Les Feldick Bible Study

What were the civil and ecclesiastical parts of the Law?

The civil part of the Law comprised the regulations, rules, and commandments governing how people dealt with one another. The ecclesiastical part comprised the stipulations for the priesthood. Both were added to the Ten Commandments to bring in the religious system of the Law given to Israel.

Les explains that to bring in the religious system of the Law, God added to the Ten Commandments all the rituals and regulations. The civil law dealt with how the Israelites related to one another through rules and commandments. The ecclesiastical part provided the stipulations for the priesthood. Les also notes that God gave Moses instructions for building the tabernacle, which was part of the giving of the Law. He emphasizes that the Law was given only to the nation of Israel, not to the Gentiles, though it covered the whole human race.