New Books in Biblical Studies cover image

New Books in Biblical Studies

Michael LeFebvre, "Collections, Codes, and Torah: The Re-characterization of Israel's Written Law" (Bloomsbury, 2019)

Apr 6, 2024
Michael LeFebvre, a scholar focusing on biblical law, challenges the consensus on legislative Torah origins in ancient Israel. The podcast explores the shift from Psalm 1 to ancient Eastern law, evolution from custom to written codes, transition in Torah study from descriptive to prescriptive, and the New Testament's view on 'law'.
01:01:35

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Quick takeaways

  • Challenges prevailing notion that Ezra introduced legislative Torah, proposes an alternative hypothesis.
  • Contrasts descriptive wisdom laws with prescriptive law codes, exploring ancient legislative frameworks.

Deep dives

The Shift in Focus Towards Torah; A New Perspective

Scholars historically depicted Ezra as the figure who introduced legislative uses of Torah, yet this assumption lacked rigorous testing. Michael LeFevre's book challenges the prevalent notion, proposing an alternative hypothesis. His study, contrary to the consensus, questions the transition of Torah from descriptive to prescriptive, pointing to a need for a re-evaluation of ancient Israel's legislative approach. The work posits a fresh perspective on Torah's depiction as legislative within the context of Jewish history.

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