Matthew 5:33-48 Bible Study Notes for 10/28/2007
This Sunday's passage is easily broken down into three sections.
Verses 33-37 Oaths
Verses 38-42 Unlimited Service
Verses 43-48 Love for Enemies
This lesson continues the Sermon on the Mount, and it continues to illustrate what Jesus meant when he said that we would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes (teachers of the law) and Pharisees. In last week's lesson we see that the Pharisees thought it enough not to murder, commit adultery or divorce his wife without giving her a "certificate of divorce." Jesus said that it was not enough not to murder, we should not harbor anger against a brother. It was not enough not to commit adultery, we should not look lustfully upon others. It was not enough to grant a certificate of divorce, we are to honor our commitments to the Lord and our wives and stay in our marriage.
Those three points all came from the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17). The next three illustrations move beyond the Ten Commandments to other areas of the law. What they do have in common is a tendency of the Pharisees to keep the letter of the law, and ignore the principle behind the law.
The first principle relates to honesty. The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees said that if one swore by God that they were bound to keep their word, but allowed that other oaths might be broken if they were sworn on some lessor guarantor. In Jesus' time one might swear on Heaven, or on the earth, or on their own head or hair. In our day we might swear on a "stack of Bibles" or on "my mother's grave." Jesus instructed them not to swear at all, but to let their "yes" be "yes" and their "no" be "no."
Many modern groups cite this passage when they refuse to swear any kind of oath. Jesus didn't not intend that Christians could not be sworn in as jurors, or that a Christian elected to office could not take the oath of office. That is to take the principle and reduce it to a law. The whole point of this section of Jesus' sermon is to take what had been a law and help people to see the principle behind it! Jesus wasn't talking about not taking such legal or official oaths. Rather he was saying that we should be so honest that no one would feel any need to ask us to swear to the truth of our statements.
All three of these examples of "exceeding righteousness" share the characteristic of being contrary to human nature. It is sad but true that it is not human nature to tell the truth when it is not in one's best interest to do so. Our nature is to tell people whatever will put us in the best light. We have to be taught to be honest even when it means punishment, pain or loss may follow as a result. Furthermore it is human nature to break a commitment or a promise if it becomes inconvenient to follow through on it. The Scribes and Pharisees had written volumes on which oaths were binding and which, were not. They had allowed loopholes for some lessor oaths. Jesus condemned this practice. His principle does not prevent us from taking an oath, but it does require us to be just as honest even when no oath is involved.
The second principle relates to selflessness. The natural tendency is to defend ourselves and to seek retribution for wrongs suffered. Jesus began by quoting Leviticus 24:20 (NIV), "fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured." Many commentators try to harmonize the Old Testament command for justice and Jesus plea for mercy by explaining that the Old Testament command was a limitation, that no more that could be done. My reading of Leviticus 24 does not seem to bear that out. Leviticus 24 is a clear call for justice in which the offending party suffers the exact injury he inflicted on someone else, up to and including death. It does not set this as a limit, but as an exact measure. So how can Jesus seemingly contradict this without "doing away with the law?" (Matthew 5:17)
I believe the answer lies in recognizing the difference in context, and Jesus overarching theme of superseding the the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. First of all, the context of Leviticus 24 lays down a legal system by which a nation should function. If there were no laws with penalties for crimes, we would have anarchy in our society. In many places in scripture, even in the New Testament, the right of the government to punish people for crimes is acknowledged. Christians are called to submit themselves to governmental authorities because God has placed them in authority for this person.
The Scribes had taken what was meant as a legal code for a nation and applied it to a personal code for individual relationships. They used the legal code as a reason not to forgive others. They used it as an excuse to seek vengeance. We must realize that there is a huge difference between seeking justice and seeking revenge. While both may result in the same punishment being inflicted, one seeks to right a wrong, while the other seeks to satisfy a thirst for another's suffering born of hatred and a spirit of unforgiveness.
Again, Jesus meaning isn't to institute a new law that says we have to submit to beating, to thievery, to lawsuits, and to demands of others. Rather he seeks to teach the principle that we should be quick to forgive, generous even to the undeserving, and serving beyond that which is required. The point is that we are to live selfless lives and put others ahead of ourselves. Again, this is the opposite of what human nature leads us to do. We have to choose to pause before we respond to the wrongs inflicted by others, and then choose to return good for evil. That is what separates us from the "natural man."
The third principle relates to love. The Pharisees had once again dumbed down the teaching of the Old Testament. He said, "You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'" They might have heard it said, but that's is because the Pharisees were not accurately quoting the Old Testament. It is true that Leviticus 19:18 instructed them to love their neighbors. As a matter of fact, Jesus quotes the same passage later, saying it is the second greatest commandment behind loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. But the Pharisees had perverted the teaching by adding, "and hate your enemies." As a matter of fact, if you go back and look at Leviticus 19:18, the verse begins by instructing the reader NOT to seek vengeance, but to love the neighbor. The implication is that you should not hate your enemy. The natural man would have considered someone on whom he had a desire to take vengeance an enemy, and the clear teaching of Leviticus was that he should be considered a neighbor and loved.
Anyone can love those who have not insulted or injured them. But we are most like God when we love those who hurt us and insult us. After all, it was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us.
Additional Resources
Extra! Sunday School Lesson Supplements for Students and Adults
Commentary from the Christian Index
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