How to Read The Bible: The Law

[Bootstrap]

We have recently had some threads discussing Old Testament law. I think this page from The Bible Project is helpful. It contains this video:

[video][/video]

This is part of a helpful series on How to Read the Bible that has a rich set of videos on different kinds of biblical books, the big picture of the Bible, etc.

[Franklin]

I am not here to criticize Christianity but, as a follower of the Old Testament, I do feel an obligation to defend the Old Testament from Christian misunderstandings.

The phrase "the Law" never appears in the Old Testament in Hebrew. While KJV is the best translation of the Old Testament, it is not perfect. It translates the Hebrew "ha-torah" as the "the Law" when it really should mean "the teaching".

There is only one "law" that God says is forever, this being the Sabbath (Exodus 31:17). The rest can be considered as being at the level of the rules of a church. But since they are from God, they can be considered perfectly suited for the needs of the Israelites at that time. This means that one can seek the principles behind the laws and apply those principles to today to produce good modern laws/rules. For example, the sacrifices were mostly fines for sins and were mostly eaten by the priests. So they served two functions. This could be applied in various ways today.

[Bootstrap]

I am not here to criticize Christianity but, as a follower of the Old Testament, I do feel an obligation to defend the Old Testament from Christian misunderstandings.

Are you disagreeing with something the video said? If so, what?

I am hearing more agreement than disagreement in what you say, but you are using words that imply you disagree with the video.

[Franklin]

Are you disagreeing with something the video said? If so, what?

I am hearing more agreement than disagreement in what you say, but you are using words that imply you disagree with the video.

Yes, in this case I agree more than I disagree. Here are some disagreements:

I disagree with the term "the law". It should be "the laws".

The story of Israel is oversimplified. They did a fairly good job of keeping commandments sometimes. But they had the normal lifecycle of a culture and eventually decayed.

I disagree with the explanation of the sacrifices.

The Old Testament is not fulfilled just by loving God and your neighbor. This also misrepresents what Jesus actually said which is that these things are the most important (but not the totality of the message).

[barnhart]

I disagree with the explanation of the sacrifices.

Can you give your perspective?

The Old Testament is not fulfilled just by loving God and your neighbor. This also misrepresents what Jesus actually said which is that these things are the most important (but not the totality of the message).

I agree, I think. The point where we are likely to differ is around the authority of Jesus to rightly interpret or reveal the heart of God through the commands (teachings).

[Franklin]

I disagree with the explanation of the sacrifices.

Can you give your perspective?

As I said above "the sacrifices were mostly fines for sins and were mostly eaten by the priests".

I agree, I think. The point where we are likely to differ is around the authority of Jesus to rightly interpret or reveal the heart of God through the commands (teachings).

Probably not as much as you think. Even though I am not Christian, I have a lot of respect for Jesus's opinions, probably more than most modern Christians do.

[barnhart]

Even though I am not Christian, I have a lot of respect for Jesus's opinions, probably more than most modern Christians do.

That is probably true. We could do a lot better.

[Franklin]

Even though I am not Christian, I have a lot of respect for Jesus's opinions, probably more than most modern Christians do.

That is probably true. We could do a lot better.

I am not talking about the Mennonites. The Mennonites clearly respect Jesus more than I do, which is why I respect the Mennonites. I am talking about modern Christians who believe that everything Jesus said stopped applying after his death, and that only what Paul said really matters.