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January 21, 2010

LiveBooking! Taking a Look at Torah

Okay, I have finally found my copy of Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus! So now we can resume LiveBooking, and I do apologize for the delay.

Today we're going to take a look at chapter 10, which is titled "Touching the Rabbi's Fringe."

The Purpose of Torah
I enjoyed this chapter a lot because it addresses a question that a lot of Christians wrestle with during their faith journeys—including me. And that question is, "Why are there so many rules and regulations?" If that rankles you as an Evangelical Protestant, please accept my apologies. But there is no denying that the Bible (both the Old and New Testament) is filled with commands, instructions, regulations, and suggestions.

So, why?

According to Spangler and Tverberg, those rules and regulations have always been part of God's plan to teach us and help us move closer to Him. They write:

Perhaps the best way to understand the Torah is to see it as something more than an inflexible set of laws. Similar to an archer aiming an arrow toward a target, the Torah offers guidance for how God wants us to live. God began by leading his people out of Egypt physically. Then he led them away from Egypt morally. The Bible speaks about "the path of righteousness" or "the path of life," bidding us to follow God's "way." And it is no coincidence that the early Christians also spoke of their own faith as "the Way."

In this view, the rules and restrictions found in the Bible serve as boundaries and guidelines along this "path of righteousness." They show us where to go.

I really liked this example from the chapter: "If anything, this 'go slow' approach shows God's patience and grace. If a violent felon who was also an inveterate liar were to become a believer, perhaps God would begin by getting him to stop behaving violently. Weeks or months later he might say, 'Okay, now it's time to work on the lying.' Do we show that same patience with others?"

Your Group
The chapter ends with several good suggestions and principles for how the movement of the Torah still influences Christians today, but I won't do the authors a disservice by listing them all.

What I will do is conclude with a few questions:

1. Does your small group address the reality that the Bible does outline quite a few guidelines and restrictions for those who follow it?


2. As a community of believers trying to follow "the path of righteousness," do your group members feel comfortable being accountable to one another?


3. How should modern Christians approach the commands and restrictions given in the Torah? What can we learn from them?

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posted by Sam O'Neal on January 21, 2010 9:44 AM