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Exodus!!
Lesson*#12*“Book*of*the*Covenant,*Part*2”*
(Exodus(22:(6(–(24:(18)((
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Review!(
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In(Lesson(#10,(we(learned(that(the(covenant(sBpulaBons((the(Ten(
Commandments,(or(ten(“principles”)(must(be(applied(in(specific(cases,(and(we(began(exploring(the(Book(of(the(Covenant((Exodus(20:(
22(–(23:(33)(to(learn(how*those(principles(are(applied.((
Drawing(on(the(Code(of(Hammurabi(as(a(source(and(structural(
template,(the(Book(of(the(Covenant(may(be(divided(into(four(parts:((
1. CulBc(ordinances((20:(22T26);(
2. Legal(prescripBons((21:(1(–(22:(16);(
3. Religious,(moral(and(culBc(instrucBons((22:(17(–(23:(19);(and(
4. Epilogue((23:(20T33)((
Exodus(24:(1T18(then(raBfies(the(covenant(as(a(whole.(
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( ( ( ( ( (Preview!(
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In(Lesson(#12(we(conBnue(exploring(the(“legal(prescripBons,”(working(our(way(to(the(end(of(the(Book(of(the(Covenant,(
where(we(conclude(with(God(raBfying(the(covenant.((
1. CulBc(ordinances((20:(22T26);(2. Legal(prescripBons((21:(1(–(22:(16);(3. Religious,(moral(and(culBc(instrucBons((22:(17(–(23:(19);(
and(
4. Epilogue((23:(20T33)((
Conclusion:((God(raBfies(the(covenant((24:(1T18)((
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As(we(enter(Lesson(#12(we(conBnue(where(we(le[(off(
midway(in(Lesson(#11(at(Exodus(22:(6.((
(
1. CulBc(ordinances((20:(22T26);(2. Legal(prescripBons((21:(1(–(22:(16);(3. Religious,(moral(and(culBc(instrucBons((22:(17(–(23:(19);(and(
4. Epilogue((23:(20T33)((
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This(seemingly(random(miscellany(of(laws(that(spans(21:(1–22:(16(has(a(structural(logic(to(it(that(is(easy(to(miss,(unless(you(
know(where(to(look!(
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As(Robert(Alter(suggests,(the(order(of(
these(laws(is(largely(determined(by(
recurring*key*words*or(themaCc*associaCons:((
• A(close(look(reveals(a(convenBon(used(in(biblical(narraBve(of(linking(two(adjacent(units(
using(the(same(word(twice,(but(with(two(
different(meanings.((In(22:(4,(for(example,(the(
verb(hiv’ir((“to(cause(to(graze”)(is(used,(and(in(22:(5(it(is(used(in(its(other(sense,(“to(set(a(fire.”((
• As(for(themaBc(associaBon,(verses(4(&(5(are(
linked(to(the(cluster(of(verses(at(the(end(of(
chapter(21(which(deal(with(damages(caused(by(
one’s(livestock.(
(( ((( (((!(
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Legal(prescripBons(regarding(stolen(or(damaged(property((
(22:(6T16)(
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The(Book(of(the(Covenant((
(
1. CulBc(ordinances((20:(22T26);(2. Legal(prescripBons((21:(1(–(22:(16);(3. Religious,(moral(and(culBc(instrucBons((22:(17(–(23:(19);(and(
4. Epilogue((23:(20T33)((
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You(shall(not(let(a(woman(who(pracBces(sorcery(live.(
( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ((Exodus(22:(17)(
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As(we(move(from(legal(prescripBons(to(
religious,(moral(and(culBc(instrucBons,(the(
laws(are(no(longer(casuisBc,(but(
imperaBve.((
The(Hebrew(word(for(one(who(pracBces(
sorcery((a(“witch,”(“medium,”(or(
“sorceress”)(is(grammaBcally(feminine,(
since(such(people(were(predominately(
women,(as(was(the(witch(of(Endor(who(
advises(King(Saul(in(1(Samuel(28:(8T25.((((
The(biblical(world(believed(in(the(efficacy(
of(sorcery,(but(sorcery(intruded(into(the(
spiritual(world,(which(was(the(exclusive(
realm(of(God,(and(hence(a(serious(offense.(
( ( ( ( ( (((
( ( ( (!(
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(((!
“Whoever(sacrifices(to(any(god,(except(to(the(Lord(
alone,(shall(be(put(under(the(ban”((22:(19)(
Baal,*(bronze,*14th*century*B.C.)*and*Ashteroth*(alabaster,*3rd*century*B.C.).**Both*statueMes*are*
in*the*Louvre*Museum,*Paris.***
Baal,(god(of(the(heavens,(and(
Ashteroth,(goddess(of(ferBlity(and((
sexuality(become(God’s(primary(
rivals(in(the(hearts(and(minds(of(
the(Israelites(as(our(story(
conBnues.(((
Ahab,(7th(king(of(Israel((874T853(
B.C),(and(his(wife(Jezebel,(build(a(
vast(temple(to(Baal(in(Samaria(and(
maintain(450(prophets(of(Baal(in(
their(royal(residence(in(Samaria.(((
“You*shall*not*boil*a*young*goat*in*its*mother’s*milk.”(( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ((23:(19).(
(
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!!
(
The(“Book(of(the(Covenant”(has(already(
expressed(a(humanitarian(concern(for(
animals:((
“When*you*noCce*the*donkey*of*one*who*hates*you*lying*down*under*its*burden,*you*should*not*desert*him;*you*must*help*him*with*it”*(23:(5).((
Thus,(the(prohibiBon(of(boiling(a(young(
goat(in(its(mother’s(milk,(a(
fundamentally(cruel(thing(to(do(to(an(
animal.((
This*is*the*source*of*isolaCng*meat*and*dairy*in*a*kosher*kitchen!*
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( ( ( ( ((
Keep Kosher, my friends!
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!!
!(Meat(
!(Cheese(
(( ((( (((!(
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The(Book(of(the(Covenant((
(
1. CulBc(ordinances((20:(22T26);(2. Legal(prescripBons((21:(1(–(22:(16);(3. Religious,(moral(and(culBc(instrucBons((22:(17(–(23:(19);(and(
4. Epilogue((23:(20T33)((
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!!
( ( ( ( ( (((
( ( ( (!(
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“I*will*set*your*boundaries*from*the*Red*Sea*to*the*sea*of*the*PhilisCnes,*and*from*the*wilderness*to*the*Euphrates”*(Exodus(23:(31).(
Israel(today(!! !(Promised(Land(in(the((Book(of(the(Covenant(
“See,*I*am*sending*an*angel*[“messenger”]*ahead*of*you,*to*guard*you*on*the*way*and*bring*you*to*the*place*I*have*prepared.**Be*aMenCve*to*him*and*obey*him.**Do*not*rebel*against*him,*for*he*will*not*forgive*your*sin.**My*authority*is*within*him.”***(23:(20T21)((
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!!
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Given(the(strongly(anthropomorphic(
imagery(throughout(Exodus,(we(might(imagine(this(“messenger”(as(an(agent(
of(God,(perhaps(in(human(form;(thus(
St.*Paul*idenCfies*the*messenger*with*the*pre[incarnate*Christ:((((
“[Our*ancestors]*all*ate*the*same*spiritual*food,*and*they*all*drank*the*same*spiritual*drink,*for*they*drank*from*a*spiritual*rock*that*followed*them,*and*that*rock*was*the*Christ.”*
( ( (((1(Corinthians(10:(3).(
(((
(
Deësis*Mosaic,”*depicCng*Christ*Pantrocrator*(c.1261),*South*Gallery,*Hagia*Sophia,*Istanbul,*Turkey.*
** **Photography*by*Ana*Maria*Vargas!
Epilogue,(“Reward(for(Fidelity”((23:(20T33).!
( ( ( ( ( (((
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!!
(((!
Biblical(InterpretaBon(
Codex*VaCcanus((ink(on(vellum),(c.(325T350.((
VaBcan(Library,(Rome.(This*and*Codex*SinaiCcus*are*the*two*most*important*
4th[century*biblical*manuscripts.*
ChrisBan(biblical(exegesis(understands(that(Scripture(has(
levels(of(meaning(beyond(the(
literal(words(of(the(text.((Such(
understanding(dates(back(to(
Greek(platonic(philosophy(and(the(early(rabbinical(schools(of(
Judaism.((
Embracing(mulBple(levels(of(the(text(is(a(fundamental(precept(of(
Roman(Catholic(biblical(
interpretaBon.(
( ( ( ( ( (((
( ( ( (!(
(
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!!
(((!
Biblical(InterpretaBon(
Sandro(Bolcelli.((Saint*AugusCne*in*His*Study*(Tempera(on(panel),(1494.((Uffizi(
Gallery,(Florence.(
St.(AugusBne,(prior(to(his(conversion(a(Professor(of(Rhetoric(in(Milan,(was(woefully(
disappointed(in(Scripture(since(it(lacked(the(style(and(elegance(of(Cicero,(probes(beneath(
the(surface(of(Scripture(in(Books(11T13(of(his(Confessions*(A.D.(398).((Reading(the(creaBon(story,(AugusBne(goes(beyond(the(literal(
meaning(of(the(text(to(discover(a(deeper,(more(saBsfying(allegorical(meaning.((((
AugusBne(develops(this(allegorical(approach(to(Scripture(in(De*doctrina*chrisCana*(A.D.(397T486),(in(which(he(describes(how(to(interpret(and(teach(Scripture.((
AugusBne’s(methodology(profoundly(affected(Scriptural(interpretaBon(through(the(Middle(
Ages,(and(his(influence(conBnues.(
( ( ( ( ( (((
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!!
(((!
Today(the(Catechism*of*the*Catholic*Church*(2nd(ediBon)(offers(guidelines(for(reading(and(interpreBng(Scripture(that(have(their(
roots(in(AugusBne’s(thinking.(
(((
• The(literal*sense*is(the(meaning(conveyed(by(the(words(of(Scripture(and(discovered(by(exegesis,(following(the(rules(of(sound(interpretaBon:((“All*other*senses*of*Sacred*Scripture*are*based*on*the*literal.”*
• The(spiritual*sense.((Thanks(to(the(unity(of(God’s(plan,(not(only(the(text(of(Scripture(but(also(the(realiBes(and(events(about(which(it(speaks(can(be(signs.(
• The(allegorical*sense.((We(can(acquire(a(more(profound(understanding(of(events(by(recognizing(their(significance(in(Christ;(thus(the(crossing(of(the(
Red(Sea(is(a(sign(or(type(of(Christ’s(victory(and(also(of(ChrisBan(BapBsm.(
• The(moral*sense.((These(events(reported(in(Scripture(ought(to(lead(us(to(act(justly.(((
• The(anagogical*sense.((We(can(view(realiBes(and(events(in(terms(of(their(eternal(significance,(leading(us(toward(our(true(homeland.(
According(to(an(ancient(tradiBon,(one(can(disBnguish(between(two(senses*of(Scripture:((the(literal*and(the(spiritual,(the(laper(being(subdivided(into(the(allegorical,(moral,(and(anagogical*senses.!
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Biblical(InterpretaBon(( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ((
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!!
Such(an(approach(to(
Scripture(deepens(our(
understanding(and(greatly(
enriches(our(experience(of(
the(biblical(text.((((
(( ((( (((The(Book(of(the(Covenant!
(
(
(
(
1. CulBc(ordinances((20:(22T26);(2. Legal(prescripBons((21:(1(–(22:(16);(3. Religious,(moral(and(culBc(instrucBons((22:(17(–(23:(19);(
and(
4. Epilogue((23:(20T33)((
Conclusion:((God(raBfies(the(covenant((24:(1T18)(( !
!
( ( ( ( ( (((
( ( ( (!(
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“Moses*then*went*up*.*.*.*[and]*beheld*the*God*of*Israel.*Under*his*feet*there*appeared*to*be*sapphire*Cle*work,*as*clear*as*the*sky*itself”*(24:(9T10).(
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!!
(!
QuesBons(for(discussion(and(thought(**
1. In(the(Book(of(the(Covenant,(what(is(God’s(altude(toward(the(poor?(
2. How(are(the(laws(in(the(Book(of(the(Covenant(applied(today(in(Judaism?(((
3. Are(the(laws(in(the(Book(of(the(Covenant(relevant(to(ChrisBans(today?(
4. God(sends(an(“angel”([messenger](to(guard(the(Israelites(on(their(journey.((Who(is(it?(
5. On(Mt.(Sinai(“the(glory(of(the(Lord(was(seen(as(a(“consuming(fire(on(the(top(of(the(mountain”(and(“Moses(entered(into(the(midst”(of(it,(where(he(spends(forty(days.((If(you(were(an(Israelite(watching(from(the(foot(of(the(mountain,(5,000(feet(below,(what(would(you(think?((
(
(
!!
Copyright(©(2014(by(William(C.(Creasy(
( All( rights( reserved.( No( part( of( this( course—audio,( video,(
photography,( maps,( Bmelines( or( other( media—may( be(reproduced(or(transmiped(in(any(form(by(any(means,(electronic(
or( mechanical,( including( photocopying,( recording( or( by( any(
informaBon( storage( or( retrieval( devices( without( permission( in(wriBng(or(a(licensing(agreement(from(the(copyright(holder.(
!!