Refuting 'So Much Garbage' II
The scribes and the Pharisees, Jesus claimed, "have neglected the
weightier matters of the Law; justice and mercy and faith." (Matthew
23:14,16-23; Luke 11:42, 20:45-47)
This is painfully obvious when contrasting Paul's pronouncements on the Law
with those of Jesus.
The most-repeated argument against biblical vegetarianism I've gotten from
Christians is that they claim they are no longer under Mosaic Law, because
the apostle Paul referred to his background as a former Pharisee and his
previous adherence to Mosaic Law (with its dietary laws, commandments
calling for the humane treatment of animals, etc.) as "so much garbage."
(Philippians 3:4-8)
Nothing in the synoptic gospels suggests a break with Judaism. Jesus was
called "Rabbi," meaning "Master" or "Teacher," 42 times in the gospels.
Jesus' ministry was rabbinic. Jesus related scripture and God's laws to
everyday life, teaching by personal example. Jesus engaged in healing and
acts of mercy. Jesus told stories or parables -- a rabbinic method of
teaching.
Jesus went to the synagogue (Matthew 12:9), taught in the synagogues
(Matthew 4:23, 13:54; Mark 1:39), expressed concern for Jairus, "one of the
rulers of the synagogue" (Mark 5:36) and it "was his custom" to go to the
synagogue (Luke 4:16).
Jesus called himself "Son of Man." The prophet Ezekiel was addressed by God
as "Son of Man." (Ezekiel 2:1) In Hebrew, "son of man" ("ben adam") was a
synonym for "man." Psalm 8:4 uses it in plural. Simon (Peter) referred to
Jesus as "a man certified by God." (Acts 2:22)
Both John the Baptist and Jesus were considered prophets by the people.
(Matthew 11:9, 21:11, 21:26, 21:46; Mark 6:15, 11:32; Luke 7:16, 7:26, 9:19,
24:19; John 4:19, 6:14, 7:40, 9:17)
Jesus placed himself in the tradition of the prophets before him. (Matthew
13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24, 13:33; John 4:44)
Jesus frequently compared his ministry to the ministries of Noah, Lot and
Jonah. (Matthew 10:15, 11:24, 12:39-40, 16:4, 24:37-39; Luke 10:12,
11:29,32, 17:26-29,32)
Jesus began his ministry by teaching the multitudes not to "give what is
sacred to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine." (Matthew 7:6) Dogs,
like swine, were considered foul and unclean by the Hebrew people.
(Deuteronomy 23:18; I Samuel 24:14; II Kings 8:13; Psalm 22:16,20; Matthew
7:6; Luke 16:21; Revelations 22:15) These words were used by the children of
Israel to describe the neighboring heathen populations.
When sending his disciples out to preach, Jesus instructed them not to go to
the gentiles, but to "go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
(Matthew 10:5-6) When a Canaanite woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter, he
replied, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel...It is
not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." (Matthew
15:22-28)
Jesus regarded the gentiles as "dogs." His gospel was intended for the
Jewish people. Even the apostle Paul admitted that the gospel was first
intended for the Jews, and that the Jews have every advantage over the
gentiles in this regard (Romans 1:16, 3:1-2).
When a scribe asked Jesus what is the greatest commandment in the Torah,
Jesus began with "Hear O Israel, the Lord, thy God, is One Lord." This is
the Shema, which is still heard in every synagogue service to this day.
"And you shall love the Lord with all your soul, with all your mind, and
with all your strength...And you shall love your neighbor as yourself,"
Jesus concluded.
When the scribe agreed that God is one and that to love Him completely and
also love one's neighbor as oneself is "more important than all the whole
burnt offerings and sacrifices," Jesus replied, "You are not far from the
kingdom of God." (Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:29-34; Luke 10:25-28)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus himself said:
"Do not suppose I have come to abolish the Law and the prophets. I did not
come to destroy but to fulfill...till heaven and earth pass away, not one
jot or tittle pass from the Law till all is fulfilled. Whoever, therefore,
breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so shall be
called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven...unless your righteousness
exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means
enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20)
Jesus also upheld the Torah in Luke 16:17: "And it is easier for heaven and
earth to pass away than for the smallest portion of the Law to become
invalid."
Nor do these words refer merely to the Ten Commandments. Jesus meant the
entire Torah: 613 commandments. When a man asked Jesus what he must do to
inherit eternal life, Jesus replied, "You know the commandments." He then
quoted not just the Ten Commandments, but a commandment from Leviticus 19:13
as well: "Do not defraud." (Mark 10:17-22)
Jesus' disciples were once accused by the scribes and Pharisees of violating
rabbinical tradition (Matthew 15:1-2; Mark 7:5), but not biblical law. At no
place in the entire New Testament does Jesus ever proclaim Torah or the Law
of Moses to be abolished; this was the theology of Paul, a former Pharisee
who never knew Jesus, but who used to persecute Jesus' followers. Paul
openly identified himself not as a Jew but as a Roman (Acts 22:25-26) and an
apostate from Judaism (Philippians 3:4-8)
Sometimes Christians cite Matthew 7:12, where Jesus says "Do unto others..."
and this "covers" the Law and the prophets.
But Jesus was merely repeating in the positive what Rabbi Hillel taught
earlier.
Hillel was asked, "What is Judaism?"
He replied: "What is hateful to you, do not do unto others. That is Judaism.
All the rest is commentary."
No one took Hillel's words to mean the Law had been abolished -- why should
we assume this of Jesus?
If Jesus *really* came to abolish the Law and the prophets, Simon (Peter)
would not have resisted a divine command to kill and eat both "clean" and
"unclean" animals (Acts 10), nor would there have been a debate in the early
church as to what extent the gentiles were to observe Mosaic Law (Acts 15).
When Paul visited the church at Jerusalem, James and the elders told him all
its members were "zealous for the Law," and that they were worried because
they heard rumors that Paul was preaching against Mosaic Law (Acts 21).
None of these events would have happened had Jesus really come to abolish
the Law and the prophets!
Jesus not only repeatedly upheld Mosaic Law, he justified his healing on the
Sabbath by referring to commandments calling for the humane treatment of
animals!
While teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, Jesus healed a woman
who had been ill for eighteen years. He justified his healing work on the
Sabbath by referring to biblical passages calling for the humane treatment
of animals as well as their rest on the Sabbath. "So ought not this woman,
being a daughter of Abraham...be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"
Jesus asked. (Luke 13:10-16)
On another occasion, Jesus again referred to Torah teaching on "tsa'ar
ba'alei chayim" or compassion for animals to justify healing on the Sabbath.
"Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not
immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?" (Luke 14:1-5)
Jesus compared saving sinners who had gone astray from God's kingdom to
rescuing lost sheep. He recalled a Jewish legend about Moses' compassion as
a shepherd for his flock:
"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think?
Who among you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not
leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost
until he finds it?
"And when he has found it," Jesus continued, "he lays it on his shoulders,
rejoicing. And when he comes home,he calls together his friends and
neighbors saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which
was lost!'
"I say to you, likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance...there is
joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
(Matthew 18:11-13; Luke 15:3-7,10)
Paul, on the other hand, said if anyone has confidence in Mosaic Law, "I am
ahead of him" (Philippians 3:4-8).
Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus, who said he did not come
to abolish the Law and the prophets?
Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus, who said whoever sets
aside even the least of the laws demands shall be called least in the
kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19)?
Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus, who taught that
following the commandments of God is the only way to eternal life (Mark
10:17-22)?
Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus, who said that it is
easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest portion of
the Law to become invalid (Luke 16:17)?
Paul may have regarded his previous adherence to Mosaic Law as "so much
garbage," but it should be obvious by now that JESUS DIDN'T THINK THE LAW
WAS "GARBAGE"!
If Christians revere Paul's words over those of Jesus, then "Christianity"
really is "Paulianity". Bertrand Russell referred to Paul as the "inventor"
of Christianity.
I'm not saying Christians should all be circumcised and following Mosaic
Law. The Reverend Andrew Linzey, the foremost theologian in the field of
animal-human relations and author of Christianity and the Rights of Animals
(1987), rejected such an approach in a 1989 interview with the Animals'
Agenda.
I'm merely saying that Christianity for the past 2000 years has been based
on a misunderstanding. Christians aren't really following Jesus. They're
following Paul.
Go on to: Refuting "three times..."
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