Deuteronomy: The Land

Facing Change:

Promise Possession Testing Resting Transientness Permanence Space Place

Is where you dwell important?

Does the “where” question effect behavior and destiny?

Land Concept

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

Land Concept (cont.)

Land as Gift: Dt. 6:10-11 God’s choosing, loving and making them

special Dt. 7:7f Good land

– Flowing with milk and honey: Dt. 6:3– Filled land: Dt. 8:7-10 – Satisfying land Dt. 8:10-12

Land of God’s presence: Deut 12:5

Major Problems:

Forgetting where you came from: Deut 8:10f 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 and out stretched arm (Dt 4:39) Remembering as basis of praise (Deut 8:10f)

Reflection Question

Where do you dwell? Do you remember? (Praise...?) How do you experience the presence of

God in the where of which you live?

Moses and Deuteronomy

JEDP theory again:– J = Jehovah document (850 BC)– E = Elohim document (750 BC)– D = Deuteronomy (620 BC)– P = Priestly writer (450 BC)

Josiah finds (writes?) the book of the law (2 Chr 34:33)

Hittite Treaties (1200 BC)

Preamble (title) Historical Prologue Stipulations Witnesses Blessings and cursings

Assyrian Treaties (700 BC)

Hittite Assyrian Preamble Historical Prologue

Stipulations Witnessess Blessings Cursings

Assyrian Treaties (700 BC)

Hittite AssyrianPreamble (title) X X

Historical Prologue X 0 Stipulations X X Witnesses X X Blessings X 0 Cursings X X

Deuteronomy & Treaty Form

Preamble: Deut 1:1-5 Historical Prologue: 1:6-3:29 Stipulations (Dt 4:1-11:32)

– General (Dt 4:1-11:32) – Specific (Dt 12-26)

Witnesses (Dt 27:2-4) Curses and Blessings (Dt 28)

General Stipulations

The Ten Words (Deut 5) – BIG LC SPAMS

Shema (Deut 6:4)

Specific Stipulations: Institutions in Israel

Prophets (Deut 13:1ff; 18:17ff) Judges (Deut 16:18)

– Cities of Refuge (Deut 19:2) Kings (Deut 17:14-19)—like the nations

– Not to ---– To do --

Priests & Levites: no land (Deut 18:2f)

How do you go from “then” to “now”

On women wearing pants: Deut 22:5 Principle of differentiation Real issue Does culture impact God’s law?

– Cf. king laws Deut 17:16f

Christ’s view of law

Not come to destroy it (Matt 5:17f) Uses it to defend himself against Satan

(Matt 4) Greatest command (Matt 22:37f) Permanence of law (Lk 16:17) Separation from Pharisaic

misinterpretation of the law (you have heard it said, but I say...)

Paul’s view of law

Is Paul opposed to the law? (Gal 5:4) Holy and good (Rom 7:12) Condemnatory nature of law (Gal. 3:10) Never justified by law (Gal 2:16; Rom

4:3) Pedagogical function: Gal 3:24 to bring

us to Christ

What still stands

Civil, ceremonial and moral (?) Principles: care for poor

– Love God, be holy Cultural re-particularization: no Baal,

sacrifices, clean/unclean Key: Underlying principle Sermon on Mount as model: into the heart Hardness of your heart: Mat 19:8, Canonical continuity or clashing (e.g. dietary

laws; Acts 15)

Is law good or bad? Bad if ...

Legalism Security in performance Externalization of religion Condemnatory of others Pride Earning salvation

Is grace good or bad? Bad if...

Leads to license Can do anything and I’ll be forgiven Devaluing of sin

Laws that rattle our bones

War laws:– Building home exemption: Dt 20:1ff– Marriage exemption Dt 24:5– Give peace a chance Dt 20:10– Herem? Dt 20:17; 7:2

Laws that rattle our bones (cont)

Rape laws (Deut 22:23ff)—city/field Death penalty

– False prophet (Dt 13:10f)– Idolater (Dt 18:2f)– Rebellious son (Dt 21:18f)– Non-virgin that marries (Dt 22:20f)?

Laws that rattle our bones (cont)

Dismemberment punishments: Deut 25:11-12

Polygamy laws? (Deut 21:15) Slavery laws (Deut 15:12ff) Animal treatment laws (Deut 22:10)

Law and Culture: Final Questions The church is not Israel: What are the differences? How does that affect how the church implements the law? What is the relationship of the church to the law? Church

is not Israel What is the relationship to culture and the expression of

the law? –Mat. 19:8 Israel is not America (prisons…) Canonical context: explicit change (Acts 15)