The Usage of the Decalogue by Paul the Apostle in His Epistles

Posting my essay for my final year research project on my blog was not something that I had minded to do. However, after encouragements from my professor to submit my essay for publication in my school’s law journal, I have decided to do so through the medium of my blog instead, probably much to the disappointment of my professor. There are a few reasons for doing so: apart from me being lazy to work on my essay again in the midst of my Bar course, one reason being the perceived ‘liberty’ for me to express myself without further recourse to academic language in having to amend what I had sought to express (whether rightly or not). At heart of my essay is something intrinsically related to my understanding of the Christian faith: the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to live a Christ-like life. The approach of the essay probably stemmed from this passage in Romans 8:1-4: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Having had to express what is so deeply devotional and personal to me in academic language during my time of writing was exceptionally challenging – in some sense an unnecessary baggage to me. By no means am I trying to diminish the value and vast effort of academics and theologians in their research of Biblical law, and in this context, on Paul’s epistles; on the contrary, I have been greatly enlightened and enriched by their writings, and I stand indebted to their works. However, if what I am writing is fundamentally devotionally-related, whereby my chief purpose concerns the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives to enable us to walk in the dictates and nature of God’s laws in our everyday life, then it is my view that any further addition or amendments to it should shy away from an academic orientation. Besides, publishing something on the blog probably makes it more accessible to the world at large than a law journal.

My initial motivation for writing on Paul’s use of the Decalogue stems from the influence of his epistles (or what are classified as his epistles in the Bible) in my life. As a teenager stepping out of a childhood straddled with suicidal tendencies and struggling with esteem and self-pity issues at that time (all these while as a Christian), it was through Paul’s epistles that God reached out to me, opening my eyes to see a purpose in my life. Thus, Paul’s writings have a huge influence in shaping my perspectives towards my Christian faith and life as a whole. Given the aforesaid, I seized the opportunity to write about Paul’s usage of the Decalogue in his epistles. Apart from my affinity for Paul’s writings, I also chose the question for the following reason. The Ten Commandments were something given to the Israelites (notwithstanding its seemingly universal application) and thus occupy a unique position in the Israelite’s culture and tradition, particularly as God’s chosen people; this, however, did not prevent Paul from using the Ten Commandments in his epistles written to the Gentiles (both explicitly and implicitly). This is intriguing because Paul has called himself a “Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless”.  Given his background from the “straitest sect” of the Pharisee, and upbringing in the law at the feet of Gamaliel, I wanted to explore and write about his use of the Ten Commandments to the Gentile audience despite his identification with the Jewish culture and heritage.

Abstract of the essay: This essay seeks to examine Paul’s usage of the Decalogue in his epistles. It does so by starting with the explicit references to the Decalogue in Romans, and subsequently working towards implicit references in passages bearing resemblance in Galatians and 1 & 2 Corinthians. Paul’s usage and understanding of the Decalogue reflect both the influence of Hellenistic-Judaism and his interpretation of the history of Israel. Furthermore, its usage is also located within Paul’s thoughts on the relationships between the Law and the Spirit, the flesh and the Spirit; and the fulfilment of the Law. Using the Decalogue, Paul paints the plight of the inability to fulfil the Law due to the weakness of the flesh, and offers the solution of fulfilling the righteousness of the Law through the Spirit in Christ.

If I have failed to put you off reading it with the mass of words above, I hope you will find the essay of some use. The essay can be accessed via this link: “The Usage of the Decalogue by Paul the Apostle in His Epistles”. However, you ought to bear in mind the following criticism by my examiners: “the project loses its way a little and its second half does not quite draw full conclusions on the differences between different passages and contexts.”

Light itself was your first love

During the winter of 2011, I told I friend that I liked the cold. Having studied at Scotland previously and working at Northern Ireland then, she said I was crazy. She's right. During the most recent winter, I couldn't wait for Spring to come. As much as snow is beautiful, I was hoping that it wouldn't snow at all. I just wanted winter to pass by as soon as possible. I had enough of having to stay under my duvet because my room is too cold for comfort, or to attempt writing my coursework whilst dressed in 4-5 layers, along with gloves and hat in my room. So much for liking the cold. The closure of the school libraries, signalling the end of my source of reliable heating and wifi, had the following effect (taken from #SeniorThesisProblems): 

As of now, I find myself sitting comfortably in a temperature I had previously sought to escape from. Although the humidity and heat in Singapore is not the most comfortable, I would rather live in it it than the cold damp subzero weather of UK during winter. It did cross my mind a few times: how did I ever like the cold? I suppose it was the sense of excitement, curiosity and amazement to a new environment back then. What more, I couldn't wait to get away from Singapore back then - even contemplated on not coming back during the summer of 2012. There was a keen sense of exploration within me back then and I enjoyed, even feasted on, what the new environment in the UK offered. Many new experiences, even if simple, was fascinating: the sky turning dark at 4pm during winter, the birth of life in Spring, the blossoms, the bluebells etc. I recall sitting by the window in my hall for an hour, waiting for the moon to rise above the nearby hill so that I can capture it as it rose near Cabot tower. Taking walks and photographs of my surroundings were frequent occurrences. 

However, with the passage of time,  I gradually settled into my new environment and started losing that sense of curiosity. Even before breathtaking landscape, I seemed to have lost that sense of wonder and amazement. I felt that this was quite telling from the photos that I took - they lacked a feel to it. Almost bland and shallow - soul-ess photos. Due to various reasons, my Fuji S5 Pro left my hands soon after the start of my third year. I was without a camera for half a year. It was a good thing I suppose - I started learning to appreciate things (in general), to feel the essence of certain things; blue skies and sunsets started becoming more than photography opportunities once more (of which I have somewhat lost my connection with it as well). 

Like how I pondered and mused about why I should be writing, it was extended to the taking of photos as well despite my getting of a new camera a few months back. A few nights ago, I wandered out to a seaside near my place. It has been my place of escape ever since I came back and I wanted to try taking some photos of the night scene. There was no explanation for the feeling of wanting to take the photos; it was just that sort of feeling that compels you to do something: like how I will try to play Bach's violin sonatas and partitas at times though I never fail to butcher. Anyhow, the photos turned out to be a surprise and I was somewhat inspired to take photos once more (strange as it sounds). I thought the photo (un-brilliant as it might be) captured the confluence of the various, if not slightly contradicting feelings contained within me.

 

Perhaps, this may be a small stepping stone towards acquiring a curious and creative mind once more. As what C.S. Lewis' wrote in The Great Divorce:

"No. You're forgetting," said the Spirit. "That was not how you began. Light itself was your first love: you loved paint only as a means of telling about light."