When Jesus spoke, He intentionally spoke to and taught Jews. While He interacted with non Jews, He said He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. When He taught, He was teaching the law, the Torah. The questions He was asked related to interpreting the Torah where its interpretation wasn't clear or the present application wasn't clear. That is what rabbis and scribes did, they interpreted and applied the law. Jesus did so with unique authority as the lawgiver and the embodiment of the Word. Rabbis did so in conversation with the tradition which we refer to as the oral law. In the 3rd century AD that oral law and tradition were written down as the world became more complicated, the Temple was gone and the Jewish people were spread over the face of the earth. They wanted to maintain continuity among Jews. That document is known as the Talmud. What is it and why would I want to understand what it is?
