Reinterpretation of vows Matthew 5: 33-37
by giving them a question first. The question Jesus gives also comes from Torah itself. Jesus presents the story of David when he fled from Saul, went to the
Temple and asked for food as he was hungry Matthew 12: 3-4. It was against the Law as David ate the bread that should be offered to God. Jesus also presents
another case from Torah that every Sabbath, the priests actually break the law as they do the offerings and eat it but the priests are not considered guilty. It is
written that every Sabbath, the priest must offer to God the bread which was placed in the presence of God Leviticus 24:8. This problem is being called into
question by Jesus. By asking this question, Jesus implicitly puts he himself and the disciples equal with the priests. If the priests break the Law but not considered
guilty, then Jesus and his disciples are the same. Jesus adds that, human beings are not made for the Sabbath. Instead, the Sabbath is actually made for the good of
human beings Mark 2:27. That is why whether David, the priests or Jesus and his disciples can eat in Sabbath for a certain reason. From what he does, Jesus
gives his reinterpretation of Sabbath. Sabbath, according to Jesus, is made for human beings for the importance of human beings too. Sabbath should not be the
burden for human beings. Instead, it should be very useful. That is why he heals many people in Sabbath and let his disciples eat grain in Sabbath.
Jesus has his own reinterpretations of Torah. Despite the fact, he never tries to omit the moral values nor do away with it. He himself says that his
presence is to make the Law of Moses, Torah, comes true Matthew 5: 17. From his comments and interpretations about the Law, it is clear that Jesus wants to
widen the Jews‟ understanding about it. Jesus brings something new to the
reinterpretations of Torah without replacing it with the old one which is being taught by the teachers of Law and the Pharisees for so long. It is seen in Matthew
when Jesus speaks to the crowds that “The teachers of Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses‟ Law. So you must obey and follow
everything they tell…Matthew 23:1-3”. This means that Jesus just wants to give some additional points that have never been taught or realized before either by the
teachers of Law or by the Pharisees.