Why were the Israels not to mix two different kinds of seed?

Question: What is meant by the command not to mix two different kinds of seed in Leviticus 19 and Deuteronomy 22? Would this mean that humans should not selectively breed new hybrids? Answer: “You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with…

Read More

Why were the tithes taken to Jerusalem in the New Testament?

Question: I use your site so much for lessons and study and appreciate the articles and answered questions. I have a question that I wondered about after doing a “giving” study. I asked in a ladies’ group, too. On a study of giving under the New Law vs. Old Law. Tithes were taken to Jerusalem,…

Read More

Uncleanness

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Students of the Bible are frequently confused by the Old Testament laws regulating uncleanness. Many do not understand the purpose of the laws and often wonder if they impact the Christian in some way or not. The concept of unclean is certainly an old one. It predates Moses, being first mentioned…

Read More

Why is John the Baptist the last prophet in the Bible?

Question: Why is John the Baptist the last prophet in the Bible? (Luke 16:16) Answer: “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it” (Luke 16:16). “From the days of John the Baptist until…

Read More

Did God give Moses the commandment to circumcise?

Question: In John 7:21 when Jesus says, circumcision is not of Moses but of “the Fathers,” is he implying that God never gave Moses the commandment of circumcision? I know that this command is written in Genesis 17:10. However, Jesus seems to be implying that this law never came from Moses. Answer: “Did not Moses…

Read More

The Law and the Commandments

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/LawAndTheCommandments.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Deuteronomy 30:6-16   I.         Seventh-Day Adventists insist that the only acceptable day of worship is the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath day.             A.        To get to that belief, they insist that the Ten Commandments are separate from the rest of the Law of Moses.             B.        While the “ceremonial laws” were…

Read More

Are the Ten Commandments separate from the Law of Moses?

Question: I am a member of the Lord’s church. I ask for your help in helping me answer the below response from two who believe that the Sabbath has not been abolished. The site they are referring to is your site on the subject of Answering the Sabbath Observance that I forwarded to them, hoping that would…

Read More

Burnt Offerings

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/BurntOfferings.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 9:24-10:10   I.         The sacrifices of the Old Testament can be confusing because they are classified in different categories, such as by how they were done (heave, wave, burnt), what they were for (sin, trespass, vow, voluntary, peace), what they were (firstfruits, food, drink), or even how they smelled…

Read More

Do the redemption laws only apply to firstborn sons?

Question: In your article on Jephthah’s vow, you used the verses Exodus 13:2, 12-15 that all firstborn children belong to God, and as such Jephthah couldn’t redeem her. But I’ve heard commentaries saying that these verses only talked about males. Is there something I’m missing in this? Thanks in advance and God bless. Answer: “Consecrate to…

Read More

Jewish Feasts and Festivals

by Kyle Campbell via Truth Magazine In order to fully understand the Jewish religion and people, and to gain a greater perspective of a number of events in the New Testament, one needs to study the Jewish feasts and festivals. The Jewish feasts and festivals were scheduled at specific times in the annual calendar and they…

Read More

Why are we not supposed to cut the sides of our hair?

Question: Why are we not supposed to cut the sides of our hair? Answer: “You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard” (Leviticus 19:27). The word that is translated as “shaved” means to strike off with violence, and the word rendered “disfigured” in this…

Read More

Since only males were circumcised, how did females enter the Old Covenant?

Question: Brother, This question came up in a recent Bible study. We were covering the book of Romans, the last few verses of chapter 2. Circumcision came up. After a little discussion, a sister in Christ asked how women made a covenant with God under Mosaic Law, since circumcision was the sign of the covenant.…

Read More

Did Moses write a second book of Law and that was the one taken away?

Question: Greetings my brother, I’m very happy about the website. I have studied a lot from it. I count many subjects that helped me to teach better through your website. Thank you. Regarding the Ten Commandments: There is a claim that the book that stood against them was the one next to the ark of…

Read More

Why does the Hebrew writer contrast Mount Sinai with Mount Zion?

Question: Hi Jeffrey, I hope you are doing well. I have a question regarding Hebrews 12:18-29. Why does the writer use the example of the events in Mount Sinai (verses 18-21) and contrasts them with Mount Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem and everything else in verses 22-24? What is the significance of what the writer…

Read More

Was the Law of Moses applicable to Gentiles?

Question: I have a question about the passage in Colossians 2:11-14: “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the…

Read More

The law is perfect, but the covenant was faulty, so they cannot be the same

Question: A quick question on your article Is the covenant different from the Law? If, as Psalm 19 says, “the law of the Lord is perfect,” and the law mentioned there is the same as the covenant mentioned in Hebrews, then why wouldn’t the covenant be faultless (i.e. “perfect”) as opposed to Hebrews 8:7? I believe…

Read More

The Sin and Guilt Offerings

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/SinAndGuiltOfferings.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Hebrews 13:10-16   I.         The Law of Moses featured numerous sacrifices and making sense of them can be difficult             A.        There were five categories: Sin, trespass, burnt, meat, and peace offerings                         1.         But they were also grouped in another way: Firstfruits, wave, heave, vow, voluntary, and drink offerings                         2.         They were also divided…

Read More

Doesn’t the Bible teach that we must keep the law of Moses?

Question: I grew up in the church and Christianity, and all the while I was taught that we don’t have to keep the Law that was told to Moses or what the Jewish call the Torah. However, I came across multiple scriptures that made me question whether the law really was done away with. Here…

Read More

Do I have to marry my brother’s widow?

Question: Please help. My pastor told me that God spoke to her that I should marry my elder brother’s widow with four children. I have a fiancee whom I dearly love but my pastor says she is being used by devil worshippers to capture me. My dad joined in devil worship a long time ago…

Read More

The Purpose of the Old Law

I.         As we study the Bible, we learn that God has had three laws in effect at different periods of time – The Patriarchal, The Mosaical, and Christ’s Law.             A.        Much confusion has arisen because people do not distinguish between these laws             B.        While the laws are related, because they all derive from the same source, they are…

Read More

Was the Lord’s Supper a part of the Passover meal?

Question: Greetings, First, I’d like to say that I praise God for your site. I use it for my Bible study and it has really helped me a lot. Now the question I have is whether or not it is sinful for me to be in a church that is teaching we should only use…

Read More

Does the new covenant entirely override the law of Moses?

Question: I read your article regarding following the Old Testament and I’m just trying to wrap my head around the entire idea of the old covenant versus the new covenant. The old covenant was the laws and edicts of God to Moses and his people, however, through Jesus, God imposed a new covenant that was guided…

Read More

On Stoning Adulterers and Not Eating Shellfish

by Hugh Fulford via The Fellowship Room Periodically — at least three or four times a year — someone feels compelled to demonstrate his or her lack of knowledge of the Bible by writing a letter to the editor of the local newspaper railing against Bible-believers who oppose homosexuality. (Capital punishment of convicted murderers is another…

Read More

Didn’t Jesus fulfill the Old Testament when he came in the flesh?

Question: I have a question: Didn’t Jesus fulfill the Old Testament when he came in the flesh? Answer: When Jesus was born, the Mosaic law was still in effect. He was circumcised and presented to God as the firstborn male of Mary and Joseph as the old law prescribed: “And when eight days had passed,…

Read More

If Christ put us under one law, why wasn’t it the Law of Moses?

Question: From your web page Do Jews and Christians both follow the teachings of the Old Testament?: “This law ended with the death of Jesus Christ, allowing both Jews and Gentiles to come under one new law.” So there is one law, right? Why does a huge part of the Old Testament say to Israel that…

Read More

Back to Basics: Christ and the Law

by Frank Jamerson When brethren are confused about whether Christ came to fulfill the law and prophets or to perpetuate them, it is time to get back to basics! One brother said, “Continuity of law is evident in Matthew 5:17, in that there is nothing about following Jesus that would be obnoxious to Moses.” He…

Read More

If all Scripture is profitable, why don’t we use the Old Law?

Question: Could you explain how II Timothy 3:16 relates to our not being under the Old Testament? I would like to know so I can better equip myself. Thank you. Answer: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man…

Read More

Should Churches of Christ Observe Passover?

by Mark W.White via Biblical Insights, Vol. 13, No. 1, January 2013 The Jewish Passover usually comes around each year in our month of April. Those who are familiar with Old Testament history understand the significance of this holy day for the Jewish nation. God delivered the children of Israel from their Egyptian bondage through a…

Read More

Does John 14:15 mean we are under the Ten Commandments?

Question: I love your website! It has been very helpful to me in my studies.  I have been studying with a friend of mine who still believes that we are under the ten commandments.  He wants to use the verse John 14:15 “If you love me keep my commandments” as proof that we are still…

Read More