You Tube Theology

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Andy Judd joins Dru Johnson to explore what biblical law really is—and why most modern readers completely misunderstand it. Drawing on both his background in law and his biblical scholarship, Judd explains that the Hebrew Bible’s legal texts don’t operate like modern Western law. There's no courtroom drama, no technical loopholes, and no “gotcha” clauses. Instead, Torah law functions more like cultivated wisdom than codified statute.

Judd and Johnson discuss how genre confusion leads to shallow readings of texts like Leviticus or Deuteronomy. For example, “keep the law” doesn’t mean follow a checklist—it means “tend to it,” like a gardener. This reframe invites readers to see biblical law as formative, communal instruction intended to shape just and wise societies.

They also highlight how the public reading of Torah empowered Israel’s citizens to hold their leaders accountable—creating an egalitarian ethic through shared knowledge. Jesus and Paul, they argue, didn’t discard the law but restored it to its original function as wisdom.

Andy Judd's personal website can be found here:
https://www.andyjudd.com/

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Chapters:
00:00 Biblical Law: A Unique Genre
07:04 The Social Function of Biblical Law
12:50 Wisdom and the Interpretation of Law