandments” Mt 19:17

• “You know the commandments: …” Mk 10:19 Lk 18:20

• “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” Lk 10:26

Someone asked: “Which ones?” Mt 19:18

(or Jesus went on to specify which commandments anyway)


On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he [Jesus] replied. “How do you read it?”

He [the expert] answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ’’

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live”.

Lk 10:25-28


Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

“Which ones?” the man inquired.

Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Mt 19:16-19

Putting Jesus’ answers together:

Love God with all your heart soul mind and

strength Lk 10:25-28

(but via Holy Spirit rather than via temple Jn 4:21-24 Mk 13:2)

Love your neighbour as yourself Mt 19:19,

Lk 10:25-28

No adultery Mt 19:18, Mk 10:19, Lk 18:20

No murder Mt 19:18, Mk 10:19, Lk 18:20

No steal Mt 19:18, Mk 10:19, Lk 18:20

No defraud Mk 10:19

No false testimony Mt 19:18, Mk 10:19, Lk 18:20

Honour father and mother Mt

19:19, Mk 10:19, Lk 18:20

Which parts of the Law did Jesus teach?

Love GodWorship/blasphemyNo idolsForgiveness of sin, sacrifice=JesusPrayerHear from GodSabbath (assembly)7 annual feastsClean & Unclean heartMedical functionsDedicating

Love Neighbour


National

Judicial functions, punishmentsNational assemblies Choosing a kingWaging warCensus, temple taxExpelling CanaanitesUse of trumpetsSabbath?

Law in ~blessed state

(with temple,living in Israel,-- but occupied

by Romans)

VIA HOLY SPIRIT

•Most of the “Love God” functions but via Holy Spirit instead of via temple•All of the “Love Neighbour” group (except oaths?)•None of the national commands

Which parts of the Law did Jesus not teach?

Jesus did not uphold:

Temple worship—he taught worship in Spirit Jn 4:21-24

Sabbath rest on 7th dayJn 5:17 and others

WORK

Clean and Unclean foodsMk 7:19

Judicial punishmentsJn 8:1-11, Mt 5:38-39

Which parts of the Law did Jesus not teach?


Love Neighbour


National

Judicial functions, punishmentsNational assemblies Choosing a kingWaging warCensus, temple taxExpelling CanaanitesUse of trumpetsSabbath?

Law in normalblessed state

(with temple,living in Israel,free)

VIA TEMPLE

Temple forms of worship and some national commands

WORK

WORK

There is a pattern

• Jesus’ teachings of the Law correspond to the “Law in exile”, ie:

• The parts Jesus taught could all be done in exile, without a temple or nation.

• The parts Jesus didn’t teach were difficult/impossible in exile with no temple or nation.

(Israel had already lost sovereignty to Rome from 63 BC, and Jesus predicted the time when Israel would be exiled (Lk 21:23-24; occurred 70 AD))

Love God

Believe in JesusWorshipForgiveness of sin, sacrifice=JesusPrayerHear from GodClean & Unclean ♥

Love Neighbour

Same as Law, plus a new command:Love as Jesus loved them

National

New CovenantJesus’ teachings (New covenant

is an individual

covenant, not national)

VIA HOLY SPIRIT

New Covenant includes all of the “Law in exile”, plus Love God via Holy Spirit

Love God

Worship/blasphemyForgiveness of sin, sacrificePrayerHear from GodSabbath (assembly)7 annual feastsClean & UncleanMedical functionsDedicating

VIA TEMPLE

Love Neighbour


National


Law in the cursed state

(temple destroyed, exiled from Israel, loss of freedom)

NO

TEMPLE

FROM

70AD IN

EXIL

E

FROM

70AD

Most functions stillbut via Holy Spirit,not temple

Absent from New

Covenant

The Biggest Addition in the New Covenant

The Holy Spirit

• Provides a new way of relating to God(previously, temple and priests were generally the only way)

• Teaches, guides and helps us to keep Jesus’ teachings and frees us from the power of sin(previously, there was no help with keeping the requirements)

New Covenant includes the “Law in exile”

The Law: God’s Covenant with Israel

Temple worship

Nat’lLaws

Love GodLove neighbour



Temple worship

Nat’lLaws

Law in Exile (cursed phase)

Love God (somehow)

Love neighbour

Temple worship

Nat’lLaws


Law in Exile(cursed phase)

Love God (somehow)Love neighbour

Love God via Holy Spirit

New Covenant with Everyone

BelieveJesus

Love as Jesus loved


Law in Exile (cursed phase)

Love GodLove neighbour

• Jesus’ teachings include the heart of the Law—Love God with all your heart, and Love your neighbour.

• Jesus’ teachings do not include temple worship and national functions which become impossible (or very limited) when Israel is in exile.(These sections are not removed from the Law, just dormant.)

• Jesus’ teachings add relating to God via Holy Spirit, and to love as Jesus loved.

If in doubt: just do what Jesus taught

New Covenant and the Law: Summary

E Jesus, Pharisees and the Law

Why Jesus criticised the Pharisees’ observance* of the Law

* non-observance

The Pharisees’ Errors

1. They didn’t love God:“you neglect justice and the love of God” Lk 11:42“you do not have the love of God in your hearts” Jn 5:42“they loved praise from men more than praise from God” Jn 12:43“the Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this…” Lk 16:14

2. They followed human traditions instead of God’s words: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men” Mk 7:8; “You nullify the word of God by your tradition” Mk 7:13

Talmud (Jewish traditions)

The Pharisees’ Errors (cont’d)

3. Pretended to follow the Law for appearances (=hypocrisy):

“everything they do is done for men to see” Mt 23:5“devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers” Mk 12:40

4. Focussed on minor matters and neglected major ones: “you give a tenth of your spices… but you have neglected the more important matters of the Law—justice, mercy, and faith” Mt 23:23

5. Created “exceptions” to God’s commandments:“Love your neighbour (Law) and hate your enemy (tradition)” Mt 5:43Judged and rejected their sinful neighbours instead of loving them eg Lk 7:39 Lk 18:11 Mt 9:11

The Pharisees’ Errors (cont’d)

6. Used one command as an excuse not to keep another:eg used sabbath rest as a reason not to heal the sick Lk 13:14

7. Created heavy burdens for others and didn’t help“they tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders” Mt 23:4

8. Persecuted true prophets, Jesus, and believers in JesusKilled prophets Lk 11:47-51, opposed Jesus Mt 12:14, expelled believers in Jesus Jn 12:42

Why did Jesus criticise the Pharisees?

Jesus never criticised the Pharisees for keeping the Law.

He criticised them for not keeping the Law:“not one of you keeps the Law” Jn 7:19you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness (anomia, lit. lawlessness)” Mt 23:28

What about “legalism” ?

“Legalism” means strict adherence to the Law (dictionary), but is viewed negatively in church circles.

The word and concept of “legalism” is not in Jesus’ teachings; he never criticised people for adhering strictly to the Law.

(Use “hypocrite” or “pretender” or a more specific term instead)

“Oh, how I love your Law !I meditate on it all day long”

Ps 119:97

Conclusions

It was possible to keep the Law, and some righteous people did.

“Righteous” means doing good actions, not being sinless.

Jesus’ teachings include the heart of the Law, esp Love God and Neighbour, (necessary for eternal life)

Jesus’ teachings exclude Temple worship and national functions (impossible in exile)

New in Jesus’ teachings:the Holy Spirit as the new

way of relating to God, and to help us do right.

If in doubt about the Law:follow Jesus’ teachings

Listen to the Holy Spirit

Does the Holy Spirit want to show me anything about the Law?

HS

Questions

Did the Holy Spirit say anything to me?

Any new or useful concepts, or surprises?

Which parts of the Law are included in the New Covenant (and thus relevant to us)?

Do the Law’s commands about how to love our neighbour have any relevance to us today?

Appendix

The Sabbaths

The Sabbaths

Three types of sabbaths in the Law:

Weekly sabbath Special sabbaths,eg Passover

Sabbath year 1/7

Multiple purposes: A gift from God: double manna on 6th day so they could rest

on 7th day Exod 16:14-30. (Triple crop in 6th year Lev 25:18-21)(“the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” Mk 2:27)

To honour God: keep it holy, remember he created the world in 6 days then rested on 7th Exod 20:8-11 and remember that he delivered them from slavery in Egypt Deut 5:15

“Sacred assembly” Lev 23:3 (at sanctuary/temple?)

For the benefit of others: so servants and animals could rest too Deut 5:14

As a sign between God and the Israelites Exod 31:17

Purposes of the Sabbaths

Sabbaths belonged to Blessed phase

Without blessing of prosperity, can’t afford not to work on 7th day and 7th year

Without blessing of freedom, difficult to take any day off as a slave (or a whole sabbath year)

“Sacred assembly” very difficult as slaves in exile with no temple

Jesus and the Sabbath

Regarding healing a man on a Sabbath, Jesus said “My Father is still working, so I am working” Jn 5:17Jesus worked and rested according to what the Father told him, not in a fixed weekly pattern (rest too, eg Mk 6:31)

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” Mk 2:27Sabbath is primarily a gift from God to men

“If you have a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, who wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out? Then how much more than a sheep is a man worth? So, it is right to do good on the Sabbath” Mt 12:11-12Other commandments take priority over strict Sabbath rest

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