Reza Aslan Quote
Paul’s breezy dismissal of the very foundation of Judaism was as shocking to the leaders of the Jesus movement in Jerusalem as it would have been to Jesus himself. After all, Jesus claimed to have come to fulfill the Law of Moses, not to abolish it. Far from rejecting the law, Jesus continually strove to expand and intensify it. Where the law commands, thou shall not kill, Jesus added, if you are angry with your brother or sister you are liable to [the same] judgment (Matthew 5:22). Where the law states, thou shall not commit adultery, Jesus extended it to include everyone who looks at a woman with lust (Matthew 5:28). Jesus may have disagreed with the scribes and scholars over the correct interpretation of the law, particularly when it came to such matters as the prohibition against working on the Sabbath. But he never rejected the law. On the contrary, Jesus warned that whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19).
Paul’s breezy dismissal of the very foundation of Judaism was as shocking to the leaders of the Jesus movement in Jerusalem as it would have been to Jesus himself. After all, Jesus claimed to have come to fulfill the Law of Moses, not to abolish it. Far from rejecting the law, Jesus continually strove to expand and intensify it. Where the law commands, thou shall not kill, Jesus added, if you are angry with your brother or sister you are liable to [the same] judgment (Matthew 5:22). Where the law states, thou shall not commit adultery, Jesus extended it to include everyone who looks at a woman with lust (Matthew 5:28). Jesus may have disagreed with the scribes and scholars over the correct interpretation of the law, particularly when it came to such matters as the prohibition against working on the Sabbath. But he never rejected the law. On the contrary, Jesus warned that whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19).
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About Reza Aslan
Aslan has worked for television, including a documentary series exploring world religions on CNN called Believer, and served as an executive producer on the HBO drama series The Leftovers. Aslan is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the International Qur'anic Studies Association. He is a professor of creative writing at University of California, Riverside, and a board member of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC).