Author Topic: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day  (Read 8714 times)

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Wally

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ADULT SABBATH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
STANDARD EDITION

Quarter 2, 2014







The Law and Love


by Keith Augustus Burton

From the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven it has been Satan's purpose to overthrow the law of God."-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 582.

Why? Because the law, as the foundation of God's government, expresses the moral integrity of the cosmos; and to overthrow that law would be to overthrow the moral order of the creation itself.

Think about it. If no god existed, and no life either, the universe would be amoral. Not immoral, as in having bad morals, but amoral, as in having no morals, because nothing in it-such as lifeless rocks hurling through a godless cosmos-could manifest moral qualities.

However, God exists, and humans do as well, and we have been created as moral beings with the capacity to give and to receive love. For this love to exist, however, freedom, moral freedom, must exist too, because love is a moral concept that couldn't arise in an amoral universe (such as one composed of only rocks and cold space).

Morality, though, means the ability to choose right or wrong, good or evil-and the only way for the universe to be moral, to allow the potential for good or evil, for right or wrong, would be for it to have a law that defines right or wrong.

And, of course, it does have such a law.

"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." " (Rom. 7:7, NIV).

Is it sinful to have red hair? Why not? Because God's law doesn't forbid red hair. If it did, as the law forbids covetousness, then having red hair would be sin. But it cannot be sin if no divine law defines it as such.

Morality without law is as impossible as is thought without mind. Our universe is moral because God created free beings answerable to His law. If there were no law against coveting, there would be no sin of covetousness; if there were no law against red hair, there would be no sin of red headedness-no matter how many red-haired coveters populated the cosmos.

God created humans as creatures who can love. Love, though, can't exist without freedom, moral freedom. And moral freedom can't exist without law, moral law. Love rests on freedom, and freedom rests on law. Hence, the core of God's government, the foundation of that government-a government of love-has to be His law. That's why Ellen G. White wrote what she did about Satan's desire "to overthrow the law of God." The attack on the law is an attack not just on Christ's character but on the moral order of the creation itself.

Hence, the topic for our quarter: Christ and His law. We will study the law, especially the question of why so many Christians-misunderstanding the relationship between law and grace-have fallen into the trap of denying the continued validity of the Ten Commandments, thus, unwittingly helping the attempt to "overthrow" God's law.

The Bible, though, is clear: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments" (1 John 5:3, NKJV). The link between our loving God and the keeping of His commandments is stronger than we realize. We can love God because we live in a universe where love can exist, and it can exist because the universe is moral. That morality is based, at least for us as created beings, on God's moral law-the subject we will now explore.

Keith Augustus Burton is a professor of religion at Oakwood University where he also serves as the coordinator of the Center for Adventist-Muslim Relations. His doctoral dissertation from Northwestern University focused on the role of the law in Paul's letter to the Romans.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Wally

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2014, 03:31:12 PM »
Lesson 1 *March 29-April 4



Laws in Christ's Day


Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week's Study: Luke 2:1-5, Heb. 10:28, Deut. 17:2-6, Lev. 1:1-9, Luke 14:1-6, James 2:8-12.

Memory Text: "For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves" (Romans 2:14, NASB).

In most societies, various laws function at the same time. There can be general laws that apply to everyone and, simultaneously, local laws that prevail in one community but not in another.

In New Testament times, when a person used the common word for "law" (nomos in Greek, lex in Latin, and Torah in Hebrew), he or she could have been referring to any one of a number of laws. Often the only indicator as to the exact law being discussed was the context of the conversation. Thus, as we study this quarter we'll always need to keep the immediate context in mind in order to understand best what law is being discussed.

This week's lesson investigates the various laws that functioned in the community during the time of Christ and the early church. We will study these various laws but only in the context of helping to set a foundation for the study of the law that will be the major focus of this quarter-God's moral law, the Ten Commandments.

Sunday March 30

Roman Law

Read Luke 2:1-5. What lessons can we learn from the ways in which these two faithful followers of the Lord interacted with their political environment?

Since the time of the early republic, the Romans recognized how important written laws were for the governance of society. In fact, the system of constitutional law established by the Romans remains a foundation of the legal systems found in many of today's democratic societies.

For the most part, Rome allowed vassal kingdoms to maintain their own customs, but all subjects were expected to obey imperial and senatorial laws. Obviously, this included Joseph and Mary.

Roman law was concerned with order in society. As such, it not only addressed issues of government but also legislated behavior in the domestic arena. In addition to stipulating the procedures for selecting people to public office, Roman law also dealt with things such as adultery and master/slave relationships. Many of the social codes are similar to the ones found in the Old Testament and other societies.

All attempts to understand the culture in which the New Testament books were composed must take into account the fact that the Roman Empire formed the political backdrop for the world in which Jesus and the early church lived. Many things taking place in the New Testament, from the death of Jesus to the imprisonment of Paul, make much better sense when we understand whatever we can about the environment of their times. Of course, one doesn't need to be a scholar of Roman history in order to understand that which we need for salvation. However, when it is possible for us to obtain it, historical knowledge can indeed be helpful.

Despite the amazing providences of Mary's pregnancy and the obvious hand of the Lord in it, these two people still obeyed the law of the land, which required them to leave their home, even when Mary was quite far along in her pregnancy. Would it not have been better simply to have stayed home, considering the extraordinary circumstances? What might their actions say to us about how we should relate to civil law? (Think how easy it would have been for them to have justified not obeying.)

Monday March 31

Mosaic Law: Civic

Although the Jews were under Roman rule at the time of Jesus, they were granted authority over those issues that were unique to their customs and religion (see Acts 18:15). The legislative body responsible for administering Jewish law was called the Sanhedrin. Sometimes referred to as the council (John 11:47, Acts 5:27), the Sanhedrin consisted of 71 men selected from among the priests, elders, and rabbis and was presided over by the high priest. It served as a type of Supreme Court that dealt with Jewish customs, traditions, and laws.

Jewish societal law was founded upon the civil codes revealed in the five books of Moses. Because Moses was the author of the first five biblical books, the laws are referred to as the law of Moses. When God originally gave the laws to Moses, He envisioned a state where He would be the head and the people would enforce His legal mandates. By the time of Jesus, the Jews were subject to Roman law. However, the Roman government allowed them to use Mosaic law in order to settle issues relating to their customs. Here is where the work of the Sanhedrin was especially important.

The New Testament provides several examples of the Mosaic law being applied, or alluded to, in civic matters: Jewish men were still expected to pay the half shekel temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27, Exod. 30:13); divorces were still being governed by the stipulations set forth by Moses (Matt. 19:7, Deut. 24:1-4); people still adhered to the law of levirate marriage, in which a widow was to marry her husband's brother (Matt. 22:24, Deut. 25:5); boys were still circumcised on the eighth day (John 7:23, Lev. 12:3); and adulterers were to be punished by stoning (John 8:5; Deut. 22:23-24).

Read Matthew 26:59-61, Hebrews 10:28, and Deuteronomy 17:2-6. What important principle is seen here? What does this tell us about biblical concepts of justice and fairness?

Read some of the civil legislation found in the early books of the Bible. Some of those laws do seem strange to us, don't they? (See, for example, Deuteronomy 21.) Considering who the Author of these laws is, what should this tell us about how we must learn to trust the Lord in all things, especially those things we don't fully understand?
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Wally

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2014, 03:33:06 PM »
Tuesday April 1

Mosaic Law: Ceremonial

Read Leviticus 1:1-9, 2:14-16, 5:11-13. To what are these laws referring? What was their purpose? What important truths were they meant to teach?

Besides the civil laws in ancient Israel, there was also what is often called the "ceremonial law." This law centered around the sanctuary and its services, all of which, of course, were designed to teach the children of Israel the plan of salvation and point them to the coming Messiah. In the texts for today, twice it is mentioned that through these services "atonement" would be made. In their own way, these laws were what has been deemed "miniprophecies" of Christ and His work of atonement for the sins of His people.

"The ceremonial law was given by Christ. Even after it was no longer to be observed, Paul presented it before the Jews in its true position and value, showing its place in the plan of redemption and its relation to the work of Christ; and the great apostle pronounces this law glorious, worthy of its divine Originator. The solemn service of the sanctuary typified the grand truths that were to be revealed through successive generations. . . . Thus through age after age of darkness and apostasy faith was kept alive in the hearts of men until the time came for the advent of the promised Messiah."-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 367.

Though instituted by Jesus, the ceremonial system was meant to function only as a type, a symbol of a future reality-the coming of Jesus and His death and High Priestly ministry. Once He completed His work on earth, this old system-along with its sacrifices and rituals and feasts-no longer was needed (see Heb. 9:9-12). Though we no longer keep the ceremonial law today, by studying it we can garner insights into the plan of salvation.

Central to the sanctuary service was the sacrifice of the animals, which pointed to the death of Jesus. Think what it means that our salvation could come only through His death in our behalf. What should this tell us about just how costly sin is?

Wednesday April 2

Rabbinic Law

In addition to the Mosaic laws, Jews at the time of Jesus were also familiar with the law of the rabbis. The rabbis were the scholastic arm of the Pharisees, and they took the responsibility of ensuring that the Mosaic law remained relevant to the people. The rabbis counted 613 laws in the five books of Moses (including 39 pertaining to the Sabbath), and they used these laws as the basis for their legislation. They supplemented these written laws with an oral law that consisted of the interpretations of leading rabbis.

Oral law is known as halakah, which means "to walk." The rabbis felt that if the people adhered to their numerous halakoth (plural of halakah), they would walk in the way of the 613 major laws. Although originating as oral law, the rabbinic halakoth were collated and recorded in book form. Some of the interpretations from Jesus' day survive in commentaries known as Midrash, while others are recorded in a legal collection called Mishnah. Many religious Jews through the ages, and even today, seek to adhere strictly to these laws.

Read Luke 14:1-6 and John 9. Although Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath with His miraculous healings, where can you find in the Old Testament that it's a sin to heal on the Sabbath day? How does the answer help us to understand some of the issues with which Jesus had to deal? More important, what lessons can we learn from these incidents that could help us to make sure that we don't make similar mistakes in our attempts to seek to "walk in the way" faithfully?

Though it's easy from our perspective today to deride many of these oral laws, especially when they were used as they were against Jesus, the fault exists more with the attitude of the leaders and not with these laws themselves. Though often kept very legalistically, halakoth were meant to be very spiritual, infusing a spiritual element into the most mundane of actions, giving them a religious significance.

How can we learn to give even the most mundane tasks a religious significance?
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Wally

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2014, 03:34:51 PM »
Thursday April 3

The Moral Law

However much Roman law, Mosaic law, and rabbinic law impacted the lives of Jews living in first-century Israel, many people who followed the religion of Israel lived outside of Palestine and beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. Thus, many of these laws would not have played a big role in their lives.

At the same time, however, anyone professing to be a follower of the God of Israel would have adhered to the Ten Commandments.

"The Ten Commandments provide Israel with the moral framework for maintaining it. The metaphor that the Bible uses to express this relationship is covenant. While the metaphor comes from the sphere of international law, it is wrong to understand the commandments merely as a summary of Israel's obligations toward God. . . . Israel's obedience to the commandments was not a matter of submission to the divine will as much as it was a response to love."-Leslie J. Hoppe, "Ten Commandments," Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2000), p. 1,285.

The Ten Commandments surpassed any system of law known to Jews in the first century. Even the Pharisees, who had meticulously memorized the 613 Mosaic laws, recognized the importance of the Ten Commandments. The division of the Mishnah called Tamid (5:1) contains a rabbinic command to recite the Ten Commandments daily. It was believed that all the other laws were contained in the Ten Commandments. In fact, the Jewish philosopher Philo, who was a contemporary of Jesus, wrote an entire book on the central place the Ten Commandments held among all biblical law.

Read Matthew 19:16-19, Romans 13:8-10, and James 2:8-12. What do these verses say about the role that the Ten Commandments played in the lives of those who are followers of Christ?

Like their Jewish counterparts, the inspired writers of the New Testament recognized the purpose of the Ten Commandments for God's people. Although some of the lessons for this quarter will discuss the way in which Christ interacted with other systems of law in His day, the primary emphasis will be on His relationship to the Ten Commandments-what is often known as the moral law.

Friday April 4

Further Study: Read also Ellen G. White, "Oath Taking," pp. 201-204, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1.

"If Adam had not transgressed the law of God, the ceremonial law would never have been instituted. The gospel of good news was first given to Adam in the declaration made to him that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head; and it was handed down through successive generations to Noah, Abraham, and Moses. The knowledge of God's law, and the plan of salvation were imparted to Adam and Eve by Christ Himself. They carefully treasured the important lesson, and transmitted it by word of mouth, to their children, and children's children. Thus the knowledge of God's law was preserved."-Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 230.
Discussion Questions:

    Long before Moses penned the laws that were to govern Israel, the Egyptians and Babylonians had systems of societal laws that were, in some cases, similar in content to some of God's laws. Even atheistic societies have laws that protect people and property. Law, though, is often based on moral concepts; that is, law should encourage people to refrain from certain types of evil and to do certain types of good. From where, though, do societies get their sense of good and evil?

    How does the whole concept of good and evil impact the question of God's existence? In other words, if there is no God, from where do the concepts of good and evil come? From where is the only place that they could come if no God existed?

    We often use the concept of "law" in different ways. We talk about the law of gravity, the law of motion. We talk about international law. We talk about the law of the land. We talk about tax law. What do all of these laws have in common? In what ways do they differ? What is the probable consequence of violating any of these laws? What are the benefits of cooperating with these laws? How do the principles of law help you to understand the purpose of the Ten Commandments as it relates to the life of believers?

    In class, go back to Wednesday's lesson and deal with the issue of how we as a church need to be careful that we don't make the same mistake that some of the leaders did by adding burdens to the law that were never meant to be there. Why is such a mistake easier to make than we might think, no matter how well-meaning we might be?

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2014, 05:40:29 PM »
The author has given us a great introduction to this important subject, Christ and his law. As we study the lessons this new quarter, share what it is that Jesus is revealing to you. There is safety in a multitude of counselors.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2014, 05:55:11 PM »

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week's Study: Luke 2:1-5, Heb. 10:28, Deut. 17:2-6, Lev. 1:1-9, Luke 14:1-6, James 2:8-12.

Memory Text: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves." Romans 2:14

In most societies, various laws function at the same time. There can be general laws that apply to everyone and, simultaneously, local laws that prevail in one community but not in another.

In New Testament times, when a person used the common word for "law" (nomos in Greek, lex in Latin, and Torah in Hebrew), he or she could have been referring to any one of a number of laws. Often the only indicator as to the exact law being discussed was the context of the conversation. Thus, as we study this quarter we'll always need to keep the immediate context in mind in order to understand best what law is being discussed.

This week's lesson investigates the various laws that functioned in the community during the time of Christ and the early church. We will study these various laws but only in the context of helping to set a foundation for the study of the law that will be the major focus of this quarter-God's moral law, the Ten Commandments.

Amen. Prior to the cross we can find three sets of laws that were active in Israel. There were civil laws, ceremonial laws, and moral laws. It is most important that we understand which laws belong to which group, that we might know which laws are still binding. We have a topic, Binding Aspects of the Mosaic Law. We discuss this subject in detail.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2014, 06:17:10 PM »
Sunday March 30

Roman Law


Read Luke 2:1-5.

2:1   And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 
 2:2   (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 
 2:3   And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 
 2:4   And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 
 2:5   To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 


What lessons can we learn from the ways in which these two faithful followers of the Lord interacted with their political environment?

Since the time of the early republic, the Romans recognized how important written laws were for the governance of society. In fact, the system of constitutional law established by the Romans remains a foundation of the legal systems found in many of today's democratic societies.

For the most part, Rome allowed vassal kingdoms to maintain their own customs, but all subjects were expected to obey imperial and senatorial laws. Obviously, this included Joseph and Mary.

Roman law was concerned with order in society. As such, it not only addressed issues of government but also legislated behavior in the domestic arena. In addition to stipulating the procedures for selecting people to public office, Roman law also dealt with things such as adultery and master/slave relationships. Many of the social codes are similar to the ones found in the Old Testament and other societies.

All attempts to understand the culture in which the New Testament books were composed must take into account the fact that the Roman Empire formed the political backdrop for the world in which Jesus and the early church lived. Many things taking place in the New Testament, from the death of Jesus to the imprisonment of Paul, make much better sense when we understand whatever we can about the environment of their times. Of course, one doesn't need to be a scholar of Roman history in order to understand that which we need for salvation. However, when it is possible for us to obtain it, historical knowledge can indeed be helpful.

Despite the amazing providences of Mary's pregnancy and the obvious hand of the Lord in it, these two people still obeyed the law of the land, which required them to leave their home, even when Mary was quite far along in her pregnancy. Would it not have been better simply to have stayed home, considering the extraordinary circumstances? What might their actions say to us about how we should relate to civil law? (Think how easy it would have been for them to have justified not obeying.)

Yes, they could have stayed home, but there were severe penalties for disobedience. So it is with God's law, there are severe penalties for disobedience. How are Christians to relate to civil law? Jesus gave us a very good guide when he said "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Matthew 22:21.  We don't know the motivation for Joseph's and Mary's obedience, but it was according to the words of Jesus. So should it be with us, when civil law does not transgress God's law then we ought to obey it. And what is to be done when civil law is contrary to God's moral law? There may be severe penalties to pay for transgression, but the Christian's duty is to obey God and not man. The last great test to be brought before humanity will be on this point. Therefore, we understand this quarter's lessons to be of great importance.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2014, 10:11:09 PM »
Monday March 31

Mosaic Law: Civic

Although the Jews were under Roman rule at the time of Jesus, they were granted authority over those issues that were unique to their customs and religion (see Acts 18:15). The legislative body responsible for administering Jewish law was called the Sanhedrin. Sometimes referred to as the council (John 11:47, Acts 5:27), the Sanhedrin consisted of 71 men selected from among the priests, elders, and rabbis and was presided over by the high priest. It served as a type of Supreme Court that dealt with Jewish customs, traditions, and laws.

Jewish societal law was founded upon the civil codes revealed in the five books of Moses. Because Moses was the author of the first five biblical books, the laws are referred to as the law of Moses. When God originally gave the laws to Moses, He envisioned a state where He would be the head and the people would enforce His legal mandates. By the time of Jesus, the Jews were subject to Roman law. However, the Roman government allowed them to use Mosaic law in order to settle issues relating to their customs. Here is where the work of the Sanhedrin was especially important.

The New Testament provides several examples of the Mosaic law being applied, or alluded to, in civic matters: Jewish men were still expected to pay the half shekel temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27, Exod. 30:13); divorces were still being governed by the stipulations set forth by Moses (Matt. 19:7, Deut. 24:1-4); people still adhered to the law of levirate marriage, in which a widow was to marry her husband's brother (Matt. 22:24, Deut. 25:5); boys were still circumcised on the eighth day (John 7:23, Lev. 12:3); and adulterers were to be punished by stoning (John 8:5; Deut. 22:23-24).

Since stoning adulterers is in the New Testament, ought we stone them today?


Read

Matthew 26:59-61
 26:59   Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 
 26:60   But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, [yet] found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 
 26:61   And said, This [fellow] said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 

Hebrews 10:28
 10:28   He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Deuteronomy 17:2-6
 17:2   If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, 
 17:3   And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; 
 17:4   And it be told thee, and thou hast heard [of it], and inquired diligently, and, behold, [it be] true, [and] the thing certain, [that] such abomination is wrought in Israel: 
 17:5   Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, [even] that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die. 
 17:6   At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; [but] at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. 


What important principle is seen here? What does this tell us about biblical concepts of justice and fairness?

Taking a life is such  a grave matter that if there are not two or three witnesses, it is not to happen.


Read some of the civil legislation found in the early books of the Bible. Some of those laws do seem strange to us, don't they? (See, for example, Deuteronomy 21.) Considering who the Author of these laws is, what should this tell us about how we must learn to trust the Lord in all things, especially those things we don't fully understand?

Are these laws still binding?  How do we know?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

  • Servant
  • Posts: 44592
  • Grace, more than a word, it is transforming power
    • The Remnant Online
Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2014, 08:34:13 AM »
Tuesday April 1

Mosaic Law: Ceremonial


Read

Leviticus 1:1-9, 2:14-16, 5:11-13

 1:1   And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 
 1:2   Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, [even] of the herd, and of the flock. 
 1:3   If his offering [be] a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. 
 1:4   And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 
 1:5   And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that [is by] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 
 1:6   And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. 
 1:7   And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 
 1:8   And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that [is] on the fire which [is] upon the altar: 
 1:9   But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. 

 2:14   And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, [even] corn beaten out of full ears. 
 2:15   And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it [is] a meat offering. 
 2:16   And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, [part] of the beaten corn thereof, and [part] of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: [it is] an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 

 5:11   But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put [any] frankincense thereon: for it [is] a sin offering. 
 5:12   Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, [even] a memorial thereof, and burn [it] on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a sin offering. 
 5:13   And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and [the remnant] shall be the priest's, as a meat offering. 

To what are these laws referring? What was their purpose? What important truths were they meant to teach?

Besides the civil laws in ancient Israel, there was also what is often called the "ceremonial law." This law centered around the sanctuary and its services, all of which, of course, were designed to teach the children of Israel the plan of salvation and point them to the coming Messiah. In the texts for today, twice it is mentioned that through these services "atonement" would be made. In their own way, these laws were what has been deemed "miniprophecies" of Christ and His work of atonement for the sins of His people.

It is true, that the ceremonial law included prophecies. But it was much more. It was a revelation of the plan of salvation, and its purpose in revealing Christ was to bring the sinner to repentance.


"The ceremonial law was given by Christ. Even after it was no longer to be observed, Paul presented it before the Jews in its true position and value, showing its place in the plan of redemption and its relation to the work of Christ; and the great apostle pronounces this law glorious, worthy of its divine Originator. The solemn service of the sanctuary typified the grand truths that were to be revealed through successive generations. . . . Thus through age after age of darkness and apostasy faith was kept alive in the hearts of men until the time came for the advent of the promised Messiah."-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 367.


Though instituted by Jesus, the ceremonial system was meant to function only as a type, a symbol of a future reality-the coming of Jesus and His death and High Priestly ministry. Once He completed His work on earth, this old system-along with its sacrifices and rituals and feasts-no longer was needed (see Heb. 9:9-12). Though we no longer keep the ceremonial law today, by studying it we can garner insights into the plan of salvation.

Central to the sanctuary service was the sacrifice of the animals, which pointed to the death of Jesus. Think what it means that our salvation could come only through His death in our behalf. What should this tell us about just how costly sin is?

How can we measure the sufferings and death of Christ? Did our heavenly Father suffer also?

Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2014, 08:50:22 AM »
Wednesday April 2

Rabbinic Law

In addition to the Mosaic laws, Jews at the time of Jesus were also familiar with the law of the rabbis. The rabbis were the scholastic arm of the Pharisees, and they took the responsibility of ensuring that the Mosaic law remained relevant to the people. The rabbis counted 613 laws in the five books of Moses (including 39 pertaining to the Sabbath), and they used these laws as the basis for their legislation. They supplemented these written laws with an oral law that consisted of the interpretations of leading rabbis.

Oral law is known as halakah, which means "to walk." The rabbis felt that if the people adhered to their numerous halakoth (plural of halakah), they would walk in the way of the 613 major laws. Although originating as oral law, the rabbinic halakoth were collated and recorded in book form. Some of the interpretations from Jesus' day survive in commentaries known as Midrash, while others are recorded in a legal collection called Mishnah. Many religious Jews through the ages, and even today, seek to adhere strictly to these laws.

Read Luke 14:1-6 and John 9. Although Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath with His miraculous healings, where can you find in the Old Testament that it's a sin to heal on the Sabbath day? How does the answer help us to understand some of the issues with which Jesus had to deal? More important, what lessons can we learn from these incidents that could help us to make sure that we don't make similar mistakes in our attempts to seek to "walk in the way" faithfully?

Though it's easy from our perspective today to deride many of these oral laws, especially when they were used as they were against Jesus, the fault exists more with the attitude of the leaders and not with these laws themselves. Though often kept very legalistically, halakoth were meant to be very spiritual, infusing a spiritual element into the most mundane of actions, giving them a religious significance.

How can we learn to give even the most mundane tasks a religious significance?

I think it good to bring up the traditions of the Jews, but not that we would want to copy them. To the contrary, our guide is found in Scripture not in what others say that Scripture says. We need to correctly divide the word of truth. In order to do this, we need to have spiritual insight, for spiritual things are spiritually discerned. We need the aid of the Holy Spirit. We need to be born again of the Spirit. When self is dead then our understanding of the Bible will be for God's glory and not our own.

Jesus warned us that many false teachers would come turning the truth into a lie. Today, we see this all around us. There is a movie called Noah. I have read some reviews and listened to one who saw part of the movie. There is indeed truth revealed, but it is there in an effort to lead others away from God and His truth. The wise will understand.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2014, 08:52:15 PM »
Thursday April 3

The Moral Law


However much Roman law, Mosaic law, and rabbinic law impacted the lives of Jews living in first-century Israel, many people who followed the religion of Israel lived outside of Palestine and beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. Thus, many of these laws would not have played a big role in their lives.

At the same time, however, anyone professing to be a follower of the God of Israel would have adhered to the Ten Commandments.

"The Ten Commandments provide Israel with the moral framework for maintaining it. The metaphor that the Bible uses to express this relationship is covenant. While the metaphor comes from the sphere of international law, it is wrong to understand the commandments merely as a summary of Israel's obligations toward God. . . . Israel's obedience to the commandments was not a matter of submission to the divine will as much as it was a response to love."-Leslie J. Hoppe, "Ten Commandments," Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2000), p. 1,285.

The Ten Commandments surpassed any system of law known to Jews in the first century. Even the Pharisees, who had meticulously memorized the 613 Mosaic laws, recognized the importance of the Ten Commandments. The division of the Mishnah called Tamid (5:1) contains a rabbinic command to recite the Ten Commandments daily. It was believed that all the other laws were contained in the Ten Commandments. In fact, the Jewish philosopher Philo, who was a contemporary of Jesus, wrote an entire book on the central place the Ten Commandments held among all biblical law.

Read

Matthew 19:16-19
 19:16   And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 
 19:17   And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 
 19:18   He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 
 19:19   Honour thy father and [thy] mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Romans 13:8-10
 13:8   Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 
 13:9   For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 
 13:10   Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law. 

James 2:8-12
 2:8   If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 
 2:9   But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 
 2:10   For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all. 
 2:11   For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 
 2:12   So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 


What do these verses say about the role that the Ten Commandments played in the lives of those who are followers of Christ?

If they were truly converted, filled with the Spirit of God, they kept the law of God.


Like their Jewish counterparts, the inspired writers of the New Testament recognized the purpose of the Ten Commandments for God's people. Although some of the lessons for this quarter will discuss the way in which Christ interacted with other systems of law in His day, the primary emphasis will be on His relationship to the Ten Commandments-what is often known as the moral law.

There is "moral law" in Scripture besides the Ten Commandments. What will happen in the church if other moral laws in the Bible are not seen as moral law?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 1-Second Quarter 2014--Laws in Christ's Day
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2014, 02:07:28 PM »
Friday April 4

Further Study: Read also Ellen G. White, "Oath Taking," pp. 201-204, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1.

"If Adam had not transgressed the law of God, the ceremonial law would never have been instituted. The gospel of good news was first given to Adam in the declaration made to him that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head; and it was handed down through successive generations to Noah, Abraham, and Moses. The knowledge of God's law, and the plan of salvation were imparted to Adam and Eve by Christ Himself. They carefully treasured the important lesson, and transmitted it by word of mouth, to their children, and children's children. Thus the knowledge of God's law was preserved."-Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 230.

Amen! What happened at Genesis 3:15 is very important. Note what was said: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."  This is the first intimation of hope for Adam and Eve and the human family. It was the declaration of the everlasting covenant, the promise that God would write his law upon the hearts of repentant sinners. "It shall bruise thy head" is a reference revealing the death of Christ, that the repentant sinner might live.

Notice also that there was no need of the ceremonial law if Adam and Eve had not sinned. Those who continue to keep the feast days ought to understand that they are not moral law, but ceremonial law. While moral law is still binding, ceremonial law ceased with the death of Jesus. Those who teach that the feast days are obligatory, teach that the feast days are moral law and thus still binding upon Christians. In this we can understand the importance of this quarter's study. It is most important when speaking of Christ and his law that we differentiate between the different sets of laws.

Another example which reveals how important this differentiation is can be seen in the evangelical teaching that the Christian is under grace not under law. This teaching is commonly understood to save the sinner in his sin. Many teach that the 10 commandment law is no longer binding, that the sinner may transgress the law and retain eternal life.


As we continue this quarter's study, we shall make plain the three sets of religious laws that governed Israel at the time of Christ.


Discussion Questions:

    Long before Moses penned the laws that were to govern Israel, the Egyptians and Babylonians had systems of societal laws that were, in some cases, similar in content to some of God's laws. Even atheistic societies have laws that protect people and property. Law, though, is often based on moral concepts; that is, law should encourage people to refrain from certain types of evil and to do certain types of good. From where, though, do societies get their sense of good and evil?

That is an interesting question. Today, when good is called evil, and evil is called good, we know that society does not get their sense of morality from God. It is important to discern that the basic definition of morality, can only come from God and his standard of behavior. Yes, the world has defined morality differently, but in fact true morality is what God says is good and evil. No matter what laws a society may legislate, morality is the domain of religion, true religion. Thus, when a society legislates human behavior, if that legislation is to be moral, it must be in harmony with Christian morality, or to be more precise, Bible morality. To legislate otherwise would be immoral, and we have many examples in the world today of just such immorality.

    How does the whole concept of good and evil impact the question of God's existence? In other words, if there is no God, from where do the concepts of good and evil come? From where is the only place that they could come if no God existed?

    We often use the concept of "law" in different ways. We talk about the law of gravity, the law of motion. We talk about international law. We talk about the law of the land. We talk about tax law. What do all of these laws have in common? In what ways do they differ? What is the probable consequence of violating any of these laws? What are the benefits of cooperating with these laws? How do the principles of law help you to understand the purpose of the Ten Commandments as it relates to the life of believers?

Laws establish the correct order of things. Where law is violated there is chaos. The 10 Commandments is the foundation of all moral law. It reveals our duty to God, the first four commandments, and our duty to man, the last six commandments. As we near the end of all things in this world, we see the results of breaking these commandments. Let's take a look at just one of the commandments, thou shall not kill.

God has commanded that anyone who murders another is to have his life taken. This establishes the truth of the value of human life. When the commandment to not kill is broken, look at the resulting pain that a society must endure. God, in his love for us has commanded that we not kill each other. Most all human societies have recognized this great commandment. Although, we have examples throughout history of societies that have transgress this commandment, and we have seen the results.


    In class, go back to Wednesday's lesson and deal with the issue of how we as a church need to be careful that we don't make the same mistake that some of the leaders did by adding burdens to the law that were never meant to be there. Why is such a mistake easier to make than we might think, no matter how well-meaning we might be?

This is why it is so important that we understand which laws are moral and which laws are not. Moral laws are still binding, we don't make the law, God did. Going back to our discussion of the feast keepers, it is an example of religious people attempting make laws binding upon other Christians that are not. Another example, would be a church attempting to use the civil laws given to Israel, a theocracy, to govern church or state today. This we shall soon see come about. A religious law will be foisted upon society and church in an attempt to remove our religious liberty. Again, we see the importance of correctly understanding the laws given to us in Scripture.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.