ARE THE LAWS OF MOSES BARBARIC OR BRILLIANT?

You’ll never tire of learning how to defend the faith. Apologetics is even broader than our universe, incorporating every field of inquiry. Many of the challenges to the Christian faith attack the Bible, claiming that it is just as barbaric as sharia law, requiring the death of adulterers, homosexuals, and many other law-breakers. How are we to defend against such a charge?

For one thing, the Mosaic Law has been fulfilled (Hebrews 8:13). While it remains the Words of God and, consequently, is still instructive (Ephesians 3:5), we now understand it spiritually, through the lens of the NT. Besides, even though the Mosaic Law was strict, it was also humane and compassionate. For example, let’s take the much denigrated passage requiring an “eye for an eye.” It was never intended to literally require an eye:

·       “But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth.” (Exodus 21:23-27 ESV)

“Eye for an eye” was not to be applied literally. If the master destroyed the eye or tooth of his slave, he was required to let the slave go free – a much better outcome for the slave than for the master to lose his eye or tooth. In any event, it seems that an “eye for an eye” required that the punishment be in line with the crime.

Instead of a “life for a life,” payment could usually be accepted in place of the death of the offender:

·       “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him.” (Exodus 21:28-30)

The aggrieved party was free to accept payment for the life. It is assumed that this would usually be the outcome in order to preserve the peace of the community. It seems that in all the cases that called for capital punishment in payment could be substituted, with the exception of premeditated murder:

·       “Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death.” (Numbers 35:31)

From this verse, we can assume that a payment could be made for other crimes requiring the death penalty.

This principle would also pertain to adultery, which was also punishable by death. This helps us to understand Joseph’s intention to quietly break off his engagement from Mary once he had found that she was pregnant:

·       Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19)

This account reveals that the offended party wasn’t even required by the law to press charges. Instead, this account mentions that Joseph was a “just man,” who had been permitted by the law to do the compassionate thing. However, the strict law was available to settle an offense in the strict sense, if this was what the aggrieved party required for peace to prevail.

In light of this, it is easier for us to understand how the Mosaic Law had represented the wisdom of God:

·       So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. (Romans 7:12)

Clearly, this had also been the understanding of Moses and the Israelites – that the wisdom of their Law would serve to draw others to their God:

·       “See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:5-8)