At the time of Jesus, the Israelite leaders and people were quite clear about the need to obey the Law of Moses. For hundreds of years they preserved the Torah, and learned the law. They knew by heart passages such as these:
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)
“If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.” (Deuteronomy 28:58-59)
Some of the laws were for bringing people closer to God. Other laws helped people establish a prosperous and just society. Here is one example:
“And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deuteronomy 19:21)
Although this may seem like a rudimentary form of justice to us today, this was the law at the time, and the people of Israel did their best to obey it. Imagine the people’s surprise to hear Jesus tell them this:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:38-39)
Imagine the confusion among the people, and the indignation and anger of the Pharisees and Saducees to hear this. The gospels give many examples of how these leaders of religion argued with Jesus, and told Him that He was breaking the law. Here is one story that may be familiar:
“And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?” (Mark 2:23-24)
What reply did Jesus give? He interpreted scripture for them in a way that they did not expect:
“And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” (Mark 2:25-28)
Jesus had the authority to interpret scripture in new ways. Here is how He explained that His words and actions did actually conform to the law:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18)
Neither the religious leaders nor most of the people understood what Jesus meant, or even who Jesus was. They did not recognize Him because He said and did things that they did not expect. As far as they were concerned, He was breaking the law. Yet he was telling them that he was fulfilling it. They could not grasp His meaning in their hearts, so they plotted against Him, and eventually had Him crucified.
Yet the power of the Word of God is such that the words of Jesus stand even to this day, and continue to be fulfilled in unexpected ways.