I believe as far as doctrine goes, there is no command or insinuation to love other people in a sacrificial way, giving ones life for another. There may be instances of this happening in the OT, but as a doctrine of teaching, it is not in the OT as a matter of developed doctrine. Adam did not lay his life down to save Abel. Moses ran away after defending one of his people. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego laid their life down for God, but not others. You could make a case for Esther, but it is clearly not a consistent teaching in the OT.
In brotherhood,
John
Read it again : Greater love hath no man than a man who lays down his life for a freind .
This is simply n a statement of fact by the Lord and reflects or expresses a truth that has been recognised and known in all ages .
It is not stating that Adam or any one specific is mentioned in scripture . Though with a good search you may well find an example (?) But in truth in all wars for instance men have indeed have died to save another . and by 'save' I mean that they would continue to live and died so that they might . Even up to the present day and even by our enemies .
For instance it cannot be said that the German army did not fight without courage , skill and determination .It is certain that as in our forces indivisual soldiers died to save thier comrades from death. The great sadness was that they were fightign on the wrong side and for the wrong cause . But individuals loved a freind so much that they were willing to die ;take a bullet or rescue a wonded one but died as a result etc were or could be found in the German army as the British one or others.
That is what is meant by a man laying down his life for a freind .
But the Lord was using it as contrast to the Love of God in laying down his life for his enemy or for those who were at emnity with him.
While we were yet without strength , sinners etc.
"Here in is love ........." and God commends his love towards us... "
But then consider when the road to calvary actually started?
I would argue that it started with the words "let there be light "
For Jesus taight that no man starts to build a tower without first considering if he has the means to build it or no man goes to war unless he has the strength to do so .
Is it not written that God knows the end form the begining?
He knew full well that "the arm of flesh would fail"
He knew full well the terrible consequences that would fiollow and the end of it when Adam did eat of that tree of the knowldge fo good and evil.
Not that God willed that he would for ti was not the will of Godf that he should and expressed what HIS eternal will was . That "thou shalt not eat of it......."
He gave man the perfect liberty as sons of God (by creation) to choose any good they thought to do or find . "Of all the trees in the garden ye may freely eat "This included the tree of life.
He gave them no liberty to eat or to do evil.
Thus he knew what it would cost to redeem man and to 'save' him.
Is it not written that the first Adam "was a foreshadow of him who was to come"?
Thus in givign them a covering for sin or thier nakedness . he laid down and prepared then and by the sacrafice of animals later the truth that there is no remission of sins save by the sheddign of blood. But also gave a promise that the Son born of a woman but not of Adams seed would be the true lamb of God that would "take away the sin of the world" By bruisng the head of the serpent.
True it is that it does not lay it all out in the beginning . Wisdom dictated it be so.
and words b y thier very nature can only be said one word at a time or by parts.
My contention then is that there is no sound doctrine of scripture that cannot be found in the first book the book of beginnings.
Wher eit si first mentioned .
The laws of Moses as to the sacrafice of animals is therefore found ij the book of Genesis .
The lamb sacraficed and the blood put on the doors lintels and frame of the house is also found in the same place in its foundational truth .
The innocent dying for the guilty is also .
Thus the Love of God so "commended"and the mercy of God was first manifested and expressed in the garden of Eden .
For is it not written "love covers a multitude of sins"?
and was not the mercy of God expresseed when he first gave them a covering of animal skins and then the promise ?
Thus Pauls exposition in Hebrews as to the temporary nature of the animal sacrafices can also be found in the garden of Eden.
For if the sacrafice of an animal would have restored them to thier former estate why then the promise?
So I never said (in fact quite the opposite) that all sound doctrines can be found in thier as a matter "of developed doctrine"
What I said initialy was that the Lord got his doctrine as did Paul FROM the OT and hat all the doctrines they taught cant be found in the OT .First as FOUNDATIONAL truth and develioped through out the OT .
Or as Pauls says "God who in sundry times and in divers WAYS spoke by the prophets ........"
Who only spoke in PARTS .
"Hath in the last days spake by His Son"
What He spake by His Son neither contradicts nor overtunes what he spake in times past .
Though Jesus did not but carry the message (as a Prophet) he WAS the message .
Thus what was first spoken of in parts through out the Old Testament was spoken perfectly in the NEW.
Did not the Lord himself "start at Moses"? speaking of all those things concerning himself to the two on the road to emaus .
Where is the Lord first mentioned?
I would argue that indirectly with the verse that says "The VOICE of the Lord God walked in the cool of the evening."
Some using other versions would deny it.
be that as it may .
It is beyond all dispute that the Lord is first mentioned as the one BORN of a woman but not of Adams seed .
Who would come and bruise the head of the serpent which was fatal to it .
But in the proceess hsi heal woulod be bruised (not 'fatal' )
The book of genesis is in very truth the book of beginnings and what was sown there whther of the seed of the woman or the seed of the serpent would as all seeds do grow . From a two leafed littel upshoot .That LOOKS no different from each other .
But as they grow one seed produces wheat and another tares a\nd so on .
The fruit then or the fullment of all that was started in the first book then has its end or can be found in the ;last book.
If you want to understand the last book properly then you needs must understand the first book.
For it by thier fruits shall ye know them. and the fruit is determined by the seed that is sown .
Thus God beign" a husbandman " knows the harvest by the seed that is sown.
Weeds grow quickly and farst.
The good seed needs both good "preperation " of the soil and then fed and watered.
It took 4000 years for God to prepare the soil.
So that the earth could recieve the seed that would then be sown in it.
"Unless a seed fall into the ground and die it abideth alolne........................."
Jospeh who was one was 'sown' in Egypt .
After 400 years two and a hal;f million + came out .
Just a thought .
in Christ
gerald