This illuminating episode of Genesis Marks the Spot dives deep into the nature of biblical law—just in time for the Fourth of July. What is law, really? Is the Torah a legislative code or a curated teaching tool for ethical formation? Drawing from Michael LeFebvre’s scholarly work Collections, Codes, and Torah, Carey unpacks how law functioned in the ancient world and how it evolved into what many of us assume today.

From ancient Near Eastern ox-goring laws to the reforms of Josiah and the philosophical pressures of Hellenistic thought, walk through a legal labyrinth to uncover a surprising alignment between Torah and Jesus’ teachings. Was the Torah meant to be prescriptive legislation—or something more dynamic?

This episode sets the stage for an upcoming conversation on J. Harvey Walton’s thesis and what it means to read Genesis 2–3 without modern legal baggage. Spoiler alert: It may change the way you think about sin, covenant, and civilization itself.

Website: [genesismarksthespot.com](http://genesismarksthespot.com/)

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GenesisMarkstheSpot

Music credit: "Marble Machine" by Wintergatan
Link to Wintergatan’s website: https://wintergatan.net/
Link to the original Marble Machine video by Wintergatan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q&ab_channel=Wintergatan

00:00:00 Introduction & July 4th Serendipity
00:01:34 Michael LeFebvre’s Work & Relevance
00:03:26 Ancient Law in Practice
00:06:40 The Wisdom Escape Clause?
00:09:05 Defining Law: Code vs. Collection
00:11:09 Torah: Code or Collection?
00:14:25 Literary, Royal, and Judicial Purposes of Law Writings
00:17:04 Aristotle on ANE Law
00:18:37 Athenian Influence on Law as Legislation
00:22:20 Law in Ancient Israel
00:25:12 Oracles, Customs, and Mosaic Delegation
00:28:14 Josiah and the Deuteronomic Shift?
00:34:55 Law, Covenant, and Ethical Formation
00:35:58 Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Persian Era
00:38:09 Hellenistic Era and Greek Influence
00:44:46 Civilization, Law, and Identity
00:49:03 Qumran Community and Prescriptive Rule
00:50:32 Jesus, Torah, and the Return of the King
00:54:36 Final Reflections & Looking Ahead
00:58:14 Community Vision & Outro