The Spirit of Biblical Law

Download or read book The Spirit of Biblical Law written by Calum M. Carmichael and published by University of Georgia Press. This book was released on 1996 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this study of the nature and sources of biblical law, Calum Carmichael focuses on the intimate and little-appreciated relationship between two components of the Bible, namely that the legal material represents a form of commentary or extended exposition of the narratives. Approaching his topic from the basic premise that any society's laws do not necessarily relate to its practical problems, Carmichael challenges the long prevailing view that the body of biblical laws and ethical rules grew up in piecemeal fashion over many centuries, in reaction to specific social problems as they arose. Rather, the laws are a work of historical reconstruction, redacted during one relatively concentrated period by Deuteronomic and Priestly lawgivers.