Illustrated Bible Dictionary and the Law

Illustrated Bible Dictionary, by Matthew George Easton, 3rd Edition (1897). Because of its age, this is now in the public domain.

It contains an extensive set of brief articles on Bible people, places, and topics. As it reflects a 19th century Christian viewpoint, many of the articles are considerably out of date.

a rule of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being influenced by the moral relations of things.
The Law as stated in Matthew 5:17,18 and 19 is the Law spoken by Father God and written by Moses in the first five books of the Bible. This becomes clear when we understand that Jesus was a Jew speaking to Jews. When a Jew speaks of the Old Testement, it is called the Law (of Moses), the Prophets and the Writtings (biblical history); by acronym, the combined three parts are known as the Tanakh in Hebrew. In this case, Jesus was only talking about the Law spoken by Father God and written by Moses in the first five books of the Bible and the written record of the Prophets of God. If one reads the verses after the TEN COMMANDMENTS, one will see that Father God continues the commandments, there are 613 commandments in the Law.

Exodus Chapter 20 17: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s. 18: And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19: And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20: And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His frightfullness may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21: And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22: And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23: Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 24: An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

What we call the TEN COMMANDMENTS are the first ten of 613 commandments. The reson we forget the rest of the commandments is why Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His frightfullness may be before your faces, that ye sin not. That God spoke in such a thunderous voice that He caused all men to be in absolute dread.

There are 365 negative commandments which are things one must not do and 248 positive commandments which are things one must do, 613 commandments in all. Many of the commandments cannot be observed following the destruction of the Second Temple, though they still retain religious significance. According to one standard reckoning, there are 77 negative and 194 positive commandments that should be observed today. There are 26 commands that apply only within the Land of Israel. see 613 Mitzvot From Wikipedia

Matthew Chapter 5 17: Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfil G4137. fil them to the fullest. 18: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all things be fulfilled G1096 done (come to pass). 19: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The English translation has an interesting word play between fulfil G4137 at the end of 5:17 and fulfilled G1096 at the end of 5:18. Notice the two different Strong’s concordance numbers proving that these are two different words in the Greek original of the New Testement as well as what the two words mean. The word fulfill has two meanings, to make complete, fill to the fullest or to be done, to have come to pass. By using the same dual meaning word in both places next to each other makes this translation less concreate even plyable and therefore victim to doctrine. Notice also in verse 18 that Jesus says that heaven and earth must pass before any of the commandments are nullified. Jesus also says in verse 18, till all things be fulfilled G1096 done (come to pass) before any of the commandments are nullified. Jesus’ second comming has not yet occured nor the wedding festival nor the thousand years of peace. We must read the text in ITS context, not read into the text. Which is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis.

(2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb. 7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the gospel.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfil G4137. fil them to the fullest. In Matthew 5:18 Jesus says that heaven and earth must pass before any of the commandments are nullified. Jesus also says in verse 18, till all things be fulfilled G1096 done (come to pass) before any of the commandments are nullified. Jesus’ second comming has not yet occured nor the wedding festival nor the thousand years of peace. We must read the text in ITS context, not read into the text.

(3.) The Judicial Law, the law which directed the civil policy of the Hebrew nation.

(4.) The Moral Law is the revealed will of God as to human conduct, binding on all men to the end of time. It was promulgated at Sinai. It is perfect (Ps. 19:7), perpetual (Matt. 5:17, 18), holy (Rom. 7:12), good, spiritual (14), and exceeding broad (Ps. 119:96). Although binding on all, we are not under it as a covenant of works (Gal. 3:17). (See COMMANDMENTS.)

(5.) Positive Laws are precepts founded only on the will of God. They are right because God commands them.

(6.) Moral positive laws are commanded by God because they are right.

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Author: admin

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Bouvier’s Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia, 1914.