Jesus And Moses: Lawbreaker Or Lawful?

Jesus was accused of breaking the Law of Moses, the law that God gave to Moses for the people of Israel to conduct their lives by. However, Jesus was sinless and never broke any Old Testament laws. He did, however, break the Jewish interpretation of Mosaic Law, as well as Roman civil laws.

Jesus was accused of breaking Sabbath laws

The Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath law because they believed he had added to the regulations in their Talmud. They believed that Jesus had elevated his rules to the level of God's instructions. For example, when Jesus' disciples picked and ate some heads of grain as they walked through a field, the Pharisees accused them of breaking the Sabbath because they were "harvesting" and "threshing".

Jesus responded to these accusations by stating that he had not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them. He argued that he was working just as his Father was working. Jesus also referred to himself as the "'Lord of the Sabbath', proclaiming that he had the authority to determine how the Sabbath would be used.

Jesus did not break the Sabbath law, but he did act against the Pharisees' interpretation of the law. He broke the Pharisees' laws by healing people on the Sabbath, which they considered to be work. Jesus showed God's goodness through his actions and revealed the Pharisees' hardness of heart.

He was sinless and fulfilled the law

Jesus was born under the Law of Moses and was sinless under the law. He was accused of breaking the Sabbath commandment in the law of God, but he was not guilty of breaking any Old Testament laws. He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfil it.

Jesus was accused of breaking God's law on several occasions. For example, in John 5:18, the Jews sought to kill him because he "broke the Sabbath". However, Jesus himself said, "I have kept my Father's commandments" (John 15:10). He also told his disciples to teach new converts to "observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus states: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets... Till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law until all is fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18). This means that Jesus did not come to destroy the law but to fulfil it. He kept the law perfectly and, because he was sinless, he was able to meet the requirements of the law and become the perfect sacrifice for sin.

Jesus was accused of breaking the law by the Jewish religious leaders of his day, but these accusations were based on their interpretations of the law, not the actual law itself. For example, Jesus was accused of stealing corn and violating the Sabbath (Luke 6:1) by picking corn on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28; Mark 3:1-6). However, this was allowed in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:9-10) and was not considered stealing.

Jesus was also accused of breaking the law by healing on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10; Luke 13:14). However, this was not a violation of Jewish law but of the Pharisees' interpretation of what constituted "work".

Jesus was further accused of breaking the law by eating without washing his hands (Matthew 15:1-3). Once again, this was not a violation of the Old Testament law but of the "tradition of the elders", or the Pharisaic oral law.

Finally, Jesus was accused of breaking the law by associating with "sinners" such as tax collectors (Matthew 9:11; Luke 5:30). However, Jesus reminded the Jews that their mission was to be an example to Gentiles, and he empowered them to do this.

Jesus challenged authority and broke Roman laws

Jesus was accused of breaking the Law of Moses, but he was never proven to have done so. He was, however, a challenge to the religious authorities of his day, and his teachings and actions led to his execution by the Roman government.

Jesus was accused of breaking laws concerning the Sabbath on multiple occasions. For example, in Matthew 12:1-2, the Pharisees accused his disciples of breaking the law by picking heads of grain and eating them on the Sabbath. On another occasion, he was accused of healing a man on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:10). Jesus also challenged the Pharisees' interpretation of the law by violating their Pharisaic oral law, or code of interpretation. For example, in Matthew 15:1-3, the Pharisees accused Jesus' disciples of breaking the "tradition of the elders" by not washing their hands before they ate. However, Jesus was not breaking an Old Testament command but rather a "tradition of the elders".

Jesus' teachings and actions were a direct challenge to the Roman authorities. He claimed to be the "son of God", "Messiah", and "Lord"—all terms that the Romans used to describe their emperor. His rhetoric about leading a "kingdom" was a direct challenge to Roman political authority. When brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, Jesus was accused of three crimes: misleading the nation, opposing paying taxes to Caesar, and saying he is the Messiah, a king. Pilate rejected these charges and declared Jesus innocent. However, Jesus' refusal to submit to Caesar and his claims to be the Messiah and Lord ultimately led to his crucifixion.

Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection fulfilled the Law of Moses. As the promised Messiah, he came to fulfil the Law, not to destroy it (Matthew 5:17). His death redeemed humanity from the curse of the law, and his resurrection freed believers from the bondage of the law, making them children of God (Galatians 4:4-7).

He was crucified for challenging Roman authority

Jesus was a Jewish man living in the Roman-controlled region of Judea, where Jewish religious laws, particularly the Law of Moses or the Torah, were of significant importance. However, the Roman Empire also governed societal conduct with its own set of laws.

Jesus was not considered a criminal by the standards of Roman law, as Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, found no fault in him. Jesus was not charged with any crimes against Roman law, but with religious violations as per Jewish law.

Jesus was brought to Pilate by Jewish leaders, who accused him of misleading the nation, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be the Messiah, a king. Pilate rejected these charges, stating that he found no grounds to accuse Jesus of these crimes.

However, Jesus was still sentenced to death by crucifixion. This was due to the pressure exerted by the religious authorities and an angry mob, who considered him a blasphemer and a disruptor of religious norms.

Therefore, Jesus was crucified not for breaking Roman law, but for challenging Roman authority by claiming to be the "King of the Jews", which was a political crime in Roman-occupied Judea.

Jesus taught the law and rejected unbiblical traditions

Jesus was born under the Law of Moses, and he was sinless under the law. He fulfilled the Law of Moses perfectly, keeping all its commandments.

Jesus was a faithful teacher of the Law of Moses. He rejected the unbiblical traditions of the Scribes and Pharisees. On one occasion, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, asking him what one must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replied by asking him what was written in the Law, to which the man answered: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. They also say, 'Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.'".

Jesus taught that the law of Moses was not to be scrapped but fulfilled. He said: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill". Jesus' fulfilment of the law meant that he established the way it was to be obeyed.

Jesus challenged the traditions of the Pharisees as unbiblical. He argued that morality should be based on biblical principles rather than extrabiblical traditions. He compared this behaviour to Scripture's warning about following human rules rather than having a relationship with God.

Frequently asked questions