Jesus the Jew on sin

The Big Questions series: What Is Sin?

Most of what Jesus said about sin was in the context of Judaism. Jesus was a Jew and a firm believer in following the Torah, which is Jewish Law based on the first five books of the Bible.

There were some disparities in what Jesus taught. Jesus taught the Jews a more lenient view of sin, and then sent his apostles to non-Jews with a message of forgiveness.

Jewish views of sin – differences

None of us are perfect – we all do things we shouldn’t, harming others. But causing harm to another person is considered more serious sin in Judaism than sinning against God. People are responsible for making things right and forgiven between themselves and others as soon as possible.

The Jewish way was more like Matthew 18: 15 – 22.  In the Jewish list of 613 Laws, many were considered religious crimes that were punishable. Punishment for blasphemy could be death. Blasphemy is severe disrespect shown to God or something holy.

If someone was aware of what the person was doing they were to go to that person and talk to them. If that doesn’t work, then bring others. If the person still refused, they were to unfriend and block them. Unfriending and blocking is harsh and applies to those who refuse to turn away from their sin or continue violating.

In this sense people who continue to sin were to be considered like tax collectors and non-Jews. In Jesus’ time it was considered illegal to associate with them.

Unlike his fellow Jews, Jesus had a different view of the world. He dined with tax collectors and visited non-Jews rather than ostracizing them. His view was inclusive, not exclusive. He emphasized forgiveness.

An example of Jesus’ different regard for some sin was harvesting grain on the Sabbath. This was considered a sin against God, but Jesus excused what was necessary to eat. He seemed to follow the idea that if it was necessary then it was legal.

Sins against people

On more personal issues, which the Jews consider the more serious sins, Jesus replied in Matthew 18: 21 and 22 (NASB): “Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” At that point forgiveness becomes a habit.

The Apostle Paul confirms this attitude in Colossians 3:13 (NASB): “bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

When Jesus came across a group of men about to stone an adulterer, he pointed out to them that we all sin. When the men drifted away he simply said to the adulterer to go and sin no more. Adultery was one of the Ten Commandments and a grave wrongdoing throughout the region, not just in Judaism. Jesus chose not to make a big deal of it.

Sins against God

In Judaism people can compensate God for wrongs done toward God (Leviticus 16:30). They do this once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

The most severe type of sin in Judaism is Pesha. It means rebellion against God by deliberately doing things you know in your heart are wrong (or in Judaism violating the 613 laws).

For those who didn’t ask for forgiveness, it was considered they would never turn away from their sins. They would continue to be rebellious, and for eternity would be unforgiven. This is what the Bible calls the unforgivable sin. If people don’t turn away from doing wrong things and never ask for forgiveness, they are unable to be forgiven so are forever estranged from God.

Christians view awareness of harming others as a way to lead them to reconcile with the other person. That is to cease being estranged from others by making it right or compensating the person who was harmed.

Takeaway

Christianity lacks sin categories like Judaism. The Christian faith simply calls any wrongdoing a sin and emphasizes forgiveness. We are all supposed to forgive others endlessly. However, the primary mechanism to stop estrangement from others is to reach out to the other person and try to reconcile then ask for their forgiveness.

To reconcile may mean to offer compensation for harming that person, and to ask for their forgiveness. We should work out our differences and not let things fester or affect others’ lives.

For more information on Jesus differences from Judaism:

Jesus differs from Judaism – Britannica

Jesus differs from Essene Judaism

You might also enjoy my new podcast, Our Times today and tomorrow and article series on Substack, which delves more deeply into a wide variety of topics with a spirituality focus. My Patheos articles (posts, whatever) will also become a podcast or videocast. (It takes a lot of work.)

Google Bard on Sin

This is an experiment. Google Bard makes no claim to accuracy. I add it for comparison to my articles. I think it did well.

Sin is a religious concept that refers to an act that is considered to be a transgression against God or a divine law. Sins are typically thought to be harmful to oneself, others, or the world in general.

There are many different types of sin, and what is considered to be a sin varies from religion to religion. Some common examples of sin include:

• Murder
• Adultery
• Stealing
• Lying
• Greed
• Envy
• Anger
• Lust
• Pride

Sin is often seen as a moral failing, and it can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and remorse. Sin can also have negative consequences in the world, such as causing pain, suffering, and death.

There are many different ways to deal with sin. Some people believe that sin can be forgiven by God, while others believe that it must be punished. There are also many different ways to atone for sin, such as through prayer, repentance, and good deeds.

Ultimately, what sin is and how it should be dealt with is a matter of personal belief. There is no one right answer, and each person must decide for themselves what they believe.

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The standard of belief and conduct for Christianity is love. God is love. We’re asked to be like God.

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– Dorian