How did the Jewish religion become watered down from its original purity?
Over centuries, as rabbis commented on Old Testament portions, the Jewish religion gradually degenerated and became watered down from its original purity. It no longer rested on the Ten Commandments and the Torah but had become 613 rules and regulations, which Paul called a religion at the time of Christ.
Les explains that the religion degenerated as it came up through the centuries and the Rabbis began making comments on the various portions of the Old Testament. Gradually it became watered down from its original purity. He notes this is not said with criticism of the present Jewish religion, but truth is truth. It had degenerated down to a religion, and that is why Paul called it that in chapter 1 at the time of Christ. It was no longer resting on the Ten Commandments and the Torah, but had become 613 rules and regulations—that is what Judaism had become. Les adds that living 24 hours a day under the constant pressure of 613 rules meant you could hardly take a breath without breaking one, and they were scared to death of what the religion would demand if they broke one.