Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ – What Moses read…

Let’s begin this week’s reflections on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ with Moses speaking the ordinances of God to the people in Exodus 24:3-4. What did he tell them? Here’s the lead in:

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ‘All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.’  And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord.

Moses told the people what God told him on Mt. Sinai. It’s four chapters worth – chapters 20 through 23 in Exodus. Here’s what the topics look like. Check it out for yourself.

Key question: WHY did God tell these things to the people through Moses? Answering this question will help us discern the meaning of the covenant in the blood of bulls and such.

Chapter 20-The Ten Commandments 

20 And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage…

The Law concerning the Altar

²¹ And the people stood afar off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. ²² And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. ²³ You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.

Chapter 21-The Law concerning Slaves

21 “Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them. ² When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.

The Law concerning Violence

¹² “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. ¹³ But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee.

Laws concerning Property

²⁸ “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be clear. 

Chapter 22-Laws of Restitution

22 ^[a] “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. ^[b]He shall make restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

Social and Religious Laws

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall give the marriage present for her, and make her his wife. ¹⁷ If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equivalent to the marriage present for virgins.

Chapter 23-Justice for All

23 ⁹ “You shall not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Sabbatical Year and Sabbath

¹⁰ “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; ¹¹ but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild beasts may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

The Annual Festivals

¹⁴ “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. ¹⁵ You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread; as I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib

The Conquest of Canaan Promised

²⁰ “Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. ²¹ Give heed to him and hearken to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; for my name is in him.