Re: new covenant theology

Zaspel and Wells also talk about the "Law of Christ."
Which is more open to interpretation, but generally is
thought to have "raised the bar" compared to the OT law.
An example being adultery, according to Christ it is a
sin just to look at a woman with lust.

rich:
Old Covenant Law was written and maintained by a hereditary class of priests in a tripartite sacrificial system which gave the priests great power. Jesus' law is written on his heart. He does not need a hereditary class of priests (see Hebrews on Melchizedek to whose order Jesus belongs)to maintain the law. Because the law written on the heart of the son of God is perfect it always reflects the absolute. Therefore, a written law against adultery may not address all the negative behaviors leading to adultery but Jesus' intuitive view is unequivocal. The first step on the road to adultery (desire) is a sin because it abandons absolute purity. The intuitive understanding of the law is based on absolutes, permits the dissolution of the hypocritical temple system by eliminating the need for a hereditary class of priests and therefore trumps the written law.
Remember, Jesus reflects Adam before Eve and before the fall, when Adam contained male and female principles and had no desire, an idea found in Jewish studies of Genesis.

rich
Received on Thu Mar 3 12:33:09 2005