barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Barry Gold) (01/13/85)
For some time now I've heard people (both Jews and Christians) claim that
Jesus was an observant Jew. I disagree. In fact, I think you could come
up with an arguable case that Jesus didn't even observe the Noachic laws,
let alone the Jewish Laws.
Remember that one of the Noachic Laws forbids drinking blood. And that
commandment is repeated several times throughout the Torah. ("The blood
is the life" was said originally in the Torah, not by Dracula.)
Them remember how Jesus told his disciples to drink the Passover wine
as his virtual blood. It seems highly unlikely an observant Jew would have
done such a thing. And even mroe unlikely that religiously observant
disciples would take him up on it.
Let's see, what else? The Nochic Laws prescribe a system of law courts and
justice. Jesus forbade his disciples to judge (lest they be judged).
I haven't reread the New Testament lately, but there may be a number of other
instances in which Jesus broke the Noachic laws. Those are just the ones I
can think of off the top of my head.
--Lee Gold