Day 18 of 49
Exceeding the Righteousness of the Pharisees
Jesus began his sermon with the character qualities of kingdom citizens, explained the effect a citizen can have in the community, assured them that he had not come to destroy, but fulfill the Law. He made the mind-boggling statement, “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
His next section addressed what it means to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Each part begins with the phrase, “You have heard” or it could be read as “you understand the Law to say”. Then he countered with “but I say to you”…
Jesus taught as a rabbi, expounding the Law by explaining what it meant, and suggesting ways to put the teaching into practice.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.
Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Mt 5:21–26.
He started with murder. Most of us don’t have a problem keeping this commandment.
You shall not murder. Ex 20:13.
Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. Ex 21:12.
Murder is the end result of a relationship that has failed miserably. Anger and hate take us down a road that may not lead to physical murder, but it may lead to murder of a reputation or quality of life.
Relationships with one another are so important, that Jesus said to leave the gift we bring to his altar, and make amends with the person who has angered us or we have angered.
Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
1 Jn 2:9–11.
He concludes this section with a call to make peace with another before getting to court, with the reminder that the judge may not rule our way.
What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end.
Pr 25:7–10.
The next section deals with adultery, sexual intercourse with someone other than the spouse. Again, most of us who are followers of Christ only have sex with our spouse.
You shall not commit adultery. Ex 20:14.
Jesus identifies the first step in betrayal, the lustful desire.
“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 lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Mt 5:27-30
Rabbinic teaching often used hyperbole and exaggeration. Jesus used it effectively. He painted a picture of how seriously God takes sin. Though we won’t cut off a body part and cast it away, we can take extreme measures like changing our habits or distancing ourselves from relationships that lead us astray.
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’
But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Mt 5:31-32
Jesus teaching on divorce is seen in several passages (Mt 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12). There were basically two different teachings by the rabbis. One group said that divorce was only valid in the case of adultery. Another said that a man could get a divorce if his wife displeased him in any way, and that could even be if he saw another woman that looked better.
“When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house,
Dt 24:1.
Jesus made the point that the man who divorced his wife for anything other than sexual immorality, caused her and her future husband to commit the sin of adultery.
It’s a sobering implication that my personal sins can be the cause of another to sin.
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
Ro 14:13–21.
The Pharisees focused on the outward actions, Jesus focused on the heart.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Ps 139:23–24.
TRICIA LATHROP 