He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him. – Deuteronomy 21:17

Today's Scripture Reading (March 9, 2025): Deuteronomy 21

If the Bible says it once, then we must follow that instruction. It is the answer that I often receive from people who disagree with some of my theology. The idea seems to be that we, as Christians, follow the entire Law of God. My problem is that I am not convinced that that is true. Not only are we very selective in the laws that we follow, but there are laws that prominent people in the Bible ignore, seemingly without penalty from God. Maybe that is why Jesus stresses the Law of love in his teaching. I don't understand the reason for some of these laws, but there is definitely movement within the Bible and its collection of laws. 

One of my favorite examples of this concept of movement is the plight of eunuchs in the Bible. Deuteronomy gives us firm instructions about the treatment of eunuchs. "No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 23:1). The Law is straightforward. If you are a eunuch, you are to be excluded from the community of God, or at the very least, you may not enter the Temple, the center of religious life in Judaism. However, centuries later, Isaiah would temper these instructions. 

            For this is what the LORD says:

                "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

                    who choose what pleases me

                    and hold fast to my covenant—

                to them I will give within my Temple and its walls

                    a memorial and a name

                    better than sons and daughters;

                I will give them an everlasting name

                    that will endure forever (Isaiah 56:4-5).

Okay, eunuchs still can't enter the assembly of God, but there is a memorial for them that is better than children. According to Isaiah, these eunuchs are worthy of honor. It appears to be a significant change from Deuteronomy 23. 

But the Bible isn't finished. The Christian Testament adds to the story of another eunuch. In Acts 8, Philip interacts with an Ethiopian eunuch. And the eunuch has a question. "As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized'" (Acts 8:36). My answer would go back to Deuteronomy 23, but Philip baptizes the eunuch with the approval of God. What is stated clearly in Deuteronomy 23 seems to be forgotten in Acts 8.

Moses gives these instructions when it comes to providing inheritances to children. The instruction is that the oldest child would receive a "double portion." This meant that if you had four kids, you divided your inheritance into five portions, two of which would be given to the oldest and one to each of the other children. The reason was that the oldest would also receive the farm as well as the liabilities and servants that went with it. The oldest received the extra inheritance but also the added responsibilities. But we no longer follow this advice because our world today is very different. My will specifies that my assets will be divided evenly among my children. 

This instruction intends to teach us to treat our children without prejudice. It is good advice. But not only do we sometimes ignore this Law to our own peril, but so did people in the Bible. Two examples come immediately to mind. The first is Joseph, Jacob's favorite son. Joseph received the double portion, not the oldest of Jacob's sons, who would have been Reuben; Joseph was son number 11, the second youngest, and yet he is the one to receive the "double portion." However, in Jacob's defense, while giving the double portion to the eldest child was the custom during Jacob's era, the Law had not yet been given to Moses. But Jacob is not the only one. Another example is King David, who gives the "double portion" to Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, and not Kileab, Adonijah, or another of Solomon's older brothers. 

So, what is the explanation? I am not sure I know, although I believe Jesus gave us a roadmap through these laws. Jesus taught us that we won't have to worry about these various laws if we love him and our neighbor. This is where our effort should be placed. If we are willing to love God and our neighbors, that will be enough.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 22