![“ [The Pharisees] drew a distinction between various oaths, saying that some were binding while others were not. If you took an oath by the temple, that was not binding; but if you took an oath by the gold of the temple, that was binding. If you took an oath by the altar you need not keep it; but if you took an oath by the gift that was on the altar then it was absolutely binding.” Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount , I, 266](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/deut-050-slides-110502224433-phpapp02/85/Deut-050-slides-6-320.jpg)
Deut 050-slides
- 1. People Group Status Israelite (family unit) Fully responsible for obedience to Yahweh ’s law out of gratitude for His deliverance from Egypt; full inheritance title to tribal land; receiver of “contract” graces Widow, orphan Lacked inheritance title because of isolation from a family unit, but received some “contract” graces Ger ( “resident alien”) Gentile who voluntarily chose to join Israel and submit to Yahweh ’s rule; lacked inheritance title because not a descendent of the sons of Jacob, but received some “contract“ graces Nokree ( “foreigner”) Gentile who lived temporarily in Israel—probably due to business—and did not receive “contract” blessings
- 2. Interest Rate Component Domestic (Israel) Foreign (pagan nations) risk of default lower due to personal integrity (Ps 37:21) higher due to lack of integrity forfeiture of present use of money optimistic about the future (God ’s linear progress) pessimistic about the future (pagan cyclic view of history) inflation premium inflation forbidden by 8 th and 9 th commandments ( Lev 19:35-36; Isa 1:22) inflation ubiquitous in ancient pagan world (coin clipping, mixing base metals with silver and gold)
- 3. “ After a man speaks, his subsequent actions are supposed to confirm his words, for God ’ s actions invariably confirm His words. A man’s actions are to testify to the reliability of his words. The more reliably he speaks, the greater his productivity because of his greater value to others. Other men can make plans confidently in terms of his words. Greater predictability makes cooperation less expensive. . . Where the price of something drops, more of it will be demanded. . . .Contracts lower the costs of cooperation, thereby increasing the amount of cooperation demanded.” G. North, Deuteronomy
- 4. “ The social division of labor increases as a result of the predictability of men’s words. . . .Increased social cooperation increases the division of labor and therefore increases men’s individual productivity and income. . . .Individual output per unit of input increases. Men grow wealthier. Greater wealth makes the tools of dominion more affordable.” G. North, Deuteronomy
- 5. God ’s Design of Society LIFE (protected) LIFE (jeopardized) MARRIAGE & FAMILY (strong & functioning) MARRIAGE & FAMILY (weak & dysfunctional) LABOR & PROPERTY (respected & productive) LABOR & PROPERTY (demeaned & wasted) INTEGRITY of COMMUNICATION (consistently states truth ) INTEGRITY of COMMUNICATION (deceitfully professes truth for agendas) HEART ALLEGIANCE (to God) HEART ALLEGIANCE (to self)
- 6. “ [The Pharisees] drew a distinction between various oaths, saying that some were binding while others were not. If you took an oath by the temple, that was not binding; but if you took an oath by the gold of the temple, that was binding. If you took an oath by the altar you need not keep it; but if you took an oath by the gift that was on the altar then it was absolutely binding.” Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount , I, 266