This should have been my first post

This should have been my first post

In some of my posts I complain about the mindset of poorly catechized Christians. Before I go any further, I need to set the record straight. It wasn’t all that long ago that I was one of those cafeteria-Catholics that I complain about. I really didn’t even realize it. I thought I knew everything that was important enough to know (which didn’t include reading the Bible). As time went on I was probably somewhere between an atheist and an agnostic. I was as much of a secular humanist as you would find anywhere.

Fortunately God gives sufficient grace to everyone. I was even more fortunate in that God kept rapping me on the head until I finally took notice. I suspect that somewhere there was a St. Monica praying for me.

Finally I started reading the Bible, working my way from Genesis through Revelation. While reading the Old Testament, (prior to reading the letters of Paul) I wondered why some of the Mosaic Law seems to still apply to Christians while some doesn’t.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1961 God, our Creator and Redeemer, chose Israel for himself to be his people and revealed his Law to them, thus preparing for the coming of Christ. The Law of Moses expresses many truths naturally accessible to reason. These are stated and authenticated within the covenant of salvation.

1962 The Old Law is the first stage of revealed Law. Its moral prescriptions are summed up in the Ten Commandments. The precepts of the Decalogue lay the foundations for the vocation of man fashioned in the image of God; they prohibit what is contrary to the love of God and neighbor and prescribe what is essential to it. The Decalogue is a light offered to the conscience of every man to make God's call and ways known to him and to protect him against evil.

Prior to the revealing of Mosaic Law and from the beginning of time, there was still an order to the Universe. Since the creation of man there has been certain codes of conduct where certain basic things, such as valuing and  protecting life, were deemed important and “good.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1954 Man participates in the wisdom and goodness of the Creator who gives him mastery over his acts and the ability to govern himself with a view to the true and the good. The natural law expresses the original moral sense which enables man to discern by reason the good and the evil, the truth and the lie:  The natural law is written and engraved in the soul of each and every man, because it is human reason ordaining him to do good and forbidding him to sin . . . But this command of human reason would not have the force of law if it were not the voice and interpreter of a higher reason to which our spirit and our freedom must be submitted.

1955 The "divine and natural" law shows man the way to follow so as to practice the good and attain his end. The natural law states the first and essential precepts which govern the moral life. It hinges upon the desire for God and submission to him, who is the source and judge of all that is good, as well as upon the sense that the other is one's equal. Its principal precepts are expressed in the Decalogue. This law is called "natural," not in reference to the nature of irrational beings, but because reason which decrees it properly belongs to human nature.

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the first law was Natural Law and since it is part of nature its moral precepts remain permanent. The second stage of law was given by God to Moses – the Mosaic Law described in the Old Testament. To Christians, the Law of Moses as a whole was temporary since Jesus came to fulfill the Old Covenant.

Matthew 5:17-19

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets: I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law, until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Scripture tells us that we are saved by faith (and works through grace) rather than works of the Law.

Romans 3:20-25, 31

Since no human being will be justified in his sight by observing the law; for through the law comes consciousness of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed… Are we then annulling the law by this faith? Of course not! On the contrary, we are supporting the law.

Romans chapter 7:6

But now we are released from the law, dead to what held us captive, so that we may serve in the newness of the spirit and not under the obsolete letter.

Romans Chapter 8:1-5

Hence, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death. For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do, this God has done: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us, who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit. For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit.

Galatians chapter 3:19-25

Why, then, the law? It was added for transgressions, until the descendant came to whom the promise had been made; it was promulgated by angels at the hand of a mediator. Now there is no mediator when only one party is involved, and God is one. Is the law then opposed to the promises (of God)? Of course not! For if a law had been given that could bring life, then righteousness would in reality come from the law. But scripture confined all things under the power of sin, that through faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe. Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian

Galatians chapter 4:4-5

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.

Galatians chapter 5: 18

But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Colossians chapter 2:11, 16

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. …Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or Sabbath.

Hebrews chapter 9:9-14

This is a symbol of the present time, in which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper in conscience but only in matters of food and drink and various ritual washings: regulations concerning the flesh, imposed until the time of the new order. But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

Hebrews chapter 10:1 

Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of them, it can never make perfect those who come to worship by the same sacrifices that they offer continually each year.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1963 According to Christian tradition, the Law is holy, spiritual, and good, yet still imperfect. Like a tutor it shows what must be done, but does not of itself give the strength, the grace of the Spirit, to fulfill it. Because of sin, which it cannot remove, it remains a law of bondage. According to St. Paul, its special function is to denounce and disclose sin, which constitutes a "law of concupiscence" in the human heart. However, the Law remains the first stage on the way to the kingdom. It prepares and disposes the chosen people and each Christian for conversion and faith in the Savior God. It provides a teaching which endures for ever, like the Word of God.

Unfortunately, there are some who believe that the letters of Paul invalidate the Old Testament. By distorting scripture they rationalize gay marriage and other practices that are a abhorrent in scripture and Sacred Tradition.

As we discussed in a prior post, the concept of sola scriptura justifies individuals to interpret scripture in any manner they see fit, even if the concept or the interpretation isn’t even scriptural.

A faithful reading of the Bible reveals that much of what was set forth in the Old Testament was restated in the New Testament.

According to Catholic apologist Jim Blackburn, “Old Testament law, as such, is not binding on Christians. It never has been. In fact, it was only ever binding on those to whom it was delivered—the Jews (Israelites). That said, some of that law contains elements of a law that is binding on all people of every place and time. Jesus and Paul provide evidence of this in the New Testament.”

There are Mitzvot that bind Christians due to the New Testament and Sacred Tradition.

I couldn’t find a site on the Internet where each of the 613 laws of the Mosaic Law – the Mitzvot – were discussed or analyzed as to their applicability. I intend to fill that niche.

I will do my best to do so in an orthodox manner. I will try not to give my personal opinions on a regular basis, but I will do so, I’ll try to clearly identify them as such.

As my sources, I rely on scripture, Sacred Tradition, the early Church fathers, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church which is essentially a compendium of all three.

Along the way, in order to break things up, I’ll add some analysis of topics that are timely or that I find interesting.

What may be lacking with this site is an analysis of the development of Jewish Tradition and the Talmud. If anyone who is particularly knowledgeable on this and would like to become a contributor to this site, please let me know.