Jesus the Rebel

Religious Studies: KS3, topic 1.1.16

There are many examples of how Jesus' teaching and actions were quite different from the Jewish standards of the time.

The Book of Leviticus sets out a series of commandments (or laws). These laws guide what someone should eat, do with their body & do towards God.
Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
In Matthew 5:17-18, however, Jesus heals on the sabbath.
People were outraged that he did this on the sabbath. But they were not outraged that people were also trying to kill him (when went against Mosaic law).

The same point can be made for Brit Milah (circumcision).
If Jesus was born Jewish, then he would have had a Brit Milah on the 8th day of his life.
Luke Chapter 2 describes the events of his birth:
“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.”
Instead, Christians are urged to be "circumcised of the heart" by trusting in Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross for humanity.

In the Book of Mathew, Chapter 21, Jesus arrives at the Temple in Jerusalem.
This was the centre of the Jewish world into which he was born.
Jesus' message was different and his behaviour in the Temple angered the priests.

Matthew Chapter 21 describes Jesus actions at the Temple:
"Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves. 'It is written,' he said to them, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers'.”
John 2:13-25 has a different quote about the same situation “stop turning my Fathers’ house into a market”.

Jesus finishes praying for the disciples and believers.
He knows and has always known that one of the disciples will betray him. That disciple will be Judas.
Judas knew where Jesus would be and Judas led the Roman soldiers to Jesus.
Judas was awarded 30 pieces of silver for taking the soldiers to Jesus.

Test yourself on Jesus the Rebel