16
I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the certainty of all this. And he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things:
Daniel 7:16
True Christian Religion #288
288. The law is frequently mentioned in the Word. I must state what the law means in the strict sense, what in a wider sense, and what in the widest sense. In the strict sense the law means the Ten Commandments; in a wider sense the rules given by Moses to the Children of Israel, and in the widest sense the whole Word.
It is well known that the law in the strict sense means the Ten Commandments. The law in a wider sense means the rules given by Moses to the Children of Israel, as is evident from the individual rules in Leviticus each being called a law:
This is the law of the sacrifice, Leviticus 7:1.
This is the law of the sacrifice for making one's peace, Leviticus 7:7, 11.
This is the law of the grain-offering, Leviticus 6:14ff
This is the law of the burnt-offering, the grain-offering, the sin-sacrifice and the guilt-sacrifice, and the completions, Leviticus 7:37.
This is the law of beast and bird, Leviticus 11:46-47.
This is the law of the woman who gives birth to a son or a daughter, Leviticus 12:7.
This is the law of leprosy, Leviticus 13:59; 14:2, 32, 54, 57 This is the law of the person with a discharge, Leviticus 15:32.
This is the law of jealousy, Numbers 5:29-30.
This is the law of the Nazirite, Numbers 6:13, 21.
This is the law of cleansing, Numbers 19:14.
This is the law concerning the red cow, Numbers 19:2.
The law for the king, Deuteronomy 17:15-19.
In fact the whole book of Moses 1 is called the law (Deuteronomy 31:9, 11-12, 26; also in the New Testament, as Luke 2:22; 24:44; John 1:45; 7:22-23; 8:5; and elsewhere).
[2] The context plainly shows that these rules were what Paul meant by 'the deeds prescribed by the law', when he says that man is justified by faith without the deeds prescribed by the law (Romans 3:28). The same is shown by his words to Peter, whom he criticised for behaving like the Jews, when he says three times in one verse that no one is justified by the deeds prescribed by the law (Galatians 2:14, 16).
The law in its widest sense means the whole of the Word, as is plain from these passages:
Jesus said, Is it not written in your law, you are gods? John 10:34.
This is said in Psalms 82:6.
The crowd answered, We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever, John 12:34.
This is said in Psalms 89:29; Psalms 110:4; Daniel 7:14.
That the word should be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hated me without cause. John
This is said in Psalms 35:19.
The Pharisees said, Have any of the princes believed in him? But the crowd which does not know the law.... John 7:48-49.
It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to fall out, Luke 16:17.
The law in these passages means the whole of Holy Scripture; and there are a thousand further passages in the Psalms of David.
Note a piè di pagina:
1. I.e. the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).
Psalms 103
1
{[A Psalm] of David.} Bless Jehovah, O my soul; and all that is within me, [Bless] his holy name!
2
Bless Jehovah, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases;
4
Who redeemeth thy life from the pit, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
5
Who satisfieth thine old age with good [things]; thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6
Jehovah executeth righteousness and justice for all that are oppressed.
7
He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8
Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness.
9
He will not always chide, neither will he keep [his anger] for ever.
10
He hath not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his loving-kindness toward them that fear him.
12
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13
As a father pitieth [his] children, so Jehovah pitieth them that fear him.
14
For himself knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth:
16
For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof knoweth it no more.
17
But the loving-kindness of Jehovah is from everlasting and to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children,
18
To such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his precepts to do them.
19
Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20
Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, mighty in strength, that execute his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21
Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his that do his will.
22
Bless Jehovah, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless Jehovah, O my soul!
