This week I'm taking the course "Gaining love for the Hebrew Scriptures" taught by Dr. Ron Allen. What a delight this course is, filled with anecdotes of bridging cultural gaps of customs and language.
He talked a good deal over the law, and... it appears I've been grossly out-of-balance! Or perhaps I just couldn't understand till now, and I had been wondering this for a long time, why the Law seemed to be such a pleasant thing in the descriptions of the Old Testament writings.
I laugh. There goes the worth of my greatest obsession (law vs. grace)? Oh well.
Apparently the law was "do-able" and even gracious during the era when it was given. Only the Pharisees at the time of Jesus interpreted it in a way that left grace out of the equation. How interesting!
At least now I can answer why God gave the law in the first place, if it apparently was not "destined" to make us be so utterly broken. He did not give it that way, for that purpose, at all.
Cool!!!
Friday, November 07, 2008
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3 comments:
Good Morning Michele,
I would be very interested to hear more of your thoughts on this...
Pointing as it did towards Christ...the law is indeed gracious.
2 of my favorite books: Exodus and Leviticus.
Aletheia
Hi Alethia,
I love talking about this obsession I have!
As I digest the corrections and aid I received from the course, I think I would start in exactly the same way that I had begun.
The New Testament makes a very sad, dire case for the use of the laws of God. The descriptions for why law causes harm begin in Romans 7
"Once I was alive apart from law. But when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me.... So you see that the law is good, but I am [not]."
I paraphrase.
What's your take on the application of this teaching?
Thanks, Michele
Good Morning M,
This does not answer your question.....but I wanted to share from Isaiah 42:21
YHWH was pleased for His righteousness' sake
To make the law
great and glorious
The law great and glorious became the traditions of men through the foolish hearts of His people.
By Christ's time...those so called keepers of the law had no glimpse of the great and glorious...they were certainly darkened in their understanding.
just some thoughts...not even sure if they go anywhere :)
A
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