Abinadi rebuked the corrupt priests of King Noah, who claimed to teach the law of Moses, saying, “Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise” (Mosiah 12:27).
How can we apply our hearts to understand the laws given by God on Mount Sinai? Elder Richard G. Scott explained that scripture study includes abstraction: generalizing specific cases to core principles that can be more broadly applied:
As you seek spiritual knowledge, search for principles. Carefully separate them from the detail used to explain them. Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances.
“Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge,” October 1993 general conference
Multiple times in general conference, church leaders have demonstrated this strategy as they referenced the laws contained in Exodus 21-23. For example:
- Elder James M. Paramore warned us not to engage in seemingly “shrewd” business practices which victimize others and destroy trust. He cited Exodus 22:5, which prohibits feeding your animals in someone else’s field.
- Elder Jörg Klebingat urged us not to bow to peer pressure, citing Exodus 23:2: “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.”
- President Dallin H. Oaks referenced Exodus 22:21, “Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him,” as he encouraged church members to befriend people of other faiths and married members to include single members in their social circles.
These chapters contain many such principles, each exemplified by one or more rules:
| Principle | Exodus Example |
|---|---|
| We should strive to make restitution when we harm others. | 21:18-27; 22:1-4 |
| Restitution is appropriate even when the damage is unintentional or indirect. | 21:28-36; 22:5-13 |
| Return what you borrow. You are accountable for the borrowed thing while it is in your care. | 22:14-15; compare Mosiah 4:28 |
| Care for the vulnerable. | 22:21–27; 23:9 |
| Don’t succumb to peer pressure. | 23:2 |
| Love your enemies. | 23:4-5 |
| Sabbath rest extends to all, including employees, animals, guests, and even the land itself | 23:10-12 |
One passage from these chapters deserves special mention. Explaining the importance of restitution, the Lord said, “Thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Exodus 21:23-25). This was meant to dramatize the principle rather than to establish literal punishments, because in the verses that immediately follow, the Lord explains that a slave should go free if his master harms him or her, “for his eye’s sake” or “for his tooth’s sake” (Exodus 21:26-27). Thus, when Jesus taught his disciples not to use this verse to justify vengeance, He wasn’t overruling His own law; He was clarifying its appropriate context and application (see Matthew 5:38-42; 3 Nephi 12:38-42).
Today, I will strive to follow the principles taught in the law of Moses. I will strive to be inclusive, to care for those who are vulnerable, to make restitution when I cause harm either intentionally or unintentionally, and to allow myself and others appropriate opportunities for rest and renewal.
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