Please read through the Deuteronomy study questions on my History 413 Web page. Then read through the remaining chapters of Deuteronomy. Choose one or two of the study questions and post your comments on that question/those questions here.Remember that there is an exam coming up next Tuesday!
10 comments:
9. How do the laws in Deuteronomy protect weaker members of society? What laws are particularly effective in this regard?
- The laws in Deuteronomy were put here to show how to live ones life to an average everyday believer. Unlike the law codes of Hammurabi that has different laws depending on class distinction. Deuteronomy 27:8. “And thou shalt write on the stones all the words of this law very plainly.” No big fancy words are used to make the code, but words to make it so everyone can understand the law. The best example of a passage is keeping the Sabbath. This law along with other laws shows that the laws in Deuteronomy really care about the well being of its believers.
5. How do the Ten Commandments in particular differ from other ancient laws?
- I would say the main differences in the code is that the Ten Commandments are met to be internalized more and not broken down into every little thing that could possibly happen with getting gored by an oxen. The Ten Commandments do not have punishments for their codes. This helps for two reasons. The first reason is that it helps transcend time better. The second reason is that some people knowing the punishment will still pick the sin. This is bad for a society. I will stop rambling…..Happy Blogging!!!
Question 12. What laws do you find particularly attractive? Two laws I find to be attractive to the better treatment of humanity. In Chapter 24 verse 10 the verse talks about being faithful to ones word. It says if someone gives or lends something to someone the person should not immediately ask for it back. And in verse 14 of the same chapter the verse says to not oppress any hired servant who is poor and needy. I find this area of the book attractive since it calls for respect of other people who are not wealthy. These verses also apply to question 9 in how the laws protect weaker members of society.
In dealing with the second part of Question 12. What laws do you find difficult? I find the laws of chapter 17 difficult in particular verses 2-5. Punishment for someone who has served other Gods seems fair, but to, as in verse 5 stone a person to death for this transgression seems to be a bit harsh. Some of the penalties of the book of Deuteronomy seem to lack mercy and forgiveness for the people.
3. The reasons for following God's Law. In Ch. 26:16-19 it tells us that the Lord has chosen us as his people and "his treasured possesion". That we need to follow all his law and decrees because he will bless us in the end, like he promised. And all of Ch. 28 states the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience of the law. Some of the blessings include blessing your city and country, the fruit of your womb, your livestock, and your enemies will be defeated.
Verse 20 seems to sum up the great amount of curses upon you. "The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke everything you put your han to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin becuase of the evil you have done in forsaking him."
8. In Ch. 14 God lays out the guidelines in what we can and cannot eat. Most of them we seem to follow yet closely today. The basic principle don't eat what is unclean for us. Such as 'fish' in the water with out scales or fins, unclean birds such as the owl, bat, eagle or vulture. The one that is not followed as closely today as it probably should be, especially for Christians, is the pig. 14:8 specifically tells us that it is unclean for us and that we shouldn't even touch the carcass.
12. What laws do you find particularly attractive? What laws do you find difficult?
One of the most interesting laws I found dealt with False Witness. It is looked down upon greatly, and if someone is found to be bearing false witness, they are punished by the same punishment which they had requested upon another. As it says in 19:21 "Do not look on such a man with pity. Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot."
I believe this law to be rather attractive because it highly discourages lying to others, and in all reality, it makes life easier for everyone when you just be honest.
Another passage that I found to be very interesting was a law on marriage in Chapter 24:5. This verse states, "When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him. He shall be exempt for one year for the sake of his family, to bring joy to the wife he has married."
I can see a couple of purposes for a law like this. By staying home, he is indeed bringing joy to his wife, instead of bringing her possible sorrow through death. However, if you look at some of the wars today, you can see why a man would be exempt.
All too often men today have gotten married before getting sent off to war, which can be an admirable thing to do. However, too many times in recent wars does this occur and the man comes home to a woman he barely knows, which led to many divorces in the United States.
This law actually protects the Israelites from having that happen, by making them stay home from battle, which is also why I find this law particularly attractive.
9. How do the laws in Deuteronomy protect weaker members of society? What laws are particularly effective in this regard?
The laws in Deuteronomy do protect weaker members of society much more so than many other law codes of similar times. First of all, there are no specific laws for regular citizens. Take the Ten Commandments. They start out the same way with ‘You shall’. This means the reader, whether they be in the lower classes or born to the richest family around, is commanded to do this.
Secondly, the Lord protects the not only the lower classes, but the weak too. In Deuteronomy 10:18, it states that the Lord will be there for anyone who doesn’t have someone to protect them such as a widow or an orphan. He also tells all of his people that they should do the same.
If I were doing a study on Dueteronomy I would ask what kinds of things does Moses think makes a good leader and why?
Moses lists wisdom, understanding, impartiality, and the ability to recognize their limitations. I feel these are all important and have something to offer. My favorite quility would be the ability to recomnize limitations. I can certainly sympathize with this feeling because I certainly do not know how to say no. I feel that is a weakness of mine because I am involved in a lot of things and sometimes I do not always domy share for certain groups from time to time.
Impartiality is a big one as well. It is so important not to play favorites. That only causes conflict and tension which is not needed especially with a leader.
How do the Ten Commandments in particular differ from other ancient laws?
its different beocuse its not crime and punishments. its more "you dont do these things beocuse your god says you dont do them" no punishment is given so people arnt living in fear of there law, there not weighing the options of how much they can get away with before there punishment is to great. this is very different becosue other law codes of the anciet world can be very eye for an eye, which cause people to stay in line by fear. not for ther eown moral charector.
How do the laws in Deuteronomy protect weaker members of society? What laws are particularly effective in this regard?
they take away the class order of things. people of a lower class are pretected by this becosue someone of a high socal standing cant walk all over them and get away with it. like in deuteronomy 15, there is the canceling of debts, so that people arnt constatnly acrewing more and more debt that they can never get out of. ther eis the freeing servants, here they cant forever be bound to servitude and once free they arnt left empty handed. these show that the law is trying to give everyone a fair shot. and that no one person is better then another.
3. What are the basic reasons the book of Deuteronomy gives for keeping the law?
-- One verse I found that best explains why we should keep the law was in Chapter 28. In verses 1-6 the Israelites are reminded by Moses that they will be blessed for their obedience. Verses 9-10 also reveal the basic reason for keeping the law, “Provided that you keep the commandments of the LORD, you God, and walk in his ways, he will establish you as a people sacred to himself, as he swore to you; so that, when all the nations of the earth see you bearing the name of the LORD, they will stand in awe of you.”
12. What laws do you find particularly attractive? What laws do you find difficult?
-- Chapter 20 talks about courage in war to not be afraid because God goes with them and is their strength. War is a big part of our many of lives right now and going into that atmosphere without hope would be beyond difficult. We also need to remember that God goes with us in the battles of everyday life.
I also really liked the laws about justice, equity, and charity in Chapter 24.
Deuteronomy II
5. How do the Ten Commandments in particular differ from other ancient laws?
The Ten Commandments are meant to be internalized more and not broken down into every kind of situation that is possible. Without a punishment for the Ten Commandments has helped them stand the test of time as well. It deters people from weighing the consequences they have for their actions. So, people are not going to try to make the decision if it’s worth doing something even though they may know what their doing is wrong. This differs from other law codes of the ancient world because people obeyed the with the fear of doing something wrong, were as the Ten Commandments have the ability to make people feel more accountable for their actions.
3.What are the basic reasons the book of Deuteronomy gives for keeping the law? The simple reasons are to internalize them so when temptation comes, we can know not to the wrong thing. We also teach them to our children. It is loyality to God, He loves obedience.
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