James 2:12
Ben Crick
ben.crick at argonet.co.uk
Tue Aug 14 16:37:54 EDT 2001
On Tue 14 Aug 2001 (09:32:59 +1000), gathas at ausisp.com wrote:
> Any thoughts as to what exactly James is referring to in 2:12 by the
> term NOMOU ELEUQERIAS (by which his readers are about to be judged)?
Dear George,
Scripture is its own best interpreter. The phrase occurs first in James 1:25
hO DE PARAKUYAS EIS *NOMON TELEION TON THS ELEUQERIAS*. So this is not the
Mosaic Law which enslaves, but the Law of Christ which sets us free from
bondage to the Mosaic Law. Christ's Law is the perfect Law, the Law of
Liberty; compare:
Romans 8:2 hO GAR NOMOS TOU PNEUMATOS THS ZWHS EN CRISTWi IHSOU
1 Corinthians 9:21 MH WN ANOMOS QEOU ALL' ENNOMOS CRISTOU
Galatians 5:13-14 ... hO GAR PAS NOMOS EN hENI LOGWi PEPLHRWTAI EN TWi
AGAPHSEIS TON PLHSION SOU hWS SEAUTON...
Galatians 6:2 hOUTWS ANAPLHRWSETE TON NOMON TOU CRISTOU.
This dominical Saying is the *second* great commandment, quoted by Christ in
Matthew 19:19 and parallels. Jesus was quoting Leviticus 19:18, of course.
Paul makes clear that no-one can succeed in keeping the Law, and is thereby
condemned (Romans 7:7ff). Jesus has set us free from the power of the Law by
(1) keeping it perfectly himself (fulfilling it, Matthew 5:17); and by (2)
dying its death penalty on our behalf. Christ's life, death, and resurrection
set us free from the Law of Sin and Death, into the perfect Law of Life and
Liberty. Not freedom to break the Law, but freedom from the penalty of the
Law, and freedom to serve God in newness of life.
IMHO this is the Law of Liberty in James 1:25 and 2:12.
ERRWSQE
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
<ben.crick at argonet.co.uk>
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
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