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THE BOOK OF

THE BOOK OF. DEUTERO NOMY. second. law. The Book of Deuteronomy. Key Ideas The importance of a central place of worship The emphasis on the name of God The organization of laws with reference to the Ten Commandments The centrality of loving and obeying the covenant God.

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THE BOOK OF

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  1. THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY second law

  2. The Book of Deuteronomy Key Ideas • The importance of a central place of worship • The emphasis on the name of God • The organization of laws with reference to the Ten Commandments • The centrality of loving and obeying the covenant God

  3. The Writing of the Book • Some debate, but most agree that Moses is source of the book • Dated to sometime in the mid-second millennium (c. 1500 BC)

  4. The Background

  5. The Background • Therefore, Deuteronomy is similar to ancient Near Eastern treaties • Deuteronomy is official document ratifying a formal relationship between the Lord and Israel • The Lord is the overlord • Israel is the vassal

  6. Purpose and Message Purpose • Summarize and renew the covenant • Charter document of Israel—emphasizes: one God, one people of God, one sanctuary, and one law

  7. Purpose and Message Message • Formalizes the covenant the Lord made with Israel at Sinai • Provides broader understanding of covenant; calls for the people to live in obedience • Offers second generation of the Exodus an opportunity to renew the covenant as they prepare to enter the Promised Land

  8. Structure and Organization • Based on ANE vassal treaties • Sections divided according to Moses’ three addresses • Can be grouped around four general topics: (1) authority, (2) dignity, (3) commitment, and (4) rights and privileges • Commandments 1-4: how these issues pertain to relationship with God • Commandments 5-10: how these issues pertain to relationship with human beings

  9. Commandment 1: Divine Authority (Deut. 6-11) “You shall have no other gods before me.” • This section exhorts love and obedience to God; warns against testing him • Overall message: Yahweh should be the Israelites’ first priority and final authority

  10. Commandment 2: Divine Dignity (Deut. 12) “You shall not make for yourself an idol.” • Discusses how God is to be treated • Intended to prevent the Israelites from taking over Canaanite sanctuaries and converting them to sanctuaries for Yahweh • Main concern: how the ritual aspect of worship takes place • Not only a prohibition against idolatry, but also against the use of any image to represent God

  11. Commandment 3: Commitment to Deity (Deut. 13:1-41:21) “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.” • Discusses how God is to be treated • Intended to prevent the Israelites from taking over Canaanite sanctuaries and converting them to sanctuaries for Yahweh • Main concern: how the ritual aspect of worship takes place • Not only a prohibition against idolatry, but also against the use of any image to represent God

  12. Commandment 4: Rights and Privileges of Deity (Deut. 14:22 – 16:17) “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” • Israel’s recognition of God’s work in creation (Ex. 20:11) and gratitude for his delivering them from Egypt (Deut. 5:15) • Israel’s dedication of goods to him and others

  13. Commandment 5: Human Authority (Deut. 16:18 – 18:22) “Honor your father and your mother.” • Human authority is important for making sure covenant is kept • At the core, parents being honored by their children • Human authorities must be honored—they each play a key role in communicating God’s instructions (Godprophets; priestsWord; kingsset up government; judgesenforce government)

  14. Commandment 6-8: Human Dignity (Deut. 19-21; 22:1-23:14; 23:15-24:7) “You shall not murder.” The Dignity of Existence • Deals with cases in which life may be taken without violating 6th commandment • Ch. 19: taking of life via judicial process • For Yahweh, capital punishment is not violation of 6th commandment • Ch. 20: rules for warfare • For Yahweh, killing in context of war is not violation of 6th commandment

  15. Commandment 6-8: Human Dignity (Deut. 19-21; 22:1-23:14; 23:15-24:7) “You shall not commit adultery.” The Dignity of Likeness in the Community • Deals with things that belong together and things that do not • For example: Two kinds of seed (22:9) or two kinds of thread (22:11) do not belong together • This is how the Bible views adultery: one person should not intrude in the marriage of another • Keeping the dignity and sacredness of community

  16. Commandment 6-8: Human Dignity (Deut. 19-21; 22:1-23:14; 23:15-24:7) “You shall not steal.” The Dignity of Personhood • Deals with stealing, both tangible and intangible objects • Stealing is serious: it is dehumanizing and threatens the dignity of personhood

  17. Commandment 9: Commitment to Humankind (Deut. 24:8-16) “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” • Primary commitment to neighbor is dealing honestly with them • Involves what we say to them and about them • Main message: take commitments seriously

  18. Commandment 10: Commitment to Humankind (Deut. 24:8-16) “You shall covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.” • Coveting is desiring to have something that someone else owns • Suggests rights of individuals need to be protected • Urges rights we enjoy ought not to be taken for granted

  19. Summary • Deuteronomy makes it clear that the law was never intended to be a list of inflexible rules • Rather, speaks of whole matter of true piety and true morality • Teaches how to rightly relate to God and other humans • Affirmed by Jesus in Like 10:27: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind,’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

  20. The Book of Deuteronomy Major Themes • Law • Central Sanctuary • History as Theology • Principle of Retribution

  21. Law • In ancient Near East, gods were not known for their consistency • With Law, all of this changed for Israel; it was an act of God’s grace • In OT, Israelites are not heard complaining about burdensomeness of law; it was great example of love for them • In NT, Paul talks about law negatively only in sense that Israel began to abuse it

  22. The Central Sanctuary • Idea of one sanctuary in Israel was symbolic of concept of one God • In contrast with other ANE religions, Israelites had just one God, so they needed just one temple • Failure to accomplish centralization that created many of the religious problems occurring before the exile

  23. History as Theology • For Israel, history was God in action—evidence of Israel’s election • History is God’s revelation of himself, and Israel’s response • The Exodus was God’s primary call for Israel to obey Him • Israel’s history is unique and specially designed to show God’s self-revelation

  24. The Retribution Principle • Meeting God’s expectations is rewarded; violating God’s commandments brings punishment • If covenant was disobeyed, Israel forfeited God’s blessings • Though covenant wasn’t lost forever, curses for disobedience played key role in Israel’s exile

  25. THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY second law

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