Jesus And Jewish Law: A Complex Relationship

Jesus was accused of breaking Jewish law on several occasions, but did he really? Jesus was born into a Jewish society with a complex set of rules to control how people lived their everyday lives. The gospels record several instances when Jesus broke the Sabbath law by healing people on that day. However, Jesus did not see this as breaking God's law, but as working just as his Father was working. Jesus denounced the religious rulers because they prioritised following the letter of the law over caring for other people and promoting justice and mercy. He was also accused of breaking the law by not ritually washing his hands before eating, eating with sinners, and overturning the money tables at the temple. Jesus was not a legalist and was willing to break particular commands if it meant promoting people's needs and love.

Jesus's non-observance of the Sabbath

Jesus was accused of breaking Jewish law on multiple occasions, but he did not break an Old Testament command. He violated the interpretations that religious leaders had developed around the biblical commands of keeping the Sabbath day holy.

The law said that for one day each week, no work should be done. This was to avoid employers exploiting their workers. However, the rules and traditions had made the law difficult to keep. Jesus pointed out that they were quite willing to save an animal on the Sabbath, so it was quite reasonable to heal somebody on that day. This infuriated the religious rulers, who sought to kill him.

Jesus was content to let his disciples break the rules and traditions to satisfy their hunger. One Sabbath, as his disciples walked through the grain fields, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees asked him, "Why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" Jesus replied, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

Jesus did not do this out of rebelliousness but to demonstrate that love is more important than rules. He was well aware that telling this man to carry his mat was a violation of the Oral Law. He did this to provoke the Jewish leaders, who then confronted him.

Jesus did not attempt to argue that he was not doing work on the Sabbath. Instead, he argued that God is always working, and that he was working, too. This enraged the religious leaders, who wanted to kill him.

Jesus's rejection of the biblical teaching of uncleanliness

Jesus challenged the biblical concept of uncleanliness by declaring all foods clean, contrary to the restrictions outlined in the Old Testament. He argued that it is not what goes into a person that defiles them but rather what comes out of them, such as evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, and adultery. By doing so, Jesus redefined what made a person unclean or defiled, shifting the focus from outward signs of cleanliness to internal faithfulness and acts of love and goodness.

Jesus further demonstrated his rejection of the biblical teaching of uncleanliness by healing people on the Sabbath, which was considered work and, therefore, prohibited. He argued that doing good and healing took precedence over strict observance of the Sabbath regulations. This act of healing on the Sabbath was a deliberate provocation, as he could have easily waited a day to perform these miracles. Jesus prioritized people's needs over the observance of religious laws, even if it angered the religious leaders and made him a target for their wrath.

Jesus's actions and teachings regarding uncleanliness extended beyond food and the Sabbath. He ate with "sinners," forewent ritual handwashing before eating, and forgave people's sins instead of requiring temple sacrifices. These actions further illustrate his commitment to compassion and love, even if they contradicted established religious rules and traditions.

Jesus's non-participation in the execution of an adulterous woman

In the story, a group of scribes and Pharisees confront Jesus, interrupting his teaching. They bring in a woman, accusing her of committing adultery, and claiming she was caught in the very act. They tell Jesus that the punishment for someone like her should be stoning, as prescribed by Mosaic Law. Jesus begins to write something on the ground using his finger; when the woman's accusers continue their challenge, he states that the one who is without sin is the one who should cast the first stone at her. The accusers depart, realizing not one of them is without sin either, leaving Jesus alone with the woman. Jesus asks the woman if anyone has condemned her and she answers no. Jesus says that he too does not condemn her and tells her to go and sin no more.

Jesus's non-participation in the execution of the adulterous woman is an example of his prioritization of people's needs and love over the strict observance of biblical laws and commands. This episode demonstrates Jesus's commitment to mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, even when faced with strong opposition from religious leaders and the potential for personal harm.

It is important to note that while Jesus did not participate in the execution, he also did not explicitly break the biblical law requiring the death penalty for adultery (Leviticus 20:10). Instead, he pointed out the lack of reliable first-hand witnesses and the malicious intent of the accusers, thus highlighting the importance of due process and biblical justice.

This episode has had a significant impact on Christian thought, with the phrases "let him who is without sin cast the first stone" and "go, and sin no more" becoming commonly used in Christian teachings.

Jesus's forgiveness of sins, bypassing temple sacrifices

Jesus was accused by the Jewish religious leaders and biblical scholars of his day of being a lawbreaker and sinner. However, the answer to the question of whether Jesus broke Old Testament laws is not straightforward.

A common conservative response is to claim that Jesus did not break any actual biblical laws but instead broke "traditions of men" that had been added on top of the Torah. This implies that there is nothing wrong with the Bible or God's law, but only with the extra "man-made" traditions.

Jesus denounced the religious rulers because they heaped impossible burdens on ordinary people. He set himself against them to teach and demonstrate a better way. He broke rules to show that people mattered more than rules.

Jesus forgave people's sins and thus bypassed the temple sacrifices. However, this does not mean that he broke Old Testament laws. Animal sacrifices were not the only way to obtain forgiveness for sins in Judaism. Repentance, prayer, and charity were also ways to atone for sins.

Furthermore, the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were not achieving forgiveness of sins. They were pointing to Jesus and foreshadowing his bloodshed on the cross. Jesus's sacrifice was so complete that it secured an eternal redemption, both forward and backward in history.

Therefore, while Jesus's bypassing of temple sacrifices may have been seen as breaking Jewish law by some, it can be argued that he did not actually break any biblical laws.

Jesus's non-ritual washing of hands

Jesus responded by criticising them for upholding human traditions over the commands of God. He did not, however, condemn the practice of handwashing itself. Instead, he changed the subject to the need for inner transformation and ritual purity.

Jesus's non-participation in the ritual handwashing was part of a broader pattern of behaviour where he broke with Jewish religious rules and traditions to demonstrate a better way of living. He denounced religious rulers for their focus on strict rule-following over more important matters like justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He also performed miracles on the Sabbath, which was forbidden, and socialised with "sinners" and people of other races and ethnicities.

Frequently asked questions