Risky Shift

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An Example of Risky Shift Throughout the Gospels, the Pharisees were constantly criticizing, questioning, and trying to tempt Jesus. The Pharisees traditions placed them right in the extreme arena of legalism. Constantly leaning toward legalism led the Pharisees to puzzle over the littlest things that Jesus did or allowed His disciples to do. In Matthew 15, Jesus and His disciples are eating a meal. Well, the Pharisees notice that Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands before they began eating. Their exact words were, “Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.” Now, the Pharisees had a specific hand-washing ritual that went far beyond mere cleanliness. A regular meal for a Pharisee went something like this:
The water was first poured on both hands, with fingers pointing upward, and must run through the arm as far as the wrist. It must drop off the wrist for the water is now unclean, having touched the …show more content…

This continued conflict would take off between Amnon (David’s firstborn and primary heir) and Absalom (David’s third son). 2 Samuel 13 tells the grisly tale that reads almost like a disturbed soap opera. Amnon raped Absalom’s sister, Tamar and, in revenge, Absalom kills Amnon. Once Absalom returned to Jerusalem, the ticking time bomb was set. Everything exploded when Absalom formed a coalition and turned it into a coup against King David. The Bible says, “And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy with the king for judgement, then Absalom called unto him… and Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.” Eventually, Absalom’s coalitions (forces) reached Jerusalem causing David to

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