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Scripture Topic Guide

Bible Verses About The Pentateuch And The Law

Early Christians taught that the Pentateuch was Moses’ law, given by God and written down for Israel. Irenaeus, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Origen, Justin, Clement, Theophilus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all treat the five books of Moses as Scripture and often call them the law or the book of Moses. They also read the law as pointing to Christ and the gospel, not as a separate rival to them.

The evidence is broad and early, though some witnesses use the Pentateuch mainly in polemical or allegorical ways, so a few details are indirect. Overall, the early Christian view is that the Pentateuch is holy, authoritative, and fulfilled in Christ.

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Key Passages

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How to Study The Pentateuch And The Law

A tighter path from the primary text into context and application.

Start with the clearest command or anchor text Read the primary passage in context before building doctrine from supporting references.
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Scripture Map

Grouped passages make the topic easier to scan, compare, and teach.

31 references

Foundation Texts

And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

God gives the tablets, law, and commandments to Moses

And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.

Direct passage that Moses wrote this law

Supporting Passages

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Greatest commandments summarize law and prophets

For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

Moses writes about righteousness based on the law

And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.

Mentions the covenant and Ten Commandments written on stone

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Law and prophets prophesied until John

Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

Commands remembrance of the law of Moses

And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:

States this is the law Moses set before Israel

These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

Calls the statutes and laws God's covenant through Moses

And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.

Moses and the elders command obedience to the commandments

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Direct Bible passage showing the law of Moses points to Christ.

And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Says Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Direct Bible passage about Christ fulfilling the Law and Prophets.

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt.

Names the testimonies and statutes spoken by Moses

And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,

Says Moses began to explain this law

For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

Direct Bible passage used by early writers on Moses and Christ.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Law cannot be contrary to God's promises

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Law reveals sin rather than being sin itself

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Law as tutor to bring us to Christ

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Law kept until faith came

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

Law is good when used lawfully

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.