What is the relevance and division of the Mosaic Law?
Moses with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, painting by Rembrandt (1659) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Most agree regarding the tripartite division of the Law into moral, civil, and ceremonial components. It is a helpful informal categorization of the various commandments God has given to Israel. Where theologians part ways is whether to make such categories theological constructs by which to build one’s doctrine of the Old Covenant Mosaic Law’s relationship to the New Covenant believer in Yahweh. Dr. Tom Schreiner , Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has a few ideas. Question 14 of his 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law takes up the issue of the tripartite division, and you may find his comments very insightful. Moral, Civil, Ceremonial “The distinction between the moral, ceremonial, and civil law is appealing and attractive. Even though it has some elements of truth, it does not sufficiently capture Paul’s stance...