418. What is the relationship between the natural law and the Old Law?
(Comp 418) The Old Law is the first
stage of revealed Law. It expresses many truths naturally accessible to reason
and which are thus affirmed and authenticated in the covenant of salvation. Its
moral prescriptions, which are summed up in the Ten Commandments of the
Decalogue, lay the foundations of the human vocation, prohibit what is contrary
to the love of God and neighbor, and prescribe what is essential to it.
“In brief”
(CCC 1980) The Old Law is the first stage of revealed law.
Its moral prescriptions are summed up in the Ten Commandments.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 1961) God, our Creator and Redeemer, chose Israel for
himself to be his people and revealed his Law to them, thus preparing for the
coming of Christ. The Law of Moses expresses many truths naturally accessible
to reason. These are stated and authenticated within the covenant of salvation.
(CCC 62) After the patriarchs, God formed Israel as his people by freeing them
from slavery in Egypt. He established with them the covenant of Mount Sinai
and, through Moses, gave them his law so that they would recognize him and
serve him as the one living and true God, the provident Father and just judge,
and so that they would look for the promised Saviour (Cf. DV 3.). (CCC 1962)
The Old Law is the first stage of revealed Law. Its moral prescriptions are
summed up in the Ten Commandments. The precepts of the Decalogue lay the
foundations for the vocation of man fashioned in the image of God; they
prohibit what is contrary to the love of God and neighbor and prescribe what is
essential to it. The Decalogue is a light offered to the conscience of every
man to make God's call and ways known to him and to protect him against evil:
God wrote on the tables of the Law what men did not read in their hearts (St.
Augustine, En. in Ps. 57, 1: PL 36,
673).
Reflection
(CCC 2058) The "ten words" sum up and proclaim
God's law: "These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the
mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with
a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them upon two tables of stone,
and gave them to me" (Deut 5:22). For this reason these two tables are
called "the Testimony." In fact, they contain the terms of the
covenant concluded between God and his people. These "tables of the
Testimony" were to be deposited in "the ark" (Ex 25:16; 31:18;
32:15; 34:29; 40:1-2). (CCC 2059) The "ten words" are pronounced by
God in the midst of a theophany (“The LORD spoke with you face to face at the
mountain, out of the midst of the fire" Deut 5:4). They belong to God's
revelation of himself and his glory. The gift of the Commandments is the gift
of God himself and his holy will. In making his will known, God reveals himself
to his people.
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