| Author | Message | ||
| Olga Registered user Username: Olga Post Number: 91 Registered: 11-2005 |
This morning, on the Today Show, Matt Lauer interviewed A.J. Jacobs, author of the book 'The Year of Living Biblically.' You can go online to read an excerpt from his book. Go to www.msnbc.msn.com and follow the link to the Today Show, then scroll down to: "More Stories from Today" ('The Year of Living Biblically' is the 2nd story from the top). In his book, the author tells of his journey to literally follow the Bible (all of the rules, both in the Old and New Testaments). He did this for a whole year. During the interview (I don't know if you can actually see the interview online), he said he found it hard to follow every rule, at all times, and knows he broke them every day. He goes on to say that after his one-year experiment he's keeping rules that have proved of benefit to him, such as resting on the Sabbath. I found it interesting and will probably go on to purchase the book as I'm curious to find out who made up the group of advisers (he gathered a group from various religious backgrounds to help provide advice). He goes on to say he didn't use the advisers strictly for interpretation as he didn't want to "pick and choose" the rules, he wanted to follow them all. Anyways, it might be interesting reading. Olga | ||
| Cloudy Registered user Username: Cloudy Post Number: 52 Registered: 7-2007 |
I saw a review of this a few weeks ago and have it on hold at the library. It will be a few more weeks before I will read it due to other holds, but I also understand it to be the attempt of a secular Jew to take a literalistic approach to keeping the laws he found in the Bible (I believe he spent 8 months attempting to keep old testament laws and 4 months on new testament). A review attributed to Publishers Weekly on the Amazon site says: "In his attempts at living the Bible to the letter, Jacobs hits the road in highly entertaining fashion to meet other literalists, including Samaritans in Israel, snake handlers in Appalachia, Amish in Lancaster County, Pa., and biblical creationists in Kentucky." This brings me to a question I have about old testament Law. I have heard mentioned here and elsewhere that there are 615 laws/ rules in the Law. Are all these laws/ rules found in the old testament or are they part of rabbinic tradition outside the canon? I had assumed the latter, but I have never attempted to count the laws/ rules in the old testament and I do not know if my assumption comes from EGW. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 1084 Registered: 8-2004  |
It is the 'old testament law' that has 613 laws in it. There were plenty more added on within the rabbinic sayings, and found in the customs and traditions that grew up around these. Here's a link about the 613 mizvot. There are plenty more resources on the internet if you want to dig deeper. | ||
| Cloudy Registered user Username: Cloudy Post Number: 53 Registered: 7-2007 |
Thanks for the clarification. I am currently reading a book by Kay Arthur on the beatitudes, and she states that these laws are not inspired or God-given. I am learning to double check sources for myself, but don't always know where to start. I do appreciate the help. | ||
| Honestwitness Registered user Username: Honestwitness Post Number: 339 Registered: 7-2005  |
Cloudy...please clarify for me about the Kay Arthur book. You wrote: "...she states that these laws are not inspired or God-given." Exactly what does she mean by "these laws"? Honestwitness | ||
| Cloudy Registered user Username: Cloudy Post Number: 54 Registered: 7-2007 |
Honestwitness...In speaking of the Pharisees she wrote "they had reduced God's Law to a code of 365 negative commandments and 250 positive commandments-which included many of their own interpretations of God's Word. They claimed that these expansions came from direct inspiration and were God-given interpretations of the Law. As a result, when the people heard the Word, they heard a distorted version of it. This is why Jesus took the scribes and Pharisees to task so sternly. Their traditions and so-called interpretations often directly contradicted God's intentions." She does not seem to understand that the 613/5 commandments are from Exodus-Deuteronomy, not rabbinic tradition. Sigh, it seems like SDAs are not the only ones confused about matters of the Law. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 1085 Registered: 8-2004 |
Yes, this is a common Protestant (and possibly wider Christian) misconception, not just an SDA one. In fact I think it was this misconception among various Puritan groups that helped give SDAism a niche to grow in. It is my prayer that Jesus will be lifted up among all peoples and will truly become (in understanding, not just in fact) our All in All. He is abundantly worthy and is as much greater than the law as a person is greater than their shadow (no matter how far the shadow stretches out behind them. The law is a wonderfully sharp and defined shadow but Jesus is Reality Himself. Blessings, Mary | ||
| Cloudy Registered user Username: Cloudy Post Number: 55 Registered: 7-2007 |
Thanks for sharing your prayer, Mary. He is Worthy! |
