When discussing Mosaic law, we refer to the Ten Commandments. But this is a mistake because the Mosaic Law contains many more commandments. Reading this article, you will learn the importance of the Law and why did God give the law.
God gave the Law to Moses to spread to the people so they would conform to the plan of the Divine Creator. So the role of Moses’ Law was to make people understand God’s plan. In a clear and precise way, the Torah text indeed conveys the descent of the Higher Light on the desire created by the Light and the sequence by which the Light brings the desire to be like it and become identical with it. The book speaks only of this.
Also, The Torah has multiple meanings; it can refer to a scroll made of animal skin containing the text of the five books of Moses, indeed, the text of the five books of Moses written in any format. Besides the entire Jewish Law, including the oral and written Laws.
Why did God give His Law to us?
At the time of Jesus, the Jews were subservient to the Romans. But they had authority over some issues related to their customs and religion. Also, the legislative body responsible for enforcing Jewish Law was the Sanhedrin. It was composed of seventy-one men chosen from among the priests. Besides elders and rabbis, it was headed by the high priest and acted as the supreme court, observing Jewish customs, traditions, and laws.
The Law was given to us by God because humans must live by a set of moral rules and know the Creator’s plan.
The Jewish Law was based on the civil rules shown in the five books of Moses. And was therefore also called the Law of Moses. In giving these laws, thus God envisioned a state in which He would be the ruler and the people would obey His commands. In Jesus’ day, the situation was different: the Jews were subject to Roman laws. But we’re still allowed to turn to the Mosaic Law to settle problems with their customs. So, this is where the Sanhedrin came in.
Why did God give the Israelites the Law?
The New Testament gives us some examples of application or reference to the Law of Moses: Jewish men were still required to pay the half-shekel temple tax. Again, the procedure in the Law of Moses was followed for divorce. People still observed the levirate provision; a widowed woman had to be taken into marriage by the deceased husband’s brother. Besides, those guilty of adultery were punished by being stoned to death.
God give the Israelites the Law to make them obey Moses and stop the scandals, killings, and quarrels. And indeed to follow God alone.
So most of the facts about the Jewish people and religion are known from the books of the Old Testament. These writings were used to learn about the faith of the Jews until the year 7, when Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by the Romans. After 70, with the development of rabbinic literature, we also find information in the Mishnah and the Gemara, which together form the Talmud.
Why did God create the Mosaic Law?
The Mosaic Law is an entire code of laws with 613 rules, commandments, or prohibitions. In Hebrew, the Law is called Torah, which means the Law as a directive and teaching. Also, the content of the Torah is contained in the five books of Moses. But the term Torah is also used to refer to the entire Old Testament. We also find in the Mosaic code the book of the covenant with civil and religious rules. Yet, in it, the spiritual and civil significance of the Decalogue for Israel is explained obviously in the Bible. Besides, the Mosaic Code contains ceremonial laws, which govern service in the Tabernacle sanctuary and later in the Temple.
God created the Mosaic law to remind the Jews that He is in control if they follow His plans and commandments.
The Torah of the Jews is the collection of Mosaic laws with 613 rules. Also, commandments and prohibitions can be divided into three categories: the Decalogue, called for short the Ten Words. Finally, the Mosaic code contains ceremonial laws. Therefore the life and ministry of the priests are found in these pages of the Torah. In conclusion, all these regulations, commandments, and prohibitions make up the Mosaic Law.
Key Verse related to the Mosaic Law
The law of Moses was given as a schoolmaster or tutor to bring Israel to Christ.
What is the importance of Mosaic Law?
The mystical currents in medieval Judaism provided a wealth of material with essential data. In the Bible, the Torah is called both the Torah of the Lord and the Torah of Moses, and its purpose seems to be to make Israel a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. It has often been compared to fire, water, oil, honey, the tree of life, and many other things. It has been considered the source of freedom, goodness, and life. The Jewish Bible comprises the five books of Moses, a section of the Prophets, and another of the Writings. The Jewish Bible includes the Old Testament of Christianity, but not all 39 books of the Old Testament, only 24 books.
The Mosaic Law’s importance is teaching the priests the mysteries of humankind and making all believers understand the Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven.
In a broad sense, it is essential because the Torah includes all the prophetic and hagiographic teachings and books, and in a narrow sense, it represents only the Pentateuch. The Torah also contains 613 commandments, including the ten commandments explained in the Talmud. The Torah comprises the five books of Moses, means the Law, and is essential in the Jewish Bible, representing the direct communication of God’s will. It occupies a central place in every synagogue, being read on Sabbaths and holidays so that it can be read over a year. The Torah, revealed, therefore holy, is the essence of Judaism.
What was the purpose of the Law?
Rabbis teach the inseparability of Israel from the Torah. One rabbi believed that the notion of Israel existed in God’s mind even before He created the Torah. However, if they had not accepted the Torah, Israel would not have been the chosen people and no different from the other nations.
The purpose of the Law was to teach people to live in peace with one another and obey Yahweh.
The message of the Law is addressed to all humankind. Before being given to Israel, God offered the Torah to other nations, but they refused it. When given to Israel, God made it available to all people.
What did Jesus say about the laws?
In Judaism, the 613 commandments of the Mosaic Law are supplemented by the Talmudic collection of laws. This is an orally transmitted work of Law and religion, written between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD. The Torah and the Talmud form the total of the laws. Jesus upheld the Word of God. For him, the five books of Moses were inspired by God and binding to his life and ministry.
Jesus Christ took a firm stand on the Law code when He said: Do not think that I have come to break the Law or the Prophets;
I have come not to break but to fulfill. But Jesus firmly rejected the human rules and commands of the Talmud by saying: You have beautifully abolished the commandment of God to keep your custom. For Moses said: Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother: and whosoever shall speak evil of his father or his mother, let him be put to death. But ye say, If a man says to his father or his mother, Whatsoever I can help thee with, it is Corban, that is, given to God, let him do well, and let him do no more for his father or his mother. And so you have abolished the Word of God by your custom.
Primary Takeaways
- God’s name was known far beyond the borders of Israel. The nations were forced to acknowledge without question the uniqueness of Israel, to look to the great Temple, and to praise God.
- Also, the Torah was written by several human authors in an archaic language with many errors. Although many claims it is a book written only by Moses.
- God give the law to Israel. Thus Israel was an exception but also a model for all nations. The Bible says: For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord, your God, has chosen you to be His people among all the peoples of the earth. So Old Testament Israel is the only nation whose laws, judicial system, and enforcement come directly from God.
Conclusion
So, nations that deliberately rejected God’s Law and trampled it underfoot have disappeared from the face of the earth. Jesus not only kept the Mosaic Law but was also condemned to death by it. Because He took upon Himself all our sins, the Law had to insist on it.