8.3 Why the Law was given on Sinai                                        

 

1. How does Nehemiah describe the giving of the law at Sinai?
Nehemiah 9:13-14
13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
14 And madest known unto them Thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses Thy servant:

 

2. What is declared to be the greatest advantage that the Jews had?
Romans 3:1-2
1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

 

 

3. What did Moses say, before the law was given on Sinai, when Jethro questioned him about his way of judging the people?
Exodus 18:16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws.

 
4. What explanation did Moses give to the leaders of Israel concerning the withholding of manna on the seventh day in the wilderness of Sin, before they reached Sinai?
Exodus 16:23-26
23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a Sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.

 

5. What did the Lord say when some went out on the seventh day to gather manna?
Exodus 16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?

 

6. What question did Paul ask concerning the law?
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

 

7. What answer is given to that question?
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

 

8. How is this same truth further expressed?
Romans 7:12-13
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

 

9. For what purpose did the law come in?
Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

 

10. By what is the knowledge of sins?
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

 

11. Under what condition is the written law good?
1 Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

 

12. And what is indicated as the lawful use of the law?
1 Timothy 1:9-10
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

 

13. Who, says Christ, need a physician?
Matthew 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

 

14. Who, says Christ, did He come to call to repentance?
Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

 

15. What is the strenght of sin?
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

 

16. Could a law, that condemns men, give them life?
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

 

17. What, then, was the purpose, or special aim, of giving the law on Sinai?
Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.