Jesus and the Ceremonial Laws

From the Sermon on the Mount we’ve emphasized the true nature of the law (contra the Pharisees) and since we can’t “be perfect, as your father in heaven is perfect,” we need Jesus to keep the law perfectly for us.

But what do we mean when we say that Jesus “kept the law perfectly?” There seem to be some passages in Matthew that suggest he didn’t.

• Matthew 12 – the Pharisees rebuke him for violating Sabbath law
• Matthew 15 – the Pharisees from Jerusalem rebuke him about washings/purity law 

What do we mean when we say that Jesus “kept the law perfectly?”

Three Types of Law

• Moral
• Civil
• Ceremonial

While Jesus was crucified for “insurrection,” (against the laws of the Roman government), this was a false charge and he was not guilty of it. He was crucified because the religious leaders, losing sight of the truth, convinced themselves that Jesus was a dangerous liar. 

Jesus’ interactions about law breaking (where he is the accused) are over ceremonial laws. It each case, Jesus did not break the law – the accusers were wrong about the law itself.

Matt 12:1-8 – Jesus and the Sabbath

Jesus’ new normal: the Pharisees seem to be following him around, watching him and the disciples, and looking for things to complain about. This is in the context of ongoing conflict (that was established from Matthew 5).

The Pharisees and Sabbath Law

• Very strict requirements about Sabbath observance.
  • Work wasn’t just “vocation,” but “activity.” It’s work to prepare a meal, work to gather food, work to travel, work to do anything that wasn’t a biological or religious requirement
  • We don’t know how much of this was what they thought the law actually said (originally) and how much of this was additional fences set up to prevent even the possibility of lawbreaking. The result is the same: a law that is unnecessarily burdensome AND misses the point.
    • The Mishneh defined “work” in 39 specific ways (some Jews today still follow it)

Jesus and Sabbath Law

• He begins his response with an appeal to David, going straight to a text with which the Pharisees would have been quite familiar
  • Text: 1 Sam 21:3-4a, 6
  • Parallel – David was a king with a band of followers
  • It’s an interesting contrast because the written law was violated in it: David and his men were not allowed to eat the bread.
    • The example shows that this law-breaking was lawful because the men were in need. Ceremony is purposeful (important) but not inviolable. These laws were occasionally not applicable in extraordinary instances. There are times when need can trump the ceremonial law.
  • Score 1 for Jesus: Even if they’re right about the behavior vs. law – they’re wrong about the “lawfulness.”
    • But, score 2 for Jesus: in this case, he didn’t break a written law, only the oral tradition.
      • The ceremonial law gave license to both walk through fields to get somewhere on the Sabbath and to eat grain along the way.
    • The direct challenge to the Pharisees is this: If David wasn’t condemned for breaking the ceremonial law in a time of need how could Jesus be condemned for breaking the Pharisaical addition to it in a similar time of need?
  • All this applies to ministry, including the Pharisees own (on that day).
    • Their temple service work was in service to God (worship, ministry) which was not included in the command.
    • Wasn’t Jesus’? Of course: Jesus is the temple, and His disciples are priests.
      • Jesus is greater than the Temple (and David)
      • So just as the priests served the temple, his disciples served Him.
      • They are ministering to God, and they need to eat.
    • This is why the Pharisees system isn’t healthy.
      • Even grant them good intentions at the start (keeping God’s law). They get the law itself wrong: it is not burdensome, it is life!
      • The extraneous rules (helps to the law) can become burdensome when the purpose of the law itself is diminished.
    • What is a healthy Sabbath system?
      • A thoughtful one: not defaulting into anything except worship and rest.
      • A restful one: not defaulting into a free day for activities
      • A worshipful one: one that is purposefully God-oriented (away from self)
      • A merciful one: how can I show the love of God to others
      • Frankly: our problem is likely not that we are too strict about Sabbath keeping