You Shall Not Eat Any Flesh Torn to Pieces

 “The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible.  The analogy of Scripture or comparing Scripture to Scripture is a most essential tool in the process.” (Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage, Marvin R. Wilson, 2014 Edition, page 30)

   

The more I read the Bible, the more I find myself saying, “I’ve read that exact wording somewhere else and I know how the phrase was used.”  In this way, the Bible helps to clarify what the Bible says.  As an example, I had previously read Parashat Mishpatim (Judgements) at least five times before 2/6/16.  Yet, it was not until this year that I connected two passages in Exodus to stories in the Gospel accounts. 

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“If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.” (Ex 22:1)

The Torah establishes the required payment for the restitution of stolen animals, five oxen for one ox and four sheep of one sheep.  (The number possibly relates to the offspring that the stolen animal could have produced.)  

When the chief tax collector Zaccheus stood in the presence of Jesus, he promised, “Behold, Lord, half my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much,” (Luke 19:8).  Most read this passage only concluding that Zaccheus was a generous man.  What the reader fails to recognize is that Zaccheus was knowledgeable of the Torah, and willing to protect the people he encountered as the sheep of Israel.

The words of Jesus then became a continuation of the subject originated by Zaccheus, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost,” (Luke 19:10).  The phrase “seek and save…lost” is a quotation from the Hebrew text with the Almighty referring to the sheep of Israel, “‘I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest’, declares the LORD God. ‘I will seek the lost…,’” (Ezek 34:15-16).  In quoting these words, Jesus declared Himself to be the LORD God, the seeker and protector of the flock.  We have Zaccheus to thank for starting the conversation.

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“You shall be holy men to Me, therefore you shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.” (Ex 22:31)

There are only a few passages where the phrase “the dogs” is used in the New Testament.  One place is found in the story of Jesus’ encounter with a Gentile woman whose daughter was ill.

“Have mercy on me Lord, Son of David, my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.  But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, ‘Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.’

²⁴ But He answered and said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ ²⁵ But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’ ²⁶ And He answered and said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’

²⁷ But she said, ‘Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ ²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed at once.” (Matt 15:22-27)

The response of the women was not simply invoking Jesus’ compassion, but the woman was actually engaging Jesus in a Torah discussion.  “Remember Lord how the Torah says that the dogs have a right to eat any ‘flesh torn to pieces’.  All I am asking for are the pieces, the ‘crumbs that fall’ from the tearing at the master’s table.”  Jesus acknowledges and rewards the woman’s understanding and application of Torah saying, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.”  God honors knowing, speaking, quoting, and living Torah.

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One last passage and I will leave the reader to find a parallel in the Greek text.

“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.” (Ex 23:20)

Christians look for passages where Jesus declared Himself to be God.  The New Testament is overflowing with such passages, you just need to make the connections.

All the best,

Scott