Biblical Law And Its Relevance

Preface

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

1. The Mosaic Law And The Christian

2. Is There Truth In The Law (John 1:17)? On The Gospel Of John’s View Of The Mosaic Revelation

3. Near Eastern And Biblical Laws Compared

4. Law And Narrative In Exodus 19-24

5. Exodus 21:22-25 (Lex Talionis) And Abortion

6. “Do Not Steal”: Biblical Laws About Theft

7. Understanding Laws Of Clean And Unclean

8. The Red Heifer

9. Old Testament Perspectives On Divorce

10. The Law’s Theology Of Sex

11. “Just War” In Deuteronomy 20 And 2 Kings 3

12. Law And Justice In The Historical Books

13. Conclusion: Is The Law Relevant For Today?

Bibliography

Indexes

Additional Info
This book approaches the laws of the Pentateuch from theological, historical, moral, and spiritual perspectives. Theologically, this book raises a question of hermeneutics: What are Christians to make of the law? Biblical Law and Its Relevance, while taking into consideration the approaches of Reformed, Dispensationalist, Lutheran, and Theonomist scholars, proposes a distinctive hermeneutic of seeking to find the abiding moral and religious principles inherent in the laws. In pursuing this goal, this book employs a comparative-legal methodology that examines biblical laws in their ancient Near Eastern historical setting and in comparison with rabbinic, modern, and especially cuneiform laws. It seeks to determine the original significance of the lex talionis formula (“eye for an eye”) and the rules of clean / unclean. It also surveys how the laws were administered from the time of Joshua to the end of the Old Testament period.

From an ethical-spiritual viewpoint, this book shows how the laws were meant to foster a relationship with God and identifies the ethical relevance of the laws to today’s issues of abortion, rights of the underclass, theft, divorce, sexuality, and the conduct of war.