Jesus Denounced Tradition

I recently started re-reading the New Testament and have noticed that many of Jesus’s teachings involve denouncing the Oral Law, the traditions attributed to religion not found in scripture.

For background, one of the main groups that Jesus preached against was the Pharisees, who believed in the necessity of oral traditions to interpret and supplement the written Torah. After the Temple’s destruction (70 CE), the Sadducees (who were the other major group opposed to Jesus and who were closely tied to the Temple’s priestly rites) and other sects faded away, leaving the Pharisaic interpretation of Judaism the dominant form of Jewish religious life, which became the foundation of Rabbinical Judaism.

Rabbinical Jews believe that along with the Written Torah given to Moses on Mount Sinai, he also received a secondary Torah known as the Oral Torah or the Oral Law. While the Written Torah is contained in the text of the Torah we have today, the Oral Law is included in the Talmud.

The Talmud is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism and operates much like the Sunnis treat the Hadith to the Quran. It is a record of rabbinic discussions about Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs, and history. The Talmud has two components:

1. The Mishnah: Compiled around 200 CE, the Mishnah is a written collection of Jewish oral laws. It organizes and categorizes the Jewish oral tradition known as the Oral Torah. The Mishnah’s main purpose is to document the oral laws that interpret and explain the Written Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.
2. The Gemara: Compiled between the 3rd and 5th centuries CE, the Gemara discusses and elaborates on the Mishnah. It includes rabbinical analyses, commentary, and debates on the Mishnah’s teachings. The Gemara helps to clarify the Mishnah’s laws and teachings, often providing practical applications and different viewpoints.

The Mishnah and the Gemara together form the Talmud, a foundational source of Jewish religious law (Halakha) and theology.

Corban

One of Jesus’ strongest rebukes of Jewish Oral law in the New Testament occurs in Mark 7. This passage discusses how the Pharisees used Oral Law to circumvent the written law of the Torah and starts with the Pharisees’ critique against Jesus’s disciples for not washing their hands. Jesus responds by calling out that they uphold false traditions to bypass God’s commandments. He does this by explicitly calling out their practice of declaring something as “Corban,” which means “dedicated to God.”

According to this practice, a person could declare their possessions as Corban, an offering to God, thus rendering them unavailable for anyone else’s use. Jews at that time were using this practice towards their possessions to absolve themselves of having to support their own parents. Essentially, they were using this declaration as a loophole to avoid the responsibility of caring for their parents while appearing to be pious by dedicating their resources to God.

Jesus condemns this approach because it nullifies the commandment to honor one’s parents. He is pointing out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who outwardly appear to be following religious law but are actually using it to evade their moral responsibilities. The broader message here condemns legalistic behavior that prioritizes ritualistic law over genuine moral obligations and the intended spirit of the law.

¹ Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, ² they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; ⁴ and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.) ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?” ⁶ And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
⁷ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’

_⁸ You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.”

⁹ And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die’; ¹¹ but you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is Corban’ (what is dedicated to God)— ¹² then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, ¹³ thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on. And many such things you do.”

Mark 7:1-13

This poignant exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees centered on the issue of tradition versus the commandments of God. This passage highlights a critical aspect of Jesus’ ministry: challenging human traditions that had come to overshadow the core teachings of the Old Testament. Here, Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 to critique the Pharisees and scribes for allowing their traditions to invalidate the commandments of God.

When the Pharisees first confronted Jesus about His disciples not following the tradition of the elders, specifically washing hands before eating—a ritual purity practice not explicitly commanded in the Torah for the general population—Jesus responded by contrasting the human traditions upheld by the Pharisees with the commandments of God, indicating that their traditions have led them away from truly honoring God.

Jesus accuses the Pharisees of neglecting and invalidating God’s commandments in favor of their traditions. He cites the example of ‘Corban’ (a practice where one dedicates something to God as a reason to not financially support their own parents), which contradicts the commandment to honor one’s father and mother. This practice, according to Jesus, exemplifies how the Pharisees’ traditions have led them to violate the direct commandments of God.

By challenging the Pharisees, Jesus reinforces the Old Testament teaching that God’s commandments are paramount. The Torah emphasizes the importance of obeying God’s laws above human customs or traditions (Deuteronomy 6:1-2). Jesus’ critique is rooted in the prophetic tradition, which often called out Israel for its failure to live according to God’s commandments despite outward signs of religiosity.

By quoting Isaiah, Jesus points out the hypocrisy of honoring God with lips while hearts are far from Him. This critique is deeply aligned with the Old Testament’s emphasis on sincere worship and the condition of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7, Psalm 51:17). The prophets frequently condemned empty rituals devoid of true devotion to God.

Mark 7:1-13 not only nukes the human traditions overriding God’s commandments but also calls the Jews to return to the actual teachings of the Old Testament.

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

During the time of Jesus, the Roman Empire often subcontracted the task of tax collection to local inhabitants who had an intimate knowledge of the commerce of that society. This system was known as “tax farming.” In this system, individuals would bid for the right to collect taxes in a specific area. These local tax collectors would pay the Romans a fixed amount in advance and then collect taxes from the population. They had a financial incentive to collect more than what they paid to the Roman authorities, leading to practices that were often seen as extortionate by their fellow countrymen.

This approach allowed the Roman Empire to efficiently collect taxes across its vast and culturally diverse territories without having to manage the day-to-day aspects of tax collection directly. However, it also meant that local tax collectors were viewed as collaborators with the occupying powers, further exacerbating the resentment felt by their community members.

The use of local individuals to collect taxes ensured that the collectors knew the community well and were efficient in their collection efforts. However, it also placed them in a position of conflict with their own people, as they were seen as betraying their community by working for the Roman occupiers and profiting at the expense of their neighbors.

Therefore, the tax collectors in Judea during the time of Jesus were typically ethnically Jewish when collecting taxes from their fellow Jews. This made the tax collectors at the time of Jesus one of the most despised people in society. Many Jews saw the tax collectors’ involvement with the Romans and their handling of “unclean” money (coins bearing the image of the emperor or pagan symbols) as violations of religious purity laws. Additionally, their association with Gentiles and perceived participation in an unjust economic system further alienated them from the religious and social life of their communities.

Because of their occupation, tax collectors were often classed as “sinners” and other marginalized groups, excluded from the religious and social life of the community. Their work made them ritually unclean and socially ostracized, which was reinforced by the common rabbinic teaching and public sentiment of the time.

This context sets the backdrop for another example of Jesus smashing tradition, the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector found in Luke 18:9-14.

⁹ He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

The above passage profoundly challenged the prevailing Jewish traditions while simultaneously reinforcing key teachings of the Old Testament. This parable directly addresses issues of pride, humility, repentance, and the nature of true righteousness.

In Jewish society, Pharisees were highly respected for their devout adherence to the Law and religious practices, while tax collectors were reviled as sinners and collaborators with the Roman occupation. By portraying the tax collector as justified before God rather than the Pharisee, Jesus challenges societal norms and the assumption that outward religious observance equates to inner righteousness.

The Pharisee’s prayer is self-congratulatory, focusing on his own outward religious practices and comparing himself favorably against others, especially the tax collector. This attitude reflects a misunderstanding of the basis of righteousness in God’s eyes, critiquing a tradition that had come to value external adherence to religious norms over genuine humility and repentance.

The Old Testament frequently emphasizes the importance of humility before God. For example, Proverbs 3:34 says, “He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.” The tax collector’s posture of humility and his plea for mercy resonate with the Old Testament’s teachings on the value of a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).

The Old Testament is replete with instances where God shows mercy to those who repent and turn to Him with sincere hearts. The parable echoes the theme of repentance found in books like Jonah, where Nineveh is spared because of its inhabitants’ repentance, and in the prophetic calls to return to God with genuine contrition (Joel 2:12-13).

The Old Testament makes clear that righteousness is not merely about external observance but involves a right relationship with God, characterized by trust, faithfulness, and obedience from the heart. Micah 6:8 sums this up by stating what the Lord requires: “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

By telling this parable, Jesus not only critiques a superficial understanding of righteousness and a misplaced confidence in external religious practices but also calls his listeners back to the core Old Testament values of humility, repentance, and a heart-oriented relationship with God. The parable serves as a reminder that God’s approval is not earned by outward signs of piety but is a gift of grace to those who approach Him with humility and a recognition of their own need for mercy.

The Good Samaritan

At the time of Jesus, Samaritans were viewed with considerable hostility and disdain by many Jews, and the feelings were mutual. This animosity had deep historical, religious, and cultural roots, dating back to the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE and the subsequent intermarriages between the Israelite inhabitants of Samaria and the foreign settlers brought in by the Assyrians. Over centuries, these differences intensified, leading to significant religious and ethnic divisions by the time of Jesus.

Samaritans accepted only the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament) as their Scripture and rejected the writings and prophets accepted by Jews. They also had their own temple on Mount Gerizim, which they considered the rightful place of worship instead of Jerusalem’s Temple, based on their interpretation of the Pentateuch.

The Samaritans were considered by many Jews to be ethnically mixed and religiously apostate due to their historical intermarriage with non-Israelite populations during and after the Assyrian conquest. This history contributed to a deep-seated suspicion and hostility between the two groups.

Over time, the Samaritans developed distinct cultural practices and religious observances, further widening the gap between them and the Jewish population. This separation was reinforced by both communities and was reflected in mutual avoidance in social and religious contexts.

Jews generally avoided eating with Samaritans or entering Samaritan homes, as doing so could render them ritually unclean. The religious practices of Samaritans, including their place of worship and interpretation of the law, were deemed incorrect and heretical by many Jews, further reinforcing the idea of ritual uncleanness.

One of the most famous New Testament interactions highlighting these divisions is Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42). Jesus’ willingness to speak with her, a Samaritan and a woman, broke several social conventions and illustrates how he worked to destroy the unauthorized traditions followed by the Jews that were attributed to God.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan, found in Luke 10:25-37, serves as a profound challenge to Jewish tradition at the time of Jesus while also reinforcing core teachings of the Old Testament. This parable is a response to a lawyer’s question about how to inherit eternal life:

²⁵ And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read?” ²⁷ And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁸ And he said to him, “You have answered right; do this, and you will live.”

Luke 10:25-28

Jesus’ response can be found lifted from the Old Testament

⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; ⁵ and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

¹³ “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning. ¹⁴ You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. ¹⁵ “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. ¹⁶ You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand forth against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. ¹⁷ “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason with your neighbor, lest you bear sin because of him. ¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:13-18

When the lawyer asks, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan.

²⁹ But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. ³² So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, ³⁴ and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ ³⁶ Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” ³⁷ He said, “The one who showed mercy on him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:29-37

This response from Jesus, according to Luke, challenges the dogma of tradition that was plaguing the Jews at that time towards the Samaritans and the prevailing Jewish notion of who qualifies as a “neighbor.” By making a Samaritan—the social and religious adversary of the Jews—the hero of the story, Jesus challenges ethnic and religious prejudices that are reinforced by Jewish tradition. The Samaritan’s actions contrast with those of the priest and the Levite, who, despite their religious status, fail to help the wounded man. This inversion of expectations critiques a tradition that had become insular, where societal and religious boundaries defined neighborly obligations.

The parable implicitly critiques Jewish religious leaders who, despite their knowledge of the law and their roles as spiritual guides, fail to live out the law because of their inherited traditions. By portraying religious figures like the priest and the Levite as bypassing the injured man, Jesus points to an incompatibility between the law and the tradition.

Money Changers

In the four Gospels (Matthew 21:12–17, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45–48, and John 2:13–16), Jesus cleanses the Temple by expelling the money changers that have infiltrated the sacred space.

¹² And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. ¹³ He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you make it a den of robbers.”

¹⁴ And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant; ¹⁶ and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
thou hast brought perfect praise’?”

¹⁷ And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Matthew 21:12–17

A surface level reading of the above passage makes it seem like Jesus’s objection was purely that the Temple was being used for commerce, but one has to ask why were these activities even associated with the Temple?

The Jewish community of the period, deeply committed to their religious observances and the sanctity of the Temple, meticulously adhered to the most minute dictates of their faith. Given this profound reverence, it is implausible to suggest that the facilitation of commerce and money exchange within the Temple precincts occurred without a deliberate theological or ritualistic rationale underpinning these activities. This suggests that such practices, far from being mere secular conveniences, were integrally linked to the religious functions and observances of the time, serving to fulfill specific liturgical needs and accommodate the practicalities of worship for a diverse and often geographically dispersed congregation.

According to Jewish custom, at the time of Jesus, every male was mandated to pay a half-shekel temple tax for the maintenance of the temple. This understanding is derived from their interpretation of the following verses from Exodus 30.

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. ¹³ Each who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ Every one who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. ¹⁵ The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for yourselves. ¹⁶ And you shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for yourselves.”

Exodus 30:11-16

By the first century, this tax was paid annually by Jewish males for the services and sacrifices performed in the temple. Despite Exodus not specifying what specific currency is acceptable for this temple tax, Jewish custom at the time restricted the specific currency accepted for the temple tax to the Tyrian shekel. This was due to its high silver content and because it did not bear an image that could be considered idolatrous. Ironically, later versions of the Tyrian shekel did bear the image of Hercules, but it was still accepted due to its silver content and established use.

So, the function of the money changers was to exchange what was considered unacceptable or idolatrous money for the type of currency acceptable for temple transactions. Many of the coins in circulation in Judea and the broader Roman Empire carried images of the emperor or pagan symbols, which were considered idolatrous and, therefore, deemed inappropriate for use in the temple. The temple tax and offerings required a currency that did not bear these graven images.

Pilgrims coming to Jerusalem from various parts of the Roman Empire would bring with them currencies from their native regions. Because only certain types of coins were accepted for the payment of the temple tax and for purchasing sacrificial animals, money changers stationed at the temple provided a necessary service: they exchanged the pilgrims’ foreign money for the appropriate currency. This exchange often came with a fee, adding to the expense of the pilgrims’ temple obligations.

The presence of money changers and animal sellers in the temple courts was a response to the practical needs of worshippers who traveled long distances to fulfill their religious obligations. However, the commercial activities had expanded to a point where they interfered with the temple’s primary function as a place of worship.

Nowhere in the Bible does it prohibit the usage of money with an image or prohibit the use of a shekel with such an image for use when paying the Temple tax, let alone restrict the shekel to be that of a Tyrian shekel. All these innovations came from their transition and not the Old Testament. Additionally, the Old Testament strictly prohibits cheating or exploiting others in commerce, emphasizing just dealings.

³⁵ “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. ³⁶ You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:35-36

This passage directly addresses the issue of fairness in commerce, mandating the use of honest measurements in trade to ensure that no party is cheated or exploited. The broader context of these laws is a concern for justice and the well-being of the community, reflecting the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites.

Other relevant passages that advocate for fairness and condemn exploitation in commerce include:

¹³ “You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. ¹⁴ You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. ¹⁵ A full and just weight you shall have, a full and just measure you shall have; that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. ¹⁶ For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 25:13-16

11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
    but a just weight is his delight.

Proverbs 11:1

These verses reflect the biblical imperative for ethical behavior in all aspects of life, including commerce, underscoring the importance of integrity, honesty, and fairness as expressions of faithfulness to God’s commandments. Yet, the Jews at the time of Jesus negated the laws in the Written Torah in favor of their tradition.

Jesus’s cleansing of the temple was a direct challenge to their established traditions. By driving out the money changers and animal sellers, Jesus was protesting against their innovated laws that were causing the pilgrims who came to visit the temple to be exploited in order to return the temple to its intended purpose as a house of prayer.

Render to Ceaser

At the time of Jesus, the widespread use of Roman currency, which often featured the emperor’s image—who was sometimes worshipped as a deity in the Roman world—posed an issue to the Jews living at that time. These coins were a part of daily commerce and were necessary for paying taxes, buying goods, and conducting other financial transactions. Yet, their tradition deemed the touching of such coins as potentially forbidden. This conflict is also depicted in Rabbinic literature, developed after the time of Jesus, which contains debates and discussions regarding the permissibility of handling coins with idolatrous images.

This provides more context regarding the question posed to Jesus regarding where it was lawful for Jews to pay taxes to Ceaser. The accounts in Matthew 22:15–22 and Mark 12:13–17 say that the questioners were Pharisees and Herodians, while Luke 20:20–26 says only that they were “spies” sent by “teachers of the law and the chief priests”.

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk. ¹⁶ And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Hero′di-ans, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. ¹⁷ Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” ¹⁸ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a coin. ²⁰ And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” ²¹ They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²² When they heard it, they marveled; and they left him and went away.

Matthew 22:15–22

The fact that Jesus is stating that the coinage has the inscription of Ceaser upon it and that he has no problem touching it, let alone his verdict to “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ), indicates that there is no sin touching or using money of the pagans. Irrespective of the name engraved upon it, or even if it is that of a human worshiped as a deity, it is still lawful to touch and use. This again abolishes the tradition that had crept into the religion of the Jews at the time that Jesus was there to abolish.

I have come not to abolish the law but to fulfill it

This brings us to the last point, which can be found in Matthew 5, where Jesus confirms that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. This pivotal passage within the Sermon on the Mount is where Jesus articulates his relationship to the Law and the Prophets, challenging prevailing interpretations of Jewish tradition while deeply affirming and reinforcing the teachings of the Old Testament. Showing that he was deeply committed to the written law, and his function was to abolish the false traditions that had infiltrated the religion.

¹⁷ “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. ¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹ Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:17-20

Jesus challenges the prevailing Jewish tradition practiced by the scribes and Pharisees and invites them back to the written law. The law given by God to His prophets to wash away the false laws and regulations created by men that were never authorized by God. Stating that he came to fulfill the Law and the prophets shows that Jesus wanted to return to the original law and remove the generations of false dogma that had entered the religion. This statement directly challenges those who view adherence to tradition as the primary means of righteousness rather than the written law, as stated in the Torah.

Final Thoughts

Almost every parable in the Gospels can be viewed through the lens of Jesus demolishing the false traditions established by the Jews of his time and an invitation back to the actual word of God found in the scripture. From The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) to the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24) to the numerous parables foretelling how the Jews were destined to respond to his reminders and invitation.

This makes Jesus the same as all the other prophets and messengers of the past, who all came to adhere strictly to the scripture and abolished all the manmade innovations that have corrupted the religion.

[3:79] Never would a human being whom GOD blessed with the scripture and prophethood say to the people, “Idolize me beside GOD.” Instead, (he would say), “Devote yourselves absolutely to your Lord alone,” according to the scripture you preach and the teachings you learn.

 مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُؤْتِيَهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا۟ عِبَادًا لِّى مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِن كُونُوا۟ رَبَّـٰنِيِّـۧنَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ

[2:87] We gave Moses the scripture, and subsequent to him we sent other messengers, and we gave Jesus, son of Mary, profound miracles and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Is it not a fact that every time a messenger went to you with anything you disliked, your ego caused you to be arrogant? Some of them you rejected, and some of them you killed.

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ بِٱلرُّسُلِ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَـٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ

[2:88] And they said, “Our minds are made up (Our hearts are uncircumcised)!” Instead, it is a curse from GOD, as a consequence of their disbelief, that keeps them from believing, except for a few of them.

 وَقَالُوا۟ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌۢ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ

[5:41] O you messenger, do not be saddened by those who hasten to disbelieve among those who say, “We believe,” with their mouths, while their hearts do not believe. Among the Jews, some listened to lies. They listened to people who never met you, and who distorted the words out of context, then said, “If you are given this, accept it, but if you are given anything different, beware.” Whomever GOD wills to divert, you can do nothing to help him against GOD. GOD does not wish to cleanse their hearts. They have incurred humiliation in this world, and in the Hereafter, they will suffer a terrible retribution.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ لَا يَحْزُنكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْكُفْرِ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ سَمَّـٰعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ سَمَّـٰعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَوَاضِعِهِۦ يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـٰذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَٱحْذَرُوا۟ وَمَن يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُۥ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا خِزْىٌ وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

[5:42] They are upholders of lies, and eaters of illicit earnings. If they come to you to judge among them, you may judge among them, or you may disregard them. If you choose to disregard them, they cannot harm you in the least. But if you judge among them, you shall judge equitably. GOD loves those who are equitable.

سَمَّـٰعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّـٰلُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ فَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَإِن تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْـًٔا وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْقِسْطِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ

[5:43] Why do they ask you to judge among them, when they have the Torah, containing GOD’s law, and they chose to disregard it? They are not believers.

وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَمَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Honoring Previous Scripture

[5:44] We have sent down the Torah, containing guidance and light. Ruling in accordance with it were the Jewish prophets, as well as the rabbis and the priests, as dictated to them in GOD’s scripture, and as witnessed by them. Therefore, do not reverence human beings; you shall reverence Me instead. And do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations, are the disbelievers.

نَّآ أَنزَلْنَا ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلرَّبَّـٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا ٱسْتُحْفِظُوا۟ مِن كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَآءَ فَلَا تَخْشَوُا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ

The Law of Equivalence

[5:45] And we decreed for them in it that: the life for the life, the eye for the eye, the nose for the nose, the ear for the ear, the tooth for the tooth, and an equivalent injury for any injury. If one forfeits what is due to him as a charity, it will atone for his sins. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations are the unjust.

وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَآ أَنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ بِٱلنَّفْسِ وَٱلْعَيْنَ بِٱلْعَيْنِ وَٱلْأَنفَ بِٱلْأَنفِ وَٱلْأُذُنَ بِٱلْأُذُنِ وَٱلسِّنَّ بِٱلسِّنِّ وَٱلْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِۦ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُۥ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ

The Gospel of Jesus: Guidance and Light

[5:46] Subsequent to them, we sent Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming the previous scripture, the Torah. We gave him the Gospel, containing guidance and light, and confirming the previous scriptures, the Torah, and augmenting its guidance and light, and to enlighten the righteous.

وَقَفَّيْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم بِعِيسَى ٱبْنِ مَرْيَمَ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلْإِنجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدًى وَنُورٌ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

[5:47] The people of the Gospel shall rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations therein. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations are the wicked.

وَلْيَحْكُمْ أَهْلُ ٱلْإِنجِيلِ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ