12: Law — Torah (OT), Nomos (NT), and Intertestamental Usage

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1. Hebrew Term: Torah — תּוֹרָה

Pronunciation: toh-RAH
Meaning: Law, instruction, teaching; refers primarily to the Pentateuch and God’s revealed will for Israel.

Old Testament Usage:

  • Central to Israel’s covenant life; includes commandments, statutes, and teachings given through Moses.
  • Guides ethical, ceremonial, and civil life.
    Example Verses:
  • Psalm 1:2 — “But his delight is in the law (torah) of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
  • Deuteronomy 6:1 — “Now this is the commandment (torah), the statutes and the rules…”

Intertestamental Usage:

  • Torah continues to be the foundational text for Jewish life and identity.
  • Expounded in commentaries and applied in various sects like the Pharisees and Essenes.
  • The Septuagint translates Torah as nomos.

New Testament Usage:

  • Nomos refers to the Mosaic Law and sometimes to legal principles in general.
  • The NT discusses the law’s role, fulfillment in Christ, and its relation to grace and faith.
    Example Verses:
  • Romans 7:12 — “So the law (nomos) is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
  • Galatians 3:24 — “So that the law (nomos) was our guardian until Christ came…”

Comparative Summary:

  • Torah is the concrete body of God’s law revealed to Israel.
  • Nomos encompasses Torah and broader legal or moral principles.
  • Intertestamental literature mediates the understanding and application of the law leading into the NT theological developments.
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