Sunday, October 21, 2018

Was Jesus “a devout Torah-observant Jew”? Matthew 5


God allowed certificate of divorce: Deut. 24.1-4

·       But Jesus says: Mat 19.

God commands no work at all on the Sabbath: Deut. 5.13-15; Num. 15.32-36

·       But Jesus and his Apostles “always work”: Mat 12.1-14; John 5.17-19

God commands capital punishment: Deut. 22.22

·       But Jesus offers mercy instead: John 7

God commands “an eye for an eye”: Lev. 24.20

·       But Jesus says “love your enemies”: Mat 5.38-39

God commands lethal self-defense: Ex 22.2

·       But Jesus says “pray” for them: Luke 6.28-29

God commands “holy wars”: Deut. 20.17

·       But Jesus “rebukes” the sword: Mat 26.52

God demands a “vow,” “oath” to Him: Ex 22:10-11; Num. 30.3

·       But Jesus says “don’t swear at all”: Mat 5.33-36

God commands fasting: Lev 16:29; Num. 29:7-11

·       But Jesus says: Mark 2.18-22; Mat 9.14-17



Misc. Laws:

God commands “honor your parents”: Exod. 20.12; Deut. 5.16

·       But Jesus puts himself above your family: Mat 8.21-22; Luke 14.25-33; cf. Mat 12.46-50

God prohibits eating unclean food: Lev. 11; Deut. 14.

·       But Jesus says “all foods are clean”: Mar 7.19; cf. Luke 11.40

God says don’t even touch the sick: Num. 5

·       But Jesus heals the sick: Mar 14.3

God says don’t touch the dead: Num. 9.14

·       But Jesus raised the dead: Lazarus, dead child, Mar. 5.39-41

God commands for “unclean” women: Lev. 15.19-24

·       But Jesus heals them: Luke 8.43-48

God commands Temple tax payment: Ex. 30.13; 38.26

·       But Jesus says they’re free from it: Matthew 17:24-27



“Fulfilled” defined:

·       The Baptist, the last prophet of Torah: Luke 16.16; Mat 11.13

·       Because Jesus was “the end of Torah”: Rom 10.4

·       Paul not under Moses but Messiah: 1Cor 9.19-21

·       Predicated on Jesus as “Moses redux.”

·       Just like the Law and the prophets, the rabbis foresaw this….



Tomson, Paul and the Jewish Law, pp 94, 272.

“A tradition exists in ancient Jewish and Rabbinic literature that in the messianic age the Tora, or parts of it, will be abolished. [For example, at] the messianic banquet where Israel will dine of the evidently non-kosher Leviathan.”



Nidah 61b

The Rabbis taught that mitzvot will be nullified in the age to come. And rabbi Yochanan expounded: What does it mean "Freedom among the dead" (Ps 88:6)? When a man dies, he is free from the commandments.



R. Aqila says: "The Eternal sits and examines the new Torah which he will bestow in the future through the Messiah"



·       The Last Torah proponent: Luke 16.16; Mat 11.13

·       Fulfillment = change, phasing out.

·       The Cross as the apostolic focus! Col 2.14; Eph. 2.15

·       The “already-not-yet” principle.



Theological Dictionary of the NT

In different ways the Rabbis also argued that God’s work goes on on the Sabbath and that He is uninterruptedly active as Sustainer and Judge of the world. On the basis of these considerations the saying of Jesus stresses the constancy of the divine work, which is not affected even by the Sabbath. But Jesus then continues that as the Father works, so do I. [He claims] that divine authority is given to Him as the Son, and hence that His work cannot tolerate any interruption, even by the Sabbath. The Jews grasp what is being said: Jesus has not just broken the Sabbath but is abolishing it. The story of the breaking of the Sabbath thus raises the decisive question whether the authority of Jesus as the One whom God has sent is recognized or not.

In Mark 2.27 man and his needs are said to be of greater value than the commandment. The absolute obligation of the commandment is thus challenged….The second saying in v. 28 goes much further: “The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” The Christian community is confessing Jesus, the Son of Man, who as [lord Messiah] decides concerning the applying or transcending of the Sabbath. In His lordship Sabbath casuistry comes to an end.

“The Law is forced out of its key position by the person of Jesus Himself.”



Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels

“Jesus, living in the overlap between the old covenant and the new, is generally obedient to the Mosaic Law, but at the same time he makes clear that he has sovereign rights both to interpret and to set aside that Law. It is not, however, that Jesus consistently flaunts the traditions, for he attends the synagogue on the Sabbath, and displays habits at mealtime and at prayer that are consistent with the traditions. What we have, then, is a Jesus who does not go out of his way to break the traditions of his day but at the same time makes clear that he considers himself free to ignore them if need demands. What is impressive in Jesus’ teaching is the way in which he taught directly, and without reference to any other authority, what it was that God was demanding of his people. The Mosaic Law, if not discarded, is generally ignored–and this signals an important shift from both the OT and the Judaism of Jesus’ day.”



ADDENDUM: Apostolic churches

Jerusalem council: Acts 15; 21.25

·       Torah has become “a yoke!”

·       No circumcision!

Food laws: Rom. 14.14, 20

·       Some weak Christians.

Jewish calendar: Col. 2.16-17; Gal. 4; Rom. 14.5

·       One of the Torah shadows.

From Sabbath to Sunday: 1Cor 16.2

·       Collection changed from the Sabbath (tzedakah) to Sunday.

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