- Jun 9, 2014
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Hello everyone,
I find it fascinating that not once (that I can find) did Jesus ever refer to the Law as God's Law, but only ever as the Law of Moses.
I also find it fascinating that the NT at several places says the Law was given by angels (Acts 7:38, 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2) - this would imply it was not Yahweh directly who gave it. (The Hebrew word for "God", "Elohim", is a catch-all word for spirits, if I recall, but I can't reference that right now... if I'm right, it could explain some things, but the OT does use the name Yahweh in several instances relating to the Law outside of the ten commandments.)
1. Some say this is because only the ten commandments were God's Law and the rest (ceremonial and state laws) was the Law of Moses.
2. Some say it is because Moses misinterpreted or misrepresented God's real Law, unable to shake some of his cultural limitations (and so Jesus sets the record straight).
3. Some say it is because "Law", as in "Torah", does not refer to a moral code but to a spiritual word of sorts; a way of life empowered by the study of God's Law. In this sense there are double or hidden meanings to be found in the OT and the Law was never meant to be taken literally.
Of course, how Jesus changes or contradicts the "Law" is interesting. Some say he does not contradict it. At the very least, one can say he changes it or re-interprets it in His own way (and sometimes, even agreeing with the teachings of his Rabbi contemporaries).
And Paul's very negative view of the Law (although Messianic Christians may disagree that it was completely negative) is interesting too.
I'm very interested in hearing opinions on this.
I find it fascinating that not once (that I can find) did Jesus ever refer to the Law as God's Law, but only ever as the Law of Moses.
I also find it fascinating that the NT at several places says the Law was given by angels (Acts 7:38, 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2) - this would imply it was not Yahweh directly who gave it. (The Hebrew word for "God", "Elohim", is a catch-all word for spirits, if I recall, but I can't reference that right now... if I'm right, it could explain some things, but the OT does use the name Yahweh in several instances relating to the Law outside of the ten commandments.)
1. Some say this is because only the ten commandments were God's Law and the rest (ceremonial and state laws) was the Law of Moses.
2. Some say it is because Moses misinterpreted or misrepresented God's real Law, unable to shake some of his cultural limitations (and so Jesus sets the record straight).
3. Some say it is because "Law", as in "Torah", does not refer to a moral code but to a spiritual word of sorts; a way of life empowered by the study of God's Law. In this sense there are double or hidden meanings to be found in the OT and the Law was never meant to be taken literally.
Of course, how Jesus changes or contradicts the "Law" is interesting. Some say he does not contradict it. At the very least, one can say he changes it or re-interprets it in His own way (and sometimes, even agreeing with the teachings of his Rabbi contemporaries).
And Paul's very negative view of the Law (although Messianic Christians may disagree that it was completely negative) is interesting too.
I'm very interested in hearing opinions on this.
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