Rams Blood, Goats Milk & My Big Toe

The Law, Old Testament & The Covenant

Ram's blood on the right big toe of a priest?

Do not Cook a Young Goat in its mother's milk?

What is the Law and how does it apply to me?

The Law of Israel like the Constitution of the US was the constituting documents formed within the forming events of a nation.

The Law was the instruction book for living in community and for giving devotion to Yahweh.

The meaning of the word “Law” has at least 5 connotations:

1. Plural: “Laws” 600+ commandments the Israelites were commanded to keep
2. Singular: Taking all of these laws collectively
3. Singular: The Pentateuch Most of Israel’s laws do appear in Exo, Lev., Numb., & Deut …but are embedded in narrative contexts. That’s because the law cannot be understood apart from the living out of that story.
4. Singular in NT: Complete OT religious system
5. Singular in NT: As interpreted by the Rabbis, Jews today would largely agree with.

Christians are not expected to express their loyalty to God by keeping the Old Testament law. This is somewhat self-evident in so far as we do not do animal sacrifices and if we did, we’d get arrested for animal cruelty but then again, it is not so self-evident in other ways

6 Guidelines to Understand

1) The Old Testament is a Covenant a binding contract between 2 parties

6 parts of The Covenant

1. Preamble – Defined parties of the covenant: “I am the Lord your God’ (Ex 20:2)
   
2. Prologue – History of how the parties came together “I brought you out of Egypt” (Ex 20:2)
   
3. Stipulations - The laws (Ex 20 - Duet 33)
   
4. Witnesses – Who will enforce the covenant, God himself, or “heaven and earth” (Duet 4:26, 30:19)
   
5. Sanctions – Blessings and curses: incentives for keeping covenant (Lev 26 & Duet 28-33)
   
6. Document clause – provision for regular review of the covenant, so it won’t be forgotten (Duet 17:18-19)
   

2) The Old Testament is not our Testament
None of the Laws are binding on us unless they are renewed in the New Testament.

3) 2 kinds of Old Covenant stipulations clearly have not been renewed in the New Covenant

1. Israelite Civil laws = penalties for particular crimes
2. Israelite Ritual laws = huge body of laws, re., how they worshiped, shedding of blood. Jesus was the final sacrifice.

So what about Jesus saying, “not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished?”

“What [Jesus] said was that the Law cannot be changed. Jesus came to establish a new covenant, and in so doing ‘fulfilled’ the purpose of the old, thus bringing its time to an end.”~Stuart (p. 168)

Analogy: renegotiated labor contract: salaries change, changes in working conditions, some things stay the same, seniority but loyalty and service are still promised by labor and employment is still promised by management.

4) Part of the Old Covenant is renewed in the New Covenant
OT ethical laws are largely renewed

5) All of the OT law is still the Word of God for us even though it is not still the command of God to us. It shows us aspects of God’s character we better understand by reading it. It shows us aspects of living as God’s people we better understand by reading it.

6) Only that which is explicitly reaffirmed from the Old Testament law can be considered to be part of the New Testament “law of Christ.”
For Israel, the Law was never the means of Salvation. It always was a gift from God to help the people live out their loyalty to God. And the problem of Israel’s obedience was not their lack of ability to obey but their unwillingness to do so.

2 kinds of Laws

1. Direct commands “do this” or “don’t do that”. The laws were not always exhaustive if it said, “Don’t harvest your land to the edge of the fields so the poor and strangers may be fed by harvesting the edges” …also carried over to similar applications for shepherds, carpenters, etc.
2. Conditional laws, can be lived out in various ways more situational laws, and require a lot of interpretation by the courts. These laws clearly are not binding upon us, but they may still grant us insight into God’s character, and God’s ways with humans

Israel was not the first people to have laws but Israel’s law represented a huge leap forward in matters of equality and mutual respect across class lines
The Law did bring great practical benefits to the people of Israel, food laws, shedding of blood, forbidden cult practices, kept them healthy

Dos and Don’ts p. 180

The Parables

2 Things Capture the Hearer of a Joke

1. The hearer’s knowledge of the points of reference
2. The unexpected turn in the story

The key to interpreting the joke is to identify the points of reference. When that’s done, we can also better understand the unexpected turn of the joke. It is like explaining a joke. The power of the joke is in its catchy ending which works only because the points and, ultimately, the main point of the joke are obvious. If we don't understand the points of reference for the joke... we miss the whole joke. So too, for the parable.

The Parables in History

Parables were first told and heard not read.

We have first read them, which means we have not heard them in their original form.

Like jokes Parables are better heard than written.

Parables

The Hidden Treasure & the Pearl
(10:45- 21 CR Session 3, Pt1)

The Sower

The Weeds

The Net

1. Two men in debt and their money lender - Luke 7:36-49
1. Listen to the parable and surrounding account.
2. Identify points of reference for the whole text.
3. What is the unexpected turn in the parable?
4. How does the parable relate to the setting Jesus is in?
2. The Good Samaratan Luke 10:25 -37
1. Listen to the parable and surrounding account.
2. Identify points of reference for the whole text.
3. What is the unexpected turn in the parable?
4. How does the parable relate to the setting Jesus is in?

The Nature of the Parables

• a story, pure and simple
• has a beginning and an end
• has a plot

True parables:

• The Lost Sheep
• The Prodigal Son
• The Great Banquet
• The Lost Coin
  
• The Workers in the Vineyard
• The Rich Man and Lazarus
• The Ten Virgins
• The Shrewd Manager
  

Some parables are illustrations drawn from everyday life used by Jesus to make a point

• the Yeast in the Dough
• the Mustard Seed

Jesus also used Metaphors and similes

• You are the salt of the earth
  
• Light of the world
  

Identifying the Audience

Given the importance of defining the points of reference it is really important to try to identify the audience. Identify the points of reference intended by Jesus that would have been picked up by the original hearers. Try to determine how the original hearers would have identified with the story, and therefore what they would have heard.

The Parable Problem

Mark 4:10-12

When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; 12in order that ‘they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven”

Jesus seems to be suggesting that the parables contain mysteries that only the specially enlightened can decipher.

No part of scripture has found such odd and eccentric interpretations as the parables, the only part of Scripture exceeding that being the book of Revelation.

Parables were clear in their meaning to those hearing them.

Specifically in the case of the Good Samaritan, the “expert in the law” to whom Jesus was speaking clearly understood it!

It was the reality that the whole meaning of Jesus’ ministry was to non-believers like a riddle that they just could not solve. It eluded them. Most of Jesus’ ministry was not actually grasped, even by the apostles—until after the crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and giving of the Spirit which then gave them a retrospective perspective, a huge “Now I get it!”

The Gospels

4 Books - Same Story

Jesus’ spoke in Aramaic, the gospels were all written in Greek.

Jesus did not write a gospel.

A collection of teachings of Jesus + stories about Jesus.

Jesus had 1 audience while each writer was writing for a different audience.

4 different communities of believers needed their own account of the life of Jesus.

• 30 Jesus Died

• 60 Mark Shortest The Facts to the Romans

• 70 Matthew The Proof to the Jews
  

• 70 Luke The History to the Gentiles
  


• 95 John The Message to the World from Jesus's best friend
  

The Followers of Christ were expanding:
From rural, Aramaic-speaking Israel
To urban, Greek-speaking Rome, Ephesus, Corinth, etc.

They needed an account that would be understood by all.

What it meant Then
2-levels

1. Jesus’ context of ministry in Palestine – doing ministry prior to the resurrection and Pentecost.


2. Each writer’s context years later and usually far away – doing ministry after the resurrection and Pentecost.

Jesus’ teachings were spread widely and orally for 30 years or more before they were written down.

Each gospel writer had a different situation and group of people he was addressing .

Matthew and Luke probably had copies of the earlier records
John probably did not.

Jesus’ commands often have been avoided as throwbacks to OT legalism.
They are not methods of salvation but they are direction for living the grace-filled life.

Key theme: Kingdom of God

1. The Expectation: John the Baptist preached that, “The kingdom of God is near.” Anticipation was at a feverish pitch.
2. Messianic expectations were fueled by Jesus – causing anticipation of liberation from Rome.
3. Crucifixion crushed hopes.
4. Resurrection renewed such hopes.
5. Disciples expected Jesus to establish the kingdom .
6. Giving the Holy Spirit.
7. The Return

The Early Church

Issues with Acts
Divisions caused by Acts as instruction manual:

• Infant baptism vs. believers’ baptism
• Government: Congregational, Episcopal, Presbyterian
• Lord’s Supper: Weekly? Monthly?
• Election of Deacons
• Communal Property
• Tongues
  
• Even snake handling!

Acts gives you a History of the first Christians

Acts as History
1. Luke was a Gentile
2. Acts was written

• to give a historical record
• to encourage
• to entertain
• to inform
• to give a defense of the Gospel

3. Luke and the Septuagint (LXX)
4. This is not the complete story

Overview of Acts
Key characters: Peter & Paul

1. 1:1 – 6:7 – The Primitive Church in Jerusalem
Everything is Jewish: the preaching, the institutions (temple & synagogues). Ends with beginning of rift between Greek-speaking and Aramaic-speaking believers.

2. 6:8-9:31 – First Geographical Expansion
Led by Greek-speaking, Greek speaking Jew. Paul’s conversion and Stephen’s stoning.

3. 9:32-12:24 – Expansion to the Gentiles
Cornelius (story is told twice!), the first Gentile led by Peter, a truly Jewish Christian leader
Antioch, the first mission outpost to the Gentiles.

4. 12:25-16:5 – Acceptance of Gentiles

5. 16:6-19:20 – Expanding Mission

6. 19:21-28:30- Gospel goes to the “Center of the Universe” Rome

Luke’s Intent

1. Focus on the movement of the gospel…orchestrated by Spirit…from Jerusalem to Rome…from Jewishness to Roman context.
2. Luke does not show any interest in biography: no mention of most apostles after first chapter drops Peter from scene once church moves away from Jerusalem.
3. Luke gives very little info about church structure. Gives no explanation for the succession of Jerusalem leadership from Peter to James. No explanation of church offices.
4. No mention of other movements geographically to other regions of the world.
5. Luke is not interested in setting up rules for a church. Conversions include water and HS but order of salvation is different in almost every case
6. Luke model for the church is led and empowered by the Holy Spirit and reaching out to the world.

The Stories

Stories are 40% of the OT & OT is 75% of the Bible

15 Books Totally/Mostly Stories:
Genesis
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1&2 Samuel
1&2 Kings
1&2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Daniel
Jonah
Hagai

6 Books Lots of Stories:
Exodus
Numbers
Jeremiah
Ezekial
Isaiah
Job

NT has Stories:
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts

3 Layers in a Story

1. Top Layer: God

2. Middle Layer: Redemption

3. Bottom Layer: The Stories

Stories are not…

…Fables filled with hidden meanings.

…Intended to teach moral lessons.

5 Characteristics of Hebrew Stories

1. Repetition of key words/phrase

2. Circle story approach

3. Oral never read

4. Change of scenery like a play

5. Designed to be remembered

9 Things to Avoid

1. Treating the story as pathway to another text.

2. Taking the story out of context ignoring the full historical & literary contexts.

3. Picking & choosing specific words & phrases to concentrate on while ignoring the others and ignoring the overall sweep of the narrative being studied.

4. Assuming that principles for living can be derived from all passages.

5. Supposing that any or all parts apply to you or your group in a way that they don’t apply to others.

6. Using the story to do something it originally was not intending to recommend e.g., casting fleeces before the Lord.

7. To read into the story today’s issues e.g., to read into David’s love for Jonathan a homosexual relationship.

8. Tying two stories from different books together as if they are speaking of the same thing.

9. Changing meanings, e.g., using language of Zion as if it always applies to the church, or language of temple as defining your body.

10 Principles for Interpreting Stories

1. An OT story usually does not directly teach a rule.

2. An OT story usually illustrates a rule or rules taught elsewhere.

3. Stories record what happened—not necessarily what should have happened or what ought to happen every time. Therefore, not every story has an individual identifiable moral application.

4. What people do in stories is not necessarily a good example for us. Frequently, it is just the opposite.

5. Most of the characters in OT stories are far from perfect—as are their actions as well.

6. We are not always told at the end of a story whether what happened was good or bad. We are expected to be able to judge this on the basis of what God has taught us elsewhere in the Bible.

7. All stories are incomplete. Not all the details are always given. What does appear in the story is everything that the author thought important for us to know.

8. Stories are not written to answer all our questions. They have particular, specific, limited purposes and deal with certain issues, leaving others to be dealt with elsewhere in other ways.

9. Stories may teach either by clearly stating something or by clearly implying something without actually stating it.

10. God is the hero of all biblical stories.

The Letters

The Gospels: The Life of Jesus

by Matthew
by Mark
by Luke
by John

Acts: The History of the Early Church

by Luke

Revelations: Prophesy for the Future

by John

Letters to Individuals

1& 2 Timothy by Paul
Titus by Paul
Philemon by Paul

Letters to Churchs

1&2 Corinthians by Paul
Galations by Paul
Ephesians by Paul
Philippians by Paul
Colossians by Paul
1 & 2 Thessalonians by Paul

Letters For General Distribution

Romans by Paul
Hebrews by ?
James by James
1&2 Peter by Peter
1,2&3 John by John
Jude by Jude

Order Books were Written

49 Galatia
51 1&2 Thessalonica
55 1&2 Corinth
57 Rome
58 James
60 Colosse
60 Ephesus
60 Philemon
60 Jude
62 Phillippi
63 1 Timothy
63 Titus
64 1&2 Peter
67 2 Timothy
70 Hebrews
90 1,2&3 John
95 Revelations