This is the law of jealousy. (Numbers 5 : 29 , 30 )
This is the law of the Nazirite. (Numbers 6 : 13 , 21 )
This is the law of cleansing. (Numbers 19 : 14 )
This is the law of the red heifer. (Numbers 19 : 2 )
[This is] the law for a king. (Deuteronomy 17 : 15 – 19 )
In fact, the entire five books of Moses are called “the Law” (Deuteron-
omy 31 : 9 , 11 , 12 , 26 ). They are called this in the New Testament as well
(Luke 2 : 22 ; 24 : 44 ; John 1 : 45 ; 7 : 22 , 23 ; 8 : 5 ; and elsewhere).
When Paul says, “We are justified by faith apart from the works of
the Law” (Romans 3 : 28 ), by “the works of the Law” he means the rules
just mentioned. This is clear from the words that follow this passage in
Romans, as well as from Paul’s words to Peter chiding him for making
others follow Jewish religious practices. In the latter context, Paul says
three times in one verse, “No one is justified by the works of the Law”
(Galatians 2 : 14 , 16 ).
In the broadest sense, “the law” means the entire Word.This is clear from
the following passages: “Jesus said, ‘Is it not written in your law,“You are
gods”?’” (John 10 : 34 , referring to something written in Psalms 82 : 6 ). “The
crowd answered, ‘We have heard from the lawthat Christ remains forever’”
(John 12 : 34 , referring to something written in Psalms 89 : 29 ; 110 : 4 ; and
Daniel 7 : 14 ). “This was to fulfill the Word that was written in their law,
‘They hated me for no reason’” (John 15 : 25 , referring to something written
in Psalms 35 : 19 ). “The Pharisees said, ‘Do any of the rulers believe in him?
But the crowd does, who do not know the law’”(John 7 : 48 , 49 ). “It is eas-
ier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the tip of one letter of the law
to fall” (Luke 16 : 17 ). In these passages, “the law” means the entire Sacred
Scripture. There are a thousand passages like this in [the Psalms of ] David.289 In their spiritual and heavenly meanings, the Ten Commandments
contain absolutely all the instructions to be taught and lived—all aspects of
faith and goodwill. This is because each and every thing on both a large
and a small scale in the Word’s literal meaning conceals two inner mean-
ings. One inner meaning is called spiritual, and the other, heavenly. Divine
truth exists in its own light and divine goodness exists in its own warmth
within these meanings. Because the Word has these characteristics as a
whole and in each of its parts, the Ten Commandments need to be
explained in all three meanings, called the earthly meaning, the spiritual