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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Opus 2022-095: 613

Have you heard about the 613 Commandments?  Most have heard of the Ten but not the expanded version.  I first heard about them a few years ago after I had graduated from college and seminary, pastored full time for 10 years and part time for 7, raised a family and taught school for 20 years.  Now I am hearing about them more and more.

It is a bit of nonsense perpetuated by people who have too much time on their hands.  To be fair the list comes from Jewish scholars studying the Babylonian Talmud.  The idea is almost 2,000 years old.  It is still nonsense.

Let me give you a couple of examples.  I have a list of the first 86.  In one section it is talking about missionaries who try to convert people to idol worship.  Law 37 says, “Not to love the missionary” and 38, “Not to cease hating the missionary.”  Number 47 says “not to perform ov” which is defined as a medium and 64 says, “Not to attempt to contact the dead.”  There is a difference?  Earlier number 13 says “To love Jews” and then 15 says “Not to hate fellow Jews.”

I may be nit picking but I think a lot of this big number is for theatrical effect rather than teaching truth.  I think that most of the 613 are so obvious that if they had been shared with Abraham, who lived long before the law was given, he would have said, “Well, duh.”  Others would make him wonder what you had been smoking.  The law exists.  For the most part it contains serious moral standards, health advice and guidelines for civil society.  We don’t need to add anything that we think will make it sound impossible to live righteous lives.  

Maybe I am the one who has too much time on my hands.

homo unius libri

2 comments:

  1. 10 Commandments is all I can handle. Any more than that is like trying to memorize the state and local municipal codes, which did include prohibition of facial masks until recently.

    I no longer covet my neighbor's wife ... she got old and so did I ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a hard time finding much that Jesus said about anything but the ten. They just about cover it.

      Of course with the perverted nature of our society we might need to worry about coveting our neighbors ox more.

      Grace and peace

      Delete

Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.