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WA >> "Jesus did not reject the oral Torah at all - he told the disciples that the Pharisaic teachers sat in Moses' seat and that their teaching should be observed.

DM >> "You're kidding, right? Jesus heavily criticized the religious leaders of his day for substituting their own man-made rules for God's law.

Someone here, it seems, has read the Bible and someone has not. Those of us familiar with the Scriptures recognise the beginning of Matt 23 when we read it. Others, apparently, do not. I quote, for general edification and education:

Matthew 23
¹ Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
² Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
³ All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
⁴ For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
⁵ But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Jesus clearly recognizes that the Pharisees have legitimate teaching authority (indeed He gave it to them), but that they do not live according to their own teachings.

Someone here, it seems, has read the Bible and someone has not. Those of us familiar with the Scriptures recognise the beginning of Matt 23 when we read it.

I recognized it, of course, and I'm glad that you do, too.
So how do you square your interpretation of Matthew 23 with Mark 7, which offers a demonstration of Jesus and his disciples not obeying a teaching of the Pharisees?
Mark 7
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?" (emphasis added)
...
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men --the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."
9 He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
Was Jesus contradicting what he said in Matthew 23? Since there are many more verses like Mark 7 than like Matthew 23, perhaps you need to read Matthew 23 in light of these other passages. It's obvious that Jesus promoted obedience to the teachings of the religious leaders, but only to the point that these teachings were in accordance with the scriptures. I'm all in favor of church tradition, too, but only those that do not violate the scriptures.
Break's over. More tonight.
Thanks for making my point for me.