Scripture says, “In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin upon you, you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it” (Deut 4:2). After this, Moses reviewed the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) and then elaborated with the 613 Mosaic laws. Jesus simplified all this with two great commandments: love God and love each other.
If we are not supposed to add to nor subtract from those laws, why do Christians ignore much of Mosaic Law? Why has the Catholic Church added 1,752 Canon laws? Why does the Catechism of the Catholic Church contain 2,865 instructions?
Why did church leaders take what Jesus made extremely simple and make it extremely complex? There are almost three times the number of Canon laws as Mosaic laws, over 170 times the number of Commandments and 876 times the number of Jesus' simplified commandments. There are over four times the number of instructions in the Catechism as there are Mosaic laws, over 280 times the number of Commandments and 1,432.5 more than Jesus' simplified commandments.
Much of this explosion in complexity comes from codifying "tradition".
Jesus chastised the Pharisees by saying, “You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition” (Mark 7:8). It seems Jesus did not support committing or perpetuating injustices hiding behind “tradition” as an excuse. Why do church leaders call unjust things “just” based upon their “tradition” of injustice?
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