13: Mosaic Covenant

Question 1

What was Israel’s purpose given at Sinai?

Answer 1

1. They were to be God’s treasured possession
2. They were to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation

Question 2

What does it mean that Israel was to be a kingdom of priests?

Answer 2

• They were called to mediate between God and the other nations.

Question 3

What were the characteristics of the Mosaic Covenant?

Answer 3

1. Israel as vassal owes exclusive loyatly to YHWH
2. YHWH binds himself to Israel as their protector
3. The legal obligations within the community are set in the context of covenantal relationship.

Question 4

What were the components of covenants in the Ancient Near East that we also see in the Sinai narrative?

Answer 4

1. Title/Preamble
2. Historical Prologue
3. Stipuations: general and specific
4. Deposit text and reading
5. Witness
6. Blessings and curses

Question 5

What were the types of law in the Mosaic covenant?

Answer 5

1. Apodictic laws - written; Ten Commandments
2. Case (casuistic) laws - how these play out in different cases

Question 6

How can we classify the different laws?

Answer 6

Reflecting upon their principle to apply them to contemporary settings

• Criminal Laws
• Family Laws
• Sacrificial Laws
• Sacred Calendar Laws
• Symbolic Laws
• Compassionate Laws

Question 7

What did the Criminal Laws consist of?

Answer 7

Specify offenses against the best interests of the community.

Question 8

What did the Family Laws consist of?

Answer 8

Recognized the central judicial role of the household in ancient Israel.

Question 9

What did Sacrificial Laws consist of?

Answer 9

Regulated the

• range of sacrifices brought
• how they were to be enacted
• their reasons and purposes

Question 10

What did Sacred Calendar Laws consist of?

Answer 10

Regulate Israel’s life of worship

• Sabbath
• annual festivals
• Day of Atonement
• sabbatical years

Shaped the rhythm of Israel’s corporate life and proclaimed the Lords sovereignty over time.

Question 11

What did Symbolic Laws consist of?

Answer 11

Reminded Israel of the presence of God as the ultimate measure of holiness.

• “clean vs. unclean”
• “holy vs. profane”

Question 12

What did Compassionate Laws consist of?

Answer 12

Regulate relationships and traetment of neighbor and sojourner in community.

Question 13

What is the purpose of the Law?

Answer 13

1. Reveals the heart of the Law-giver
2. Shows how to maintain or regulate fellowship with the King.
3. As such, it promotes human flourishing

Question 14

What was the role of sacrifice in the Mosaic Covenant?

Answer 14

The Lord, the one who was sinned against, provided a way for the debt of the sinner to be covered by means of atonement.