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… 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 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 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 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 crux. On any straightforward reading, Jesus affirms the continuing authority of the Law in the strongest possible terms and warns against those who would relax it. Critical scholarship broadly agrees that the historical Jesus was a Torah-observant Jewish teacher, and that the abrogation of the Law is a development that occurs after him, in the Gentile mission. The Islamic account — a prophet sent to the children of Israel, confirming the Torah — fits that portrait closely.
From the Qur'an
Qur'an 3:50
وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ
And confirming what was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you.
Qur'an 43:63
وَلِأُبَيِّنَ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ
And to clarify for you some of that over which you differ. So fear God and obey me.
From the Bible
Matthew 5:17-18
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 BibleMatthew 19:17
εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς
If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.
Read it in their BibleSources
Abu Zakariya, Jesus: Man, Messenger, Messiah · E.P. Sanders, Jesus and Judaism · Geza Vermes · James Tabor · Jesus: Man, Messenger, Messiah — ch. 7, pp. 160-163
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