“TOUGH TEACHING” -  MATTHEW 5: 17 - 37

INTRODUCTION

In today’s Gospel, Jesus presents some tough answers to some tough questions.

This section of the Sermon on the Mount consists of six “antithesis” sayings.

They are called “antithesis” because they stand in contrast to each other.

Jesus first quotes the old Law, and then he promulgates a new Law or teaching.

The sayings follow the same pattern: “You have heard it said... But I say to you.”  (We will study the first four antithesis sayings now, and the last two next week).

GOSPEL

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets.  I have come not to abolish but to fulfill….”

The Law or Torah was extremely important to the Jewish people.  It was understood as a gift from God, as divine revelation.  (“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.   It is more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold.”  Ps. 19)

Any teacher who spoke against the law would have been considered a false prophet. 

Jesus affirms the law, but like other rabbis, he also offers his interpretation of it.

Jesus urges his disciples to go deeper to the original and root meaning of the law.

Jesus proposes that what is required is not only external conformity to the law, but the internal conversion of the heart.   This is living the true spirit of the law.

The commandments of the old law are only a “daily minimum requirement.”

The stages of  “Faith Development” show that the earlier stages are marked by a reliance on clear rules and regulations.  Later stages of faith development are marked by an increased ability to take responsibility for one’s life and decisions. 

A person of mature faith has integrated the deeper meaning of the law.

“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The key point Jesus makes is that he is calling for a higher standard of righteousness than simple external observance of the law (like that of the scribes and Pharisees).

ASK: Where does sin begin?  It is committed first in our head and heart (inner self).

FIRST ANTITHESIS - MURDER and ANGER

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.  But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother or sister will be liable to judgment.”

This first example goes beyond the prohibition of murder to a prohibition against anger that gives rise to violence and murder.  In fact, Jesus says that any destructive or disrespectful attitude toward another would be wrong.  (The sinfulness of anger may not lie in the anger itself, but in holding onto it, and refusing to forgive.)

“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother/sister has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother/sister, and then come and offer your gift.”

Jesus offers a simple and direct way to deal with anger – confront the person or situation that caused the angry feelings.  Notice Jesus calls us to take initiative in reconciling any relationship that is strained, even when we are the ones offended.

Reconciliation with others is a prerequisite to being in right relationship with God.

That is why Jesus says, “leave your gift at the altar, and go first to be reconciled.”

Reconciliation takes precedence over worship.

SECOND ANTITHESIS - ADULTERY and LUST

“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.  But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Just as anger is the root of murder, so lust is the root of adultery (and promiscuity).

Jesus again calls for avoiding the root of the sin, a lustful desire to commit adultery.

Lust is the desire to use a person for sexual pleasure.  Lust is the opposite of love.

A “look of lust” is any intense sexual desire in us, that we willfully allow to go beyond proper physical or emotional boundaries with someone (other than a spouse).

“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 to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.  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 to have your whole body go into Gehenna.”

This is an example of Middle Eastern use of hyperbole (i.e. exaggeration).

Obviously the point here is that we must avoid even the temptation of sin.

SUGGEST don’t even look at sexually explicit videos, films, books, and magazines.

Gehenna was originally the Valley of Hinnom located southwest of Jerusalem.

Some of Judah’s kings engaged in the heinous practice of burning their children in sacrifice there.  Condemned by Jeremiah and King Josiah, the valley was used thereafter, as a site for rubbish.  It is where they burned all the city’s garbage. 

Gehenna then became a symbol for the fire of hell.

THIRD ANTITHESIS - DIVORCE and INFIDELITY

“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife, must give her a bill of divorce.  But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife – unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.’”

In Jesus’ time, there were two schools of thought about divorce and remarriage.

1) Hillel - permitted divorce for practically any reason (e.g. if she burnt dinner).

2) Shammai - allowed divorce only on the ground of “sexual irregularity.”

The Greek word for the exceptional clause “unlawful” is “porneia” and refers to:

a) Sexual misconduct on the part of the woman (only men initiated divorce).

b) Illicit marital relationship because of close kinship (thus no real marriage exists).

Jesus agrees with the school of Shammai that forbade divorce and remarriage.

Jesus upholds the ideal of marriage, which is a covenant, not a contract.

ASK: How would Jesus deal individually with divorced and/or remarried couples?

The Church tries to uphold this teaching on the indissolubility of the marriage bond, yet it also allows for annulments.  An annulment declares no marriage bond existed.

FOURTH ANTITHESIS – OATH-TAKING

“Again, you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.  But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Do not swear by your head for you cannot make a single hair white or black.  Let your ‘Yes,’ mean ‘Yes,” and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’  Anything more is from the evil one.”

While the old Law taught people not to take a false oath, Jesus teaches people not to take any oath at all.  Jesus asks us to behave in a way that makes oaths unnecessary.

In other words, Jesus called his followers to a higher standard of truthfulness, one in which a person’s word could be depended on, without the necessity of an oath.

SUGGEST: Speak the truth with love.

REFLECTION on ANGER

ASK: What do I do when I get angry?

ASK: How did our family express anger?  This is where we learn to deal with anger.

Anger is not bad in itself.  God was angry (Ps 103).  Prophets were angry (Jer 6:11).  Jesus was angry (Mk 3:5).  The sinfulness of anger may not lie in the anger itself, but rather in holding onto it, or refusing to forgive, or seeking revenge.

Anger can be positive.  It may help us be assertive and productive.

Anger can be negative.  It may make us aggressive or destructive (intending to hurt).

We have a choice on how to express anger.  There are two extremes to avoid:

1) EXPLODE with anger - destructive to others, and many people can be hurt.

2) IMPLODE with anger - destructive to self and displaced onto others.

PROBLEM: Suppressed or repressed anger can result in depression (press down).

SUGGEST: Don’t keep anger all bottled up; learn to uncork it gently.

SUGGEST: Count to ten…  It helps not to act on anger in an impulsive way.

HOW TO DEAL WITH ANGER

1.      Talk to the person eye-to-eye, as soon as you are ready to talk to them.

2.      Have a direct discussion about the situation.  Just say, “I wanted to let you know that what you did made me angry, and I’d like to talk about it.”

3.      Try to come to some mutual understanding or agreement. 

PROBLEM: Confrontation is very difficult for most people, but it is necessary.

If we don’t speak directly to the person, our anger will leak out in an unhealthy way.

QUOTE: To withhold forgiveness is like saying to your enemy, “I’m going to get back at you by drinking this deadly poison.”  Obviously you hurt yourself.

Suggest: Sometimes, with some people and situations, we just need to “get over it.”

REFLECTION on SEXUAL TEMPTATIONS

Sexual feelings, thoughts, desires and/or temptations are not sinful, but normal.

Joke: Man asked Nun: “Ever entertain sexual thoughts?” Nun: “They entertain me.”

There are two extremes to avoid…

1)     Sexually acting out of control, or outside proper, professional boundaries.

Sexual harassment occurs when proper boundaries and sensitivities are offended.

2)     Repression - doesn’t acknowledge, accept or deal with our sexual struggle.

If we have a negative view of sexuality, we tend to repress our sexuality.

     And if we repress our sexuality, we repress our energy to love.

     Suggest: channel sexual energy toward love.