The Old Testament Law for the Life of the Church - by Richard E Averbeck (Paperback)

About the Book

How does the Old Testament Law fits into the arc of the Bible, and how it relevant to the church today? Exploring how God intended the Law to work in its original context as well as the New Testament perspective on the Law, Richard Averbeck argues that the whole Law applies to Christians--our task is to discern how it applies in the light of Christ.

Book Synopsis

From the early days of the church to the present, the Old Testament Law has been a subject of much confusion, debate, and outright theological division. And with good reason: the way Christians understand the Law has massive implications for their individual lives and for the life of the church. To sort through the numerous interpretations and approaches to this thorny issue, we need to start with a solid knowledge of the Law itself.

Richard Averbeck provides a comprehensive, accessible discussion of how the Law fits into the arc of the Bible and its relevance to the church today. Beginning with the way God intended the Law to work in its original historical and cultural context, he then explores the New Testament perspective on the Law. Averbeck identifies three biblical theological theses: the Law is good, the Law is weak, and the Law is a unified whole. Rejecting common partitions between categories of law, he makes the case that the whole Law applies to the Christian. Our task is to discern how it applies in the light of Christ.

The Old Testament Law for the Life of the Church invites readers to consider how all of Scripture is illuminating and useful for God's people. The church, as the new temple, has much to learn from the Law and about what it means for our doctrine and practice.

Review Quotes

"Do you have a friend who is an antinomian or, alternatively, a legalist? Maybe it's a family member or even the person who looks back at you in the mirror. Whatever the case, this is the book for them (and you!). Richard Averbeck has long been a leading scholar of biblical law in its ancient Near Eastern context-the doyen, in fact, of such studies within evangelical circles. In this thorough and yet accessible volume, he shows how the entirety of biblical law is good and profitable for Christians. Even if readers find things to quibble with along the way, Averbeck repeatedly proves himself an authoritative and-most importantly-a faithful guide."

"Does the law of Christ leave the Old Testament law behind? No! Explaining the law's function for ancient Israel, Averbeck shows its goodness and its unity-moral, civil, and ritual belong together-and its weakness, for only the Holy Spirit can purify and vivify hearts to display the sacrificial life Israel should have exemplified as a 'kingdom of priests.' Consolidating decades of study in Old Testament law, Averbeck cogently concludes we should be thinking how all of the laws, rituals, and sacrifices apply to Christian life. With honest exegesis, spiritual sensitivity, and personal testimony, he guides readers to a better answer than others have offered."

"Drawing on his considerable expertise, Richard Averbeck provides an accessible and authoritative introduction to the complex and challenging issue of how Christians should approach the Old Testament law associated with the covenant God made with the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Delving into passages, some initially striking modern readers of the Old Testament as largely irrelevant, Averbeck affirms the importance of the whole of Scripture as the living and transforming Word of God. For anyone grappling with how the Old Testament law might be best approached from a Christian perspective, this study offers insightful and compelling guidance."

"Everything that Richard Averbeck writes edifies me, and this work does so in abundance. Here the full range of the blessings he has to offer is on bright display: his meticulous scholarship and attention to detail, his deep and wide knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and its context, his love for the whole Bible and his scrupulous determination to let that shape his theology, his sincere Christian faith, and his gentle disposition. In all of this he patiently lays out his reasoning for the positions he takes in a manner that is both rigorous and fair, serving as a kind and thoughtful guide. What better way to think through these challenging issues, and what better company could we ask? Here is a splendid feast for heart, mind, soul, and might, and I count it a privilege to commend it to you."

"I have been waiting a long time for this book. Reading the Scriptures forward before he reads them backward, Dr. Averbeck has caught the spirit and tone of Israel's law and demonstrated its relevance and authority for Christians with unequalled clarity and brilliance. Explaining the goodness and weakness of Israel's law, chapter ten alone is worth the price of the book. This volume should be required reading not only in courses in the Hebrew Bible but especially in New Testament theology."

"Richard Averbeck has contributed much on this topic in a large number of important scholarly publications. Over the years, he has taught scores of students and laypeople striving to understand better how Christians relate to the instructional materials of the Old Testament. Here he offers the fruit of all that work in a way that is accessible and easy to follow, which puts us all in his debt. The nature and relevance of the Old Testament 'law' has become a topic of a number of book-level treatments recently, and Averbeck's is among the best of the lot."

"Richard E. Averbeck convincingly demonstrates the continuity of God's law from the Old Testament to the New Testament so that the whole law provides guidance for the life of the Christian church and the believer. This profound and refreshing book is full of insights that enlighten, challenge, and inspire the reader."

"Thinking through how the law relates to the gospel is like trying to cut a path through the Amazon jungle. Many have offered an array of approaches to this question. This book on the law and the life of the church cuts a fresh and revealing path to the refreshment the gospel offers without demeaning the law that helped to show the way there. It also makes a serious case for how the law can help us even now by keeping its eye on covenants, promises, and the progress of revelation. Well done."

"This remarkable study effectively and clearly places the Old Testament law in its context within the ancient world of covenant making and law, and within the flow of redemptive history. From this basis, Richard Averbeck gives the church a positive and understandable view of the Old Testament law as God's continuing good gift to his people. Anyone struggling with how the Christian should understand the Old Testament law should read this critically important book."

"Undergirding this book is a lifetime of study by an internationally recognized specialist in Old Testament law as well as a published voice in the field of Christian spiritual formation. Clearly written and accessible to a wide audience, this balanced presentation is replete with helpful insights and will be my first recommended reading on the subject."

About the Author

Richard E. Averbeck (PhD, Annenberg Research Institute, Dropsie College) is professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the coeditor of "An Excellent Fortress for His Armies, a Refuge for thePeople" and the author of many articles in journals and reference works.