Texts in Conversation
Leviticus 18 connects obeying the Torah with life, likely meaning long and healthy days living in the land. The Aramaic translation in Targum Onkelos expands this by interpreting the reward as eternal life.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Leviticus 18:5
Hebrew Bible
3 You must not do as they do in the land of Egypt where you have been living, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan into which I am about to bring you; you must not walk in their statutes. 4 You must observe my regulations, and you must be sure to walk in my statutes. I am the Lord your God. 5 So you must keep my statutes and my regulations; anyone who does so will live by keeping them. I am the Lord. 6 “‘No man is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations with her. I am the Lord. 7 You must not expose your father’s nakedness by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.
Date: 750–400 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
Onkelos Leviticus 18:5
Targum
3 You shall not act like the people of the land of Egypt, where you lived, or follow the practices of the people of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you; neither shall you follow their laws. 4 You shall carry out My judgments and observe My statutes by following them; I am the Lord your God. 5 And you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man who does them shall live an everlasting life. I am the Lord. 6 No man shall approach any close relative to uncover the nakedness; I am the Lord. 7 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father or your mother. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness.
Date: 50–500 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Leviticus 18 concerns long life and prosperity in the promised land, as a reward for obeying the laws of the covenant. Jesus’ understanding of Leviticus 18:5 reflects targumic exegesis. According to Onqelos: ‘You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, by doing which a person shall live through them in eternal life; I am the LORD.’ According to Pseudo-Jonathan: ‘You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, by doing which a person shall live in eternal life, and his portion shall be with the righteous; I am the LORD’ ..."
Craig A. Evans, ed., Encyclopedia of the Historical Jesus (New York: Routledge, 2008), 619.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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