Prayer: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts by pleasing to you our God, our rock, and redeemer.
I have a confession to make. I sometimes struggle to keep within the speed limit when I am driving. I am often tempted to drive just that ‘little bit over’ thinking I can get away with it. Hence those ad’s telling me that ‘over is over’ are good for me to take note of! I struggle when driving up the highway to Launceston dropping to 40kmh for roadworks when there are no visible road works happening at the time! I do my best to keep within the road laws but at times my attitude towards them is not the best.
The scribes and pharisees in Jesus day would pride themselves in keeping the law, but their attitude was woeful. God had given Moses 10 good commandments to help the community live well together, loving God and loving and respecting one another. But later the religious leaders added to these laws making some of them very difficult to keep. Their hearts were not right. For instance, they wrote minute details on what it meant to keep the Sabbath day holy. Such as ‘goats may go out with a protective cloth on their udders if it is to keep them dry, but not if it is intended to collect the milk (for that was seen as work!); hot food may be kept warm by covering with clothes, feathers or dried flax, but not by covering with damp herbs or straw – which could engender fresh heat (and thus ‘work’) on the Sabbath day! You can read these in the Jewish Mishna…so legalistic.
Jesus could see through the outward appearance of these legalistic religious teachers. Hence just prior to the verses we read today Jesus says tells his disciples that unless their righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5: 20) And a few verses before that he declares that he has not come to abolish the law and the Prophets, but to fulfil them (v17).
Part of Jesus’ fulfilment of the law did in fact replace some of the laws that we read about in books like Leviticus, especially the ones relating to sacrifices. For Jesus became the perfect sacrificial lamb. After Jesus’ death, there was no longer any requirement for animal sacrifices.
However, his coming did not replace the need for the moral laws. During his sermon on the mount, Jesus has been teaching his disciples what it looks like to truly follow him.
He began with the beatitudes, announcing that the blessed were those who hungered and thirst for righteousness, were humble, who loved mercy and acted with justice. He then told the disciples that they were to be salt and light…bringing a taste and glimpse of Jesus to the world.
Now he says to his disciples that they are not to be like the legalistic Pharisees, but they are to love and be obedient to the law. God’s true law. Jesus wants us not to just obey grudgingly and keep out of trouble by not actually murdering someone, or just keep within the speed limit to avoid a fine, he wants us to have the right attitude. He wants us love and obey the law because in doing so we are loving him and our neighbours. If I truly loved my neighbour, then I wouldn’t want to risk speeding in case I cause an accident that could harm someone.
So, let’s look at what he says in the few examples he mentions in today’s passage.
You will note that each time he begins with “you have heard it said…but I say to you…”
They have heard these laws from long ago, a good Jew no doubt could easily recite the 10 commandments that God gave to Moses. Jesus now goes deeper and looks at the root cause. He is not contradicting the law but is instead trying to fulfil them, to fill them out – to bring his disciples into compliance, not just with the letter of the law like the pharisees, but with the will of God that inspired the law.
Why does someone commit murder? Jesus goes beyond the final act to look at the thoughts and feelings that lead up to murder. Usually there is extreme anger and possibly hate towards the person.
Jesus wants us to recognize and stop the feelings that might lead to murderous thoughts. God desires us to love our brothers and sisters, not to get angry and call them ‘Raca’ which equates to calling them a ‘fool’ or an ‘idiot’.
Now while we might not be murderers, I’m sure like me there have been times when we at least think, even we don’t say it, that others are fools, and or get very angry at someone.
Jesus says, if that is us, then we are to go and make amends, to reconcile with them. In his context he says to do this before offering a gift at the altar. Today he might say, ‘go reconcile with your brother or sister before you go to church and worship me, or before you go and receive communion’.
In his next section of teaching, in chapter 6 of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples how to pray. In that prayer, the Lord’s prayer, we ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us. Through Jesus, God made a way for us to be reconciled to him. God forgives the greatest sinner, the greatest fool or idiot, and he calls us also to forgive.
When we forgive and reconcile with those who grieve us, then hopefully our thoughts and feelings will be loving rather than murderous. Forgiveness can be difficult, and you may need to keep asking God to help you. You don’t have to be best buddies, but God does call us to even love our enemies. And even if we feel we are in the right, Jesus wants us to take the initiative to seek reconciliation.
Settle disputes quickly before feelings of hatred or resentment and anger fester and grow.
Is there anyone today you need to go and be reconciled with??
Next Jesus turns to the commandment ‘you shall not commit adultery’. Again…he says you have heard it was said…but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Again, Jesus goes deeper than the action and looks at the attitude, the thoughts and feelings that lead to adultery. This commandment also relates to the last commandment about coveting your neighbour’s wife.
The story of King David with Bathsheba vividly illustrates the danger of lustful thoughts and desires leading to adultery… As soon as he recognized his desires David should have looked away. Jesus is not suggesting that everyone who looks at a woman (or a man) with sexual interest is guilty of adultery. One commentator, acknowledged that under that standard nearly all would be guilty!
Rather, Jesus calls us to be aware and not dwell on our interest, check ourselves, walk away, so that we are not even tempted to imagine the adultery in our thoughts or actions.
Hence, he says if your right eye causes you to stumble gouge it out…or if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off!
Now I don’t think Jesus was talking literally here! Although apparently the Christian theologian Origen castrated himself, so as not to have to deal with his urges and lust! I don’t recommend this action!!
However I do advise ‘cutting off’ those things that might lead to lust. Those things that are not good for the eye to watch. Such as pornography, very sexualized movies or reality TV shows as I mentioned last week. Those things that are not helpful. And what may not be an issue for one person, might be for another.
Next Jesus moves on to the sensitive issue of divorce. Jesus does not ban divorce, but he does highlight God’s original ideal and intention of marriage, where man and woman become one flesh, in unity forever. This is not to say there are circumstances where divorce is necessary, especially in situations of abuse, not just physical, but sexual, emotional, and spiritual abuse.
In Jesus’ day divorce was rife and the divorced wife was often left destitute, as an unmarried woman she would have few rights. I believe Jesus was trying to protect these women from the men that would divorce for the smallest of reasons.
The law in Deuteronomy 24, allows a husband to divorce his wife if he finds something ‘unseemly’ about her. It does not give the woman a right to initiate divorce. The meaning of ‘something unseemly’ was a matter of debate among rabbis. The school of Shammai interpreted this phrase to mean adultery or some other grievous behaviour. The school of Hillel broadened the meaning to the point that a man could divorce his wife is she were guilty of something as simple as burning the dinner!
Some today do not treat marriage with the high ideal God intended and will opt for divorce perhaps a bit too quickly. As already mentioned, there are circumstances where it would be unhealthy and unsafe for a couple to stay together, but Jesus warns against divorce for trivial reasons like burnt toast or feeling bored with one another! Rather begin by seeking counsel and work on your relationship.
However, it does not mean that a failed marriage for whatever reason cannot be forgiven or that subsequent marriages cannot be happy and fruitful. God always offers us grace.
The final section of our scripture passage from Matthew today is concerning the giving of oaths. In the Old Testament God had insisted that oaths were to be honoured and kept. Again, the scribes devised a variety of escape clauses from binding oaths.
Why are oaths required in the first place? Because people don’t always tell the truth! Again, it does not mean we have to take Jesus’ words here literally and refuse to swear on the bible when we are in court.
Jesus goes behind the reason for needing oaths. As disciples of the one who is the ‘truth’, our speech should be trustworthy and true. As Jesus says, all you need to say is simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
This guards against profaning the name of the Lord. God’s name is to be honoured. If someone takes an oath in the name of God and then fails to keep the oath, they are dishonoring God.
We should be seen as people of integrity, truth tellers that people can trust.
At the end of chapter 5 that we didn’t read this morning, Jesus continues his radical teaching. He tells his disciples to turn the other cheek, give your enemy the shirt on your back and go the extra mile with someone. He tells us to love our enemies.
He finishes with the words; Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
We know we will not be perfect this side of heaven, but we are called to imitate the one who is.
We are called to be faithful, loving, giving, and forgiving, truthful, morally upright people of integrity. We are to live as followers of Jesus, living under God’s good rule and reign, bringing a glimpse of his Kingdom on earth.
I am challenged by Jesus’ words to us, to look beyond the letter of the law.
Even as I drive my car, I should pray to be loving and respectful, rather than frustrated and resentful at what I may see to be unnecessary speed limits. As I pay my taxes, I should not be looking for loopholes, but be honest in all my transactions. I should check my thoughts when I look at someone who I might desire who is not my husband. I should check my thoughts when I look at someone who I think is an idiot, rather, I should pray for them. I should forgive and reconcile quickly with those who I feel have done me wrong, or who I have wronged…
I pray you are likewise challenged to check not just your behaviour, but your thoughts and feelings. Let our goal be to grow more and more like Jesus.
Let us pray:
Jesus, we thank you for your teaching, challenging us to look beyond a simple command that we may easily dismiss as not being relevant to us. May our aim be to model our lives on you, to represent you and your goodness and grace, that we may glorify you in all that we do and say. In your name we pray. Amen.