Review - Old Testament Ethics for the People of God

Christopher J.H. Wright’s Old Testament Ethics for the People of God is a comprehensive work on Israel's ethical life and its implications for contemporary believers (the people of God). Drawing on his earlier works, Living as the People of God and A Structure for Old Testament Ethics, Wright argues that to properly examine the nature of Old Testament (OT) ethics, we must take into consideration the three pillars of Israel’s worldview. These three pillars lead one toward the primary guiding paradigm of their theology and ethics, which includes: The Lord, as their God (theological angle), Israel, themselves, as an elect people in unique relation with Him (social angle), and the land, being that Israel was promised a future home given from God (economic angle). Wright’s three major focal points then act as an interpretive bridge for how we, contemporary believers, address Israel’s ethical commitments for today.

  In Part 1, Wright offers an in-depth review of his hermeneutical paradigm, explaining each of the angles with the first chapters. In Part 2, Wright then turns to various dimensions of Israel’s ethics and areas of application, including process and distribution of justice, ecological ethics, and nature of Israel’s covenant and mission in the world. In Part 3, the work closes a survey of historical approaches, contemporary approaches, and then a review of the role of hermeneutics and authority in the Old Testament. Throughout the work, Wright explores and details the role of various ethical commands and their implications for Israel. Being that this is overall an excellent work, there is plenty of positive contributions that one could lend to Wright's work. I will highlight a few significant aspects.

Wright's work on Israel's relationship, as a covenant community, and the individual is extensive and thorough. In chapter 2, Wright guides his readers toward an understanding that OT ethics begins with the collective whole of Israelite society, rather than the individual. While westerners may prioritize the individual, assuming we ought to be this type of person, the Lord’s concern is cultivating a specific kind of covenant community. Given God’s desire for Israel to be a holy people, a redeemed community, that model’s new humanity, OT social and individual ethics are both ground in the covenant and understood as one and the same. Hence, while God administers ethical instructions to the whole of the community, it rests on particular individuals to exercise and pursue holy living that upholds and honors their covenant with YHWH. Thus, as people created in God’s image, God holds each individual accountable for their actions, as noted with each covenants’ primary demand being a singular ‘you’.

Another standout component in the work is Wright’s approach to OT ethics and his insistence that one cannot utilize Israel in broader scope to form ethical conclusions. Wright forms such an approach because we must first ask, during what time frame and form of Israel did God ask a certain thing of them? In other words, the context of when God was speaking to Israel is crucial, whether that be their time in the desert, emerging as a kingdom, or as a divided kingdom. Wright is wise to explicitly address such a topic, as some may assume this while others are not aware of their own tendencies to do so.

Overall, Wright’s Old Testament Ethics for the People of God is a comprehensive look into OT ethics and its place within Israel's covenant community. While there is inevitably greater attention placed on the context and usage of law within Israel, the application element for contemporary believers is still generous in portion. Sure there are some elements of critique, especially in that there are a few notable topics such as capital punishment that is not addressed for contemporary application. Nevertheless, for what Wright does cover, he does so exceptionally.