Jesus' Response To Accusations Of Law-Breaking

Jesus was accused of breaking the law on multiple occasions, but he did not actually break any Old Testament commands. He was accused of violating the Sabbath law, threatening to destroy the Jewish Temple, sorcery, blasphemy, and claiming to be the Messiah. However, Jesus was working just as his Father was working, and he had done nothing to violate the Sabbath. He was fulfilling the law, not abolishing it.

Jesus was also accused of three crimes by the Jewish leaders: misleading the nation, opposing paying taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be the Messiah, a king. Pilate, however, declared Jesus innocent and told the Jewish leaders that he had found no grounds to charge him.

Jesus was accused of violating the Sabbath law

The Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath law when he healed on the Sabbath day. They were misled by their own rules and regulations, which were not the same as the Sabbath law that God gave to Moses. Jesus, as the Son of God, had the authority to regulate the use of the Sabbath day and determine how it would be used.

Jesus did not intend to let the Pharisees usurp the place of God by binding unauthorized burdens upon his disciples. He demolished their charges with brilliant logic, citing the case of King David, who unlawfully ate the tabernacle showbread and was not condemned. Jesus also demonstrated that not all labour on the Sabbath was condemned—the priests served and worked on the Sabbath without any guilt.

Jesus proclaimed that he was the "lord of the Sabbath" and had the authority to exercise "authority over the rules that govern the Sabbath". He kept God's law and did not violate the Sabbath.

Jesus was accused of blasphemy

Jesus was arrested and put on trial by the Sanhedrin, the highest ruling council of the Jews. The Jewish leaders were looking for false evidence against Jesus to have him put to death, but they could not find any. Eventually, Caiaphas, the high priest, demanded that Jesus tell them if he was the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus replied, "So you say. But I tell all of you: from this time on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Almighty and coming on the clouds of heaven!". Caiaphas declared this blasphemy and passed a guilty verdict.

Jesus was also accused of breaking the law concerning the Sabbath, as he healed people on the Sabbath, which the Jewish leaders defined as 'work' and was forbidden. However, Jesus did not actually break the Old Testament command, but rather the interpretations that religious leaders had developed.

Jesus was accused of misleading the nation

> "I find no basis for a charge against this man...I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death."

However, the crowd shouted for Jesus to be crucified, and Pilate eventually gave in to their demands.

Jesus was also accused of blasphemy, working by the power of Satan, being demon-possessed, breaking the Sabbath, and other false accusations. Despite this, he remained sinless and committed no crimes.

Jesus was accused of opposing paying taxes to Caesar

The accusations were false, as Jesus had previously instructed his followers to "give back to Caesar what is Caesar's". Jesus was aware of the malice of his accusers and their attempt to trap him, so he asked them to show him the coin for the tax. This coin, known as a denarius, was made of silver and featured an image of the emperor, which the Jews considered idolatry.

Jesus' response to the accusations was to draw a distinction between two kingdoms: the kingdom of this world, in which Caesar holds power, and another kingdom, which is not of this world, in which Jesus is King. He told his followers that they had obligations to both kingdoms – they must give Caesar what was his, but also give God what was his.

Jesus was accused of practicing sorcery

The New Testament and the accusation of sorcery

The New Testament records that Jesus was accused of sorcery by the Pharisees, who claimed that he was performing miracles through Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons. Jesus denied this accusation and warned the Pharisees about committing the unpardonable sin. He claimed that his miracles were performed through the Spirit of God.

Jesus' miracles and exorcisms

Jesus seemingly had some things in common with previous exorcists and magicians. For example, Jesus, like other exorcists, tried to discover the name of the demon. However, there are no real parallels between Jesus and other exorcists and magicians. Jesus did not need to know the name of the demon to have authority over it. Furthermore, Jesus never touched a demon-possessed person when casting out demons, and he only used spit in the healing process, not for exorcisms.

Differences between Jesus and magicians

Jesus' miracles were intended to demonstrate the power of God and lead people to place their faith in God the Father. In contrast, magicians intended to attract attention to themselves and demonstrate their power over forces. Jesus did not use any magical objects, and his clothing had no magic power. People were healed through their faith in him.

Jesus' miracles and the Old Testament

Jesus adhered to the teachings of the Old Testament, which strongly condemned sorcery and the practice of magic. The Old Testament states:

> You must not allow a sorceress to live.

The death penalty was given to those who practiced sorcery.

Jesus' miracles and the New Testament

In the Book of Acts, magicians were regarded in a negative light by believers. For example, Simon the Sorcerer was not admired for his alleged powers. Whatever ability he may have had, he was not seen in a positive light by those who believed in Jesus.

Jesus' miracles and the occult

The Bible teaches that occultic power is limited. Occultic power does not go completely unchecked, and there are limits to what it can do. God and God alone has the power to heal the sick and raise the dead.

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