How Christians determine what OT laws remain in force

Summary

In this video, Dan McClellan, a Bible and religion scholar, discusses why Christians follow certain Old Testament laws while disregarding others. He explains that the concept of a New Covenant through Jesus' death and resurrection is often used to justify this selectivity. However, McClellan argues that this approach is inconsistent and historically contingent, pointing out that early Christians developed arbitrary frameworks to rationalize which laws to keep. He critiques the idea of eternal moral laws versus temporary ceremonial laws and highlights how social and historical contexts influence these religious decisions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Christians do not arbitrarily choose which Old Testament laws to follow; instead, they follow commands that apply under the New Covenant established by Jesus.
• 🤔 The Mosaic law, given to Israel through Moses, had a specific purpose, and many commands do not apply to Christians after the establishment of the New Covenant.
• 🧐 The idea that Christians pick and choose which laws to follow is oversimplified. There is a deeper theological reasoning involving the fulfillment of the law by Jesus.
• 📜 The New Testament itself does not provide a consistent framework for which Mosaic laws should continue to be followed and which should not, leading to various interpretations among Christians.
• 📖 Some parts of the New Testament, like the book of Matthew, advocate for keeping the entirety of the Mosaic law, while others, like the writings of Paul, suggest that Christians are no longer under the law.
• 🛑 The division of laws into 'ceremonial,' 'moral,' and 'civil' categories, commonly used to explain which laws apply today, is not found in the Bible. This was developed by later theologians.
• 📜 Some Christians argue that laws repeated in the New Testament, especially those mentioned by Jesus, continue to be relevant, but this approach is not consistently applied.
• 🔍 Rationalizations about which Old Testament laws apply today often reflect historical and social contexts, rather than a consistent biblical framework.
• ⚠️ Laws about slavery are endorsed in both the Old and New Testaments, yet Christians largely abandoned them after the 19th century, reflecting evolving social values.
• 🤯 The prohibition of homosexual behavior in the Old Testament and New Testament is often explained through theological or social rationalizations, not solely by the texts themselves.

Q & A

What is the main question being discussed in the video?

The video explores why Christians seem to follow some Old Testament laws while ignoring others, and whether their approach to this is arbitrary.

How does the speaker describe the claim that Christians arbitrarily choose which laws to follow?

The speaker argues that the claim of Christians arbitrarily picking and choosing Old Testament laws is a straw man and does not accurately represent Christianity.

What is the significance of the Mosaic Law for Christians according to the video?

The Mosaic Law, given to the Israelites in the Old Testament, was specific to them. When Jesus came, Christians believe he fulfilled the requirements of the law and established a New Covenant, making some Old Testament laws, such as the prohibition of wearing clothes made from two fabrics, no longer applicable to Christians.

Does the New Testament provide a consistent framework for determining which Old Testament laws Christians should follow?

No, according to the speaker, the New Testament does not provide a consistent framework for determining which laws continue to be relevant. Various frameworks that Christians use were developed after biblical times.

What is one example of the range of approaches to the Old Testament law found in the New Testament?

The Gospel of Matthew presents a view that followers of Jesus must continue to keep the entirety of the Mosaic Law, while the Apostle Paul teaches that Christians are no longer under the law, showing a spectrum of approaches within the New Testament itself.

What are the four laws mentioned in Acts 15:20 that non-Jewish Christians are instructed to follow?

In Acts 15:20, the four laws mentioned for non-Jewish Christians are to abstain from idolatry, sexual immorality, things strangled, and blood.

What post-biblical rationalizations do Christians commonly use to determine which Old Testament laws are still relevant?

Two popular post-biblical rationalizations are: (1) dividing laws into moral, ceremonial, and civil categories, and (2) asserting that laws repeated in the New Testament remain relevant, while those that are not mentioned are no longer applicable.

Does the Hebrew Bible itself divide laws into moral, ceremonial, and civil categories?

No, the Hebrew Bible does not divide its laws into these categories. This division was created by early Christian theologians such as Origen in the 3rd century as a way to rationalize which laws should still be followed.

What inconsistencies does the speaker highlight regarding the application of New Testament teachings on Old Testament laws?

The speaker notes that even though some laws are repeated in the New Testament, such as prohibitions against slavery, Christians have historically ignored them when it became socially unacceptable, showing that the application of these laws is often inconsistent.

How does the speaker summarize the approach Christians take toward Old Testament laws?

The speaker argues that Christians generally follow laws that serve the interests of their group and that the process of determining which laws are relevant has always been socially and historically contingent, rather than based on an objective or consistent framework.