The Law of Moses

I.  AS A TEXT

A.       Written by Moses

1.     Written by divine revelation (Deut.29:29) –Moses did not need to be there

2.     Written by divine direction (II Pet.1:21)

a.       His birth (Ex.2:1-2)

b.       His meekness (Num.12:3)

c.       His rebellion (Num.20:11-12,24)

d.       His death (Deut.34:5-8)

B.       Titles

1.     Pentateuch

a.       Scholarly name

b.       Means “five books”

2.     Torah

a.       Jewish name

b.       Means “law”

3.     The Law of Moses

a.       Biblical name (Ezra 3:2; 7:6; I Cor.9:9)

b.       Bible references: 21 times

(1)     Old Testament: 14 times

(2)     New Testament: 7 times

C.       One of the Divisions of the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44)

1.     The Law of Moses

2.     The Prophets

3.     The Writings

D.       The Five Books

1.     Genesis

a.       Name means “beginnings” –compare generations, generate

b.       Theme: Creation (Gen.1:1)

c.       Ends “in a coffin in Egypt”

2.     Exodus

a.       Name means “departure”

b.       Theme: Redemption (Ex.6:6; 12:13)

3.     Leviticus

a.       Name means “book of the Levites”

b.       Theme: Holiness (Lev.11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7-8)

4.     Numbers

a.       Name means “census” or “numbering”  -notice that only potential soldiers were counted (Num.1:6)

b.       Theme: Warfare (Num.31:1-8)

5.     Deuteronomy

a.       Name means “second law”  -not a new law; but a summary, repetition and application of the Mosaic Law

b.       Theme: Obedience (Deut.7:6-11) 

II.  AS A TOPIC

A.       The Place of the Law in Doctrine  -see notes on Romans 7

B.       The Divisions of the Law of Moses

1.     By application

a.       Moral Law

(1)     Basic moral principles

(2)     The ten commandments

b.       Ceremonial Law

(1)     Man’s duties to God

(2)     Concerns tabernacle, priesthood, sacrifices, feasts, etc.

c.       Civil Law

(1)     Man’s duties to man

(2)     Concerns families, servants, strangers, crimes, property, justice and various regulations

2.     By attitude

a.       From Jewish tradition of 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the Mosaic Law

b.       365 negative commandments corresponding to the 365 days in a solar year

c.       248 positive commandments corresponding to the number of parts in the human body

3.     By time (traditional)

a.       Time-bound – commandments which must be observed at a particular time (during the day or during the year)

b.       Non-time-bound

4.     By reason (traditional)

a.       Rational – the reason for doing it can be seen by reason

b.       Nonrational – cannot be supported by human reason