Noahide Law in the New Testament

From Wikinoah English
Revision as of 11:29, 4 April 2007 by Abrahamson (talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

The 15th Chapter of Acts is traditionally interpreted by Christians as referring to Noahide law.[1][2] It bases itself on Amos 9:11-12 which says:

9:11 In that day will I raise up the fallen tent of David, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old; 9:12 That they may conquer the remnant of Edom, and all the nations, upon whom My name is called, saith HaShem that doeth this.

The New Testament quotes the Septuagint's version of Amos which is similar, yet with some differences:

15:16 ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, 15:17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,’ says the Lord, who makes these things 15:18 known from long ago.

The wording "who makes these things known from long ago" is similarly worded to Sanhedrin 60a which says "My statutes ye shall keep, implying the statutes decreed from of old shall ye keep"

Decree of the Council of Jerusalem

After concluding that circumcision is not required for non-Jews, James, the leader of the Council of Jerusalem says:

15:19 “Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 15:20 but that we should write them a letter telling them to

  1. abstain from things defiled by idols and
  2. from sexual immorality and
  3. from what has been strangled and
  4. from blood.
  5. 15:21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, because he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

These four (or five) prohibitions are variously interpreted. The prohibition against "things strangled", apparently refers to animals which had been improperly slaughtered according to Jewish law, i.e., without the draining of blood. Some, accordingly, take the prohibition against "blood" as a reference to murder. The two, eating blood and murder, are closely associated in Genesis 9:3-6, in commands given to Noah and his descendents. Compare Jubilees 7:28, which also combines the two as part of the Noachite covenant. Leviticus 17:10-18:30 was also an important text. There the immoral "ways of the nations", particularly eating blood and sexual immorality, are forbidden to the "stranger who resides among you" (the ger toshav) as well as the Israelite. The textual manuscripts vary widely on the precise enumeration of these prohibitions in Acts 15:20, 29. Paul's account of this dispute, reflected in the book of Galatians, does not include this precise listing of prohibitions. However, his letters indicate that he would have generally supported such prohibitions as applicable to all humankind: e.g., sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5-6;1 Thessalonians 4:3-8); idolatry and meat sold in Gentile markets (1 Thessalonians 1:9;1 Corinthians 10:14-22; but compare 8:1-13;10:23-33).[3]

Possible Correspondence

One possible correspondence to the Seven Laws is as follows:

  1. idols — Prohibition of Idolatry #1
  2. sexual immorality — Prohibition of Sexual Immorality #4
  3. strangled — Prohibition of Limb of a Living Creature #6
  4. from blood — Prohibition of Homicide #3
  5. in every town — Imperative of Legal System #7
  6. (missing) — Prohibition of Blasphemy #2
  7. (missing) — Prohibition of Theft #5

References

  1. Understanding Acts 15 by Robert Clanton
  2. The Spirit of the Law
  3. Rainbow Covenant: The G-d Fearers, note 6