Jesus had accused the scribes, lawyers and Pharisees of distorting
the Hebrew Scriptures with esoteric interpretations only accessible to the
leaned. This effectively removed it from the common man:
·
“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the
key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those
who were entering.” (Luke 11:52)
In Why the Jews
Rejected Jesus, David Klinghoffer criticizes Jesus for dismissing the
"Tradition of the Elders," which he calls the "Oral
Law." Orthodox Jews maintain that
the “Oral Law” was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai along with the Written Law (the
Torah). It was then orally passed down through the Prophets and then the Rabbis
until it was given written form in the Mishnah (200 AD) and then in the Talmud
(550 AD).
Orthodox Jews also claim that it is essential for properly
understanding the Torah. In this regards Klinghoffer writes,
·
The more you read it [the Torah] in its original
language, the more you realize how in need of interpretation it is--not just
any interpretation [but that of the Oral Law]. Any new religious sect, like
that of the earliest followers of Jesus, would have to explain where it stood
in relationship to the inherited tradition of interpretation: the oral Torah. (24)
However, there are numerous problems with this position. For
one thing, there is no indication anywhere within the pages of the Old
Testament that an Oral Law existed. Nor is there any early testimony (around
New Testament times or before) that Moses had received any additional
revelation beyond what he had written.
The problems don't stop here. The Mishnah and Talmud
represent a compendium of rabbinic opinions, some of which are contradictory. In
a footnote, Klinghoffer admits:
·
Where the sages are on record as disagreeing
with one another, it is assumed that there is truth in all their opinions. God
communicates paradoxical truths through such seemingly contradictory
statements." (p.223-24)
It's no secret that we need commentaries and teachers to
reconcile the "seemingly contradictory statements" found within the
Scriptures. However, if the commentary itself contains "paradoxical
truths" and "seemingly contradictory statements," what good is
it?
David Klinghoffer also maintained that the meaning of the
Hebrew Scriptures was inaccessible without the “Oral Law,” eventually written
down by the rabbis:
·
Scripture is cryptic…The Pentateuch contained
innumerable textual difficulties…The Rabbis taught that what looked like
editing glitches in almost every verse were really allusions to esoteric
teachings. (24)
How then do the rabbis interpret Scripture? They have their
own key – Gematria, taking the numerical value of each letter and deriving
meaning from the patterning of these numbers. Gematria also rejects the plain
meaning of the Scriptures. However, this method of interpretation finds no support within the Scriptures.
Instead of the Hebrew Scriptures warning that it couldn’t be
understood by the common man, it claimed the very opposite thing. Therefore, it
held the Israelite to account for not understanding and obeying its
instructions:
·
"For this commandment which I command you
today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven,
that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us,
that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say,
'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do
it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you
may do it.” (Deut. 30:11-14)
While the Bible does contain deep, secret, and esoteric
messages, these do not conflict with its plain teaching:
·
“I did
not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of
Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right. Assemble
yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They
have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a
god that cannot save.” (Isaiah 45:19-20)
The Lord had been straightforward. He claimed that having “no
knowledge” was not the result of having no education or the “Oral Law.”
Instead, it was the result of hearts hardened in sin and rebellion:
·
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;
because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me.
And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your
children.” (Hosea 4:6)
Why did they reject the knowledge of God? Because they hated
it:
·
“Because they hated knowledge and did not choose
the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,
therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their
own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away…” (Proverbs 1:29-32)
Instead, Scripture assures us that the knowledge of God is
within reach of all:
·
Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding
raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her
stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals
she cries aloud: “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O
simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.” (Proverbs 8:1-5)
Why do we reject this knowledge? Simply because it doesn’t tell
us what we want to hear.
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