Canon & Reading Order

† Canon Texts receive commentary in a few places

The law in Deuteronomy 21:18–21 commands parents to bring a stubborn and rebellious son before the elders to be stoned to death by the whole community. That image fractures against the God revealed in and through Jesus by fulfilling the Old Covenant and establishing the New Covenant. He is the One who silenced the storm with a word, who told Peter to sheath his sword in the garden, and who declared from the cross that mercy, not destruction, is the final word of the Father.

These texts are widely understood by scholars (both conservative and critical) as reflecting later theological perspectives from the Deuteronomistic (Or respective) school rather than the historical voice of the subjects. Our official stance is this: God could have said it and none of us would ever deny that. However; did the people inherit laws from the governing bodies over them and local cultures? Yes. There is plenty of evidence of this taking place over the course of Hebrew history but we have yet to see any contradiction of God or Christ in any example. While they may shake your foundations, pray to the Lord Jesus Christ for guidance and He shall illuminate your path.

The † simply invites you to notice the tension. This is placed on a book with even one verse that was marked with a Cross.

This is not to say that God could not or has not used even these 'tainted' passages for good. It would be wrong to assume the impossibility, we simply try to be as Christlike as possible. Jesus Himself even did this in John 3:14-15:

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

Using the passages from Numbers that were familiar to the Jewish people of the time, He painted an effective and powerful image without contradicting His caring nature.