Jews praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur. (1878 painting by Maurycy Gottlieb) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jesus said some pretty direct stuff. Right at the beginning of his most famous sermon he said something that came as a bit of a punch in the face to his listeners.
He’d got pretty famous by this stage in his ministry; he’d travelled around teaching and healing, and was being followed by big crowds, most of whom were Jews. Now the Jewish leaders were a bit anxious about all of this, as you can expect. They believed in the God of Israel and didn’t want their people being led astray by some guy who happened to be a good public speaker.
So Jesus clarified things:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.
Oh, phew! This Jesus guy is on our side after all – maybe I ought to invite him to the next Jewish speakers’ conference.
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
Hang on, wait. Before today I could just tell people that you were a cult leader because I thought you disagreed with me. Then a moment ago I thought you were on my side, and now you’re saying that everything I believe is only right providing it’s all about you?
That made things pretty difficult for Jews in the first century, because Jesus was suddenly claiming to be the leader of the only true Jews.
A little thought. Maybe the best way to talk to people of other faiths that ultimately started in Israel (e.g. Judaism, Islam, Mormonism) is to clarify what we agree with before we bring the kidney punch that the only way to understand it all properly is in Jesus?
