This illuminating episode of Genesis Marks the Spot dives deep into the nature of biblical law—just in time for the Fourth of July. What is law, really? Is the Torah a legislative code or a curated teaching tool for ethical formation? Drawing from Michael LeFebvre’s scholarly work Collections, Codes, and Torah, Carey unpacks how law functioned in the ancient world and how it evolved into what many of us assume today.

From ancient Near Eastern ox-goring laws to the reforms of Josiah and the philosophical pressures of Hellenistic thought, walk through a legal labyrinth to uncover a surprising alignment between Torah and Jesus’ teachings. Was the Torah meant to be prescriptive legislation—or something more dynamic?

This episode sets the stage for an upcoming conversation on J. Harvey Walton’s thesis and what it means to read Genesis 2–3 without modern legal baggage. Spoiler alert: It may change the way you think about sin, covenant, and civilization itself.

Website: genesismarksthespot.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot

Music credit: "Marble Machine" by Wintergatan
Link to Wintergatan’s website: https://wintergatan.net/
Link to the original Marble Machine video by Wintergatan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q&ab_channel=Wintergatan

Torah on Trial: Rethinking Law in Ancient Israel - Episode 134