The Law

The Tanakh “the law and the prophets and the writings” ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

The Law The first five books of the Tanakh The Torah ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

The Law The teachings written and oral God’s Truth ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

The Teachings of the Torah Jesus said: "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. Matt 5:17 (NIV) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Western protestant interpretation Jesus didn’t abolish (get rid of) the CEREMONIAL laws of God (Like eating pork or animal sacrifice) He fulfilled the requirements of them so that they are no longer needed. The MORAL laws remain (Matt ) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Dynamic vs. Literal Translation "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. Matt 5:17 (NIV) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

"Don’t think My purpose is to Misinterpret God’s teaching; My purpose is to interpret God’s teaching correctly.” Matt 5:17 (NIV) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Correctly Interpreted law “You have heard it said…do not murder…but I say” Matt 5:21-22 “You have heard it said did not commit adultery. But I say to you…” Matt 5:27-28 “It has been said anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce…But I say” Matt 5:31-32 ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

The Law The teachings written and oral God’s truth ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

The Law 613 laws written in the Torah Not everyone could follow all 613 laws – Priest – Women – Men ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Division of the Law (613 rules) Ceremonial Moral ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Division of the Law (613 rules) Mitzvot bein adam la-makon Mitzvot being adam la-chaverio ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Divisions of the Law Mitzvot bein adam la-makonMitzvot being adam la-chaverio Obligations between man and God Love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul Obligations between man and his neighbor Love your neighbor as yourself The “Works of the Law” Circumcision, Eating Kosher “The Justices” Do not murder, Do not oppress the poor The Holiness codeRighteousness ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Why is this important? It is the way Jesus taught about the Law It is the way Paul taught about the Law It effects the way we interpret their teachings It effects our definition of sinful behavior ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Jesus (Concluding the Sermon on the mount) So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matt 7:12 (NIV) Jesus taught that God’s teaching and Truth is summed up in the “Justices” “The works” were not part of correctly understanding and living the law. ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Jesus As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matt 9:9-13 (NIV) Jesus quoting from Hosea 6:6 Mercy= Justices of the LawSacrifice = Works of the Law ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Jesus At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. Matt 12:1-7 (NIV) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Jesus Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matt 22:34-40 (NIV) We worship God and show our love for Him by loving our neighbour and treating him with justice. ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Jesus One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. Mark 12:28-34 (NIV) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Paul You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbour as yourself." Gal 5:13-14 (NIV) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Paul Since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised (Jews who follow the Holiness code)by faith and the uncircumcised (Gentiles who don’t follow the holiness code) through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. Romans 3:30-31 (NIV) ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

The law and the LGBT Community Ceremonial LawMoral law Don’t eat LobsterSexual behavior Not in force todayIn force today This division is not what Jesus or Paul taught ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Division of the Law Mitzvot bein adam la-makonMitzvot being adam la-chaverio Obligations between “man” and God Love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul “Obligations between man and his neighbor Love your neighbor as yourself The Holiness codeRighteousness The “Works of the Law” Sexual Purity homosexual acts Lev. 18:22 “The Justices” Sexual Ethics You shall not commit adultery Ex. 20:14 ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Division of the Law Mitzvot bein adam la-makonMitzvot being adam la-chaverio The “Works of the Law”“The Justices” Sexual PuritySexual Ethics homosexual acts Lev. 18:22 homosexual acts Romans 1:26-28 Idolatry You shall not commit adultery Ex. 20:14 Malakoi, Arsenokoitai 1 Cor 6:9-10, 1 Tim 1:9-11 Abusive sex relationships, sex trade ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

What’s the point? Jesus taught only the ‘Justices” mattered Paul taught only the “Justices” mattered To use Romans chapter 1 against the LGBT community is to “Abolish the law” Any “law” that creates injustice or inequity today is not Biblical ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission

Uganda Russia U.S.A. “Religious freedom laws” If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. Matt 12:7 (NIV ©RC Wilkinson 2014 Used with permission