the Law as Living Word

Epiphany 6A-2020
When I was little, the neighbourhood children liked to play Barbie, or house, or we would play ‘Duke’s of Hazard,’ a favourite TV show at the time – which meant lots of chasing each other in our imaginary cars. These were okay, but, when alone I would line up my stuffed animals and dolls and play teacher, lecturer, sometimes almost preacher.
This morning’s scripture texts are a treasure trove for a teacher, or a teaching preacher.

We have illustrated for us, through a variety of texts, how it is that scripture has been interpreted and taught through the centuries. We learn how scripture is living Word, by witnessing how it changes – yet remains consistent and true.
We begin the journey in Deuteronomy, a word that literally means the “second law.”  It is a second statement of the law, meaning it summarizes, re-interprets, explains, enhances and presents a nuanced text. The same law – in essence- yet made new for the people to whom it was being taught.
Deuteronomy is presented as Moses’ final reiteration of the law, 40 years after the original Law was given as the people entered the desert – they are now about to enter new land, and begin to settle and live in community.  The text itself is younger than Moses, probably originating in the seventh century BCE; the expression of the Law coincides with the distinctive religious and legal requirements used by King Josiah to reform the Temple and practices of his time.
Skipping ahead 650 years or so, we encounter Jesus, using the Law as it had been used since the very beginning – summarizing, re-interpreting, explaining, enhancing, presenting a nuanced text – in essence the same Law, made new for the people to whom it was being taught.
Between Deuteronomy and Jesus, the Law was Living Word, remaining the same -but changing for each generation. In this time, the Law was taught and passed on through 22 generations.
We can read of the Law in the hands of the Judges, the prophets, the kings. We see it rewritten in Proverbs – a book of rules to teach young men how to be in the world. This book spans a hundred years or so of additions; and Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, follows many generations later (but well before Jesus) to once again make a discipline manual for young men. After Jesus, we can read of the Law in the hands of Peter, and Paul, in their reinterpretation of the Law for their time and place.
What we learn is that the Law is continually reflected upon, practiced, argued.  The Law has importance and God’s people have and continue to wrestle with it. The Law sets a foundation for ethics and morals, contributes to religious and civil laws, is used when people discuss sin.
What we learn by following the Living Word through scripture is that the Law although set in stone, is not. There were many times in the life of God’s people when there was no Temple in Jerusalem – so many of the Laws were set aside until a time when the Temple might be rebuilt. There were times through history when all portions of the Law could not be kept due to circumstance or situation. Various teachers had varying views – Jesus’ disciples plucked and chewed grain on the sabbath; Jesus healed on the Sabbath; they ate with women and those considered sinful – all seen as unlawful actions by Pharisaic teachers of Jerusalem at that time.  In the time of Paul, new understandings meant the setting aside of food regulations, Laws about circumcision, and so on.
What we learn by following the Living Word through scripture is that the Law is not as black and white as people so often try to make it. We also learn that the Law does not rank actions as better or worse – each law is presented – no judgement or qualification given. Murder, sexuality, mixing of fibers when making fabric, what not to eat, how far one can walk, how to farm, the role of women, the tithe to give to God... all are presented in equal terms. Each generation has their favourites, laws chosen over other laws, those practiced, those forgotten; those debated, those used to label sin.
It has been 67 generations or so, since the time of Jesus; 89 from the time of Deuteronomy... and today we are once again called to reflect on interpretations of the Law.
Deuteronomy tells us that God has given a choice.  The choice is life and prosperity, or death and adversity. The interpretation of the Law is that people have a responsibility to apply the Law to life, as a people and as individuals.  The choices made as to how the Law is lived, will affect the outcome. Choice is about attitude. Do you live the Law because you have to, or because you want to? We learn from the interpretation offered by Deuteronomy that the whole Law is framed in one phrase, “you obey the commands of the Lord your God by loving the Lord your God;” followed by the responsibility to walk God’s ways, observe God’s commandments and ordinances. The beginning of choice, life, prosperity, attitude, is relationship with God. Loving God.
In every reiteration of the Law, loving God, does not change as the starting point for following the Law.
Loving God is the essence of the Law; the ordinances and commandments are illustrations as to how one expands their love for God- expanding one’s love for God is an ever expanding circle of rules that navigate human relationships ---to lead one to loving neighbour and loving creation.
Before Jesus teaches and expounds on points of the Law, he says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets.  I have come, not to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” Jesus is assuring the listener that the Law remains – the same but changed – fuller. What we hear Jesus doing is expanding the basic Law to address the realities of the complexity of human living. Jesus delves into the nitty-gritty of failed human relationship using specific examples from his time and expands what it means to love God in such circumstances.  It is also quite clear that living the basic Law does not bring the kingdom of God to earth in the present; fullness of life requires going beyond.

Jesus ruffles a lot of people’s held beliefs and practices with his teaching of the Law. 
Everyone is held accountable – called murderers – as Jesus expands the Law to include arguing, holding grudges, withholding forgiveness, those with unreconciled relationships.
Men are held accountable for their actions with women, a revolutionary idea for the time; and perhaps with the #meToo movement not just Jesus’ time but ours too.
Then Jesus’ addresses divorce,  some scholars suggesting that Jesus is really pointing fingers at an epidemic of faux-marriage, non-marriage at that time– meaning people not committing at all to entering into covenant with another person in a marriage relationship. 
I can’ help but think that the whole point of Jesus’ interpretation of the Law is to have listeners annoyed enough that they reflect on their own lives, on the choices they make-EVERY CHOICE- is it compatible with loving God?

Eric Barreto, New Testament Professor at Princeton, wrote: “In the end, to what are these commandments calling us? Not to a checklist of morality but to a flourishing of life.  Not to a baseline of decency but to an embodied, relational, transformative encounter with all whom we meet.  Not to a sufficient set of hurdles for righteousness but to a path of wholeness with creature and creator alike.”

Today’s take aways:
• The essence of the Law is loving God. Loving God is the starting point for following the Law.
• We have been given the freedom to choose life or death, prosperity or adversity.
• As God-lovers we have a responsibility to act beyond the basic law.
• We are called to further God-love by making choices that build our human relationships and our relationship with creation.
• We are to continually reflect, interpret, apply, argue, teach, reiterate, the Law for our time and place.
• With every choice we make, the first question to slip through our minds and our hearts should be– is this compatible with loving God?

God whom we wish to love,
We give thanks for the Law – Living Word- passed from generation to generation. In its essence is You; hoping, praying that human beings take responsibility to live life choosing relationship. As we focus and strive on loving you, help us with the choices we make in our every day lives – every choice- may we reflect whether it is compatible with loving You. Through our actions and growing relationships may your kingdom come. Amen.