What is Old Testament Law?

Old Testament Law is an easy way to describe the laws and commands found specifically in the Old Testament. The exact application of Old Testament law is a battleground both in apologetics and in the Church. To make matters more complicated, the laws of the Old Testament are classically divided into three categories: Moral, Judicial/Civil, and Ceremonial laws. This is where Bible Brain tends to "break the mould", so to speak, as while we still use these terms for sake of clarity, it seems more helpful to instead divide it into just two categories: Moral and Covenantal.

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What is Ceremonial Law? 

Ceremonial Laws distinguish Israel from other ancient civilisations, dictating how Israel would relate to God. It includes things like dietary laws, festivals, sacrifices, rituals, and all sorts of other things.

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What is Civil/Judicial Law?

Judicial/Civil Law encompasses all of the Law of Moses, with the exception of the 10 commandments. This is the law that would be used to govern Israel as a nation, much like our own laws here in England. This has a lot of overlap with moral law, as while moral law remains in place, the Law of Moses specifically includes punishments for violations.

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What is Moral Law? 

Moral law is fairly self-explanatory. Put simply, moral laws are laws that are applicable to all people at all times. The law against murder, for example, is a moral law, and so regardless of what covenant a person or group is under, they will never be permitted to murder.

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What is Covenantal Law?

Whereas the three classical categories helpfully divide up the "Law of Moses", the distinction between Moral and Covenantal law both encompasses laws that are outside even the Law of Moses in the Old Testament AND adequately explains why some laws no longer have the same application. The way I like to explain it is by comparing it to a written contract in today's law. When two people make a contract, they are bound by the terms within, but they are the only ones bound by it. In the same way, several commands in the Old Testament concern agreements between God and a certain person or group. These are exclusive to that person or group, and are 100% binding on them, but not on everyone else. The Law of Moses, while it does include aspects of moral law, is actually an example of Covenantal law because it is part of an agreement between God and the Jews, and it was specifically tied to the land of Israel. Thus, when the New Testament tells us we are no longer under the law, it is not saying "ok, you're free to go on a killing spree if you want". Rather, it is saying the covenant between God and Israel, as delivered through the prophet Moses, has been fulfilled, specifically in Christ, and so is no longer applicable in the same way. Thorough Bible study enables us to figure out which laws are moral laws, and which ones were given through a specific covenant. Thankfully, the New Testament explains a lot of this in great detail, allowing us to live by the general rule that any Old Testament law not repeated in the New Testament (and especially those that are explicitly repealed) are simply not a part of the moral law.