The Mosaic Law in Christian Perspective

22 Pages Posted: 2 Aug 2011

See all articles by David A. Skeel

David A. Skeel

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

Tremper Longman

Westmont College

Date Written: June 30, 2011

Abstract

When Jesus spoke of fulfilling the law and the prophets, he was referring to the Mosaic law, nearly all of which is in the four books we consider in this Article: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In an effort to discern the Mosaic law’s guidance for contemporary secular law, we first place it in covenantal perspective and identify three of its key concerns: God’s nature, as revealed in Scripture; the nature of Israel; and the role of the land. After summarizing the regulation in the four books under consideration and noting a few of its characteristics, we conclude by discussing a few possible implications of a Christian perspective on the Mosaic law for contemporary criminal law; economic and commercial law; and the fraught issues of marriage, divorce and sexuality.

Keywords: God, Jesus Christ, Moses, Hebrew Law, Old Testament, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Torah, New Testament Context, Bible, Behavioral Regulation, Criminal Intent and Punishment, Economic Justice, Debt Relief, Marriage and Divorce, Gay Marriage, Mosaic law’s Implications for Contemporary Law

Suggested Citation

Skeel, David A. and Longman, Tremper, The Mosaic Law in Christian Perspective (June 30, 2011). U of Penn Law School, Public Law Research Paper No. 11-25, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1903928 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1903928

David A. Skeel (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ( email )

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European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

c/o the Royal Academies of Belgium
Rue Ducale 1 Hertogsstraat
1000 Brussels
Belgium

Tremper Longman

Westmont College ( email )

United States

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