LAW IN THE BIBLE

 Law in the Bible

The Bible has a lot to say about the law, which some lawyers may be unfamiliar with, because it is understood in the theological sense. Lawyers speak about the law all the time, so theoretically when the law is mentioned in the Bible, the embodying legal principle of power and authority is essentially similar in the secular understanding of law. 

God is the God of order. From the beginning of time God designed all creation with order, harmony, and ordained the laws of nature and by His Sovereign power sustains all things. (Hebrews 1:3) 

In dealing with His chosen race, the Hebrew people, God ordained the Law that would govern His people. Unlike the legal systems that we have where laws are legislated or decreed by man, God is the Source of this Law, made known to the great Patriarch Moses. 

The law of Moses or what is described as Mosaic Law  is the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah (Hebrew for “law”), also called the Pentateuch (Greek for “five books”). More strictly speaking, the Law of Moses refers only to the 600-plus commandments and regulations in the second through fifth books of the Torah. We often refer to the commandments as “the Law of Moses”; of course, they are actually the Law of God. Moses was the one through whom God gave Israel the law.

The Law of Moses has three general applications: Moral Laws, Civil Laws and Ceremonial Laws. . 

Moral laws declare God’s holy, unchanging character. The moral laws included the Ten Commandments.

Civil laws were regulations on the day-to-day life of the Hebrew people. It deals with pragmatic aspects of civil order to preserve the nation until the coming of the Messia. These laws govern persons and their interpersonal relation like such things as marriage and divorce, sexual conduct, and property rights and set the penalties for various crimes ranging from theft to kidnapping to slander.

Ceremonial laws related to the manner that the Israelites were to worship God. The ceremonial laws instructed on the proper way to offer sacrifices, perform rituals, and celebrate festivals. The laws governing what was “clean” and “unclean” were in this category.

The Mosaic Law was given specifically to the nation of Israel (Exodus 19; Leviticus 26:46; Romans 9:4). 

The purpose of the Mosaic Law among others was to accomplish the following: 1) Reveal the holy character of the eternal God to the nation of Israel (Leviticus 19:2; 20:7–8). 2) Set apart the nation of Israel as distinct from all the other nations (Exodus 19:5). 3) Reveal the sinfulness of man (cf. Galatians 3:19). Although the Law was good and holy (Romans 7:12), it did not provide salvation for the nation of Israel. “No one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20; cf. Acts 13:38–39). 4) Reveal to humanity that no one can keep the Law but everyone falls short of God’s standard of holiness. That realization causes us to rely on God’s mercy and grace. When Christ came, He fulfilled the Law and with His death paid the penalty for our breaking it (Galatians 3:24; Romans 10:4). By faith in Him, the believer has the very righteousness of Christ imputed to him.

Israel was never to be saved by keeping the Law (Romans 3:20). The Law was meant to govern their earthly lives, to define sin, and to point to the coming Savior. Neither did the Law change the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant. 

Obedience to this law was commanded’ of God’s people as they attempted to merit His favor and blessing. After all, Israel was His special people, and they were bound together in a solemn covenant with Him. So the laws are not just some rules but essentially covenantal. When the law was transgressed, the covenant was broken, and so was the relationship with God! That’s why the law occupied such a huge place in the life of Israel. In order to restore the broken relationship, sacrifices were required and penalties were prescribed. Yet all these sacrifices were really inadequate. They have to be done repeatedly every time the people transgressed the law which they often did. 

This sacrificial inadequacy was later fully satisfied when the Lord Jesus Christ offered Himself as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for the just punishment of man’s sin.

In the New Testament we find the phrase “the law and the prophets”. The phrase the law and the prophets refers to the entire Old Testament, which comprises the Torah (the first five Books) and the rest of the Old Testament described as the Prophets. 

Jesus made reference to “the law and the prophets”. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus remarkably pointed out that he is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, saying, “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” (Matthew 5:17).

On the Emmaus Road, Jesus taught two disciples “everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets” (Luke 24:27, CEV). 

It is clear that the Old Testament comprising the two fold division: “the law and the prophets,” pointed to Jesus. 

When Philip invited his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus, he referred to the whole of Hebrew Scripture in its two-fold division: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about—Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45, NET). 

Philip was right that all of Scripture has a common theme: the Messiah, the Son of God, who is Jesus. 

Jesus fulfilled the moral requirements of the law: He perfectly obeyed all the commandments, showcasing an unblemished character and establishing the perfect example of how humans should live according to God's will.

Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial aspects of the law: He served as the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, rendering the animal sacrifices and rituals prescribed by the Mosaic Law unnecessary. His death and resurrection opened a new way for humanity to be reconciled with God.

Jesus fulfilled the prophetic aspects of the law: Throughout the Old Testament, numerous prophecies pointed to the coming of a Messiah who would redeem and fulfill God's plan for salvation. Jesus was the fulfillment of these prophecies.

The llife, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished what the law could not. Through faith in Christ and his finished work, believers are no longer bound to the requirements of the Mosaic Law, but instead find salvation, forgiveness, and righteousness in him.

Christ is the perfection of the law. Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses in every respect (Matthew 5:17). With the coming of Christ, the Law of Moses had achieved its purpose (Galatians 3:23–25), and now that Old Covenant of animal sacrifices is replaced by the New Covenant of faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:14). “We have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Romans 7:6).  “Christ is the end of the law” (Romans 10:4).

Treasures Old and New

 TREASURES OLD AND NEW

He said to them, “Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house. 

He brings new treasures out of his storeroom as well as old ones.” (Matthew 13:52 NIRV)

One joy of the Christian life is the privilege of learning God’s truth from God’s Word. 

The Lord Jesus Christ often confronts  the Teachers  of the Law  who are the Scribes, mostly Pharisees. They are steep in religious learning. They are the intellectual elite. They are in a sense lawyers, experts in Hebrew law (Scripture). They are the repository and interpreters of Scripture. But the Scribes  go beyond interpretation and add many man made traditions to what God ordained. The regulations and traditions which they add to the Law become more important  than the Law itself. Christ condemns them for they nullify the law by the man made traditions they  add to the Law. (Mark 7:13) They cancel the word of God for the sake of their tradition. (Matthew 15:6)

The disciples of Christ are not as learned as the Scribes. They are his followers who learn the truth about  Christ and live in obedience to him. Christ is their Master Teacher. Everyone is amazed when Jesus teach in the synagogue. They ask, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” Many acknowledge that Jesus is unlike the Scribes  and the Pharisees for he teach with authority. (Mark 1:22)

So, the Lord here points out that a Scribe who may happen to become his disciple is likened to a house owner, who holds out treasures from his storeroom. Scribes may be said to have a treasury of traditional knowledge. A Scribe’s treasure is his knowledge and understanding of Scripture, but unillumined by the mind of Christ such knowledge is imperfect. 

The Scribes during that time emphasize learning, but true disciples emphasize living. Disciples are doers of the Word (James 1:22) and they learn by doing. While learning is important a balance should be maintained  by living out what is learned. 

As shown in the experience of the Scribes, knowledge alone without personal application, puffs up and does not build up according to St. Paul ( 1 Corinthians 8:1) 

Verse 52 speaks of treasure. What is the treasure? In context this refers to the teachings the disciples had heard from Jesus and would continue to hear from Him right up to the time He ascended. Scribal knowledge would turn into enlightened knowledge, when one learns of the new truths imparted by Christ.

Bible Commentator Brian Bell  noted that the disciples were beginning to understand the new things Jesus was teaching in conjunction with the traditions from the Scriptures they already knew.  

The fusion of the old and the new (Testaments) is like a gem of knowledge made alive in practice.

Theologian and Pastor Knox Chamblin says, “Every true disciple has discovered the treasure of the kingdom (Mt 13:44); and each of them will in time have a full treasury from which to impart things both new and old (Mt 13:52b), including things formerly learned but now freshly illuminated…”

Bible Teacher Warren Wiersbe sharply observed: 

“The scribes preserved the Law but did not invest it in the lives of the people. 

The treasure of the Law was encrusted by man’s traditions. The seed was not planted so it could bear fruit. 

The ‘spiritual gold and silver’ 

was not put to work so it could produce dividends. 

As Christians we should be conservative but not preservative. The steward guards the treasure, but he also dispenses it as it is needed. He dispenses both the old and the new. 

New principles and insights are based on old truths. 

The new cannot contradict the old because the old comes out of the new (Lev. 26:10). 

The new without the old is mere novelty and will not last. But the old does no good unless it is given new applications in life today. 

We need both.”

St. Augustine in speaking of the Gospel, famously described the relationship between the Old and New Testaments this way: “The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.” 

They are treasures found in the storehouse of God’s revealed truth. Churches could well be reminded that preaching an incomplete Gospel  is a weak investment.

Road Rage

 Road rage is an epidemic that inflicts us as we live in a stressful, crowded environment. It is strange how operating a motor vehicle, a machine of modern convenience, could transform the one behind the wheel, into a raging, violent person. We wonder why many are easily provoked, justly or unjustly when they are cloistered in the privacy of their cars. The violence that could erupt in the streets because somebody loses his cool, always end in regret or remorse. 

Anger is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong. Anger is a natural human emotion experienced by all. But excessive anger can  be a bad thing causing serious problems. Excessive anger may become wrath. The range of anger is as broad as life’s experiences. 

Scripture tells us anger could lead to sin. God gave us this natural human emotion for there can be righteous anger or indignation. It’s opposite, is sinful anger. It is not a sin to feel angry, but what we do next or how long we allow anger to dwell can lead us to sinfulness. Scripture teaches that human anger is dangerous, but righteous anger is when we are angry about evil and sin in the world. Truly, we cannot ignore evil and injustice.

The Bible addresses anger and wrath in several passages, providing guidance on how to handle these emotions:

1. Ephesians 4:26-27: "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." This verse acknowledges that anger is a natural emotion, but it warns against allowing anger to lead to sin or giving room for the devil's influence.

2. Proverbs 14:29: "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly." This verse emphasizes the importance of patience and self-control, indicating that those who are slow to anger demonstrate wisdom and understanding.

3. James 1:19-20: "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." These verses urge believers to practice patience, active listening, and restraint in their reactions. They emphasize that human anger often leads to actions contrary to godly righteousness.

4. Proverbs 15:1: "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." This verse encourages responding to anger or wrath with gentle and kind words. It suggests that a calm and compassionate approach can help diffuse and resolve conflicts.

5. Colossians 3:8: "But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." This verse calls for believers to let go of anger and other negative emotions, replacing them with virtuous attributes such as kindness and forgiveness.

6. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9

When Right Seems Wrong

 There is a way which seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death. 

-Proverbs 14:12  (ASB)

When Right Seems Wrong

When the crowd is running the wrong way, it's hard to be the oddball who runs the right way. Most of the participants in the 10,000-meter cross-country race thought Mike was heading the wrong way. He kept waving for the other runners to follow him, but only 4 believed he had taken the right turn--the turn that all the other competitors had missed. When he was asked about the reaction to his mid-course decision not to let the crowd determine his direction, Mike responded, "They thought it was funny that I went the right way."

First-century pagans reacted the same way to the changed lifestyle of their Christian neighbors. The apostle Peter said, "They think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you" (1 Pet. 4:4). Non-Christians still think that followers of Jesus Christ are going in the wrong direction. But actually, believers are headed for the victor's crown and a heavenly home (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Scripture often warns that human reasoning and human desire can lead to disaster (Jeremiah 17:9). The problem is not that we cannot use reason, or that we can never have right desires. Rather, it's that we're too easily swayed by what we desire, not what is true (Proverbs 1:7). Proverbs 12:15 previews this danger: the "fool" is the person who trusts his own thinking over and above that of God (Proverbs 3:5). This verse points out the need for self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5). Other proverbs note the value in seeking advice and wisdom from godly people (Proverbs 11:14; 15:5). 

Even faced with overwhelming evidence, however, a person who is committed to rejecting God can find excuses to do so.  “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. “ John 5:39–40). Left to his own devices, such a man will reject the way of salvation (Hebrews 2:3). He relies on his finite, corrupt knowledge to illumine his way through life.  “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8). He walks in darkness, and unless he comes to faith in Jesus Christ, he will experience eternal death (John 3:36). Isaiah 53:6 confirms, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way."

Wide Moves

 WIse Moves

A man of understanding holds his peace (Proverbs 11:12).

A fool's wrath is known at once (Proverbs 12:16).

He who guards his mouth preserves his life (Proverbs 13:3).

He who loses his temper finds trouble

A Way that seems right

 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Proverbs 14:12

Solomon was a wise son who paid attention to his father, David. He also sought to be a wise father by sharing his wisdom with his own son and compiling his own set of righteous guidelines and the learned sayings of others, into a compendium. He did this to encourage his own children towards righteous living.

Reverence for the Lord and trust in His Word is the foundation upon which true wisdom is based, and we in the Church age have discovered that: "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Wise choices in life are of true and lasting benefit, and the 'Proverbs of Solomon' are an amazing collection of maxims for profitable living. They cover a wide range of subject matter which can help to prevent foolish behaviour and ungodly decisions in areas like relationships, friendships, finances, and a fruitful life. This not only pleases God and demonstrates faith in His Word, but gives every day advice on peaceful living, while avoiding troublesome situations.

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