Deuteronomy Covenant Renewal Facing Change u Promise Possession

Deuteronomy: Covenant Renewal

Facing Change: u Promise Possession u Testing Resting u Transientness Permanence u Space Place

Is where you dwell important? u Does the “where” question effect behavior and destiny?

Land Concept u Not Merit Dt. 9: 5 u Not Effort Dt. 6: 10 -11 u Promised Land: Dt. 6: 10 u Promise --> fathers; u Possession --> descendants u Participating in a tradition

Land Concept (cont. ) u Land as Gift: Dt. 6: 10 -11 u God’s choosing, loving and making them special Dt. 7: 7 f u Good land – Flowing with milk and honey: Dt. 6: 3 – Filled land: Dt. 8: 7 -10 – Satisfying land Dt. 8: 10 -12 u Land of God’s presence: Deut 12: 5

Major Problems: u Forgetting where you came from: Deut 8: 10 f u On remembering: – House of bondage Dt 5: 6; 6: 12 – Remember you were slaves Dt 15: 15 – Remember God’s deliverance with a mighty hand out stretched arm (Dt 4: 39) u Remembering 8: 10 f) as basis of praise (Deut

Reflection Question u Where do you dwell? u Do you remember? (Praise. . . ? ) u How do you experience the presence of God in the where of which you live?

Moses and Deuteronomy Deut. as covenant renewal u JEDP theory again: u – J = Jehovah document (850 BC) – E = Elohim document (750 BC) – D = Deuteronomy (620 BC) – P = Priestly writer (450 BC) u Josiah finds (writes? ) the book of the law (2 Chr 34: 33)

Hittite Treaties (1200 BC) u Preamble (title) u Historical Prologue u Stipulations u Witnesses u Blessings and cursings

Assyrian Treaties (700 BC)

Assyrian Treaties (700 BC) Hittite Preamble (title) X u Historical Prologue X u Stipulations X u Witnesses X u Blessings X u Cursings X loyalty/trust u Assyrian X 0 X fear

Deuteronomy & Treaty Form u Preamble: Deut 1: 1 -5 u Historical Prologue: 1: 6 -3: 29 u Stipulations (Dt 4: 1 -11: 32) – General (Dt 4: 1 -11: 32) – Specific (Dt 12 -26) u Witnesses (Dt 27: 2 -4) u Curses and Blessings (Dt 28)

General Stipulations u The Ten Words (Deut 5) – BIG LC SPAMS u Shema (Deut 6: 4)

Specific Stipulations: Institutions in Israel u Prophets (Deut 13: 1 ff; 18: 17 ff) u Judges (Deut 16: 18) – Cities of Refuge (Deut 19: 2) u Kings (Deut 17: 14 -19)—like the nations – Not to --– To do -u Priests & Levites: no land (Deut 18: 2 f)

How do you go from “then” to “now” u On women wearing pants: Deut 22: 5 u Principle of differentiation u Real issue u Does culture impact God’s law? – Cf. king laws Deut 17: 16 f

Christ’s view of law u Not come to destroy it (Matt 5: 17 f) u Uses it to defend himself against Satan (Matt 4) u Greatest command (Matt 22: 37 f) u Permanence of law (Lk 16: 17) u Separation from Pharisaic misinterpretation of the law (you have heard it said, but I say. . . )

Paul’s view of law u Is Paul opposed to the law? (Gal 5: 4) u Condemnatory nature of law (Gal. 3: 10 f) u Never justified by law (Gal 2: 16; Rom 4: 3) u Holy and good (Rom 7: 12) u Pedagogical function: Gal 3: 24 to bring us to Christ

What still stands u Civil, ceremonial and moral division (? ) u Universal Principles: care for poor – Love God, be holy u Cultural re-particularization: no Baal, sacrifices, clean/unclean, altars built u Key: Underlying principle u Sermon on Mount as model: into the heart u Accommodation: Hardness of your heart: Mat 19: 8, u Canonical continuity or clashing (e. g. dietary laws; Acts 15)

Is law good or bad? Bad if. . . u Legalism u Security in performance u Externalization of religion u Condemnatory of others u Pride u Earning salvation

Is grace good or bad? Bad if. . . u Leads to license u Can do anything and I’ll be forgiven u Devaluing of sin u Entitlement – I deserve it

Laws that rattle our bones u War laws: – Building home exemption: Dt 20: 4 ff – Marriage exemption Dt 20: 7 – Give peace a chance Dt 20: 10 – Herem? Dt 20: 17 f; 7: 2 Complete destruction – Yet plunder (20: 14) of non-combatants 7: 3 how to intermarry if completely destroyed

Laws that rattle our bones (cont) u Rape laws (Deut 22: 23 ff)—city/field u Death penalty – False prophet (Dt 13: 10 f) – Idolater (Dt 18: 2 f) – Rebellious son (Dt 21: 18 f) – Non-virgin that marries (Dt 22: 20 f)? u Law as values signal not just moral/ legal code

Laws that rattle our bones (cont) u Dismemberment punishments: Deut 25: 11 -12 u Polygamy laws? (Deut 21: 15) u Slavery laws? (Deut 15: 12 ff) u Animal treatment laws (Deut 22: 10; 25: 4)

Law and Culture: Final Questions u The church is not Israel (nation): u What are the differences? u Underlying principle is key u What is the relationship to culture and the expression of the law? –Mat. 19: 8, u Law as a values signal u Israel is not America (prisons…) u Canonical context: continuity (love God/neighbor) and discontinuity (Acts 15)