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BIBLE STUDY MATTHEW 5:1-48 REVIEW: Chapter 4 had two major sections: 1) the temptation of Jesus, and 2) the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The “temptation” should actually be called the “TESTING” of Jesus – recalling and re-enacting God’s testing of the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness. During that journey the Israelites were challenged to trust God for their daily bread and drink, for direction as to what they should do and when and where they should go, etc. The ancient Israelites constantly failed their tests, but Jesus as God’s true Son passed every test he was faced with! The next major section is about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Matthew shows Jesus beginning his ministry only after John the Baptist was arrested, to emphasize that he carries on and “fulfills” what John has begun. Matthew also emphasizes that Jesus left Nazareth and moved to Capernaum before beginning his ministry – seeing this as yet another fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Jesus’ beginning message is EXACTLY the same as that of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:2. This section also shows Jesus calling his first disciples: Peter and Andrew, and James and John. They are not only the first, but Matthew in his gospel will more and more also show them to be the most important of the twelve. I also noted that Jesus’ calling of his disciples was NOT what most Rabbis of his day did – people were supposed to seek them out, not the other way around! Finally, the last part of chapter four was a summary of Jesus’ beginning ministry – that it consisted of three basic aspects of teaching, proclaiming, and healing – aspects that should still be a part of every Christian church’s ministry today! Also noted was that people came from many different areas in response to this ministry – from both Gentile and Jewish provinces and cities. Even during the early part of his ministry, Jesus was already bringing the good news of God’s kingdom to ALL people! INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT Matthew, more than any other gospel writer, is extremely interested in collecting and organizing the TEACHINGS of Jesus. His gospel has five major sections in which the teachings of Jesus about the kingdom of heaven are collected and systematized. These sections are as follows: (from William Barclay: Daily Study Bible commentary, Matthew vol. 1, page 8)
The Sermon on the Mount, as noted above, is concerned about the Law of the Kingdom of heaven. This would be especially important to Matthew’s original Jewish Christian readers. As mentioned previously, Matthew constantly shows Jesus’ life as paralleling that of Moses – and so it is in his giving the Sermon on the Mount. Just as Moses originally ascended Mount Sinai to receive and give the Law (Torah) to the people of Israel (Exodus 19-23), so Jesus now ascends the mountain to give the new Torah to the new Israel. This new Torah does not “abolish” the old Law, but rather fulfills it. Most of the teachings in this Sermon on the Mount come from the “Q” tradition (plus Matthew apparently also had his own special source as well for some of Jesus’ sayings). The teachings of the Sermon on the Mount are NOT necessarily in chronological order. Luke, for example, has many of the same teachings in his gospel (apparently from the same “Q” source that Matthew used), but they are often scattered in many different parts of his gospel rather than being compiled together. William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible commentary shows this by comparing how both Matthew and Luke place similar teachings of Jesus in their gospels: Matthew 5:13 = Luke 14:34, 35 Matthew 5:15 = Luke 8:16 Matthew 5:18 = Luke 16:7 Matthew 7:1-5 = Luke 6:37-42 Matthew 7:7-12 = Luke 11:9-13 It seems obvious that Matthew took all of these various teachings of Jesus from the “Q” tradition and grouped them together into this section we call the Sermon on the Mount – the basic “Law” that should guide our life and conduct as Jesus’ disciples in this world. In other words, this “Sermon” was actually not an actual discourse that Jesus gave at one setting, but is rather a compilation of Jesus’ teachings on his “Law” for living in God’s kingdom. Be that as it may, just as the original giving of the Law through Moses at Mount Sinai was pivotal for shaping the life of the original Israel, Jesus’ giving of HIS Law in this Sermon on the Mount is equally pivotal for the life and outlook of Matthew’s original Jewish-Christian community – who see themselves as being the new Israel. MATTHEW 5:1-2 “The Introduction” “When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying…” This introduction is Matthew’s formal way of showing that the address that Jesus that is about to give is of absolute importance. As noted above, he goes up the MOUNTAIN before giving this address. Mountains were viewed as being where people went to meet God and hear his message. Jesus also sat down – which was what Rabbis would do before giving instruction – a “signal” that it was time for everyone to pay attention. The “crowds” (perhaps an analogy for Gentiles) were welcome to listen to Jesus, but his teaching was ESPECIALLY for his disciples as their new Torah to live by. CHAPTER 5:3-12 “The Beatitudes”Introduction – These sayings are proclamations of the JOY that belongs to people who live under God’s rule. The word translated as “blessed” is actually the Greek word “makarios” – which literally means “happy”. God’s people are “happy” for two major reasons: 1. They know that their present suffering and distress shall be reversed some day. (Beatitudes #1-4) 2. They know that whatever good they do to others will also certainly be given to them. (Beatitudes #5-7) 3. (Beatitudes #8-9 are encouragements to disciples who are reviled, persecuted, and slandered because of their loyalty to Jesus – that they have a great heavenly reward which will make it all more than worthwhile.) The “happiness” that the Beatitudes promise will only fully be realized at the end of this age – the final coming of the Kingdom of heaven. And yet, knowing that this is so also can give us a joy NOW that nothing in this world can take away from us! It should also be noted that the Beatitudes in Matthew are somewhat different than the similar ones in Luke 6:20-23. Matthew “spiritualizes” (“poor in spirit”, “hunger and thirst for righteousness”, etc.) what Luke presents literally (“poor”, “hunger”, etc.). Luke is much more concerned with “social justice” issues than Matthew. Some have speculated that perhaps this is because Matthew’s community was more “well to do”. But others believe – as do I – that Matthew simply was aware that our real ultimate needs are spiritual rather than merely physical. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” As mentioned above, these first four beatitudes describe the joy of those who presently are suffering or in distress. Actually, there is nothing “joyful” about what they are experiencing. Their “happiness” comes from the belief that God will reverse their present condition! The first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The word used for “poor” in the original Greek language of Matthew’s gospel is ptochos – meaning absolute and abject poverty. Matthew adds “in spirit” to this term – meaning a person who realizes his or her utter helplessness in being able to have a right relationship with God. This is NOT a condition that most people want to see themselves as being in! Instinctively, we try to justify ourselves as “deserving” God’s favor in some way – and think that if we do something good, then God ought to reward us for that. NOT SO!! Only when we finally realize our utter “poverty” and “helplessness” in deserving God’s love do we then experience it as GRACE – as an undeserved GIFT! Contrary to worldly logic, being “poor in spirit” is necessary if we are to truly receive the “the kingdom of heaven” in our lives! The second beatitude: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” The background for this beatitude is Isaiah 61:1-3… “to comfort all whom mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.” We need to keep in mind that this beatitude naturally builds upon the first one. We MOURN because we are helpless to have a right relationship with God – because we are in bondage to the power of sin. Why is this a blessing? Because in order to receive a new relationship with God, we NEED to be truly sorry for and repent of our sin. But when we do “mourn” about our sin – both individually and as a corporate people – we can be sure that we will receive forgiveness from and reconciliation with God! Not because we deserve it, but – as mentioned about the first beatitude – as an unmerited GIFT. The third beatitude: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” The background for this beatitude is Psalm 37:11… “But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” This beatitude is similar to the first one, but is not a repetition. As The Interpreter’s Bible commentary puts it; if “poor in spirit” is the opposite of “proud”, then “meek” is the opposite of “aggressive”. The essential difference is that while others claim their rights, the meek are concerned about their duties. The meek do not claim to “deserve” things – especially God’s blessing. But this beatitude says that what the meek do not “claim”, they will “inherit” – that is, will receive as a GIFT! SIDE-POINT: It has often been thought that the meek never get angry. They do! Moses, for example – described as “very meek, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3) – could get very angry when the occasion demanded it. So, of course, did Jesus himself – such as when chasing out the money-changers from the temple. But the meek do not get angry for themselves, but rather for God and the welfare of others. The fourth beatitude: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” The background for this beatitude is Psalm 107:5-9. As he does with the first beatitude, Matthew “spiritualizes” this by adding “for righteousness” (Luke does not – Luke 6:21). Again, the point of this beatitude is we are blessed if we realize our need for righteousness (that is, a right relationship with God) – that understands that we do not and can not have it on our own. Then we will receive it from God as a GIFT! A SUMMARY OF THE FIRST FOUR BEATITUDES: We are “blessed” when we realize our helplessness and need for God’s grace and mercy – because then we can receive it in our lives. The problem is that most people do NOT understand their helplessness and need. Instinctively, we prefer to believe that we are good, self-sufficient, deserving, and satisfied in our spiritual lives. Because we don’t realize our need, we are not ready to receive the blessings and GIFTS that God wants to offer us! THE SECOND SET OF BEATITUDES - #5 – 9: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Unlike the first set of four beatitudes, which promise a “reversal” of current sufferings or needs, this second set promise “rewards” for what we do or undergo. The qualities listed in these beatitudes are actually the qualities that God himself has – and being like God in our lives will certainly bring blessing to us now, and even more so when that is fully realized in the life to come. The fifth beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” It is God’s nature to be merciful, and not to deal with us as we deserve for our sins. Therefore he wants us to be like this in our relationships with each other. Jesus later reiterates this in the Lord’s Prayer when he says; “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) – and then expounds upon this two verses later when he says; “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14-15) God wants us to forgive others, even if they don’t “deserve” it! The promise is this beatitude is ultimately eschatological – if we are merciful in our lives now, WE will receive mercy at the final judgment. The “blessing” is that we therefore do not have to fear God’s judgment. The sixth beatitude: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” The background is Psalm 24:3-6. This beatitude does not so much refer to being “morally perfect” or “sexually pure” – but rather means “free from falsehood”. The “pure in heart” do not have mixed or ulterior motives for the good things they say and do. The “pure in heart” will “see” God, because pure “truth and love” is exactly what God is like in his nature! This beatitude is perhaps one of the most difficult for us to live by. Because of sin, we almost never have totally pure motives for doing what is right. For example, one may worship faithfully not just to praise God – but for the hope of personal reward and salvation. One may help neighbors in order to receive “strokes” of praise and gratitude from them – or give to the poor so that WE will feel good about it. Nevertheless, we can ask God every day to help us do what is right for only the right reasons – to help us be “pure in heart”. If that is our fervent desire and prayer, we shall more and more “see” God because God will help us to more and more be as HE is in this! And on the Last Day, of course, we shall finally be completely freed from the power of sin and falsehood in our lives and have the same pure “truth and love” that is God’s – and then we shall “see” him face to face. (“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face” – 1 Corinthians 13:12a) The Seventh Beatitude: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” “Peace” (Hebrew – “Shalom”) in the Old Testament means more than just the absence of strife. In its deepest sense, it means a positive “rightness” in our relationships – within our own inner selves, with each other, and with God. Those who seek this kind of peace do not just keep to themselves, they actively reach out to others – even enemies – in friendship, forgiveness, and love. They are indeed peacemakers. Again, this is what God is like! Even though humanity in general does not want much of a relationship with him, God keeps on “reaching out” and inviting us to be at peace with him. The term “children of God” simply means that we will be LIKE God. When we seek to create or restore “right relationships” with others – that is, being peacemakers – we are witnessing that God is truly our “Father” in this regard. And on the Last Day, we will be blessed because this peace we desire will be fully realized in our life with God, each other, and even within ourselves. CHAPTER 5:13-16 “The Witness of the Disciples to the World”“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.” Salt was greatly valued at the time of Christ – as a preservative for food and also as something that gave zest to food. Jesus probably had both thoughts in mind when he says that his disciples are “salt”. Our lives in this world can be a “preserving” influence against worldly values of greed, corruption, moral filth, etc. Even more, our lives should help share God’s love and joy to the world. Just as only a pinch of salt can make a major difference as to how food tastes, we also can share God’s kingdom with the world in a way that is much beyond how many of us there actually are. Salt actually does not lose its taste, but it can become adulterated. Once it has lost its purity, it is no good. In the same way, when we become “adulterated” by being influenced by worldly values and priorities, we lose our usefulness as disciples. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” The Old Testament background for this saying is Isaiah 2:2-5. Just as Israel was to be “a light to the nations”, so also disciples of Jesus are to be “light” for the world by their lives and teaching. Light guides people in darkness. It also can protect people from going the wrong way. Isaiah 2:2-5 also envisions all nations coming to the city of Jerusalem to learn the Torah, with the result being perfect peace – which is why Jesus uses the “city built on a hill” illustration. We are to be “light” to help beckon and guide people to Jesus so that they can learn his “Torah” teaching. Finally, Jesus wants our light to shine before others so that they may see our good works. This does NOT mean trying to draw attention to ourselves. But it is true that our good works – our way of living – may help direct people to our “Father in heaven” (Matthew’s typical expression for God). POINT: The concept of “good works” may be viewed with suspicion by many Lutherans, but Jesus in Matthew’s gospel talks about them constantly. They may not “get” us to heaven, but they are to be a result of whom and what we are as Jesus’ disciples. CHAPTER 5:17-20 “The Relation of Jesus’ Message to the Jewish Law” “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Since Matthew’s community were Jewish Christians, the relation of Jesus’ message to the Jewish Law was a great concern to them. Many Jews esteemed the prophets less than the law; hence the word “or” rather than “and” is used. “Fulfill” means “to express it in its full significance.” This saying of Jesus seems to directly contradict the teachings of Paul in his letters to the Romans, Galatians, etc. In those letters, he shows the law as being inferior to faith in Jesus. We must realize, however, that Paul’s main concern was reaching out to Gentiles who had never lived under the Torah as Jews had. For JEWISH Christians, their faith in Jesus as the Messiah was not an invitation to give up living as Jews! There was probably a tendency among some in Matthew’s community to “relax” or “set aside” some of the teachings of the Jewish law. Others wanted to “rank” the commandments/teachings in order of importance – with the implication that perhaps Jesus’ followers were not bound to observe the less important ones. Jesus in this passage strongly warns against those types of tendencies. When WE set ourselves up as being the judges of the law, rather than the other way around, we are headed down a slippery slope! It is important for us to realize that the teaching of the Old Testament has not been “set aside” by Jesus. It is still God’s word to us. But as disciples of Jesus, we should strive to do even more than the law requires (as the scribes and Pharisees were doing) because we LOVE God and our neighbors. (Martin Luther shows this understanding very well in his Small Catechism explanation of the Ten Commandments – each “shalt not” is also followed by a “shall” that goes beyond obeying the commandment.) NOTE: Once again, we see that the “scribes and Pharisees” are portrayed in a negative way – probably echoing the conflict Matthew’s community had with them. CHAPTER 5:21-48 “Contrasts Between the Old and the New Interpretations of the Law” Introduction: Matthew 5:21-48 consists of six sections that follow the same basic pattern in their beginning: “You have heard that it was said…But I say to you…” In these sections, Jesus contrasts the traditional expositions of the law with his new teaching. He does not do this to “put down” the law, but to show how his teaching fulfills the law (thus exceeding the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees). Because of this, Matthew’s readers could understand that they as followers of Jesus did not do away with the old law but rather sought to observe it in a higher way. One thing to especially note in this section as a whole is the authority that Jesus claimed. This was unheard of – usually, a Rabbi would quote “precedent” interpretations of the Torah – much as judges rely on previous rulings when making a judgment. Jesus, however, does not – he obviously sees his own “authority” as a given! CHAPTER 5:21-26 “The Fulfilled Law Regarding Murder” “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” The actual law is the Fifth Commandment: “You shall not kill (or murder).” (Exodus 20:13) Jesus in his teaching extends the prohibition to include anger and verbal abuse – for they are “root causes” of murder! What is translated as “insult” literally is “saying raca to”… (calling a person “you brainless one!”). The point of Jesus’ teaching is that we need to avoid anything that may cause hurtful conflict within our relationships – merely observing the prohibition against killing is not enough! According to Jesus, anger and insults are every bit as wrong as murder. What Jesus says here is certainly very practical in daily life! If a quarrel, difference, or dispute is not healed immediately, it can go on breeding worse and worse trouble as time goes on. Bitterness breeds bitterness. A quickly offered and sincere apology, on the other hand, can resolve many problems. Indeed, reconciliation is of paramount importance! It even “trumps” worship, because true and acceptable worship to God stems from a heart that is at peace both with him and with each other. Jesus also uses the example of trying to settle with someone before going to trial – and likewise, we should make every effort to “settle” our conflicts with each other before we face God’s trial – the Judgment! CHAPTER 5:27-30 “The Fulfilled Law Regarding Adultery” “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.” The background for this is the Sixth Commandment – Exodus 20:14. Jewish law restricted the term “adultery” to mean sexual intercourse outside of marriage. Jesus broadens this understanding. “Adultery” also means forbidden, lustful thoughts – which are the “root cause” of the action. In Jesus’ teaching, these thoughts are every bit as wrong as literal adultery. It is important to understand that Jesus is not speaking of normal, natural desire. The literal meaning of the original Greek language is that of a man who looks at a woman with the deliberate intention of lusting after her – who deliberately uses his eyes to awaken his lust. (The same, of course, is also true for a woman who would do likewise.) The Greek word “skandalon” literally means “stumbling block” – although it is translated here as “causes you to sin”. Obviously, an eye or hand (the right side was considered more valuable in ancient times) does not cause us to sin – nor is Jesus advocating physical mutilation. But he uses these images to show how serious sin is! Whatever “stumbling blocks” that tempt us to sin should be avoided if at all possible! As Martin Luther once put it; “We can not keep the birds from flying over our head, but we can keep them from making a nest in our hair!” CHAPTER 5:31-32 “The Fulfilled Law Regarding Divorce” “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” The background for this is Deuteronomy 24:1 – which commanded that a writ of divorce had to be given to a woman in order to clarify her legal status. This was originally seen as a good thing for a woman – to protect her from the claims of a whimsical ex-husband. Jesus in this teaching takes this to a “higher level”. Divorce is wrong, even though it might be done “legally”. (The phrase “except on the ground of unchastity” was probably motivated by the idea that in that case, adultery had already been committed by the wife.) In Jesus’ day, it was almost common for a man to have an affair with another woman outside of marriage. They would then arrange to get divorced from their spouses and marry each other (does this sound familiar in our own day as well?). Legally, everything may have been done properly. God, however, looks at our intentions. If the reason for a divorce is attraction for another woman (or the other way around), then that divorce is the same as if they had actually committed ADULTERY while still married to their former spouses. Also, if a man divorced his wife, he would in effect be causing her to “commit adultery” by remarrying – because single women of that day had little other choice in order to survive. As is true with most of these teachings, the man is viewed as the initiator of the sin rather than the woman – because women’s “rights” of that day were limited. Today, certainly, it is an “equal opportunity” sin! A major point of this teaching is that one’s marriage vows are to be taken with the utmost seriousness. It should never be entered into with the attitude, “We can get out of it if it doesn’t work.” As the Interpreter’s Bible Commentary puts it, for Christians marriage is a sacramental act shadowing for the love between God and humankind. CHAPTER 5:33-37 “The Fulfilled Law Regarding Oaths” “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” The background for this is the Eighth Commandment – Exodus 20:16. By the time of Jesus, the Rabbis were engaged in endless hairsplitting as to which oaths were valid or not (See Matthew 23:16-22). (Also, the common taking of oaths – by heaven, by the earth, or by Jerusalem – trivialized these concepts instead of treating them with awe and respect.) Jesus gets to the root of the problem – that the taking of oaths presumes that people will frequently lie and will not tell the truth unless they are compelled to do so. Jesus teaches, therefore, that it is not enough just to carry out an oath – but that we must be completely honest and truthful in our everyday speech. Our word should always be our bond, with no “wriggle room”. There is an interesting story in Acts 5:1-11 about a husband and wife named Ananias and Sapphira. They sold a piece of property and gave only part of the proceeds as an offering – but giving the impression that they were giving it all. The “holding back” of some of the money was not such a grave sin, but their dishonesty was. Because of that, they both died – thus providing a dramatic example to the early Church of the importance of completely telling the whole truth! So it should be for us today as well! The point is that if we are always truthful (with no hidden or evasive motives), there will be no need for oath taking on our part. A simple “yes” or “no” should be sufficient (saying it twice would reaffirm what we were saying so that there would be no misunderstanding.). THAT is the “fulfilled teaching” of Jesus on this subject! CHAPTER 5:38-42 “The Fulfilled Law Regarding Retaliation” “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.” The Old Testament principle of retaliation is expressed in Exodus 21:24; Deuteronomy 19:21; and Leviticus 24:20. The idea was not to “mandate” an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth, but to limit revenge taking to being no more than the original damage inflicted. Jesus in his teaching takes this to a deeper level, namely, that we should not seek revenge at all – and thus “break the cycle” of bitterness and violence that is so prevalent in relationships. Jesus gives four examples of this teaching. First, he mentions someone striking on the right cheek. To do that, the striker would either have to use a left hand or the back of the right hand. Both were understood to be calculated insults in Jesus’ day – but even so, as disciples we should not respond in that way. Secondly, Jesus mentions someone suing and taking a coat. That was permitted, but under Jewish law, one could never take the cloak (inner garment) from a person permanently. Yet, Jesus says, we should be willing to give even that up (even though it would be “unfair”) rather than insist upon our “rights”. The third example is someone forcing another to go one mile. The Romans had a right to impress a person to be a guide or porter for them at any time. For instance, they compelled Simon of Cyrene to carry Jesus’ cross. Such a task would be manifestly unfair, but nevertheless, we should do even that with cheerfulness and good grace – and do even more than required! The fourth example is giving to others who need it. The point here is that we should not be looking for “angles” as to how we can benefit from lending or refusing to lend. We should be willing to help others – even at personal inconvenience and sacrifice. (Certainly this does not mean encouraging unhealthy habits of habitual beggars – but it does mean that we should be more concerned with the needs of others rather than our own!) How far this is from trying to “get even” or “insist upon our rights”! Jesus’ teaching is always “other focused” rather than “self focused”! CHAPTER 5:43-48 “The Fulfilled Law Regarding Hatred and Love” “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray from those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” The commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” is from Leviticus 19:1. There is really no corresponding command to “hate your enemy”, but that is what happened in practice. “Neighbor” was understood to be a person in one’s own community – those “outside” of the community were not considered to be neighbors. Jesus in his fulfilled Law breaks down those barriers. Loving our “neighbors” (those like us) is not enough. Even “tax collectors” and “Gentiles” do that! We are commanded to love everyone – even our enemies! It is important to understand that the Greek word used here for “love” (“agape”) does not mean an “emotion”. It rather means always seeking the best for another – even at cost to ourselves. Enemies may still remain our enemies, but Jesus calls on us to still seek and do good to them – even if they do not “deserve” it – just as God does for us! The summary for this and ALL of Jesus’ new teachings is the final verse: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Do not be satisfied with only the outward observances of the law. Do much more – be perfect – even as God is towards us. Then we will truly be his children! -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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