A Christo-Centric Study of the Torah

 

A Christo-Centric Study of the Torah in a Hebraic Mindset

(Understanding the Torah through the Lens of Christ and the Hebraic Thought)

I. Introduction: The Torah as the Foundation of God’s Revelation

1. Definition of Torah – The Torah (תּוֹרָה) means "instruction," "law," or "teaching." It consists of the first five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
   • Psalm 119:105 – "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
2. The Hebraic Mindset of the Torah – Unlike the Greek mindset, which focuses on abstract philosophy, the Hebraic perspective sees Torah as a way of life, rooted in covenantal relationship with God.
   • Deuteronomy 6:4-5 – "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
3. The Torah as the Revelation of the Living Word
   • John 1:1, 14 – "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..."

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II. Christ as the Fulfillment of the Torah

1. Christ and the Torah – Jesus did not abolish the Torah but fulfilled it by embodying its righteous demands and revealing its true intent.
   • Matthew 5:17 – "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
2. The Torah Points to Christ – The Torah is a shadow of the reality that is fulfilled in Christ.
   • Colossians 2:16-17 – "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."
3. Moses as a Type of Christ – Moses, the lawgiver, was a foreshadowing of the Messiah.
   • Deuteronomy 18:15 – "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;"
   • Acts 3:22 – "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me..."

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III. The Themes of the Torah and Their Christological Fulfillment

1. Creation and the New Creation in Christ (Genesis 1-2)

   • John 1:3 – "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
   • 2 Corinthians 5:17 – "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

2. The Fall and Redemption in Christ (Genesis 3)

   • Genesis 3:15 – The first Messianic prophecy of Christ crushing the serpent.
   • Romans 5:19 – "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

3. The Covenant with Abraham and Its Fulfillment in Christ (Genesis 12, 15, 22)

   • Genesis 22:18 – "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed..."
   • Galatians 3:16 – "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made... which is Christ."

4. The Exodus and Christ as the True Deliverer (Exodus 12, 14)

   • Exodus 12:13 – The blood of the Passover lamb as a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice.
   • 1 Corinthians 5:7 – "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us."
   • John 8:36 – "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

5. The Giving of the Law and Christ as the Lawgiver (Exodus 19-20)

   • Jeremiah 31:31-33 – The New Covenant foretold, where the Law is written in hearts.
   • Matthew 22:37-40 – Jesus summarizes the Law in love for God and neighbor.

6. The Tabernacle and Christ as the Presence of God (Exodus 25-40)

   • Exodus 25:8 – "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."
   • John 1:14 – "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..."
   • Hebrews 9:11-12 – Christ as the true High Priest and the heavenly tabernacle.

7. The Sacrificial System and Christ as the Ultimate Sacrifice (Leviticus 16-17)

   • Leviticus 17:11 – "For the life of the flesh is in the blood..."
   • Hebrews 10:10 – "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

8. The Wilderness Journey and Christ as the Bread and Water of Life (Numbers 21, Deuteronomy 8)

   • John 6:35 – "I am the bread of life..."
   • 1 Corinthians 10:4 – "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

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IV. The Torah’s Continuing Relevance in Christ

1. The Torah and Grace – Understanding the Law in Light of the Gospel
   • Romans 3:31 – "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
2. The Torah as a Guide for Righteous Living in Christ
   • Matthew 22:37-40 – Love fulfills the Law.
   • Romans 8:4 – "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
3. The Torah and the Spirit-Led Life
   • Ezekiel 36:26-27 – "A new heart also will I give you... and cause you to walk in my statutes."
   • Galatians 5:22-23 – The fruit of the Spirit fulfills the Torah’s intent.

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V. Conclusion: The Torah as a Roadmap to Christ

1. The Torah Reveals God’s Character – It teaches holiness, justice, and mercy, which Christ fully embodied.
   • Micah 6:8 – "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
2. The Torah Leads Us to Christ – The Law serves as a tutor that brings us to faith in Jesus.
   • Galatians 3:24 – "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
3. Christ is the True Living Torah – He embodies the fullness of God’s instruction and calls us to live in Him.
   • John 14:6 – "I am the way, the truth, and the life..."

By studying the Torah through a Hebraic lens, we gain a deeper appreciation of Christ as the fulfillment of God’s divine revelation. The Torah is not abolished but finds its completion in Jesus, who enables us to live in the fullness of God’s covenant.