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1. A law was in effect while Jesus lived. It was known as the Law of Moses (Josh 8:31).
2. It was possible to do things “contrary to the law” (Acts 18:13; 23:3).
3. Penalties existed as punishment for those who contradicted or taught contrary to Moses’ law (Deut 17:8-13; Lev 26:14-24).
4. Those who were in a position to punish law breakers viewed Jesus as just another man--subject to the Law of Moses, as were others.
5. The Jews were looking for anything with which to charge Jesus. Entrapment was their motive when they questioned Jesus on the matter of "putting away."
6. After Jesus answered the Jews did not charge him with teachings contrary to the Law, but were silent on that matter.
7. Certain teachers, who claim to be friends (?) of Jesus, are now charging Jesus with teaching contrary to the Law.
8. Jesus had the authority to change the Law, and he did, but he did not do it while he lived (Heb 7:12; 9:17).
9. Had Jesus taught that a person who had been divorced could not marry then he would have clearly contradicted Moses (Deut 24:2).
10. Anyone, including Jesus, that contradicted Moses could, quite rightly, be accused of sin.
11. Jesus is the Son of God and according to the Scriptures, he committed no sin (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22).
12. Therefore, those who teach that Jesus contradicted and changed the Law of Moses, while he lived, are teaching error.
13. If Jesus contradicted the Law of Moses then his accusers would have succeeded in both discrediting and exposing him as a pretender.
14. Those who continue to teach that certain legal marriages must be broken up and that certain people who have no marriage must remain celibate, charging that Jesus taught such, are not friends of Jesus at all. No friend of Jesus would claim he taught a doctrine that God calls "doctrines of devils" ("forbidding to marry," 1 Tim 4:1-3). Why, even his enemies who eventually crucified him on trumped-up charges did not make the charge that Jesus contradicted Moses, or that he sought to institute a new law whereby the divorced who marry again are living in sin (adultery).
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