After the previous chapter’s thorough exposé of the various major episodes of Jesus’ ministry (and how those instances showed him openly & overarchingly challenging his culture’s traditional interpretations of the Jewish Law), it can come as no surprise that the content of his Gospel sayings, sermons, & teachings show him fulfilling the same goal with […]
There are number of Old Testament laws that dealt directly with honoring God1 – believing wholeheartedly that He2 & He alone exists (see Exodus 20:2-3 & Deuteronomy 5:6), revering His name (see Leviticus 22:32) and refusing to blaspheme or take that name in vain (see Exodus 22:28, Leviticus 19:12, & Leviticus 24:16); cherishing Him internally […]
While it is true that Jesus obviously agreed with the Law’s clear contention that prayer was a crucial part of Jewish life, it is just as true that Jesus took great exception to the way prayers were traditionally conducted as well as to the compulsory nature of the same. Consider … *Whereas the Law required […]
While there are literally dozens of Old Testament regulations defining &/or prohibiting various types of false worship (especially the worship of idols1), Jesus spent essentially no time during his ministry directly commenting on the same. That having been said, it is worth noting that Jesus did indirectly seek to amend the Law regarding these commandments […]
Jewish culture in Jesus’ day was a religion-based society, and as such it can come as no surprise that more than a handful of the regulations found in the Old Testament focus on the Temple upon which the Jewish religion was centered at that time.1 Similarly, seeing as how Jesus’ primary mission was one of […]
It goes almost without saying that any society placing immense reverence upon its central Temple would be expected to bestow equal honor upon the priests inhabiting the same, and such was indeed the case in ancient Israel. On the one hand, the Law demanded that its priests1 adhere to strict behavioral guidelines.2 On the other […]
Unsurprisingly, the Law was quite explicit in requiring every devout Jew to pay tithes to the Temple and its priests (see Exodus 22:29, Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:24-26, Deuteronomy 12:19, Deuteronomy 14:22-29, & Deuteronomy 18:3-4 et al), and equally typical was Jesus’ thorough rebuke of the same … *Whereas the Law required that tithes be offered […]
Since its inception, Jewish culture has relied upon the practice of animal sacrifice as its primary medium for the atonement of sin, and as such it can come as no surprise that a significant number of the regulations demanded by Jewish Law proscribe the whens and the hows of the same.1 That having been said, […]
The Law was explicitly clear that no work was to be done on the Sabbath – the seventh day of every week; a day that was to be revered – essentially with rest or ceremony (see Exodus 16:29, Exodus 20:8-10, Exodus 23:12, Exodus 25:30, Exodus 34:21, Exodus 35:2-3, & Numbers 28:9-10 et al). Of course, […]
Passover was one the most important holy festivals in the Jewish Calendar, and as such it made complete sense both that the Law contained dozens of regulations pertaining solely thereto (see Exodus 12:16, Leviticus 23:6-8, & Numbers 9:11 et al) and that Jesus went to great lengths to formulate one of his most intricate legal […]
Sukkot (or The Festival of Booths) was another of the major seasonal celebrations commanded by the Law (see Leviticus 23:34-42 & Numbers 29:12-34), and as such it makes sense not only that Jesus would preach his message of radical legal reform in the lone instance where Sukkot is specifically mentioned in the texts1 (see John […]
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