Exodus 21:1-36 Case Laws about Slavery, Offenses and Restitution
Background:
The Israelites were slaves for 400 years (Gen 15:13). God liberated the Israelites by His mighty signs and wonders in Egypt (Exo 2:23; 6:6; 13:3, 14; Jos 24:17).
Exodus chapters 21 to 23 are case laws.
“Case law” refers to law that comes from decisions made by judges in previous cases. Case law, also known as “common law,” and “case precedent,” provides a common contextual background for certain legal concepts, and how they are applied in certain types of case.
6 Guiding principles for Understanding Case Laws of Exodus
The law can give direction (Ps 119:105), but it cannot produce obedience or righteousness (Gal 3:11). Any attempt to turn bad people into good people through the coercion of law will fail.
Jesus affirms the death penalty for those who “revile father or mother” (Ex 21:17, Matt 15:4, Mark 7:10). And Paul quotes the case law from Ex 22:28 as normative Christian behavior in Acts 23:5.
Figure out which of the Ten Commandments is being applied, and figure out how it is being applied. This will give you wisdom to learn how to apply them in our context. For example, without the case laws, how would you know what counts as murder (manslaughter, etc.), and what doesn’t (just warfare, civil sentence, etc.)? How would you know what to do with an apprehended thief? What does it really mean to take God’s name in vain?
This means they may have limited application in their canonized form. God has since revealed more about himself, so we may apply the principles of sabbath or tithing or restitution a little differently.
God’s great mercy and justice are revealed for slaves and slave owners. He liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
All the Law and the Prophets are about Jesus (Luke 24:27). When considering double restitution of what was stolen, we’re amazed at Jesus who gave everything for those who stole from him. When contemplating the freeing of slaves in their 7th year, we’re humbled by Jesus, who took on the form of a bondservant to become a priest forever. When we’re told not to exact interest from the disadvantaged, we can’t help but see Jesus, who became poor so we, through his poverty, could become rich. When we read about the Feasts of Unleavened Bread, Harvest, and Ingathering, we’re reminded that in Jesus we have a continual feast.(ref: 6 Principles for Understanding the Case Laws of Exodus (knowableword.com)
A. Case Laws about Slaves (vs 1-11)
Rights of male Hebrew slaves (vs 1-6)
Rights of female Hebrew slaves (vs 7-11)
B. Case Laws about Offense against fellow men and Parents (vs 12-32)
C. Case Laws about Restitution (vs 33-36)
Reflections
