Jesus: Man, Messenger, Messiah · 7. Paul
Jesus practised and preached the Law of Moses
In short
- 1.'Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets (PBUT)… not the smallest letter until everything is accomplished' [Matthew 5:17-18].
- 2.'Whoever sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom' [Matthew 5:19].
- 3.Jesus (PBUH) was circumcised [Luke 2:21], kept Passover [Luke 22:15], and observed the Sabbath [Luke 4:16].
- 4.He tells the rich young man that eternal life comes by keeping the commandments [Matthew 19:17].
- 5.The Qur'an: Jesus (PBUH) came confirming the Torah and making some things lawful [3:50].
The claim being examined
Christianity teaches that the Law was fulfilled and set aside in Christ, so believers are no longer bound by it.
The Islamic position
Islam holds that Jesus (PBUH) lived as an observant Jew and taught his followers to keep the Law, exactly as the Qur'an says he confirmed the Torah.
Analysis
Matthew 5:17-19 is the key text. On any plain reading, Jesus (PBUH) affirms that the Law still stands, in the strongest terms, and warns against anyone who would loosen it. Scholars broadly agree that the Jesus (PBUH) of history was a Law-keeping Jewish teacher, and that setting the Law aside is a later development belonging to the mission to non-Jews. The Islamic account — a prophet sent to the children of Israel, confirming the Torah — fits that picture closely.
From the Qur'an
وَمُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَجِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
wamuṣaddiqan limā bayna yadayya mina l-tawrāti wali-uḥilla lakum baʿḍa alladhī ḥurrima ʿalaykum waji'tukum biāyatin min rabbikum fa-ittaqū l-laha wa-aṭīʿūni
And confirming what was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you.
وَلِأُبَيِّنَ لَكُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
wali-ubayyina lakum baʿḍa alladhī takhtalifūna fīhi fa-ittaqū l-laha wa-aṭīʿūni
And to clarify for you some of that over which you differ. So fear God and obey me.
From the Bible
μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
Read it in their Bibleεἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς
If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.
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