KUMTHETHO kaMoses zazisenziwa izifungo. Kodwa kubantu ababephila ngexesha likaYesu ukufunga kwakuyinto yomhla nezolo, kangangokuba kwakunyanzelekile ukuba umntu afunge enoba uthetha ntoni na. Le nto babesele beyenza nje ukuze bangqine ubunyaniso bento abayithethayo; kodwa uYesu wayigxeka kwade kwakabini loo nto. Wafundisa oku: “UEwe makabe nguEwe, uHayi wenu, abe nguHayi.”—Mat. 5:33-37; 23:16-22.

Ngokutsho kweTheological Dictionary of the New Testament, kumaYuda kwakubalulekile “ukuba umntu angqine nantoni na ayithethayo ngokufunga,” mhlawumbi loo nto ayeyithatha kwiTalmud, eyayichaza ngokweenkcukacha ukuba zeziphi izifungo ezibalulekileyo nezingabalulekanga.

Yayingenguye yedwa uYesu owakugxekayo ukusetyenziswa kakubi kwezifungo. Ngokomzekelo umbhali-mbali ongumYuda uFlavius Josephus wathi ngehlelo lamaYuda: “Abafungi, kuba bakujonga njengento engaphaya kokuxoka, kuba besithi umntu ongathenjwayo ukuba akafunganga ngoThixo segwetyiwe kakade.” Incwadi yamaYuda engaphefumlelwanga ebizwa ngokuba yiWisdom of Sirach, okanye iEcclesiasticus (23:11) nayo ithi: “Umntu ofungayo akawuthobeli umthetho.” UYesu wayigxeka into yokuvele nje sifunge. Ukuba sithetha inyani ngawo onke amaxesha, akuyomfuneko ukuba sifunge ukuze abantu bayikholelwe into esiyithethayo.