Sabbath Memories and Justice for the Stranger

Mark A. R. Kleiman: Avodim hayyinu l'Pharoh b'Mitzrayim

A gem of a post from Mark Kleiman. He points out that the Deuteronomic imperative to see justice done for the stranger is rooted in the memory of corporate slavehood, the commanded meditation of the Sabbath.

I'd like to point out how Jewish this makes Jesus and the body of teaching which sprung from his influence.

So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go: first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 5:23-24, NRSV

The Right Christians quotes from the judgment of the nations in Matthew 25, where acts of social justice are said to be done to Christ. Even the Lord's Supper becomes a child of this Sabbath memory - the Supper proclaims the death of Christ, which provided an exodus from God's wrath into God's grace.

As Dale at the Right Christians says:

We should, with a million times more justification, honor and praise the Jewish tradition for creating Christianity rather than blame the Jewish people for the death of Jesus.