Various ordinances regarding sorcery, thievery, paying of wages, pledges, surety, personal injury. There were numerous injunctions covering these several areas. Perhaps the best known is the "eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth."

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (Exodus 21:23-25)

Jesus commented on this ordinance:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. (Matthew 5:38-41)

Again, the Lord Jesus seemed to distance Himself from the Law that originally came from Him. It is evident that we have here a change in the Law. Therefore, we can state that the personal injury section of the Torah was fulfilled in Christ and does not carry over into the new covenant.

The preceding elements of the Law of Moses have been replaced by the new covenant. They have been fulfilled in Christ who kept them all perfectly and then died on behalf of others, the guiltless on behalf of the guilty. Because He kept His own law He is able to redeem the guilty by dying in their place.

Therefore we are not under these statutes any longer. In Christ they have been fulfilled and terminated, having accomplished their purpose, which was to govern and guard Israel and finally bring Israel to the Deliverer, the Seed promised to Abraham.

The remaining aspects of the Law cannot be dismissed as readily. Their relationship to the new covenant requires more explanation:

Circumcision.

The Sabbath day.

Moral purity.

Righteous behavior.

Worship and holiness.

Elements of the Law That Are Covenants With the Elect and Have Been Expanded

Circumcision. Circumcision dates back to the covenant made with Abraham. It is a symbol of the special relationship God has with His elect, His Israel, His Church.

This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. (Genesis 17:10)

From the beginning, God made it known that the circumcision He desires is the circumcision of the heart. This concept is found in the Torah.

And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: (Leviticus 26:41)

"Their uncircumcised hearts."

And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. (Deuteronomy 30:6)

Even in the Torah, true circumcision was to love God with all of one's heart.

Circumcision was used in general application to mean righteous holy, and acceptable to the Lord and suitable for use by His people.

And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. (Leviticus 19:23)

For the first three years the fruit of the trees was regarded as "uncircumcised," that is, not suitable for the use of God's people.

Circumcision is a basic aspect of Judaism.

To be continued.