What Did Jesus Say About The Law? A Close Look At His Teachings
Questions about what Jesus taught regarding the Jewish law and commandments have puzzled believers and non-believers alike for centuries. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Jesus did not abolish the law, but fulfilled it.
He exhorted his followers to adhere to the spirit rather than the strict letter of many old testament laws and commandments.
In this comprehensive article, we will analyze in detail what Jesus said concerning the law in the gospels. We’ll cover his statements on legalism and rule-following, examine how he related the law to love and mercy, and highlight teachings showing he valued the essence behind rules over strict obedience.
By looking closely at his words and deeds, we can better understand his revolutionary perspective which uplifted the humble and challenged the self-righteous.
Jesus Opposed Strict Legalism
He Prioritized Mercy Over Rules
Jesus often emphasized mercy and forgiveness over strictly following religious laws and rules. For example, when religious leaders wanted to stone a woman caught in adultery, Jesus told them “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7).
Ultimately, Jesus forgave the woman and told her to “go and sin no more.” This incident illustrates Christ’s emphasis on compassion rather than condemnation.
In multiple teachings, Jesus made it clear that loving God and loving one’s neighbor should be prioritized above other religious duties or rituals. When asked about the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself'” (Matthew 22:37-39). For Jesus, relationships outweighed rigid rule-following.
Christ also frequently associated with society’s outcasts – such as tax collectors, prostitutes, and Samaritans – much to the chagrin of religious elites who viewed these people as unclean or sinful. Jesus cared more about showing grace and establishing connections than buckling down to manmade religious standards.
His gentle, loving attitude toward those considered “unrighteous” demonstrated that God desires mercy over sacrifice (Matthew 9:13).
He Valued Spirit Over Letter of the Law
In multiple recorded debates with Pharisees over interpretation of the Law, Jesus showed far more concern for the spirit or intention behind Moses’ commands rather than just the letter of the law itself.
For example, when the Pharisees challenged Christ over whether it was unlawful to heal people on the Sabbath (Luke 6:6-11), Jesus replied: “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!
Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11-12). His witty response cut through legalistic red tape to expose the heart of God’s commandments – to love and care for people.
Jesus taught that religious rituals or duties were of secondary value compared to having the right heart motivations and attitudes. In one discourse, Christ berated the Pharisees for tithing spices like mint, dill, and cumin but neglecting “the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23).
God cares more about His people living justly, mercifully, and faithfully from the heart than completing outward religious requirements for appearance’s sake.
Ultimately, Jesus Himself modeled perfect fulfillment of the spirit of the Law through His sinless life, sacrificial death for humanity’s sins, and resurrection from the dead. His life and teachings make clear that rules provide guidance, but relationships should take priority.
Jesus Said He Came to Fulfill the Law
He Did Not Abolish the Law
Jesus made it clear that he did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. Rather, he came to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). This means Jesus lived a life that met the righteous requirements of the Law.
Through his sinless life, Jesus embodied and demonstrated the purpose and true meaning of God’s commands.
Jesus obeyed the ceremonial laws found in the Old Testament to point to their fulfillment in his ministry and work. His perfect sacrifice fulfilled the law’s sacrificial system of atonement. Jesus also upheld the moral and ethical commands in the Law by demonstrating God’s standards of righteousness.
However, Jesus prioritized the “weightier matters” like justice, mercy and faithfulness over legalistic rule-keeping (Matthew 23:23). He emphasized the spirit of the Law over the letter of the Law. Although Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, he ushered in a new covenant in his blood which fulfilled the old covenant of the Law.
His Teachings Align with Core Principles
While Jesus provided new insights into God’s commands, his ethical teachings aligned with the core principles in the Law. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).
Jesus taught that all other commands flow from the two great commandments – to love God and love others. This echoed Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 in the Mosaic Law.
When asked about grounds for divorce, Jesus pointed back to God’s creational intent for marriage (Matthew 19:8). On murder, Jesus said anger in the heart is tantamount to murder (Matthew 5:21-22). Jesus expounded the true meaning behind God’s commands but did not annul them.
His teachings revealed the heart of God and aligned with the great ethical principles in the Law of Moses.
Loving God and Neighbor Was Central
The Greatest Commandment
According to the synoptic gospels, when Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, he replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). This demonstrates that for Jesus, the two most important principles were loving God fully and loving other people.
Jesus equated these principles with the core of the Jewish law. By affirming the greatest commandment, he was emphasizing that all of God’s laws hang on loving devotion to God and compassionate treatment of others (Matthew 22:40).
This dual focus on vertical and horizontal relationships was central to Jesus’ ethical teachings.
Parable of the Good Samaritan
Jesus illustrated what it means to “love your neighbor” through parables like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). In this story, a Samaritan man helps an injured Jewish man on the road, even though Jews and Samaritans were enemies.
Jesus challenges his listeners to follow this example of indiscriminately aiding anyone in need.
The parable’s context is Jesus affirming that the way to “inherit eternal life” is to sincerely love God and love one’s neighbor (Luke 10:25-28). The story underscores that neighboring love crosses social divides and meets practical needs generously.
Jesus’ teachings consistently elevate compassion as essential to godly living.
Jesus Repeatedly Clashed with Religious Leaders
Throughout His ministry, Jesus had numerous confrontations with the Pharisees and religious leaders of His day. These clashes highlighted Jesus’ authority and the Pharisees’ hypocrisy.
Jesus Challenged Traditions and Laws
On several occasions, Jesus was confronted by Pharisees about His disciples picking grain on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8). According to their strict traditions, this was considered work and therefore unlawful on the holy day.
Jesus responded by reminding them that even King David and his men ate consecrated bread when they were hungry. Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). He emphasized human needs over strict legalism.
Another time, Pharisees questioned Jesus about the practice of ceremonial hand washing before meals (Mark 7:1-15). Jesus accused them of honoring their own traditions over God’s commands. He charged them with hypocrisy for looking holy on the outside but harboring greed and impurity in their hearts.
Jesus Exposed Empty Religion
On multiple occasions, Jesus pronounced woes over the teachers of the law and Pharisees, exposing their outwardly impressive but empty religion (Matthew 23:13-36). He declared that while they preached tiehing and holiness, they showed no love, mercy or compassion.
Jesus called them “whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27). Though posing as righteous teachers, their hearts were far from God.
Throughout His confrontations, Jesus lowered the boom of truth and exposed the barren legalism of the religious elite. At the same time, He offered grace, forgiveness and new life to all who would receive it.
Implications for How We Follow Divine Laws Today
Jesus’ teachings on the law have significant implications for how Christians should relate to and follow divine laws in the present day. Here are three key takeaways:
The Spirit and Intent Matter More than Legalism
Jesus criticized the Pharisees for rigidly adhering to the letter of the law while ignoring its spirit and intent (Matthew 23:23). For Jesus, the purpose behind a law was more important than strict, legalistic obedience.
This suggests Christians today should care more about the spirit and intent behind divine laws than legalistically following rules without considering their purpose.
Love Should Be the Fulfillment of Any Law
When asked about the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus replied that we should love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39). For Jesus, love was the fulfillment of the whole law. This implies that for Christians today, any divine law—whether an Old Testament commandment or a teaching of Jesus—should be filtered through the lens of love.
Rules should not be followed legalistically if they lack love.
Focus More on Internal Transformation Than External Conformity
Jesus taught that sins like adultery and murder begin internally, in the heart, rather than just being about external behavior (Matthew 5:21-30). This suggests obedience to divine law is primarily about the transformation of our inner person.
Rules are important, but the focus should be on allowing God’s Spirit to internally change our motivations and desires. Without inner renewal, external law-following is of limited value.
Conclusion
In closing, while Jesus opposed rigid rule-following and upheld the spirit behind divine principles, he also made clear he was not simply throwing out the old laws. Through his teachings and acts of mercy, he revealed their essence – like love and compassion – to be most critical.
This helps explain Christianity’s endurance despite historically intense legalism. May we reflect Jesus’ spirit in balancing mercy and morality today.
