<p> St. Cecilia Bible Study Lesson 8: Deuteronomy and “Laws which were not good”</p><p>Deuteronomy’s pivotal role in the bible: The Historical Books: Genesis-Exodus-Leviticus-Numbers-Deuteronomy-Joshua-Judges-1&2 Sam-1&2 Kings -the books from Deuteronomy onward are Deuteronomistic History Janus- Roman god with two faces, looks backward and forward (where the name January comes from) -Deuteronomy is a ‘literary Janus’ because: It looks back a) recap of history to this point b) final definitive form of Mosaic Covenant c) ends w/ blessings of 12 tribes like Genesis (ch 49) -this forms an inclusio- (a ‘bookend’) It looks forward -Anticipates the Davidic Kingdom a) Deut 12-cult centralization: wait until there is peace and then establish a central sanctuary (will be Jerusalem) b) Deut 15:6—Israel will rule over other nations-empire c) Deut 17:14-20 – Makes allowance for a king</p><p>Deuteronomy (2nd Law)= covenant of compromise and curse -it is the 2nd renewal of Sinai covenant-not a different version of the one covenant but more clarifications are added because of transgressions (Baal of Peor) -Unlike Sinai, there is no Theophany; only Moses speaks (for a long time, we might add) </p><p>There are 3 expressions of the Sinai covenant from Exodus to Deuteronomy: 1st made between God and Israel 2nd made to Israel through Moses as mediator (after golden calf-first generation) 3rd made between Moses and the people (after Baal of Peor-second generation) -Deut 29:1- God commands Moses to make the covenant with Israel-not God -we have a situation where God invests authority in Moses and then, in a sense, ‘steps back’ and creates distance allowing Moses to teach the laws under his authority -these laws are of a lower moral standard (were added because of sinfulness)</p><p>‘Compromise’ or Concessionary laws which “Were not Good” 1.) Divorce: 24:1-4 -Pharisee’s misinterpretation of divorce in the New Testament--Moses ‘allowed’ it for their hardness of heart. -This is a mercy law. Husbands would murder their wives if they wished to remarry in places where divorce wasn’t permitted. 2.) Slave wives: 21:10-14 3.) Herem warfare-total warfare, destroying everything: 20:16-17 -this was to insulate Israel from outside religions since their faith was weak 4.) Law of the King: 17:14-20 -Israel was supposed to have God as their king. -The Law identifies 3 things a king should avoid collecting: Wives, horses, and gold—watch the kings in later books to see how well they do… -The King must also “meditate on the law day and night” (Psalm 1)</p><p>Ezekiel will say some of the laws are bad-these are those laws -Jesus’ sermon on the mount-gives the new law (sounds like Moses) removing the concessions: no divorce, love your enemies</p><p>[Does Jesus change or fulfill the law? -must look at the spirit, not the letter -also remember that Genesis is in the ‘Law’ (the whole Pentateuch is the ‘law’)] -At Pentecost, the Israelites were gathered and ‘cut to the heart’ at hearing the message of the apostles (circumcision of the heart-fulfilling the prophecy of Deut 30:6)</p><p>“Remember”- a theme/word which appears 19 times in Deuteronomy; the Israelites’ memory is key to their faithfulness. If they forget what God has done for them (or against their enemies) they will devolve to idolatry and wickedness. -so too, in the spiritual life we can become hardhearted and unruly when we forget the wonders God has done for us.</p><p>Circumcision of the heart Deut 10:13- “Circumcise the foreskin of your heart” -the people couldn’t do it -Moses gave them a law without the power to fulfill it, unlike Christ Deut 30:6- ‘The Lord will circumcise your heart’-Divine intervention is necessary to change us-we can’t do it on our own</p><p>Prophetic references to Christ: -There are many! Jesus also quotes often from Deuteronomy 1) Deut. 16:4-talks about flesh of Passover lamb not remaining until the morning 2) Deut 18:15ff- talks about the Lord raising up a prophet from among them who will “Speak all” that God commands (this applies to many prophets, but Christ perfectly) 3) Deut 21:23- the body of a criminal “shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God”—link with Gal. 3:13 where “Christ became a curse for us”</p><p>The Curses of the Law Ch 27:11- we think we will get blessings and curses, but we only get curses (12) Ch 28- we finally get blessings (14 verses) and then more curses (54 verses) -This shows it’s pretty certain that the Israelites will be cursed Ch 30- ‘When all these things come upon you…’-afterward, ‘The Lord your God will restore your fortunes…’-He will have mercy when they turn to Him</p><p>***Vs 1-6 are a summary of the rest of biblical history: The blessings will come under David and Solomon, and then the curses will come*** Moses’ song: Deut 31:16-The people will play the harlot…therefore, teach them this song to remind them. -God prophecies that the people will rebel</p><p>‘planned obsolescence’-refers to the idea that the Deuteronomic covenant was not meant to last forever-it will be broken and God will intervene (Deut 30:6) -The OT itself testifies to its own eventual replacement</p><p>Extra tidbits: Covenant review Covenant types (3 of them) Between Superior and Inferior parties 1.) Kinship-mutual; they both swear an oath to each other 2.) Vassal- obligation; only the inferior swears an oath to the superior party 3.) Grant- blessing; only superior makes an oath to bless the inferior party -Gen 15-God makes the oath -Gen 17- Circumcision is a vassal covenant -Gen 22- Grant -1st Sinai Covenant- Kinship -Deuteronomy- Vassal -The Form of Hittite vassal treaties circa 15th-14th cent. B.C. when Moses would have been active have a parallel structure to Deuteronomy. This shows that there is more weight to the idea of Deuteronomy being written at an early date and not added later. -Hittites lived in Turkey, very near Israel Parts of Hittite treaties: (parallels in parenthesis) 1.) Title: (Deut 1:1-5) 2.) Historical Prologue: (Deut 1-3) 3.) Main Stipulation: (Deut 5) 4.) Specific Stipulations: (Deut 6-11; 12-26) 5.) Instructions for Deposit, Reading: (Deut 31:9-13, 24-26) 6.) Blessing/Curse: (Deut 28:1-4, 15-68) -In Galatians- Paul talks about the ‘curse of the law’-Deuteronomy-if you don’t keep all of it, you will be cursed. Jesus redeems us from this</p>