Jesus' teachings and actions often conflicted with Torah commandments

 

Jesus' teachings and actions often conflicted with Torah commandments, which rabbis consider immutable and eternal. Here are some examples:

1. Sabbath observance: Jesus repeatedly violated the Sabbath rest, arguing that he was the "Lord of the Sabbath" (Matthew 12:8). He even condoned his disciples' plucking grain on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8). In contrast, Torah commands strict Sabbath observance (Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15).
2. Dietary laws: Jesus declared all foods clean, abolishing the dietary distinctions between clean and unclean animals (Mark 7:19, Acts 10:10-16). However, Torah explicitly commands the observance of kashrut (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14:3-21).
3. Divorce: Jesus taught that divorce is only permissible in cases of adultery (Matthew 5:32, 19:9), whereas Torah allows divorce for a wider range of reasons (Deuteronomy 24:1-4).
4. Oaths and vows: Jesus prohibited taking oaths and vows (Matthew 5:33-37), whereas Torah permits and regulates them (Numbers 30, Deuteronomy 23:21-23).
5. Retaliation and revenge: Jesus taught to "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:38-48), whereas Torah prescribes an "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20).
6. Priests and temple: Jesus challenged the authority of the Temple priests and taught that the Temple would be destroyed (Matthew 12:6, 24:2, Mark 14:58). Torah, however, establishes the priesthood and Temple worship as central to Jewish life (Exodus 25-30, Leviticus 1-27).
7. Tradition and interpretation: Jesus often disputed the Pharisees' interpretations and traditions (Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23). Rabbis, however, consider the Oral Torah and tradition essential for understanding and applying the Written Torah.

By relaxing or contradicting Torah commandments, Jesus' teachings deviated from the immutable and eternal nature of Jewish law, as understood by rabbis. This deviation is seen as a significant reason for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah and his teachings as authoritative.