Is the Old Testament Law Filled with Punishment, Legalism, and Arbitrary Rules? Dr. Dru Johnson

Be sure to check out our “Extra Innings” conversation where we discuss what the Old Testament actually says about sex outside of marriage. Surprisingly, there’s no explicit verse in the OT that forbids it. To listen to the full conversation, become a member of the TITR community at https://www.patreon.com/theologyintheraw

Dr. Dru Johnson (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is Templeton Senior Research Fellow and director of the Abrahamic Theistic Origins Project at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford. He is also a visiting professor of religion at Hope College, director of the Center for Hebraic Thought, editor of the Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Biblical Criticism series, host of The Biblical Mind podcast, and cohost of the OnScript podcast. And, he’s written a bunch of awesome books including his recent book Understanding Biblical Law: Skills for Thinking With and Through Torah, which forms the basis of our fascinating conversation. 

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:01:36 What Is the Old Testament Law?
• 00:04:00 Does "the Law" Mean the Ten Commandments or the Entire Old Testament?
• 00:06:24 The Law Is More Than Rules: Understanding Biblical Law
• 00:08:52 Does "Eye for an Eye" Mean Literal Retribution?
• 00:14:28 Reading Old Testament Laws as Principles, Not Just Rules
• 00:18:07 "You Shall Not Murder" vs. "You Shall Not Kill"
• 00:22:49 How to Learn Ethics from Bible Stories
• 00:24:53 Does the Bible Endorse Polygamy?
• 00:25:58 Why the Laws of Moses Are Different from Other Ancient Laws
• 00:28:11 Moses, David, and Other Morally Complex Bible Stories
• 00:33:44 Are Women Portrayed Better Than Men in the Bible?
• 00:38:13 How to Apply Biblical Narratives Today
• 00:41:25 Biblical Discernment vs. Looking for Easy Answers
• 00:45:21 How Should Christians Read Difficult Old Testament Laws?
• 00:51:13 Why Were Old Testament Punishments So Severe?
• 00:57:17 Restorative Justice in Ancient Israel: Why Were There No Prisons?
• 01:00:31 The Sons of Korah and Other Difficult Old Testament Judgments

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