Frequently I have heard Christians claim, by way of explanation or directly, that Rabbis have added to the word of God – usu. in order to make the law more difficult to keep; and this is one of the reasons that Jesus said that they “are of their father – the Devil”.

Where does the Christian get this idea from, and is it correct?

This Christian Claim revolves around several points:

• Christians deny the oral law:
  • The denial of a Talmudic Tradition
  • The denial that any sort of oral law was given at Sinai
  • The statement that the claim that there was an oral law given at Sinai is an intentional deception
  • The claim that there is an oral law is demonstrably false from the Hebrew scriptures themselves

Essentially, the claim is that “The Rabbis” created a bunch of laws that didn't exist for the purpose of preventing the people from properly following God.

The Christian will claim that the torah itself proposes that the Torah teaches there is only the written law:

• Exodus 34:27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” “according to these words”

Further evidence is gleaned from the Christian Greek Scriptures:

6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

• “‘This people honors me with their lips,
• but their heart is far from me;
• (7) in vain do they worship me,
• teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)[d]— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”Mark 7:6-12 (ESV)
(x. Mat 15)

Furthermore, if one uses the argument that there “had to have been traditions” because (ex.) we don't know how to do specific commandments, the Christian will state Deu 30:11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. […] 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”