The Law: Living Out the Covenant

1
Chapter 4

• The Law Living Out the Covenant

2
In This Chapter

• Leviticus Holiness and Ritual
• Numbers Priestly Regulations and Inspiring
  Stories
• Deuteronomy The Law and Love
• On the Brink of the Promised Land

3
Sinai Continued

• The Ten Commandments are central to the Book of
  Exodus
• Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
• expand on the Ten Commandments with more precise
  laws of the covenant
• deal with relationships, rituals, and matters of
  daily life
• This collection of law is called
• Mosaic Law
• Law of Moses
• The Law

4
Leviticus Holiness and Ritual

• Attributed to the priestly source
• Written after the exile
• Handbook of instructions for Israels worship
• Worship as a central act to the Israelites
• Worship the peoples work
• Actions to show thanks and praise to God
• Reminds people who they are
• Binds people together
• Priests, from the tribe of Levi, were entrusted
  to carry out worship on behalf of the people

5
Ritual Handbook

• Leviticus contains instructions for worship
• Ritual
• Actions performed according to prescribed rules
  in order to maintain consistency and unity
• These rituals were carried out on behalf of the
  people
• Entrusted to the Tribe of Levi (Levites)
• Catholic Parallels
• Rites and Ritual Actions
• Throughout the world, Catholics practice similar
  actions to maintain consistency and unity
• Sacramentary
• Official ritual instruction for the celebration
  of the Eucharist
• Worship as the peoples work
• Led by priests and ministers but involving the
  people
• Full, active, conscious participation
• Theme of Vatican II

6
True Ritual Action

• The author of Leviticus stresses the importance
  of the people living out their thanks and praise
  of God
• 2nd half of Leviticus instructs people how to
  live out their holiness
• Public worship to be incorporated into daily life
• True worship is a reflection of the individuals
  life
• Cannot turn on and off holiness like a light
  switch
• Catholic connection
• Dismissal at Mass Go in peace to love and serve
  the Lord
• How seriously do we take this instruction?
• Our lives must reflect what we profess at Mass
• We Are One Body

7
Sacrifices of Atonement

• Israelites believed that when they sinned they
  needed to do something to make up for it
• An animal was sacrificed blood was poured on an
  altar
• Blood signified life given to express sorrow
• Altar signified the presence of God
• Sacrifices took place in the Temple
• Today Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement

8
Jesus Sacrifice

• Author of Hebrews used sacrificial rituals to
  give reference to the death of Christ
• Jesus as the true high priest
• Not only offers the victim, but is the victim
• Jesus knew of his death as a sacrifice
• Drink from it, all of you for this is my blood
  of the covenant, which is poured out for many for
  the forgiveness of sins.
• Mt 2627-28

9
Jesus and the Eucharist

• Eucharist
• Taking part in the passion, death, and
  resurrection of Christ
• Jesus self offering to us as a continual
  expression of love
• Body and Blood of Christ
• Catholic belief is that the Eucharist is truly
  the body and blood
• The priest as acting in persona Christi
• Recalling Christs sacrifice for the forgiveness
  of sins once and for all

10
Holiness Code

• Teachings which show how to worship in everyday
  life.
• Indicates the importance of caring for the poor
  and the vulnerable
• Roots of the Christian theology of justice.
• Catholic Social Teaching
• Preferential Option for the Poor
• Examples on page 78.
• Holiness is not simply a matter of going through
  prayers and rituals
• Love for God is shown through love for ones
  neighbor

11
Numbers Priestly Regulations

• Retells some of the stories in Exodus, and
  continues where Exodus leaves the story of the
  Israelites.
• Original Hebrew title for this book means In the
  Wilderness
• Describes the Israelites wandering on the way to
  Canaan
• Contains stories about jealousy, rebellion, and
  greed

12
Complaining and Grumbling

• The people complain about the manna
• Moses speak with God about his frustration with
  the people.
• God sends them an abundance of quail.
• Some of the people eat so much that they die.
• Providence Providence
• God provides us what we need when we need it

13
Jealousy and Rebellion

• Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses ask if God
  has spoken only to Moses?
• God strikes Miriam with leprosy until Moses asks
  for her forgiveness.
• 1 Cor 12 12-26
• Many parts, one body
• Key point in Christianity is that we are one body
  united in love

14
Spies in Canaan

• Moses send 12 spies into Canaan
• One from each tribe.
• Spies are to report back on
• the occupants of the land
• the Land itself (the terrain, etc.)
• the cities (tents or strongholds)
• the crops/fruit of the land

15
Return for Spies

• Report that it is a land flowing with milk and
  honey, but the inhabitants are giants.
• Only Caleb and Joshua want to go into Canaan.
• (Joshua begins to emerge as a leader)
• God declares that only Caleb and Joshua will see
  the land of Canaan
• the Israelites will wander in the desert for 40
  years. Only those under 20 will live to see the
  land of Canaan.

16
Moses Punishment

• The Israelites come to Kadesh, complain about the
  lack of water. God tells Moses to strike the
  Rock, and it will produce water.
• Moses speaks angrily to the people, Hear now,
  you rebels shall we bring forth water for you
  out of this rock?" Hear now, you rebels shall we
  bring forth water for you out of this rock?"
  (Numbers 2011)
• Moses then strikes the Rock.
• God responds
• "Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify
  me in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore
  you shall not bring this assembly into the land
  which I have given them."

17
Deuteronomy

• Deuteronomy Second Law
• A good title might be Moses Farewell.
• Recounts the history of the Israelites after they
  left Egypt
• admonishes them for past failings
• encourages them to be faithful to the covenant
• additional set of laws
• Set in the hills of Moab, Deuteronomy is written
  as 3 sermons from Moses.

18
Composition

• Deuternomists later teachers who tried to write
  in the spirit of Moses.
• Who are the speeches addresses to?
• The youth he is summoning for them a picture of
  the nobility of their history a history which
  they are to continue.

19
The Law and Justice

• Many of the laws in Deuteronomy demand that we
  treat the poor with a generous heart
• Cancel debts every seven years
• Must give to the poor
• Release slaves in their 7th year of service

20
Prayer

• The Shema
• Deut 64-9 The prayer at the heart of Judaism.
• Shema means to hear
• Orthodox Jews pray daily

21
End of the Exodus

• Moses climbs a mountain to look upon Canaan, and
  then dies
• Formally designates Joshua as his heir.
• Israelites next move into the Promised Land of
  Canaan
• Message of hope for exiles in Babylonia

22
On the Brink

• Deuteronomy ends the Pentateuch
• Five essential books of the Hebrew Scriptures
• Genesis ? origins of the people of Israel
• Exodus ? freedom from slavery
• Leviticus ? great concern for holiness
• Numbers ? wilderness wanderings
• Deuteronomy ? insight into Judaism