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Begin at the Beginning

Do you truly know the views and approaches that Jesus took towards the Law? Do you
know why this is so important to the study of Paul? Or any other Apostle for that matter?

All serious students of scripture are familiar with Paul's words in I Corinthians 11:1. He
said, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." Therefore, a truly appropriate way to
begin to understand Paul's approach to the Law of God is to know and understand our Lord's ap-
proach. Wouldn't you agree?

Let's begin at the Christ's first year of burgeoning maturity:

LUKE 2:40-47
40: And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of
God was upon him.
41: Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.
42: And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the
feast.
43: And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind
in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not...
46: ...they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them,
and asking them questions.
47: And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding [of the law] and answers.

How about during his temptation? Did he rest only on the "10 Commandments"? or some-
thing else like tradition or conscience? What did he do? Jesus Christ resisted Satan from the
strength he gained from the WHOLE LAW and responded to Satan three times succinctly from the
2nd. century BC Septuagint Version of the Book of Deuteronomy:

"It is written "Man does not live on bread alone.'" (Deuteronomy 8:3).
"It is written 'Worship the Lord our God and serve him only."" (Deuteronomy 6:13).
"It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (Deuteronomy 6:16).

Here is just one example of His beliefs on far-reaching religious practices. The case in
point is abstinence from food and drink as a means of achieving greater communion with God -- to
gain spiritual strength. As we know from His temptation in the wilderness found in Luke 4, Jesus
used this method to gain spiritual strength -- but was His teaching consistent? Notice, in Luke
5:29-35, that Jesus is supping with Levi, other tax collectors, and, among others, the Teachers of
the Law and Pharisees "who belonged to their sect." These scribes and Pharisees complained to
the disciples about them eating with sinners and Tax Collectors, to which Jesus replied that He
didn't come for the righteous but for the "sick" sinners -- to call them to repentance so that they can
begin to learn how to live righteously (follow the law like Himself and the Pharisees of their sect).
But, what is interesting, is that afterwards these Pharisees and Teachers of the Law said to Him:

33: "...John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but
yours go on eating and drinking."

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