Commentaries on the Laws of the Ancient Hebrews

About the Title: How many times have you heard, “Well, that’s in the Old Testament”? Or, “‘We’re not under law; we’re under grace,’ so we don’t have to follow those Old Testament laws.” And yet without the Old Testament law, there would not be a New Testament. Consider what Jesus said to an expert in the Mosaic law when he asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment:

Christians think of these commandments as New Testament commandments that Jesus gave to override the laws of the Old Testament. You might be surprised that Jesus was quoting the Old Testament. The first commandment He cites is found in Deuteronomy 6:5, while the second is found in Leviticus 19:18: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

E.C. Wines’ Commentaries on the Laws of the Ancient Hebrews is a masterpiece whose content has never been duplicated. Wines begins his 640-page volume with an Introductory Essay on Civil Society and Government. While many modern-day Christians want to separate God’s revealed law from civil society, Wines argues that civil government is of divine origin and “that God is the universal governor; that civil government is a sacred trust from him; that he rules in and by the civil magistrate; and that civil obedience is a religious obligation, a tribute due to heaven, he cause he ministers in the person of the ruler.” Wines concludes that “the proof-texts, affirming these positions” are found “in both the Old Testament and the New.” You might be surprised that many Christians do not believe this. In opposition to the claim made by Wines, many prominent Christian leaders teach that the Bible should not be consulted when it comes to social and civil issues.

The chapter on the “Influence of the Laws and Writings of Moses on the subsequent Civilization of the World” demonstrates that God’s revealed law is the foundation of what makes civilized society a reality. In the second part of Commentaries on the Laws of the Ancient Hebrews, Wines outlines the revealed law of God that regulated the Hebrew State including the Hebrew Theocracy, the Hebrew Constitution, the Hebrew Civil Magistrate, and the Hebrew Senate. The key to understanding Wines’ argument is that these principles so permeated American social and political society that even the most skeptical of our Founders could not ignore them.

Commentaries on the Laws of the Ancient Hebrews is nearly impossible to find in hardback and would cost more than $75 if one ever came up for sale. You can find paperback reprints, but these will cost you more than $30. They are cheaply made. American Vision has produced a high quality hardback that any collector would be proud to own. Not only is it great for reading, but it will make a fine addition to any library with its stunning cover and old-world craftsmanship. American Vision’s hardback books are Smyth Sewn. The printed signatures are actually sewn together so the book can be opened fully without any possibility of pages coming out. Most hardback books printed today are glorified paperbacks with glued bindings. Smyth Sewn (also known as Section Sewn) book bindings are the highest quality book binding available on the market today. This is a book you will want to read and display.

American Vision has printed a limited number of E.C. Wines’ Commentaries on the Laws of the Ancient Hebrews, so get your copy today.