Doctrine of the Lord #9
9. In a broader sense the Law means everything written by Moses in his five books. This is apparent from the following verses:
In Luke:
Abraham said to (the rich man in hell), “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.... If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded even if one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:29, 31)
In John:
Philip...said to (Nathanael), “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, wrote....” (John 1:45)
In Matthew:
Do not think that I came to undo the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to undo but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17-18)
Again in Matthew:
...all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. (Matthew 11:13)
In Luke:
The Law and the Prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God is preached.... (Luke 16:16)
In Matthew:
...whatever you wish men to do to you, do also to them...this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
Again in Matthew:
Jesus said..., “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and...you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37, 39-40)
In these places Moses and the Prophets, or the Law and the Prophets, mean everything written in the books of Moses and in the books of the Prophets.
[2] That the Law in particular means everything written by Moses is still more apparent from the following verses:
In Luke:
When the days of her purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought (Jesus) to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, that every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” ...And...the parents brought...Jesus (into the Temple), to do for Him according to the custom of the Law.... When they had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord.... (Luke 2:22-24, 27, 39)
In John:
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such.... (John 8:5)
Again in John:
...the Law was given through Moses.... (John 1:17)
It is apparent from this that when reference is made to statements made in the books of Moses, those books are called sometimes the Law and sometimes Moses. This is apparent also in Matthew 8:4; Mark 10:2-4, 12:19; Luke 20:28, 37; John 3:14, 7:19, 51, 8:17, 19:7.
[3] There are also many other things commanded by Moses that he calls the Law. So, for example, laws regarding burnt offerings (Leviticus 6:9, 7:37). Regarding other sacrifices (Leviticus 6:25, 7:1-11). Regarding the grain offering (Leviticus 6:14). Regarding leprosy (Leviticus 14:2). Regarding jealousy (Numbers 5:29-30). Regarding the Nazirite (Numbers 6:13, 21).
Moreover, Moses himself calls his books the Law:
Moses wrote this Law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah.... (And he said to them,) “Take this book of the Law, and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah....” (Deuteronomy 31:9, 11, 26)
It was placed beside the Ark, because the Ark had in it the stone tablets which, in a strict sense, are the Law.
The books of Moses were later called the book of the Law:
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the Law in the house of Jehovah.” ...when the king heard the words of the book of the Law, he tore his clothes. (2 Kings 22:8, 11, 23:24)
Published by the General Church of the New Jerusalem, 1100 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, U.S.A. A translation of Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino, by Emanuel Swedenborg, 1688-1772. Translated from the Original Latin by N. Bruce Rogers. ISBN 9780945003687, Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954074.
Leviticus 7
1
"'This is the law of the trespass offering. It is most holy.
2
In the place where they kill the burnt offering, he shall kill the trespass offering; and its blood he shall sprinkle around on the altar.
3
He shall offer all of its fat: the fat tail, and the fat that covers the innards,
4
and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away;
5
and the priest shall burn them on the altar for an offering made by fire to Yahweh: it is a trespass offering.
6
Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy.
7
"'As is the sin offering, so is the trespass offering; there is one law for them. The priest who makes atonement with them shall have it.
8
The priest who offers any man's burnt offering, even the priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered.
9
Every meal offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is dressed in the pan, and on the griddle, shall be the priest's who offers it.
10
Every meal offering, mixed with oil or dry, belongs to all the sons of Aaron, one as well as another.
11
"'This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which one shall offer to Yahweh.
12
If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mixed with oil.
13
With cakes of leavened bread he shall offer his offering with the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving.
14
Of it he shall offer one out of each offering for a heave offering to Yahweh. It shall be the priest's who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings.
15
The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.
16
"'But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow, or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice; and on the next day what remains of it shall be eaten:
17
but what remains of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire.
18
If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed to him who offers it. It will be an abomination, and the soul who eats any of it will bear his iniquity.
19
"'The flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten. It shall be burned with fire. As for the flesh, everyone who is clean may eat it;
20
but the soul who eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that belongs to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
21
When anyone touches any unclean thing, the uncleanness of man, or an unclean animal, or any unclean abomination, and eats some of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which belong to Yahweh, that soul shall be cut off from his people.'"
22
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
23
"Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'You shall eat no fat, of bull, or sheep, or goat.
24
The fat of that which dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of animals, may be used for any other service, but you shall in no way eat of it.
25
For whoever eats the fat of the animal, of which men offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, even the soul who eats it shall be cut off from his people.
26
You shall not eat any blood, whether it is of bird or of animal, in any of your dwellings.
27
Whoever it is who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.'"
28
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
29
"Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to Yahweh shall bring his offering to Yahweh out of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
30
With his own hands he shall bring the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before Yahweh.
31
The priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'.
32
The right thigh you shall give to the priest for a heave offering out of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.
33
He among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right thigh for a portion.
34
For the waved breast and the heaved thigh I have taken from the children of Israel out of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel.'"
35
This is the anointing portion of Aaron, and the anointing portion of his sons, out of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister to Yahweh in the priest's office;
36
which Yahweh commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them. It is their portion forever throughout their generations.
37
This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meal offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecration, and of the sacrifice of peace offerings;
38
which Yahweh commanded Moses in Mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their offerings to Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai.
