2. Law (Bridge to Conviction)
Now that you have the Rabbinics' attention, the temptation is to immediately progress to prophecy about Jesus: be it Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, or Jeremiah 31. But that's not what Jesus Himself did when He came to earth! His very first sermon to the masses was not one on Isaiah 53, or Psalm 22, or even Jeremiah 31. Instead, Jesus convicted them to ready their hearts for His arrival. He told them:
Matthew 5 — Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
20 unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees [early Rabbinics], you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.... 48 Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
While we as Christians understand the Law of Moses to be a tutor teaching us how much we need Christ (Galatians 3:24), Rabbinic Judaism sees the Law as their final destination — a conclusion in and of itself, not a tutor preparing us for something ahead. Since the Rabbinics of Jesus' day saw no need for perfection, that became Christ's first public target while on earth. If He was to die in a few short years, those around Him must understand why.
Still today, where we look to Calvary, Rabbinic Judaism looks to Sinai. Where we see the New Covenant made in Christ's Blood, Rabbinics see the Mosaic Covenant made in stone tablets. And they see no problem with that being their final destination: their conclusion to all things.
After all, Scripture itself says:
13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
In agreement with Ecclesiastes, we want the Rabbinic to conclude that keeping God's commandments is paramount. Where we differ is whether that is possible. Christ, in His very first sermon (called the Sermon on the Mount), set the stage for them to see it was not. A successful conversation on the Law of Moses will change the Rabbinics' destination from the Law to a way to keep the Law: Jesus the Messiah.
This gives the Rabbinics a reason to change destination.
Conversation: Introduce Destination Change
Question for the Rabbinic
"If you do a wrongdoing, and then die before your next prayer of atonement, what will happen to you?"
Note: Rabbinic Judaism rejects the concept of ancestral/original sin. However, they emphasize personal responsibility: that God will give you exactly what you deserve. Use this to press the problem home: if you have an outstanding balance of debt before God when you face Him (you died before your atoning prayer), what will happen to you?The Rabbinic will almost certainly respond by saying, "I don't know. That's up to God."
By now the Rabbinic has heard that you believe:
- Jesus conformed to the example of the prophets (initial rejection -> eventual acceptance)
- Jesus came so we can know what the Law led up to.
Now conviction over the Law must be cemented in their heart. You cannot leave the job half done — you must strike while the iron is hot! You have laid the groundwork, now it is time to build on it.
Question for the Rabbinic
Because my concern is that the problem is even bigger than one wrongdoing before prayer. My concern is that you're not rightly following the Law of God to begin with.
Jesus Made a Way: The Law of Christ
As Christians, we believe that Jesus brought a deeper understanding of the Law with Him upon His arrival:
| "You have heard..." | "But I say to you..." | |
|---|---|---|
| Murder | 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' (Matthew 5:21) | Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be liable before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the Gehenna of fire. (Matthew 5:22) |
| Adultery | 'You shall not commit adultery' (Matthew 5:27) | Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27) |
| Divorce | 'Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce' (Matthew 5:31) | Everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:32) |
| Reliability | 'You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.' (Matthew 5:33) | Make no oath at all, either by Heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His Feet, or toward Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.... But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil. (Matthew 5:34-37) |
| Love | 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy' (Matthew 5:43) | Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44) |
- It is not good enough to merely abstain from adultery, we are not to even lust (Matthew 5:27).
- It is not good enough to merely abstain from murder, we are not even to be angry with our brother (Matthew 5:21-22).
- It is not good enough to merely avoid false vows, our word ought to be so trustworthy that a vow need not be extracted from us to begin with (Matthew 5:33-37).
Surprisingly, Rabbinic Judaism actually agrees that the Messiah will bring a deeper Torah (Law) with him!
However, most Rabbinics do not realize their own Sages agree about the Law. Oftentimes, showing them this pattern in their own Scriptures is necessary. Consistently throughout God's Word, He shows us that the form of the Law is changed every time He dwells with humanity in a new way:
| Priesthood | Sacrifices | |
|---|---|---|
| Before Moses | King Melchizedek of Salem... was a priest of God Most High. He blessed him, saying, "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand." And [Abram] gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:18-20 JPS) | In the course of time, Cain brought an offering to יהוה from the fruit of the soil; and Abel, for his part, brought the choicest of the firstlings of his flock.יהוה paid heed to Abel and his offering, but to Cain and his offering [God] paid no heed. Cain was much distressed and his face fell. (Genesis 4:3-5 JPS) |
| Moses | You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites,to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron. (Exodus 28:1 JPS) | For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have assigned it to you for making expiation for your lives upon the altar;it is the blood, as life, that effects expiation. (Leviticus 17:11 JPS) |
| Messiah | But the Levites who forsook Me when Israel went astray—straying from Me to follow their fetishes—shall suffer their punishment...But the levitical priests descended from Zadok, who maintained the service of My Sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from Me—they shall approach Me to minister to Me; they shall stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood—declares the Sovereign GOD. They alone may enter My Sanctuary and they alone shall approach My table to minister to Me; and they shall keep My charge. (Ezekiel 44:10,15-16 JPS) | Thus said the Sovereign GOD: Enough, princes of Israel! Make an end of lawlessness and rapine, and do what is right and just! Put a stop to your evictions of My people—declares the Sovereign GOD. But the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the libations on festivals, new moons, sabbaths—all fixed occasions—of the House of Israel shall be the obligation of the prince;he shall provide the purgation offerings, the grain offerings, the burnt offerings, and the offerings of well-being, to make expiation for the House of Israel. (Ezekiel 45:6,17 JPS) |
Question for the Rabbinic
Before Moses: "Why was the priesthood through Melchizadek before Moses?" (Genesis 14:18)
After Moses: "Why will the priesthood change from the Levites to the sons of Zadok?" (Ezekiel 44:10,15-16)
Sermon on the Mount: Bridging to the Good Person Test
Now that the reality of the unfurling Law across time has been introduced, a bridge has been built to convict them with Jesus' Sermon on the Mount by introducing the Good Person Test.
Essentially, the Good Person Test acts as a mirror for the person to see they have not kept God's Law. They have not reached God's standard. Its job is to convict the soul so the Good News of Jesus' Gospel is understood as good when presented:
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul
Introducing Jesus to the Rabbinic
Jesus' first public sermon was delivering Law from a mountaintop. In His Sermon on the Mount,
- He said it was not good enough for us to merely abstain from adultery, we are not to even lust (Matthew 5:27).
- It is not good enough for us to merely abstain from murder, we are not even to be angry with our brother (Matthew 5:21-22).
- It is not good enough for us to merely avoid false vows, our word ought to be so trustworthy that a vow need not be extracted from us to begin with (Matthew 5:33-37).
Question for the Rabbinic
We can't keep this deeper Law. We have all had lustful thoughts before. We've all experienced anger towards our friends. We've all been untrustworthy in our words. If you were to guess how many times you have ever been untrustworthy, what number do you think you would come to?
Conversation Guide
Question for the Rabbinic
"If you do a wrongdoing, and then die before your next prayer of atonement, what will happen to you?"
Note: Rabbinic Judaism rejects the concept of ancestral/original sin. However, they emphasize personal responsibility: that God will give you exactly what you deserve. Use this to press the problem home: if you have an outstanding balance of debt before God when you face Him (you died before your atoning prayer), what will happen to you?Explanation for the Rabbinic
Because my concern is that the problem is even bigger than one wrongdoing before prayer. My concern is that you're not rightly following the Law of God to begin with.
Introducing Jesus to the Rabbinic
Jesus' first public sermon was delivering Law from a mountaintop. In His Sermon on the Mount,
- He said it was not good enough for us to merely abstain from adultery, we are not to even lust (Matthew 5:27).
- It is not good enough for us to merely abstain from murder, we are not even to be angry with our brother (Matthew 5:21-22).
- It is not good enough for us to merely avoid false vows, our word ought to be so sure that a vow need not be extracted from us to begin with (Matthew 5:33-37).
Final Question for the Rabbinic
We can't keep this deeper Law. We have all had lustful thoughts before. We've all experienced anger towards our friends. We've all been untrustworthy in our words. If you were to guess how many times you have ever been untrustworthy, what number do you think you would come to?