Old Ot Laws: What's Still Relevant Today?

The Old Testament laws are part of God's story with ancient Israel. None of the laws apply directly to any of us in the way they did to their original audience. However, the laws are part of one unified story that demonstrates God's character, wisdom, and the pitfalls of human nature. Just because a law wasn't quoted in the New Testament doesn't mean it's without value. We can find wisdom for our contemporary context in all of the laws.

The laws can be applied to a contemporary context and adapted for a new setting—even Jesus does this. While the commandment do not murder is immediately applicable to any context, Jesus applies it to a broader context when he says the sin of murder starts in the human heart as contempt, pride, and superiority.

The laws can be divided into categories or topics, such as moral, civil, and ceremonial rules. However, this is not how ancient Israelites, Jesus, or the apostles talked about the laws. Jesus talked more simply about laws regarding murder, Sabbath, divorce, etc. He made no distinction in their applicability, which is why it is truly helpful to look at the laws as wisdom literature that can be applied to a variety of circumstances.

The laws can be divided into three categories:

1. Moral laws: These are universal and apply to all people.

2. Civil laws: These were specific to the ancient Israelites and do not apply today.

3. Ceremonial laws: These were also specific to the ancient Israelites and do not apply today.

The laws that still apply are the moral laws. These include the Ten Commandments, which are summarized by Jesus as:

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

These two commandments are the foundation of the law. All other proposed rules are to be evaluated in light of these two foundations. If a rule can be derived from these two alone, it's a valid rule. If it can't be derived from these two, it's not a valid rule.

What You'll Learn

Ceremonial laws
Civil laws
Moral laws
Laws that are still applicable to Jews only
Laws that are applicable to both Jews and Gentiles

Ceremonial laws

The ceremonial laws were given to the Israelites to teach them about the way or plan that God would follow to save mankind from the terrible results of sin. Through the rites and ceremonies of the sanctuary service, God taught the Israelites about the atoning sacrifice of the Redeemer to come.

The ceremonial laws are no longer binding on Christians today. Since the church is not the nation of Israel, memorial festivals, such as the Feast of Weeks and Passover, do not apply. However, while the ceremonial law no longer binds us, the principles behind them—to worship and love a holy God—still apply.

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Civil laws

Civil law applied to daily living in Israel. Because modern society and culture are so different from that time and setting, all of these guidelines cannot be followed specifically. But the principles behind the commands are timeless and should guide our conduct.

The civil law of the Old Testament is not directly applicable to Christians today, but the principles behind it are. For example, the civil law of the Old Testament required the Israelites to build a fence around the flat roof of their houses to prevent people from falling off (Deuteronomy 22:8). This law was given in the context of the flat-roofed houses of the time, but the principle behind it—to protect human life—is still applicable today. Similarly, the civil law of the Old Testament required the Israelites to help others load their beasts (Exodus 23:5). This law was given in the context of the beasts of burden of the time, but the principle behind it—to help those in need—is still applicable today.

The civil law of the Old Testament also included laws about justice, such as "do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors" (Deuteronomy 19:14) and "do not pervert justice; do not show partiality; and do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous" (Deuteronomy 16:19). These laws were given in the context of the justice system of the time, but the principles behind them—to uphold justice and fairness—are still applicable today.

The civil law of the Old Testament also included laws about property rights, such as "do not move your neighbor's boundary marker" (Deuteronomy 19:14) and "do not covet your neighbor's house" (Exodus 20:17). These laws were given in the context of the property rights of the time, but the principle behind them—to respect the property of others—is still applicable today.

The civil law of the Old Testament also included laws about honesty, such as "do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light" (Deuteronomy 25:13). This law was given in the context of the weights and measures of the time, but the principle behind it—to be honest in business dealings—is still applicable today.

The civil law of the Old Testament also included laws about the treatment of the poor, such as "do not harvest the edges of your field or gather the grapes from your vineyard a second time. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner" (Leviticus 19:10). This law was given in the context of the agricultural practices of the time, but the principle behind it—to care for the less fortunate—is still applicable today.

The civil law of the Old Testament also included laws about the treatment of slaves, such as "do not hand over a slave to their master if they have escaped from their master to you. They must not be handed over to their master" (Deuteronomy 23:16). This law was given in the context of the slave-owning society of the time, but the principle behind it—to protect the vulnerable—is still applicable today.

The civil law of the Old Testament also included laws about the treatment of foreigners, such as "do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt" (Exodus 22:21). This law was given in the context of the foreign residents of the time, but the principle behind it—to welcome and care for those who are different from us—is still applicable today.

The civil law of the Old Testament also included laws about the treatment of animals, such as "do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain" (Deuteronomy 25:4). This law was given in the context of the agricultural practices of the time, but the principle behind it—to treat animals humanely—is still applicable today.

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Moral laws

The moral laws of the Old Testament are based on God's character and his design for the world. They are either a positive or negative command that stands alone, or they are found inside civil laws. The moral laws of the Old Testament are also known as the mishpatim, which means "ordinances" in Hebrew. They are said to be based on God's holy nature and are therefore holy, just, and unchanging. Their purpose is to promote the welfare of those who obey.

The moral law encompasses regulations on justice, respect, and sexual conduct, and includes the Ten Commandments. It also includes penalties for failure to obey the ordinances.

The Ten Commandments are recognised as the unchanging moral law of God in the New Testament. However, only the Sabbath law of the Ten Commandments is rescinded under the New Covenant.

Other moral laws in the Old Testament include:

Murder
Striking or cursing a parent
Kidnapping
Failure to lock up a dangerous animal that results in someone's death
Sorcery and Witchcraft
Bestiality
Working on the Sabbath
Incest
Human sacrifice
Adultery
Homosexual acts
Blasphemy
False prophecy
Refusal to obey a decision of a judge or priest
Perjury in capital cases
A woman falsely claiming to be a virgin before marriage
Sexual relations between a woman pledged to be married and a man other than her husband-to-be
Rebellion against parents

While Christians are no longer bound by the ceremonial or civil laws of the Old Covenant, they are still required to obey the moral law.

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Laws that are still applicable to Jews only

According to Jewish tradition, there are 613 commandments in the Torah. While the number 613 is mentioned in the Talmud, its significance increased in later medieval rabbinic literature. However, no individual can perform all of them. Many can only be observed at the Temple in Jerusalem, which no longer stands.

Some commandments are also only observed by certain categories of Jews, such as kohanim, or only by men or women.

The commandments that can be observed today include:

To have children with one's wife
To rest on the Sabbath
To know there is a God
Not to murder
To love God
To love other Jews
To learn Torah
To wear tefillin (phylacteries) on the head
To bless the Almighty after eating
To circumcise all males on the eighth day after their birth
To rest on the first day of Passover
To dwell in a Sukkah for the seven days of Sukkot
To build a Temple
To show reverence to the Temple
To destroy idols and their accessories
Not to make a covenant with idolaters
Not to turn a city to idolatry
To burn a city that has turned to idol worship
Not to inquire into idolatry
Not to make an idol for others
Not to make human forms even for decorative purposes
Not to pass your children through the fire to Molech
Not to plant a tree in the Temple courtyard
Not to erect a pillar in a public place of worship
Not to bow down before a smooth stone
To examine the signs of animals to distinguish between kosher and non-kosher
Not to eat non-kosher animals
Not to eat the meat of an animal that died without ritual slaughter
To ritually slaughter an animal before eating it
Not to eat mixtures of milk and meat cooked together
To cover the blood (of a slaughtered beast or fowl) with earth
To send away the mother bird before taking its children
Not to swear falsely in God's Name
Not to take God's Name in vain
To fulfill what was uttered and to do what was avowed
Not to break oaths or vows
To estimate the value of people as determined by the Torah
To offer only unblemished animals
Not to inflict wounds upon dedicated animals
To redeem dedicated animals which have become disqualified
To offer only animals which are at least eight days old
Not to offer animals bought with the wages of a harlot or the animal exchanged for a dog
Not to burn honey or yeast on the altar
To salt all sacrifices
Not to omit the salt from sacrifices
To carry out the procedure of the burnt offering as prescribed in the Torah
Not to eat its meat
To carry out the procedure of the sin offering
Not to eat the meat of the inner sin offering
To carry out the procedure of the guilt offering
The Kohanim must eat the sacrificial meat in the Temple
To follow the procedure of the peace offering
Not to eat from sacrifices offered with improper intentions
To bring meal offerings as prescribed in the Torah
Not to put oil on the meal offerings of wrongdoers
Not to put frankincense on the meal offerings of wrongdoers
Not to eat the meal offering of the High Priest
Not to bake a meal offering as leavened bread
The Kohanim must eat the remains of the meal offerings
To bring all avowed and freewill offerings to the Temple on the first subsequent festival
Not to withhold payment incurred by any vow
To offer all sacrifices in the Temple
To bring all sacrifices from outside Israel to the Temple
Not to slaughter sacrifices outside the courtyard
Not to offer any sacrifices outside the courtyard
To offer two lambs every day
To light a fire on the altar every day
Not to extinguish this fire
To remove the ashes from the altar every day
To burn incense every day
To light the Menorah every day
The Kohen Gadol must bring a meal offering every day
To make the show bread
To bring additional offerings on Rosh Chodesh (" The New Month")
To bring additional offerings on Passover
To offer the wave offering from the meal of the new wheat
Each man must count the Omer - seven weeks from the day the new wheat offering was brought
To bring additional offerings on Shavuot
To bring two loaves to accompany the above sacrifice
To bring additional offerings on Rosh Hashana
To bring additional offerings on Yom Kippur
To bring additional offerings on Sukkot
To bring additional offerings on Shmini Atzeret
Not to eat chametz on the afternoon of the 14th day of Nisan
To destroy all chametz on 14th day of Nisan
Not to eat chametz all seven days of Passover
Not to eat mixtures containing chametz all seven days of Passover
Not to see chametz in your domain seven days
Not to find chametz in your domain seven days
To eat matzah on the first night of Passover
To relate the Exodus from Egypt on that night
To hear the Shofar on the first day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashanah)
Each man must give a half shekel annually
To afflict oneself and cry out before God in times of calamity
To set aside a portion of dough for a Kohen
To have tzitzit on four-cornered garments
Not to follow the whims of your heart or what your eyes see
To guard the Temple area
No Levite must do another's work of either a Kohen or a Levite
One who is not a Kohen must not serve
Not to leave the Temple unguarded
To send the impure from the Temple
Impure people must not enter the Temple
Impure Kohanim must not do service in the temple
An impure Kohen, following immersion, must wait until after sundown before returning to service
A Kohen must wash his hands and feet before service
A Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter the sanctuary or approach the altar
A Kohen with a temporary blemish must not serve
To dedicate the Kohen for service
The work of the Kohanim's shifts must be equal during holidays
The Kohanim must wear their priestly garments during service
Not to tear the priestly garments
The Kohen Gadol's (High Priest) breastplate must not be loosened from the Efod
A Kohen must not enter the Temple intoxicated
A Kohen must not enter the Temple with his head uncovered
A Kohen must not enter the Temple with torn clothes
A Kohen must not leave the Temple during service
To release all loans during the seventh year
Not to pressure or claim from the borrower
Not to refrain from lending immediately before the release of the loans for fear of monetary loss
The Sanhedrin must count seven groups of seven years
The Sanhedrin must sanctify the fiftieth year
To blow the Shofar on the tenth of Tishrei to free the slaves
Not to work the soil during the fiftieth year (Jubilee)
Not to reap in the normal manner that which grows wild in the fiftieth year
Not to pick grapes which grew wild in the normal manner in the fiftieth year
To leave free all produce which grew in that year
To rest the land during the seventh year by not doing any work which enhances growth
Not to work the land during the seventh year
Not to work with trees to produce fruit during that year
Not to reap crops that grow wild that year in the normal manner
Not to gather grapes which grew wild that year in the normal way
To give charity
Not to withhold charity from the poor
To set aside Terumah Gedolah (gift for the Kohen)
The Levite must set aside a tenth of his tithe
To set aside the second tithe (Ma'aser Sheni)
Not to spend its redemption money on anything but food, drink, or ointment
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni while impure
A mourner on the first day after death must not eat Ma'aser Sheni
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni grains outside Jerusalem
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni wine products outside Jerusalem
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni oil outside Jerusalem
The fourth year crops must be totally for holy purposes like Ma'aser Sheni
To read the confession of tithes every fourth and seventh year
To set aside the first fruits and bring them to the Temple
The Kohanim must not eat the first fruits outside Jerusalem
To read the Torah portion pertaining to their presentation
To set aside a portion of dough for a Kohen
To give the foreleg, two cheeks, and abomasum of slaughtered animals to a Kohen
To give the first shearing of sheep to a Kohen
To redeem firstborn sons and give the money to a Kohen
To redeem the firstborn donkey by giving a lamb to a Kohen
To break the neck of the donkey if the owner does not intend to redeem it
To assemble all the people on the Sukkot following the seventh year
Each male must write a Torah scroll
Not to drink wine poured in service to idols
To know there is a God
Not to even think that there are other gods besides Him
To know that God is One
To love God
To fear God
To sanctify God's Name
Not to profane God's Name
Not to destroy objects associated with God's Name
To listen to the prophet speaking in God's Name
Not to try the LORD unduly
To emulate God's ways
To cleave to those who know God
To love other Jews
To love converts
Not to hate fellow Jews
To reprove a sinner
Not to embarrass others
Not to oppress the weak
Not to gossip
Not to stand idly by if someone's life is in danger
Not to covet and scheme to acquire another's possession
Not to desire another's possession
Return the robbed object or its value
Not to ignore a lost object
Return the lost object
Help others load their beast
Not to leave others distraught with their burdens (but to help either load or unload)
Men must not wear women's clothing
Women must not wear men's clothing
To send away the mother bird before taking its children
To release the mother bird if she was taken from the nest
Not to allow pitfalls and obstacles to remain on one's property
Make a guard rail around flat roofs
Not to eat diverse seeds planted in a vineyard
Not to plant grains or greens in a vineyard
Not to work different animals together
Not to wear shaatnez, a cloth woven of wool and linen
To leave a corner of the field uncut for the poor
Not to reap that corner
To leave gleanings
Not to gather the gleanings
To leave the unformed clusters of grapes
Not to pick the unformed clusters of grapes
To leave the gleanings of a vineyard
Not to gather the gleanings of a vineyard
To leave the forgotten sheaves in the field
Not to retrieve them
To separate the "tithe for the poor"
To give charity
To set aside Terumah Gedolah (gift for the Kohen)
The Levite must set aside a tenth of his tithe
Not to preface one tithe to the next, but separate them in their proper order
A non-Kohen must not eat Terumah
A hired worker or a Jewish bondsman of a Kohen must not eat Terumah
An uncircumcised Kohen must not eat Terumah
An impure Kohen must not eat Terumah
A chalalah (party to #s 169-172 above) must not eat Terumah
To set aside Ma'aser (tithe) each planting year and give it to a Levite
To set aside the second tithe (Ma'aser Sheni)
Not to spend its redemption money on anything but food, drink, or ointment
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni while impure
A mourner on the first day after death must not eat Ma'aser Sheni
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni grains outside Jerusalem
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni wine products outside Jerusalem
Not to eat Ma'aser Sheni oil outside Jerusalem
The fourth year crops must be totally for holy purposes like Ma'aser Sheni
To read the confession of tithes every fourth and seventh year
To set aside the first fruits and bring them to the Temple
The Kohanim must not eat the first fruits outside Jerusalem
To read the Torah portion pertaining to their presentation
To set aside a portion of dough for a Kohen
To give the foreleg, two cheeks, and abomasum of slaughtered animals to a Kohen
To give the first shearing of sheep to a Kohen
To redeem firstborn sons and give the money to a Kohen
To redeem the firstborn donkey by giving a lamb to a Kohen
To break the neck of the donkey if the owner does not intend to redeem it
To appoint judges
Not to appoint judges who are not familiar with judicial procedure
Decide by majority in case of disagreement
The court must not execute through a majority of one; at least a majority of two is required
A judge who presented an acquittal plea must not present an argument for conviction in capital cases
The courts must carry out the death penalty of stoning
The courts must carry out the death penalty of burning
The courts must carry out the death penalty of the sword
The courts must carry out the death penalty of strangulation
The courts must hang those stoned for blasphemy or idolatry
Bury the executed on the day they are killed
Not to delay burial overnight
The court must not let the sorcerer live
The court must give lashes to the wrongdoer
The court must not exceed the prescribed number of lashes
The court must not kill anybody on circumstantial evidence
The court must not punish anybody who was forced to do a crime
A judge must not pity the murderer or assaulter at the trial
A judge must not have mercy on the poor man at the trial
A judge must not respect the great man at the trial
A judge must not pervert justice
A judge must not pervert a case involving a convert or orphan
Judge righteously
The judge must not fear a violent man in judgment
Judges must not accept bribes
Judges must not accept testimony unless both parties are present
Not to curse judges
Not to curse the head of state or leader of the Sanhedrin
Not to curse any upstanding Jew
Anybody who knows evidence must testify in court
Carefully interrogate the witness
A witness must not serve as a judge in capital crimes
Not to accept testimony from a lone witness
Transgressors must not testify
Relatives of the litigants must not testify
Not to testify falsely
Punish the false witnesses as they tried to punish the defendant
Act according to the ruling of the Sanhedrin
Not to deviate from the word of the Sanhedrin
Not to add to the Torah commandments or their oral explanations
Not to diminish from the Torah any commandments, in whole or in part
Not to curse your father and mother
Not to strike your father and mother
Respect your father or mother
Fear your mother or father
To marry a wife by means of ketubah and kiddushin
Not to have sexual relations with women not thus married
Not to withhold food, clothing, and sexual relations from your wife
To have children with one's wife
To issue a divorce by means of a Get document
A man must not remarry his ex-wife after she has married someone else
To perform yibbum (marry the widow of one's childless brother)
To perform halizah (free the widow of one's childless brother from yibbum)
The widow must not remarry until the ties with her brother-in-law are removed (by halizah)
The court must fine one who sexually seduces a maiden
The rapist must marry his victim if she is unwed
He is never allowed to divorce her
The slanderer must remain married to his wife
He must not divorce her
To fulfill the laws of the Sotah
Not to put oil on her meal offering (as usual)
Not to put frankincense on her meal offering (as usual)
Not to have sexual relations with your mother
Not to have sexual relations with your father's wife
Not to have sexual relations with your sister
Not to have sexual relations with your father's wife's daughter
Not to have sexual relations with your son's daughter
Not to have sexual relations with your daughter
Not to have sexual relations with your daughter's daughter
Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her daughter
Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her son's daughter
Not to have sexual relations with a woman and her daughter's daughter
Not to have sexual relations with your father's sister
Not to have sexual relations with your mother's sister
Not to have sexual relations with your father's brother's wife
Not to have sexual relations with your son's wife
Not to have sexual relations with your brother's wife
Not to have sexual relations with your wife's sister
A man must not have sexual relations with an animal
A woman must not have sexual relations with an animal
A man must not have sexual relations with a man
Not to have sexual relations with your father
Not to have sexual relations with your father's brother
Not to have sexual relations with someone else's wife
Not to have sexual relations with a menstru

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Laws that are applicable to both Jews and Gentiles

The laws of the Old Testament were given to the ancient Israelites and are not directly applicable to anyone today. However, the laws are part of a unified story that demonstrates God's character, wisdom, and the pitfalls of human nature. The laws can be applied to a contemporary context and adapted for a new setting.

The laws can be divided into three categories: ceremonial, civil, and moral. The ceremonial law related specifically to Israel's worship and no longer binds us. The civil law applied to daily living in Israel and cannot be followed specifically due to the differences in modern society and culture. The moral law, such as the Ten Commandments, is the direct command of God and still applies today.

Jesus, being Jewish, was under the Law of Moses. However, he fulfilled the Law and, therefore, those who follow Christ are no longer under the Law but under the Law of Christ.

The Law of Moses was given to the nation of Israel and not to Gentiles. However, the Law of Moses ceased to be binding on God's people, Jew or Gentile, under the New Covenant.

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Frequently asked questions

Which OT laws are still applicable today?

The OT laws are part of God's story with ancient Israel. None of the laws apply directly to any of us in the way they did to their original audience. However, all of the laws can be applied to a contemporary context and adapted for a new setting. The laws are part of one unified story that demonstrates God's character, wisdom, and the pitfalls of human nature.

Can the OT laws be divided into categories?

Organization of the laws into categories or topics is not how ancient Israelites, Jesus, or the apostles talked about the laws. Jesus talked more simply about laws regarding murder, Sabbath, divorce, etc. He made no distinction in their applicability, which is why it is truly helpful to look at the laws as wisdom literature that can be applied to a variety of circumstances. However, it’s not “wrong” to categorize the laws into moral, civil, and ceremonial rules—it can be helpful for studying the law.

How did Jesus and His disciples relate to the OT law?

When Jesus and his disciples pick grain to eat on the Sabbath in Matthew 12, the Pharisees accuse them of violating the Sabbath. Aside from the debate over the Sabbath (which is really the main point of this controversy), Jesus’ actions here link to a number of laws in Deuteronomy about sojourners’ rights. Jesus and his disciples renounced land ownership, and although they didn’t overtly renounce their families, they distanced themselves from them. Moreover, Jesus chose to first share his Kingdom with people who were primarily landless—the poor, the sick, and immigrants—just like God did in Exodus, choosing to form a unique relationship with a group of enslaved immigrants.