Old Testament Law for Christians: Original Context and Enduring Application - Paperback

by Roy E. Gane (Author)

The Old Testament law is foundational for our understanding of the Bible, but for many it remains some of the Old Testament's most foreign and exotic material. This book by a leading evangelical expert in biblical law helps readers understand Old Testament law, how it functioned in the Old Testament, and how it is (and is not) instructive for contemporary Christians. The author explicates the often confusing legal system of ancient Israel, differentiates between time-bound cultural aspects of Israelite law and universally applicable aspects of the divine value system, and shows the ethical relevance of Old Testament law for Christians today.

Back Jacket

Of books that offer guidance for Western Christians on how to make sense of the Old Testament law, this is the finest I have read. Gane treats the record of God's revelation as a single continuous gospel story. With his 'progressive moral wisdom' approach, he offers a liberating view of the Torah of Moses and the law of God. All who desire to live by 'the law of love' and 'the law of Christ' will find in the Old Testament law an inexhaustible resource for learning what that looks like in life. Gane's concluding summary alone is worth the price of the book.
--Daniel I. Block, Wheaton College

"Gane has given us a great introduction to the subject of Old Testament law, a thorough review of the major approaches and interpretations of this law, and a moderate but entirely appropriate application of law to the New Testament and to Christians today. More than ever, we need this guide to overturn the false dichotomy between an Old Testament God of law and a New Testament God of grace."
--Richard S. Hess, Denver Seminary

"Gane's comprehensive survey of Old Testament law is rich and informative on many levels. Without necessarily agreeing with every interpretation that Gane offers, I can warmly commend this book as an excellent guide for all who want to take the Torah as seriously as Jesus and Paul do but struggle to know how they can."
--Christopher J. H. Wright, author of Old Testament Ethics for the People of God

"This much-needed work offers Christians a sure guide to developing a mature and nurturing understanding of Old Testament law. The author's 'progressive moral wisdom' approach is firmly rooted in sound hermeneutical method. Gane's proposal will demand the attention of serious readers of the Bible and will no doubt move us closer to the kind of approach we need when reading Old Testament law."
--Bill T. Arnold, Asbury Theological Seminary

"Gane adroitly explores the nature and purpose of Old Testament law in its biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts and sets forth a biblically based, practical method for applying the values and principles of Old Testament laws to Christian life today. He convincingly confirms the basic continuity between the Testaments while recognizing valid elements of discontinuity. A must-read for layperson and scholar alike."
--Richard M. Davidson, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University

Author Biography

Roy E. Gane (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) is professor of Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern languages at Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University, in Berrien Springs, Michigan. He is the author of several books, including a commentary on Leviticus and Numbers.