Isn't this from the Hebrew Bible?

Question

"...This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people."

The reference is Heb 8:10. What does this mean to Christians: "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts." Wasn't it Paul who declared the law 'fulfilled'"?
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There are several Covenants with the people, Israel. The first was with Abraham, then a "new" one with Jacob, and another "new" one at Sinai. Does that mean the "old" ones are no longer valid? It certainly looks to me like the 613 commandments are an eternal contract between God and His people. What a surprise to see the Law still applies in the "new" testament!
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Answer 1

Nope- that is from the New Testament which means that it is missing from the original Tanach (what you would call the Old Testament). Thus it would have been written in Greek and was never part of the original Tanach or hebrew bible.

As for the previous covenants, each ADDED to the previous ones, building on what came before, none of them abrogated anything that had come before them- similarly, in the future when Mashiach comes, any changes will be to enhance spirituality by clarifying what came before, the full law will be observed and in effect, nothing will be abrogated or replaced.

Answer 2

I think its the law as in the commandments and its from
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Hebrews 8:12 Jer. 31:31-34
Jeremiah 31:31-34


31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to [a] them, [b] "
declares the LORD.

33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.

34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."

Answer 3

I know plenty of Christians will say that the law being "fulfilled" means that it was essentially "done away with". But that doesn't jive with Jesus' teachings: "I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it."

Jesus never contradicted the Torah, but always sought to make it a matter of introspection rather than about external behaviors. For example, the commandment says, "Thou shalt not kill", but Jesus asks if you're still harboring hatred and animosity in your heart. If you are, you're not "fulfilling" the intent of the law, but only observing the letter of the law. The Law is fulfilled in the commandments to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart..." and to "Love your neighbor as yourself." To say the laws are written in our hearts and minds is to realize that, if we are Loving God and others, then the behaviors that are contained in the Law, the spirit of the Law, will come naturally. I don't see how any of that negates or supersedes the Torah.

Peace to you.

Answer 4

This is a very involved theological question. And depending on what your background is depends on how you will interpret this passage.

The passage you are speaking of is Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Now, depending on a couple factors you will interpret this differently. If you are Jewish, you will have a different meaning to this text, however, being Christian I will do my best to present the common Christian meaning of this passage and how it is understood by the Author of Hebrews (who may or may not be Paul).

Jeremiah is the prophet to Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah in the time of the Babylonian Exile. Jeremiah's message here is to the people of Israel. Jeremiah tells the people that they will be going off into exile, and that they are to remain true to God. Now, if you turn to Jeremiah 31 in a bible there are a few key things to point out here.

New Covenant-
Obviously for there to be a NEW covenant, there must have been an Old covenant. The old covenant is the Mosaic Covenant. The Covenant of the Mosaic Law that God made with Israel at Mt. Sinai. In that covenant God wrote the Law on tablets of Stone. However, God says, in the New Covenant God will write the Law on the hearts of men. Writing it on stone did not give the people the ability to fulfill it. But writing it on their hearts through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, gives them the ability to fulfill it through the Holy Spirit, though not perfectly.

In Christian Theology we understand that Christ is the fulfillment of the Law, and is our perfect example. Through His perfect life He shows the perfection of the Law. When someone accepts Christ as their Savior they are given the Holy Spirit as a seal of redemption. This writes the Law upon their heart and the Holy Spirit gives them the ability to fulfill it. Paul himself stated that the Law was 'fulfilled' through Christ. Fulfillment of the Law was never possible except by the one who wrote the Law.

Answer 5

You are correct, and I suspect many Christians would be surprised to see that the 613 commandments still apply in the New Testament as well.

Answer 6

? Is Pey, also referred to as Fey while the dagesh mark is within the center. Pey is the Hebrew phrase for mouth. It additionally manner 'vocalization', 'speech' or 'breath'. So it is certainly an area or situation to respire ;-)

Answer 7

Paul reflected the will of God. Jesus fulfilled all the Law. The New Covenant is for the Children of God, not for the world. Every Child of God knows what this means.

Answer 8

Yes it has always been clear to those who God allows to see at this time, that the laws of God are here to stay. When Jesus returns to this earth then God will put His laws in the hearts and minds of all people.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Answer 9

Yes, that's from the Hebrew Bible. Of course, Christians do not agree on whether or not they are still bound by those rules. Some of them are pretty much ignored; I don't know any Christians who keep Kosher, for example.

Answer 10

No, it was Jesus who fulfilled the law. When Paul was speaking on Christ's behalf, he meant that the Spirit of Christ will be filled within anyone who believed Christ and accepted Him into their life, the Spirit, or Counselor's job was to remind them of the law of God mentally and spiritually -like brand it into their hearts to inspire them to obey and follow the Lord. Paul declared the law fulfilled through Christ.