LEVITICUS 19:18 IN THE CONTEXT OF LEVITICUS
Therefore, it is safe to say that Leviticus 19 is the critical part of the law of holiness (Lev 17–26) and provides the themes that are essential to understanding this law. In addition, given that the law of holiness (Lev 17–26) consists of these first six chapters and the other four chapters, Leviticus 19, the central part of the first six chapters, can be said to provide the basis for the interpretation of the whole law of holiness.
Fourth, some themes in Leviticus 19 are reminders of partial or complete commands from the Ten Commandments, and these commands are repeated throughout the first half (vv. Finally, in addition to the Ten Commandments, topics mentioned in the first half of Leviticus have 19 a tendency to be repeated in the second half.
To begin with, the repeated motif ("I am the Lord") is found four times in Leviticus 19:11-18. Each section of Leviticus 19:11-18 mentions different groups of people or the targets for whom the statutes are to be performed.
ךָ (your brother), is mentioned in addition to the three purposes of the laws, תימִﬠָ, עַרֵ, and םﬠַ, mentioned in the previous three paragraphs. Thus, the words referring to the purposes of the laws are increasingly used in the paragraphs of Leviticus 19:11-18, and this structure culminates in the last paragraph, or verses 17-18.
First, the target of the command that forbids oppression and robbery (Lev 19: . 13a–b) is "the neighbor" (עַרֵ), especially the poor. The first verb קשׁע (to oppress; verse 13a) is mostly used in the Old Testament in the context of exploiting the poor for a profit (Deut 24:14;.
LEVITICUS 19:18 IN SELECTED SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH
For example, the meaning of charity as law is nuanced slightly differently in each text of the Second Temple. Third, the beneficiaries of charity in Sirach are fellow Jews, but it can be inferred from the context of Sirach 13:15 that neighbor here practically refers to the poor. Second, the meaning of charity will be studied in the light of the whole context of Sirach.
First, the two words that best reveal the meaning of neighborly love in Sirach 13:15 are the verb ἀγαπάω and the noun πλησίος.
This means that loving one's neighbor is part of the wisdom that the Lord gave to the audience. Who are the neighbors in Sirach 13:15 and who are the recipients of neighborly love in Sirach. In other words, Sirach's addressees are the benefactors of charity in Sirach 13:15.
Second, the beneficiaries of charity in Sirach 13:15 refer to fellow Jews, including the poor.
Such an analysis would be useful in revealing the addressee, basis and source of the charity in the Damascus document. Third, the precise interpretation of the law makes it possible to offer sacrifices in the temple. Fourth, charity in the Damascus Document is a legally binding command based on the precise interpretation of the law.
Sixth, the charity in the Damascus document is reciprocal, since this command is mostly found in relationships between members of the Damascus community.
Fourth, the love of neighbor in Jubilees 35:20 can be classified as a legally binding commandment with the characteristics of moral law. Jacob's responsibility as a doer of neighborly love is found in two other passages of Jubilees 35. That is, neighborly love in Jubilees 35:20 is the law itself, since this verse alludes to Leviticus 19:18. .
Finally, the love of neighbor in Jubilees 35:20 has the characteristics of a moral law as it refers to righteous relationships between people.
LEVITICUS 19:18 IN THE CONTEXT OF GALATIANS
How are we to evaluate the argument that Galatians 5:13-14 belongs to the literary unit that begins with Galatians 5:1-2?9 On this question, this chapter maintains that Galatians 5:1-12 is the transitional passage, that connects Paul's ethical. First, Galatians 5:1-12 contains many words that are repeatedly emphasized by Paul in its previous context. Second, Galatians 5:1-12 contains the words that are emphasized in both the preceding and following contexts of this section.
In short, Galatians 5:1-12 serves as a transitional passage connecting its preceding context (Gal 1-4) with its following context (Gal contains the key words from both its preceding and following contexts.
In these lines, Paul emphasizes that believers are tempted by a "different gospel",22 a false gospel that is hostile to the gospel of Christ.23 With this, Paul emphasizes that the new identity of believers is based on the gospel of Christ. As such, believers who live with a new identity practice love for their neighbor, which is not based on any other gospel than the gospel of Christ. 24. The genitive construction τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ (Gal 1:7) is usually translated as "good news about Christ" (objective genitive) or "the gospel that Christ preached" (subjective genitive).25 According to the previous context (Gal 1: 6), the phrase is an objective genitive, since it is God who reveals this gospel.26 In addition,.
25 Ο Moo υποστηρίζει ότι το ευαγγέλιο του Χριστού είναι ένα γενικό γένος, ερμηνεύοντάς το ως «τα καλά νέα που ορίζονται από τον Χριστό». Βλέπε Moo, Galatians, 79–80.
To begin with, the gospel of Christ and "another gospel" (ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον) are incompatible with each other. Given that the infinitive µεταστρέψαι is a powerful word, meaning a radical change into its opposite, such as feast into mourning, or daylight into darkness (LXX Pss. Paul would see this other gospel essentially as the opposite of the gospel of Christ Consequently, charity is practiced by believers who have been called by God only on the basis of the gospel of Christ.
Second, love of neighbor is those believers who do not surrender to the works of the law.
Thus, it is the believers who live in this faith-based freedom who practice charity (Gal. For this reason, Paul emphasizes that believers must not submit to the works of the law for their justification. Second, it is mentioned in other New Testament verses that help for the poor came not only in the form of providing basic necessities, but also in the form of financial aid (Third Acts, for Paul, sharing with the poor is one of the most representative ways of getting good (Eph 4:28) , and such a good deed (Gal can be a practical way to show love for one's neighbor.
Helping the poor is thus a way of practicing charity, and it is instructed throughout the New Testament that such help to the poor must be given in the form of providing necessities and financial support.
Consequently, believers can practice charity on the basis of Jesus Christ's death, with the help of the Spirit. Second, the key means of becoming one with Christ is not the works of the law, but "through faith in the Son of God" (Gal 2:20d). Paul reaffirms that Christ's crucifixion made the works of the law an invalid means of justification.44 In verse 21, Paul makes it clear that Christ's death has nothing to do with justification by the works of the law (Gal 2:21c ).
If believers try to be justified by the works of the law, then Christ died needlessly.
Here Paul exhorts the recipients to finish their journey of faith not through the works of the law, but with the Spirit. This implies that charity is not practiced by those who received the Spirit but still do the works of the law, but by those believers who only walk with the Spirit. Third, Paul wants the recipients not to yield to such temptation and complete their journey of faith not through the works of the law, including circumcision, but with the Spirit.
Finally, charity allows no involvement in the works of the law.
Second, the Spirit serves as the most powerful source of charity, since the Spirit always dwells in believers from the moment they are justified until the end of their faith journey (Gal 3:2, 3), helping them to experience miracles in their lives (Gal 3:5). From these two choices, Paul expressly mentions that no one can be justified by the works of the law, since no one can keep everything written in the law (Gal 3:10).65. Thirdly, charity can be practiced by believers with the help of the Spirit they have received through faith.
Instead, they claim that Gal 3:10 refers to living within the terms of the law through repentance and atonement.
Second, those who seek to be justified by the law cannot practice charity because the works of the law worked only temporarily in the old era and were replaced by a means of faith in the new era (Gal 3:24). 76 First of all, Paul compares the temporary role of the law to a "pedagogue" (παιδαγωγὸς in Gal 3:24a). This leads to the conclusion that the law as a means of justification was practically replaced by faith in the new era that arose with the coming of Christ. Therefore, those who still dwell on keeping the law cannot practice charity.
75 Salvation in Galatians 3:23-25 is not expressed as the forgiveness of sins, but rather as deliverance from the mighty, enslaving forces of the law.
Therefore, with the slavery of the law ending in the new age, believers who are now free from the works of the law are those who practice love of neighbor. The third implication is that love of neighbor can be practiced with the help of the Spirit actively working in the hearts of believers. Such a role of the Spirit implies that the same Spirit must also empower believers to practice love of neighbor.
Second, love of neighbor cannot be practiced by believers who still seek to be justified by the works of the law.
Paul here draws a clear distinction between love or charity and the works of the law symbolized by circumcision, emphasizing the importance of charity.
19–21
Considering that verse 15 further expounds the charity mentioned in verse 14, it is fair to say that charity forbids social strife between believers. Third, Paul expands on social vices by listing forbidden acts in Galatians 5:19-21, illustrating the kind of acts involved in the struggle forbidden by charity. Paul lists fifteen evil deeds here, and all of them can be summed up as "the deeds of the flesh" (τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός),114 as stated in verse 19.
Paul warns that all people engaged in "the works of the flesh" (Gal 5:19) "will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal 5:21),115 and emphasizes that these works are forbidden to.
127 In other words, verse 17 explains that the desires of the flesh and the Spirit are incompatible. This is seen in his decisive confirmation in the preceding and following context of verse 17 that the Spirit will eventually overcome "the desire of the flesh" (Gal 5:16, 18). That is, the first hypothesis emphasizes the flesh's resistance to the Spirit or rejects the power of the Spirit.
First, as stated in verse 16, the Spirit is the source of charity.
Last but not least, charity goes beyond the law and is not to be seen as the works of the law. Paul says, "against such things there is no law," at the end of verse 23, implying the relationship between the fruit of the Spirit and the law. The prepositional phrase "against such things" (κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων) here refers to the fruit of the Spirit listed in verses 22-23.157 Paul's statement "there is no law" could mean that no law forbids the fruit of the spirit158 or that no law158 or the fruit of the Spirit condemns such virtues, since the fruit is produced by the Spirit, who provides for everything that the law itself requires.159 To put it differently, Paul indicates here that the fruit of the Spirit exceeds the scope of the law.160.
Therefore charity, the main fruit of the Spirit, cannot be seen as the works of the law.
LEVITICUS 19:18 IN GALATIANS 5:14
Ὑµεῖς γὰρ ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἐκλήθητε, ἀδελφοί·
SIMILARITIES AND DISSIMILARITIES AMONG LEVITICUS
CONCLUSION
