As you might imagine, I very much disagree with much of what you’ve said in this thread

But I would like to know how you reconcile the thought of the Sinai-covenant being the FINAL covenant with Jeremiah 31:31-35, which clearly speaks of a new covenant?
Yes, the name given by Jeremiah is indeed “New Covenant,” but for two reasons. First, that it was a renewal of the Sinaitic Covenant with all the 12 Tribes as one: The House of Israel and the House of Judah. No longer under the Tribal system.
The second reason is that new about the New Covenant in Jeremiah was only the method. Instead of the Law being written in tables of stone, the same Law would be written in the hearts of the People. That is, obedience no longer based on compulsion but entirely on the People’s freewill. That’s what was new about the New Covenant.
Oh, and btw: Is it likely that Mary and Joseph would take Jesus to the Temple for his Bar Mitzvah? Wasn’t that done in the synagogues whereever people were?
Yes, your are right. Some kind of ceremony or celebration was done in the synagogues wherever people lived; but to make it a special mitzvah, most parents would do it at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Just like today when even from abroad some parents bring their children to do it at the Wailing Wall. In the case of Jesus, Luke, perhaps for being a Gentile, mentions that Jesus was brought for the celebration at 12. No, the age of 12 is for girls today; at that time there was no Bat Mitzvah yet. But anyways, The family would come up to Jerusalem every year for Passover. (Luke 2:41,42)
[quoteLuke informs us in 2:41 that the reason they (Jesus, Joseph and Mary) were at the Temple, was because they were in Jerusalem, celebrating the Passover.
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Yes, they would do that every year. Many families would do that. Most of them used to do that for the three major festivals every year. That was the custom, especially for the well-to-do. Even from Babylon, they would come.
Ben:
