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The Noahide Laws are seven ancient laws that many people consider the foundation of civilized society. They govern morality and represent the minimum of what God expects from humanity. They are known as the “Noahide” laws because they are believed to have been given in full to Noah after the flood. They are also referred to as the Noachian laws, the Seven Laws of Noah, or the Seven Commands for Noah’s Sons (in Hebrew, Sheva Mitzvot B’nei Noach).
The concept of a formal set of laws given to all humanity (the sons of Noah) originates from the Talmud and is therefore extra-biblical. Some scholars suggest that the Book of Jubilees may mention the Noahide Laws. However, the Book of Jubilees is not considered inspired Scripture. Nevertheless, the fundamental seven Noahide Laws are rooted in biblical principles.
Here are the Noahide Laws:
1. Do not deny God (no idolatry).
2. Do not commit murder.
3. Do not steal.
4. Do not engage in sexual immorality.
5. Do not blaspheme.
6. Do not consume the flesh of a living animal (do not eat flesh taken from a living animal).
7. Establish courts and legal systems to ensure compliance with these laws.
According to Jewish tradition, the first six of these seven laws were given to Adam in the Garden of Eden (the sixth law, regarding eating live animals, was unnecessary since Adam did not consume any animals). When God made His covenant with Noah, He added the seventh law (making the sixth law relevant). Each of the seven Noahide Laws is considered a summary of more detailed laws, totaling about 211 in total.
In Judaism, a Gentile is not required to follow the Mosaic Law; however, all Gentiles are obligated to adhere to the Noahide Laws. The laws given to Noah’s descendants are universally binding. A non-Jew who follows the Noahide Laws is regarded as a “righteous Gentile” in Judaism and will receive a reward in the afterlife for their obedience.Science is coupled with a knowledge that the laws come from God. A “righteous Gentile” might also be called a “Hasidic Gentile” or simply a “Noahide.”
Nowhere does the Bible record what laws God may have given Adam, other than the command to fill and subdue the earth and the prohibition against eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 1:28; Genesis 2:17). After Noah and his family exited the ark, God gave the following three commands to him: “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” «And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. », (Genesis 9:1); “You must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it” (verse 4); and “Whoever sheds human blood, / by humans shall their blood be shed; / for in the image of God / has God made mankind” (verse 6). After that, God repeats His command to “be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it” (verse 7). Other than Noah being told not to eat raw meat, there is no hint of the traditional Noahide Laws in these passages.
The only other place in Scripture where a Noahide law might be mentioned is Acts 15:29. The context of this passage is the Jerusalem Council, which met to address the issue of the Gentiles’ place in the early church. Specifically, the question before the council was, “Must Gentiles be circumcised according to Mosaic Law in order to be saved?” see Acts 15:1. The apostles in Jerusalem answered with a resounding “no.” We are not saved by keeping the Law see Galatians 2:16. However, to promote peace within the early church, the council advised Gentile believers to avoid four things, including the eating of “blood” and sexual immorality «that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from whIch if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare you well. (Acts 15:29). Neither of the other two instructions correspond to any of the Noahide Laws.
As an ancient moral code, the Noahide Laws have been a significant influence in various cultures. In 1991, both houses of Congress passed a bill, signed into law by President George H. W. Bush, that declared the Noahide Laws to be “the foundation of society from the beginning of civilization” and the “ethical values and principles . . . on which our great Nation was founded” (H.J.RES.104.ENR).
Are the Noahide Laws found in the Bible? No, not as a definitive list, and they are certainly not associated with either Noah or Adam. Are the Noahide Laws consistent with biblical teaching? The basic seven laws align with Old Testament revelation. The Talmud advocates for capital punishment for Gentiles who violate the Noahide Laws, sparking debate on whether Christians (who worship Jesus Christ) are in breach of the first Noahide law and thus deserving of the death penalty. The prevailing view today is that Trinitarianism is acceptable among Gentiles. Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that we are not saved by rule-keeping; God demands faith in His Son «He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. », (John 3:18).
