The old way embodied in Jewish law (justified by "good works") had to be destroyed in order to usher in the new paradigm of salvation by faith alone.
It did not go away quietly. And it most definitely
did not go away without great cost.
Definitions
Scandal: discredit
brought upon religion by unseemly conduct in a religious person; a
circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral
conceptions or disgraces those associated with it. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Grace: unmerited favor from God. A more colloquial definition is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. (Christianity.about.com)
Blasphemy: the act of claiming the attributes of deity; defiant irreverence toward something considered sacred. (Christianity.about.com)
We cannot save ourselves – try as we might.
Then
and now, our sinful nature keeps us apart from God. When Jesus entered
history, the “law” had become a corrupt means of control instead of a
loving response to God, as it was first intended. The world needed the
promised Savior who would interrupt history and change the way we relate
to God -- and create a bridge for us to reach Him (Romans 3:27-28).
Jesus, friend of sinners.
Jesus was born into a world ruled by strict Jewish (Mosaic) law which was tightly controlled by Jewish High Priests.
His teachings created a great scandal because He turned the existing religious order on its head. He rebuked “good” people (corrupt priests) by driving money-changers out of the temple, and welcomed and forgave “bad” people, like the woman (prostitute) at the well. Jesus threatened everything that Jewish law stood for at that time. (Luke 15:1-2)
His teachings created a great scandal because He turned the existing religious order on its head. He rebuked “good” people (corrupt priests) by driving money-changers out of the temple, and welcomed and forgave “bad” people, like the woman (prostitute) at the well. Jesus threatened everything that Jewish law stood for at that time. (Luke 15:1-2)
He
came to save us and usher in a new paradigm of salvation by faith made
possible by His own death and resurrection. But that’s not the kind of
salvation the religious leaders were looking for.
Jesus was ultimately accused of blasphemy –
claiming to be God – which was punishable by death. At the heart of the
accusation was that Jesus preached a message of love and forgiveness (grace)
in place of the law which taught salvation through good works,
sacrifices, and rituals -- all of which enabled both the Romans and
Jewish religious leaders to become rich and powerful.
Jesus was shocking (scandalous!) … even though He came exactly as Scripture had foretold.
His
coming – exactly as it happened – was predicted and foretold in the
Torah (Old Testament Scriptures). The Jews had been waiting for a
promised Messiah since… forever. They had been persecuted, driven from
their lands and enslaved for hundreds of years. They really did need a
“Deliverer,” but they didn’t recognize their deliverance in Jesus because they so
desperately wanted a political and worldly deliverance.
Oops…
Instead, they got something so much better -- a “spiritual” deliverance which they did not recognize. They were given Grace when what they wanted was power and glory.
Grace did not replace justice -- but rather, it satisfied it.
One
perfect Son of God died in our place (and justice was therefore
served), so we could (spiritually) live – if we choose to -- in
relationship with God (Romans 5:8).
Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself on the cross. He paid the price for our sin. And once that ultimate sacrifice was made, the door to heaven opened in a new and better way (Hebrews 10:14).
No more sacrifices were needed and every person had access to God by faith through the acceptance of Jesus as their Savior. (Who wouldn’t want that?)
No more need for temple sacrifices and no more need for high priests. No more need for the “law” to gain favor with God.
Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself on the cross. He paid the price for our sin. And once that ultimate sacrifice was made, the door to heaven opened in a new and better way (Hebrews 10:14).
No more sacrifices were needed and every person had access to God by faith through the acceptance of Jesus as their Savior. (Who wouldn’t want that?)
No more need for temple sacrifices and no more need for high priests. No more need for the “law” to gain favor with God.
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