V. Understanding The Pentateuch

     The term “Pentateuch” comes from a Greek term pentateuchos, meaning five books/scrolls.  Genesis was the historical “introduction” that provides the necessary background material and setting for the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy that record the Mosaic Law and covenant and the essential history of the Jewish generation that received it.  To Judaism, these five writings were considered one book - the "Book of the Law."  Elsewhere, we find the entire OT revelation referred to as "the Law" (Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 16:17; Titus 3:9).  For us, the question is “how does the Mosaic Law relate to New Covenant Christians?”

I. The Five Books of Moses are foundational

     Genesis is a short summary of human history, from Creation to the death of the Patriarch Joseph, that provides the historical context for what occurred to Israel during the life and ministry of Moses, when the Sinaitic Covenant/Law of Moses was received by the nation of Israel.

     Exodus contains two specific kinds of material - historic narrative about the plagues on Egypt, Israel’s travel to and year spent at Mt. Sinai, and discussion about the Law/Covenant Israel received at Mt. Sinai.

     Leviticus is, essentially, the “priestly Manual’ for the Aaronic priesthood and Levitical Tabernacle servants, so they would understand the priestly function and spiritual life God intended for Israel - “be holy for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).

     Numbers is built around two censuses that were held before and after the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, with some crucial legislation and a good deal of historical narrative about Israel’s period of wandering and conquest of the Trans-Jordan area.

     Deuteronomy is Moses’ historic background and summary of the Sinaitic Law and Covenant for the 2nd generation of Israelites who saw their parents die in the wilderness for unfaithfulness and would soon follow Joshua in conquering the land of Canaan. 

II. The Mosaic Covenant & New Covenant People

A. Understanding “covenant” is important

     1. A Covenant is a blood-sealed, binding contract between two parties that establishes and regulates a relationship between them.  These are not whimsical, subjective things, but clearly spelled out the parties involved, ongoing terms required, listed specific promises/curses that would come as a result of keeping/violating the covenant, and identified the specific oath-swearing ceremony by which parties officially entered into the covenant

     2. The God of the Bible is a faithful, covenant-maker and covenant-keeper - this is how He relates to human beings.  This is also how Middle Eastern people related with each other.  Understanding the major covenants will help us to understand how God related to Israel and why much that is in the Old Testament unfolded the way it did.

B. The Mosaic Covenant is Not Our Covenant

     1. The involved "parties" were always clearly specified and the Sinaitic Covenant involved God, Moses, and national Israel (Exodus 19:3-6; 31:12-17; 34:27,28).  Gentiles were not involved in this covenant (Ephesians 2:11-12) unless they specifically sought entrance (Exodus 12:42-49).  The purpose of the Mosaic/Sinaitic Covenant was to regulate Israel’s national life in the land of Canaan as they awaited the promised Messiah’s coming.

     2. IMPORTANT - God’s over-riding plan was to bring a promised Savior into the world to deal with our sin problem (Genesis 3:15; 12:3; John 1:45).  The primary covenant promise of God was the covenant made with Abraham that was completed and fulfilled in Jesus.  The Mosaic Covenant was not, primarily, a salvation system (an alternative to the Coming Messiah), for there was no promise of eternal life offered for keeping the Mosaic Law.  Instead, the Mosaic Law was a “legal system” to govern national Israel in Canaan until the Promised Messiah arrived.  This is the essence of Paul’s argument in Galatians 3-4. 

C. The Mosaic Law/Covenant has been replaced

     1. God, through Jeremiah, promised to make a “new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

     2. God, through Malachi, predicted a forerunner to precede the promised Messianic “covenant messenger” (Malachi 3:1), who would resemble Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6), which was John the Baptizer (Matthew 11:13-15).

     3. Just before His death, Jesus declared that His soon-to-be-shed blood would be both Atoning blood and also “covenant blood” initiating a new covenant (Matthew 26:27-28).  The writer of Hebrews three times mentions that Jesus is the mediator of a new and better covenant (8:6; 9:15; 12:24), citing the promise in Jeremiah 31 and specifically stating that the Sinaitic covenant has become obsolete and has been replaced by the promised new covenant.  the “contrast” between these two covenants is emphasized in 2Corinthians 3 and Galatians 4.

     4. Proof of this covenant transitions can be found in the clear end of the food restrictions (Mark 7:19), the end of Jerusalem as the central worship site (John 4:20-24), the end of animal sacrifice, the end of the need for fleshly circumcision to be a covenant member (Acts 15; 1Corinthians 7:17-19), the transition of the location of the covenant Law from two stone tablets to the human heart (2Corinthians 3:3-4), and the end of male covenant members needing to gather three times a year at the central worship site in Canaan (Deuteronomy 16).

D. Continuity and Discontinuity of Mosaic Covenant Elements

     In conferring “bind and loose” authority upon Peter (Matthew 16:19) and then upon the rest of the Apostles (Matthew 18:18), Jesus was employing Rabbinical terminology for those who authoritatively identify what is allowed and forbidden.  Thus, if we watch and listen to the Apostles, it becomes obvious that they CONTINUED a number of things from the Mosaic system (like bringing elements of the previous Will over into the new will).  The concept of "Covenant" was retained as their basic frame of reference as to how God and humans relate (Jeremiah 31:31f; Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 8:5-13; 9:15; 12:24).  OT Prophecy was generally continued as evidenced in the many "fulfillment citations" in the New Testament writings (Matthew 1:22,23; 2:15,17,23; etc.).  "Typology" was generally continued as applying to NT events, people, institutions, names, etc.  Israel's history typologically pre-figured Christ's life: in infancy called out of Egypt, set apart through the water, wilderness temptations, period of success and then ups and downs, captivity and death, return and restoration.[1]  The Apostles used the "OT Scriptures" as inspired revelation for history, typology, ethics, wisdom, etc. (see: 2Timothy 3:16, 17; Romans 15:4; 1Corinthians 10:11).

     On the other hand, the Apostles DISCONTINUED a number of things that were to end with the Mosaic system.  The OT Sacrificial System was summarized and finished in the sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 10).  Jesus is the atonement (Hebrews 10:1-19), the Passover lamb (1Corinthians 5:7), the daily sacrifice (1John 1:7,9), priest (Hebrews 7-8), altar (Hebrews 13:10), mercy seat (1John 2:2) veil (Hebrews 10:20), and tabernacle (John 1:14; 2:18-22) all rolled into one person and death.  Jesus was the ultimate High Priest offering the ultimate sacrifice!  OT holidays and Sabbaths were generally dropped (Romans 14:1-6; Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:16,17).  The OT Theocracy (civil and Judicial - Deuteronomy 17:1-11; 19:14-21) roles were generally dropped (Matthew 22:17-21; Romans 13:1-7; 1Corinthians 6:5).  This would include the priestly role of "health officers" (Leviticus 12-15).  Fleshly Circumcision for religious/covenant purposes was dropped[2] in favor of a "circumcised heart."[3]  The Mosaic Food Laws (Leviticus 11 & Deuteronomy 14) were dropped[4] so that cultural "fences" like this might not impede evangelism in Gentile nations and international fellowship.

     Mosaic covenant interest in Canaan and "gather at Jerusalem" (Deuteronomy 16) was terminated (John 4:20ff) in favor of "go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Matthew 28:18ff; Luke 24:46,47) and "heavenly Jerusalem."[5]  The OT emphasis on "Jewish national prosperity" was replaced with "the rain falls on the righteous and unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45).  Christians suffer the natural problems and calamities of life with everyone else.[6]  Christians are not "protected" from suffering in this life, nor are their problems necessarily due to "lack of faith" or failing to "claim the promises" - sometimes the righteous suffer BECAUSE they are faithful.[7]

     The Temple/Tabernacle-centered worship in Jerusalem ended (John 4:20-24).  OT worship involved a Jerusalem temple/tabernacle, the Levitical priesthood, and animal sacrifice.  NT worship is not linked to any of these.  Under the Mosaic covenant a live offering was brought and made dead, while the new covenant takes spiritually dead people and "makes them alive in Christ" so that they can continually offer themselves as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1,2; 15:16) to God.  Worship and assembly are not interlocked in the new covenant, because assembly is for edification so that the "priesthood" can scatter and "worship/serve" all week. 

E. Continuing Value of the Mosaic Law for New Covenant People

     1. History - Old Testament History provides us with several things of historical significance: (A) the first essential element of any worldview - a plausible record of origins/where we came from, (B) a solid summary of early human history in Genesis 1-11, (C) the historical foundations for Jewish culture from which the Promised Messiah came forth, (D) historical examples of God/human interaction as God worked with the Patriarchs and the nation of Israel, and (E) a record of the “mighty acts” of God in the past (creation, the flood judgment, the Tower of Babel, humbling Egypt, routing the Canaanites, etc.).

     2. Theological - The first five Old Testament books tell us about: (A) God’s nature, (B) God’s faithfulness to His promises, (C) human nature, and (D) the moral nature of God’s will for humanity.  The main story line of the entire Bible is God’s work to bring the Promised Messiah into the world and this was to come through a particular bloodline, for which all but the last step (David’s family) are identified before the end of the book of Genesis.  What an amazing lesson about God’s nature to realize that He continued to work with a generally disobedient and rebellious group of Israelite people for 1400 years because of His promises to four men - the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David (Genesis 12:3; 26:1-4; 28:10-14; Deuteronomy 4:34; 7:7-8; 9:5).  Paul said that the previous written Scriptures (the Old Testament) were written for later generations, specifically Christians, to learn from (Romans 15:4; 1Corinthians 10:11).

     3. Morality and Love - Jesus taught that the Mosaic "Law" (Decalogue + 603 commands) hung on two basic principles like a door hangs on two hinges - (1) Love for God (Deuteronomy 6:4,5) and (2) love for one's fellow man (Leviticus 19:18).  These two basics are emphasized in the New Covenant (Matthew 7:12; 22:35-40; Romans 13:8-10).  The Law of Moses lays out a very valuable morality system, defining right and wrong for society and this is why the Mosaic Law continues to identify/define "sin" (Romans 3:19,20; 1Timothy 1:8-10)

     4. The Messianic Hope - Mosaic Law provides the foundation for understanding the rest of the Scriptures - from Joshua to Revelation and points us toward the following information that will guide us to Jesus as the Messiah (Galatians 3:24; 2Timothy 3:14-17)

In Conclusion, lessons for us

     1. The Pentateuch is God's fully inspired word for us, even though it is not now God's direct commands to us.

     2. The Mosaic/Sinaitic Covenant/Law was the foundation for Israel's national history, but is it not binding on Christians in the New Covenant except where specifically renewed.

     3. The Pentateuch reveals God's high standards/justice, as well as His love and mercy.

     4. Do not view the Mosaic Law as burdensome, arbitrary restrictions, or annoying regulations intended to decrease the joy of life.  Instead, the Mosaic Law was very positive (Romans 7:12,14) and brought great blessings to those who obeyed it.  Not only would Israel’s social life be safe and pleasant if they obeyed God and His Law, but it was designed to give Israelites about 30% of their time in Sabbath rest, worship, and celebrations over a 50 year period and prepare them for the coming Messiah.

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Charles E. McCoy (2/8/2006)

Email Chuck at: chuck@severnchristian.org