W. Shaw Caldecott LAW, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
4. THE PASSING AWAY OF THE LAW
to a level far above the sacrifice of that class among the surrounding heathen, guarding it against their licentious festivity (compare Hosea 2:11-13; 4:13,14; Amos 2:8; 5:21-23) and gross ideas as to the part of God in the feasting.
(3) The Law Truly a Torah.
In every one of its departments the Law proved itself to be indeed a [torah]
directing God’s people in the upward way; leading them on from the state of advancement, such as it was, to which they had already attained by Moses’ time, to higher and higher standards, both of faith and of duty, till they were prepared for the gospel of Christ, who Himself said of the old Law, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18 the King James Version).
Meanwhile we have, in the teaching of the prophets, not a counter
influence, not a system rivaling the Law, but its unfolding, both inspired of God, both instruments in His progressive revelation. “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” were the words of Samuel, a faithful servant of the Law, and himself a frequent offerer of sacrifice. What the Law was to the heart of devout Israelites in the prophetic age is seen in the fervent words of Psalm 119.
(2) The law that tithe should be paid to the Levites, a tithe only of it being paid by them to “Aaron the priest” (Numbers 18), was practicable so long as the priests were a small portion only of the whole Levitical body, as they appear in the history down to the middle period of the monarchy. But by the time of the exile they disappeared from history except as actual temple ministrants, and, after the return from the exile, even these were in number a mere handful compared with the priests (Ezra 2:36-42; 8:15-20,24-30;
Nehemiah 11:10-19). The attempt to revive the old law (Nehemiah 10:38,39) was well-intentioned but impracticable: it was evidently soon abandoned (Nehemiah 13:10-13; Malachi 3:8-10). We learn from Josephus that tithes were regarded later as due to the priests, not to the Levites (Josephus, Ant, XX, viii, 8; ix, 2).
(3) That the Mosaic law as to divorce was to give place to one more stringent appears not only from our Lord’s words in Matthew 19:7-9, but from Malachi 2:16.
(4) It is probable that some of the supplementary rules in Numbers may have been designed for temporary use only, and may have passed away before the close of the Old Testament. It may have been so, e.g., with the law of Numbers 5:11-31, a law probably most useful in the circumstances of the Mosaic age, and perhaps itself an endorsement of a pre-Mosaic custom.
LITERATURE.
Driver, Driver, Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament, with which should be read Moller, Are the Critics Right? and Orr, Orr, The Problem of the Old Testament; A.B. Davidson, Theology of the Old Testament; J.B. Mozley, Ruling Ideas in Early Ages; Rule, Old Testament Institutions, Their Origin and Development; Kurtz, Sacrificial Worship of the Old Testament; Hoonacker, Leviticus sacerdoce levitique; Edouard Naville,
Lamentations decouverte de la loi sous le roi Josias; H. Clay Trumbull, The Blood Covenant; Milligan, Resurrection of our Lord (274 ff, on “blood-offering”).
Ulric Z. Rule
LAW, JUDICIAL
<joo-dish’-al>: This was the form of Divine law which, under the dominion of God, as the Supreme Magistrate, directed the policy of the Jewish nation, and hence, was binding only on them, not on other peoples.
The position of Yahweh, as the Supreme Ruler, was made legally binding by a formal election on the part of the national assembly (Exodus 19:3-8);
and that there might be no question about the matter, after the death of Moses, Joshua, in accordance with instructions received by his great predecessor in the office of federal judge, in the public assembly caused the contract to be renewed in connection with most solemn exercises (Joshua 8:30-35). No legal contract was ever entered into with more formality and with a clearer understanding of the terms by the several parties than was the contract which made it binding on the Hebrews permanently to recognize Yahweh as the Supreme Ruler (Exodus 24:3-8). He was to be acknowledged as the Founder of the nation (Exodus 20:2); Sovereign, Ruler, and Judge (Exodus 20:2-6); and in these capacities was to be the object of love, reverential fear and worship, service, and absolute obedience. Flagrant disregard of their obligations to Him manifested in idolatry or blasphemy was regarded as high treason, and like high treason in all nations and history was punishable by death (Exodus 20:3-5,7; 22:20;
Leviticus 24:16; Deuteronomy 17:2-5). The will of Yahweh in critical cases was to be ascertained through special means (Numbers 9:8; Judges 1:1,2; 20:18,23,28; 1 Samuel 10:22).
The ruling official recognized by the Hebrews as a nation was the chief magistrate, but he stood as Yahweh’s vicegerent, and therefore combined various authorities in his person. We must distinguish the functions of the chief magistrate
(1) under the republic,
(2) under the constitutional monarchy, and
(3) under the senatorial oligarchy after the Babylonian captivity.
Moses was the first chief magistrate under the republic; after him, Joshua, and the other judges. Under the constitutional monarchy, it was the king whose government was limited, for he was to be elected by the people; must be a native Hebrew; must not keep a large cavalry; must not support a harem; must not multiply riches; must be a defender of
the national religion; must be guided by law, not whim; must be gracious and condescending to the people (Deuteronomy 17:15-20).
After the Babylonian captivity, the senatorial oligarchy combined ecclesiastical and state authority, later sharing it with the Roman government.
See also SANHEDRIN.
Frank E. Hirsch LAW, ROMAN
See ROMAN LAW.
LAWFUL
<lo’-fool> (usually fP;v]mi [mishpaT], “relating to judgment,” or “a pronounced judgment” qyDIx” [tsaddiq], “relating to that which is righteous” or “just”; [e]xesti, exesti], [eu]nomov, eunomos], “that which is authorized according to law,” or “a privilege according to legitimate custom” (compare Ezekiel 18:5,19, 21,27; Isaiah 49:24; Matthew 12:10;
Acts 16:21; 19:39)): Used of persons: of God, as being righteous both in the punishment of the wicked and the rewarding of the righteous (Psalm 145:17 Hebrew); of man, as being just and equitable in all his dealings with his fellow-man (Ezekiel 33:19). It is used of things when the same are in accord with a pronounced judgment or a declared will of God, and thus pleasing in His sight (Mark 3:4). When the course of individual conduct is according to God’s law of righteousness, it is declared to be “lawful”
(Ezekiel 33:19). The word is used in a forensic sense as declaring the legal status of a person conforming to law. The idea of straighthess, rigid adherence to God’s law, whether religious, civil or ceremonial, cannot be excluded from the definition of the word “lawful.”
Neither the King James Version nor the American Standard Revised Version is consistent in its translation of the Hebrew and Greek words translated “lawful.” Ofttimes the words “just” and “righteous” are used. To arrive at the full and proper meaning of “lawful,” therefore, it is necessary that we study the passages containing these synonymous terms. The written Law of God is the recognized standard by which things, actions and persons are to be judged as being lawful or unlawful.
William Evans LAWGIVER
<lo’-giv-er> (qqejom] [mechoqeq]; [nomoqe>thv, nomothetes]): There are two words, one Hebrew and one Greek, which are translated “lawgiver.”
The former occurs 7 times in the Old Testament, and in the King James Version in every case except Judges 5:14 is thus translated. In the Revised Version (British and American) it bears the translation “lawgiver” but twice (Deuteronomy 33:21; Isaiah 33:22), though in the other passages (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 21:18; Judges 5:14; Psalm 60:7; 108:8) this meaning is retained in the margin. The Greek word occurs in the New Testament but once (James 4:12), where it has a meaning that is almost the exact equivalent of the Hebrew word in Isaiah 33:22. In both passages God is declared to be the “lawgiver,” and in the New Testament passage is so called because He has the power to rule and judge, to save and destroy.
Man is denied the authority to judge because he is not the lawgiver. God is the lawgiver, and therefore possesses the right to pronounce judgment (compare Isa, supra). The word, however, implies more than mere legislative function; it also connotes the idea of ruling. Isaiah makes this very plain, since he adds to the statement that God is our judge and
lawgiver the further declaration that He is also king. This meaning adheres in the very history of the word. It is based upon the monarchical
conception in which the legislative, judicial and administrative functions are all vested in one person. In James the two terms “lawgiver and judge”
express the idea of God’s absolute sovereignty. The verb [nomothetein]
occurs in Hebrews 7:11; 8:6, but it does not extend beyond the meaning
“to enact laws.”
The Hebrew word is restricted to poetic passages, and except in Isaiah 33:22 is applied to a tribal or kingly ruler. Moses is pre-eminently the lawgiver in Jewish and Christian circles, but it should be noted that in the Scriptures of neither is he given this title. The primary meaning of the verb from which [mechoqeq] is derived is “to cut,” “to carve,” and a derived meaning is “to ordain.” The meaning of the participle [mechoqeq] is based upon this last. It means
(1) the symbol which expresses the lawmaker’s authority, that is, the commander’s staff; and
(2) the person who possesses the authority (Deuteronomy 33:21).
It has the first of these meanings in Numbers 21:18; Psalm 60:7; 108:8, and probably in Genesis 49:10, though here it may have the second meaning.
The parallelism, however, seems to require an impersonal object to correspond to scepter, and so the reading of the text (The Revised
Version) is to be preferred to that of the margin (Skinner, at the place). In Deuteronomy 33:21; Judges 5:14; Isaiah 33:22, it means the person who wielded the symbol of authority, that is the prescriber of laws. In a
primitive community this would be a military commander. In Genesis 49:10 the “ruler’s staff” is the symbol of kingly authority (Driver), and this verse consequently implies the supremacy of Judah which came in with the Davidic kingdom. This word contains no reference to the Messiah. In Numbers 21:18 there is an allusion to the custom of formally and symbolically opening fountains under the superintendence and at the instruction of the leader of the tribe. Such a custom seems to have been in vogue till comparatively modern times. Gray cites Budde in the New World for March, 1895, and Muir’s Mohamet and Islam, 343 f. In Judges 5:14 the word means “military commander,” as the context shows. This is the meaning also in Deuteronomy 33:21, where it is affirmed that Gad obtained a position worthy of its warlike character. Targum, Vulgate, Peshitta, and some moderns have seen here a reference to the grave of Moses, but Nebo was in Reuben and not in Gad.
W. C. Morro