The statement 'The closest term in the Old Testament to ethics is doctrine' is false.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not stated
• D. Both

Answer: (A)

In the Old Testament, guidance on how to act ethically comes mainly from law and instruction, not from a formal “doctrine.” The Hebrew word Torah conveys teaching and instruction, and the surrounding material—mitzvot (commands), mishpat (justice), and tzedek (righteousness)—shapes daily conduct within the covenant community. Doctrine, as a formal system of beliefs about God, is a later development in biblical theology and is not the OT’s primary way of expressing ethical living. So the statement is false because the closest OT correlate to ethics is the Law/teaching (Torah) and related commands, not doctrine.