Introduction
As we study the life of Christ, a fundamental question arises: Did Jesus break God’s Law? We know that the Law defines sin and that the Messiah came as the perfect, spotless Lamb. However, some interpretations suggest that He broke certain commandments, especially the Sabbath. Are these claims true? In this article, I will examine the Scriptures to understand whether Jesus actually broke the Law or whether He fulfilled it fully and faithfully.
What is the Biblical Definition of Sin?
Considering that God’s Law defines what sin is (I John 3:4; Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7), and it was always the transgression of this law that caused Israel to suffer serious consequences, even resulting in death, the Messiah could under no circumstances come close to transgressing any of the commandments of the Law.
Did Jesus Break God’s Law?
If He had done so, He would have become a sinner and consequently could not be our Savior. The Scriptures show us that He was faithful to the end and committed no sin. Let us read:
I John 3:5 – “And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him there is no sin.“
John 8:46 – “Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe?“
Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.“
I Peter 2:22 – “Who committed no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth“
Was Jesus Faithful to All of God’s Commandments?
Did Jesus Break Any Commandments of the Law? What did Jesus say about this? When talking to His disciples, Jesus also affirmed His faithfulness to the Father by obeying all His commandments. We find this affirmation of His in the following text:
John 15:10 – “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.“
What Did the Disciples Witness?
His disciples testified that Christ never committed any sin. As I have explained, the Bible defines sin as the transgression of God’s Law:
I John 3:4 – “Everyone who sins transgresses the law, because sin is the transgression of the law.“
Romans 3:20 – “Therefore by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.“
In other words, throughout His entire earthly life here on earth, Jesus never broke any commandment of God’s Law. Jesus also confirms this by saying the following words: “I have kept my Father’s commandments” (John 15:10).
Jesus Fulfilled the Entire Law
With this in mind, it is easy to understand that He was a faithful person in all matters, and this also includes keeping the fourth commandment of the Law, which refers to the Seventh-day Sabbath. In other words, at no time in His life did He transgress this commandment, but He observed it faithfully and correctly every day of His life. Jesus did not transgress God’s law.
Therefore, it is clear that some statements we find today saying that Jesus came to change the Law, or even broke the Sabbath, are completely incorrect! Even though He performed healings and miracles on such a day, no one can consider such attitudes as factors of transgression of this commandment. Such thinking is not correct and this was the conclusion that the Jews who persecuted Jesus reached at the time of Jesus. Let us read the following text:
John 5:16-17 – “And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the sabbath. And Jesus answered them, My Father worketh until now, and I work.“
Conclusion
We conclude that the humanitarian aid work that Christ carried out did not transgress this commandment and that such actions are in perfect harmony with the will of God. Jesus kept the Law of God. Therefore, Jesus at no time transgressed the Law of His Father, but on the contrary, He was a faithful observer of it.
