Eoghan
Puritan Board Senior
On the face of it Jesus seems to be confirming the Pharisees and scribes as authoritative teachers and that their teachings should be obeyed.
1. If we look closer the NASV particularly makes clear that they take this authority upon themselves.
2. We know that Jesus does not wholeheartedly recommend their doctrine but warns against it (Mathew 16:6 &11) so what does it mean to practice what
they teach? Well if the emphasis is on Moses then it may be restricted to direct exposition of Moses, rather than what they added.
3. In describing the burden they make BROADUS describes it as a bundle of fagots tied together to make a heavy load. We tend to focus on the weight of
the load and not the tying together. If they will not move a finger to lift the load that in part is because the load has been tied together as a unit. A
more compassionate understanding might have led the Pharisees to reduce the load by seeing that one precept might suffice for two. Yet because the
bundle is tied and they are unwilling they merely observe.
This to me makes sense. The word kineo is translated as remove in Reveltation 2:5 and Young's Analytical permits the idea of (re)moving. In this context it seems to fit, both with the lack of distinction between all the precepts (light and heavy) and unwillingness. I should add that the Pharisees make this bundle not G-d - hence it seems to be the traditions or oral law.
Does this seem reasonable?
Do others have an alternative explanation of what might be possible by way of moving this load?
1. If we look closer the NASV particularly makes clear that they take this authority upon themselves.
2. We know that Jesus does not wholeheartedly recommend their doctrine but warns against it (Mathew 16:6 &11) so what does it mean to practice what
they teach? Well if the emphasis is on Moses then it may be restricted to direct exposition of Moses, rather than what they added.
3. In describing the burden they make BROADUS describes it as a bundle of fagots tied together to make a heavy load. We tend to focus on the weight of
the load and not the tying together. If they will not move a finger to lift the load that in part is because the load has been tied together as a unit. A
more compassionate understanding might have led the Pharisees to reduce the load by seeing that one precept might suffice for two. Yet because the
bundle is tied and they are unwilling they merely observe.
This to me makes sense. The word kineo is translated as remove in Reveltation 2:5 and Young's Analytical permits the idea of (re)moving. In this context it seems to fit, both with the lack of distinction between all the precepts (light and heavy) and unwillingness. I should add that the Pharisees make this bundle not G-d - hence it seems to be the traditions or oral law.
Does this seem reasonable?
Do others have an alternative explanation of what might be possible by way of moving this load?
