The Misunderstood Mosaic Law

We are so far removed from the cultural world of the ancient Near East there is so much about the Torah we do not understand. This is a deep dive exploring what the Torah was and what it most likely functioned as. Thank you to scholars Mark Chavalas and John Walton for helping with this video.

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Sources:
Christine Hayes – Lecture 10. Biblical Law: The Three Legal Corpora of JE (Exodus), P (Leviticus and Numbers) and D:

John Walton and Brent Sandy - The Lost World of Scripture

John Walton - Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament (2nd Ed.)

Delbert Hillers - Covenant

Jean Bottéro - Mesopotamia: Writing, Reasoning, and the Gods

Michael Lefebvre - Collections, Codes, and the Torah

Walter Kaiser - Five Views on Law and Gospel

Daniel J. Hays - Applying the Old Testament Law Today:

Craig Keener - The Gospel of Matthew: A Soci-Rhetorical Commentary

John Walton & J. Harvey Walton - The Lost World of the Torah

#Bible #Christianity #Hebrew

[devondeswardt]

This channel is the living embodiment of the phrase “everything you know is wrong”. Every video I watch I can feel the veil of misconceptions being lifted. Thank you, Micheal! May The Lord bless your ministry

[princeamoakwa]

Do you know why I believe you on this? It completely makes sense of why the greatest law is “Love for God and man” and how “Love is the fulfillment of the Law.” The Torah is not a strict and prescriptive set of eternal rules - the point of it is reverence for God and service and honour to fellow men. This is why Jesus seemed to have broken the Law or Torah in many instances but in actual sense, before God, He hadn’t: mercy, love and grace - the spirit of or reason for the Law was on display. This is how Jesus fulfilled the Law: everything He did was because of His love for God and His compassionate love for man even His enemies. In all things He understood the Law was made for man and not man for the Law. Brilliant video! God bless you!!!

[diegovalleperez]

The purpose of the Torah was for sanctification until the messiah came, it was never for saving someone. The Torah points to Jesus Christ!

[MyDavid]

This is one of the best of IP’s videos. I have a much better understanding of the Torah.

[whctjsdlfqhrlfprl]

One of the law I really like is ‘Jubilee’.
Making everyone free against their debts, like resetting the clock. Slaves no longer slaves, etc.

[JD-npxq]

I agree that the punishments of the Torah would likely be considered the maximum punishment rather than necessary punishments, and that they would be applied with discretion considering context and intentions; but I think classifying them as equivalent to wisdom literarure rather than prescription goes too far. Clearly God expected Israel to live in compliance with the covenant; it wasn't merely a good idea, and the punishments were live options. "You shall have no other gods before me" isn't a suggestion.

[GraceAlone]

Great video!! As someone who is new to Christianity, it's hard to find those who don't have an agenda to skew information. These videos are super informative! And I have learned a lot so far.

[juancarlosaliba]

Hoping this will shed light on what Paul really meant when he said faith in Christ apart from works of the law save.

[reziboy]

I was skeptical at first until I thought about the fact that David and Bathsheba were not put to death for their adultery, even though God sent Nathan to call David out on his sin. But one question I would pose is if ancient audiences were not asking the same questions that we are, why did the Pharisees interpret the Torah as an unbreakable code of conduct? I know they are several generations removed from the time of Moses, but I can't imagine their interpretation of the Law was that different from the way some of their ancestors interpreted it.

[stephendianda]

These videos are so valuable for those of us who believe in the living God. They remind us that he lives even when we go through the hardest times in our live.

[Hupernike]

Here's one of the best quotes, and one of the best guidelines when reading and trying to understand old testament scripture in the 21st century. "The bible was written for us, but it wasn't written to us." - Michael Heiser

[wayneburchell]

I can't tell you how timely this is as I am investigating Torah for an online discussion on slavery in the OT. A lot of this I knew, but you put it all together neatly and and the bits I didn't know really help make sense of things. Thanks

[baruchevenezra]

I would have to somewhat disagree with this vid. It’s not just a wisdom text concerning law but a legal directive giving mandates which necessarily apply which is why adding abs taking away was forbidden. The Torah does describe actions and consequences, for example if two men sleep together the death penalty was to be had. God in the prophets constantly quotes his Torah and specific laws at times which were not kept. I like your vids but cannot co-sign on this one but is contradict the plain readings of God himself when describing the Torah, legal instances in the chronicles, Kings and clear consequences written into the Torah for breaking the laws. This is where scholarship goes too far sometimes into secularism in the name of reason. Almost every Jewish scholar wouldn’t share this view of the Torah. Yes it’s a wisdom texts but also a legal directive which were immediately applicable in specific situations. For example: It’s forbidden to put the son to death for the crimes of his father and this instance actually appears into the chronicles.) Wisdom text:”Deuteronomy 4:6

[6] Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’” Legal directive:Deuteronomy 27:26

[26] “‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

[Liberater]

great stuff, in college I had to take several theology classes and everything you said in this video and many of your other videos is identical to what we were taught in both how to understand religious texts (particularly the torah) in their historical and theological contexts, your videos have really expanded on what I learned in those classes and I think your channel should be a must watch for anyone trying to understand and engage with religious study and philosophy regardless if you even are religious or not you have shown an absolutely masterful comprehension and literacy when it comes to these complicated and often misinterpreted topics and I think it is wonderful

[HarujiSubayama]

This had sparks flying in my brain the entire time! I won't be able to look at the Torah the same way again! I was also drawing tons of connections to The Unseen Realm and its discussion of imaging and name-bearing. Top-notch video, IP! Will this be a series? I'd love a deeper look at the issue of slavery. I really enjoyed Whaddo You Meme's series on the issue.

[iceman]

This has been a great series. I am inclined to dig deeper.
This makes clear the difference in the worldviews of individualistic (mainly the West) and collectivist societies (mainly everybody else).

[LucasDZurita]

I'm calling it, The Lost World of Torah inspired this

[tripperdan]

When you drew the distinction between the Pharisees legalized view and Jesus' Covenant view, that brought this into a clearer view for me. Trying to grasp a little of the Near Eastern mindset is a journey worth taking, it allows more insight into that which guides us today.

[AWSOMEPOSSUM]

This is the best apologetics channel on YouTube.

[jsb]

Slavery in the bible is also different to slavery in the modern context. It is not about subjugating people and oppressing them. It is a form of paying a debt. Slavery in the bible is not an issue for us.