Jesus' Law-Breaking Acts: How Many Times Did He?

Jesus was accused of breaking the law several times during his life, including breaking the Sabbath, misleading the nation, opposing paying taxes to Caesar, and saying he is the Messiah, a king. However, the answer to the question of whether Jesus broke the law is complicated and depends on the interpretation of law. While Jesus did not break any Roman civil laws, he was judged as a lawbreaker by both religious and governmental leaders.

Jesus was accused of breaking the Sabbath law several times when he healed people on that day. However, he argued that he was working just as his Father was working, and that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Jesus also broke traditions of men, or commandments of men, such as the practice of ceremonial washing of hands. He also redefined what made a person unclean or defiled, focusing on a person's faithfulness and acts of love and goodness rather than outward signs.

Jesus broke Jewish law by healing people on the Sabbath

Jesus is recorded to have healed several people on the Sabbath, including:

• Simon Peter's mother-in-law in Peter's home (Mark 1:29–31).
• A man with a withered hand in the synagogue (Mark 3:1–6).
• A man born blind in Jerusalem (John 9:1–16).
• A crippled woman in a synagogue (Luke 13:10–17).
• A man with dropsy at a Pharisee's house (Luke 14:1–6).
• A demon-possessed man in Capernaum (Mark 1:21–28).
• A lame man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–18).

Whenever Jesus publicly healed someone on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused Him of breaking Jewish law. However, Jesus did not break the Sabbath law as outlined by God under the Old Covenant. He did, however, act against the Pharisaical interpretation of the law.

The Pharisees had added many rules and traditions to the Sabbath law, elevating their own rules to the level of God's instructions. For example, the Pharisees' Sabbath restrictions forbade writing, erasing, tearing, conducting business transactions, shopping, cooking, baking, kindling a fire, gardening, doing laundry, carrying anything for more than six feet in a public area, and moving anything with your hand.

Jesus defended his actions by stating that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). He also referred to himself as the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5), proclaiming that he is greater than the law and has authority over the laws that govern the Sabbath day.

By healing people on the Sabbath, Jesus showed God's goodness, revealed the Pharisees' hardness of heart, and gave a glimpse of the full healing from sin that would be made possible by his sacrifice on the cross.

Jesus broke the law by overturning the money tables at the temple

Jesus accused the merchants and consumers of turning the temple into "a den of thieves" or "a house of trade" through their commercial activities. This incident was likely one of the main triggers for Jesus' death. The chief priests and teachers of the law began looking for a way to kill him, and he was eventually sentenced to die as a criminal by governmental leaders.

However, it is important to note that Jesus did not actually break an Old Testament command. He violated the Jewish leaders' interpretations of the biblical commands, which were developed around keeping the Sabbath day holy. This incident, therefore, highlights Jesus' commitment to compassion, justice, and mercy, which were more important to him than strict adherence to rules and traditions.

Jesus broke the law by eating with sinners

In the Jewish society of Jesus' time, table fellowship carried significant weight. Eating with someone established a covenant relationship of friendship and normally signified approval. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors, who were considered "unpatriotic, dishonest, greedy, and ritually unclean." By doing so, Jesus broke societal taboos and challenged the Pharisees' interpretation of Jewish law.

The Pharisees were strict adherents to the Law and acted as guardians of tradition and exemplars of piety. They avoided those they deemed "sinners," considering themselves righteous in contrast to those who did not follow their system of rules. By socializing and dining with sinners and tax collectors, Jesus broke with the Pharisees' legalistic approach and demonstrated his mission to seek and save the lost.

Jesus' actions were in line with his teaching that love transcends rules. He denounced religious rulers for burdening ordinary people with impossible standards and omitting more important matters like caring for others and promoting justice and mercy. By eating with sinners, Jesus showed that their spiritual need was more important than societal norms and cultural bans.

Jesus' disciples also faced criticism for eating with sinners and tax collectors. The scribes and Pharisees questioned them about this practice, to which Jesus responded directly: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Jesus emphasized that his place was with the sinners he had come to save, pursuing relationships that might lead them to God rather than quarantining himself from them.

Jesus broke the law by not ritually washing his hands before eating

> "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat!"

Jesus's disciples were seen eating without washing their hands, and this was considered a violation of the Jewish law. Ritual handwashing was a purification practice, a symbol of spiritual cleanliness, and not merely for hygiene. However, Jesus taught that true defilement comes from within, from the heart, rather than from failing to observe ritualistic traditions.

Jesus was born into a Jewish society with a complex set of rules and laws that governed everyday life. He broke many of these rules and traditions, including those imposed by religion. He denounced the religious rulers for burdening ordinary people with impossible demands. He prioritised love, justice, mercy, and faithfulness over strict adherence to the letter of the law.

Jesus's non-compliance with ritual handwashing before meals can be understood in the context of his broader message of prioritising love and compassion over strict rule-following. He challenged the religious leaders of his time, demonstrating that people mattered more than rules.

Jesus broke the law by forgiving people's sins

Jesus is often depicted as a figure who broke the law, but the question of whether he actually broke any laws is more complicated than it may seem. Firstly, it is important to distinguish between different types of law, such as religious laws and civil laws.

Jesus was accused of breaking Jewish religious laws concerning the Sabbath on multiple occasions. For example, he was known to perform healings on the Sabbath, which was forbidden by Jewish law. However, it is argued that Jesus did not actually break any Old Testament commands but rather violated the interpretations and traditions that religious leaders had developed around these commands.

One of the ways in which Jesus broke religious rules was by forgiving people's sins, thus bypassing the temple sacrifices. This idea of forgiving sins is further explored in the following paragraphs.

Jesus' Authority to Forgive Sins

Jesus is believed to have had the authority to forgive sins, as demonstrated in several passages in the Bible. In John 20:23, Jesus tells his disciples, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." This passage has been interpreted as God giving the Church, specifically the Catholic Church, the authority to forgive or retain sins.

However, it is important to note that the proper translation of this passage in the original Greek suggests that these individuals' sins would have already been forgiven or retained by God before the apostles' recognition of the same. This interpretation underscores that God determines forgiveness, rather than leaving such decisions to humans.

Jesus' Commitment to Non-Violence

Jesus' forgiveness of people's sins is also connected to his commitment to non-violence. By forgiving people, he bypassed the need for temple sacrifices, demonstrating that love and mercy are more important than following rules.

In conclusion, while Jesus may have broken religious rules and traditions, he did not break any civil laws during his life. His forgiveness of people's sins was a way to show that people mattered more than rules and that love transcends rules.

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