Seeking Eternal Values in a Material World (Matthew 7:7-11)

Jesus is now beginning to wind up his sermon by helping those who seek after the Kingdom of God to understand how to live in a world with temporal material values while still anticipating the Kingdom with eternal values in view.

Remember he told us in chapter 6 to seek the kingdom of God as a priority and God would supply all our needs.  All of our material resources should be used and invested with an eternal perspective whether it is discretionary spending or it is being used for our daily necessities.  The world values the wrong things.  It values having wealth and material possessions because that is what we can see.  Jesus says these things do have value in that they can be used and invested in a way that makes an eternal difference.

The world does not generally value eternal things.  At best it undervalues them.  So in our last study, we saw how Jesus compared that kind of perspective with giving pearls to a pig.

Did you notice this progression in thought and action regarding our material possessions?  1)  We need God’s perspective.  2) We need to carefully share that perspective with others and now 3) We need to value the things God has entrusted to us and use them wisely.  Let’s look at our passage, Matt 7:7-11.

This is a familiar passage but we mainly hear it discussed as an encouragement to ask God for things we need.  And that is certainly true.  We are to ask, to seek, and to knock and the result is that we will be given, we will find, and it will be opened.  Some have commented – correctly – that this should be translated “ask and keep on asking,” “seek and keep on seeking,” and “knock and keep on knocking.”  This is indeed a persistent action.  So, yes, we need to be persistent in prayer.  I don’t want to underplay that one bit.  But notice that in Jesus’ explanation we are petitioning God the Father.  We have a relationship with Him.  So Jesus compares our persistent asking, seeking, and finding with a child going to her parent because there is a relationship there of love and trust.  We can be persistent with a parent and not feel like we are being impertinent or presumptuous because this is Dad!  And Jesus says that such a parent will NOT give us something evil but good! 

There is a danger here that Jesus is highlighting for us.  We might actually undervalue something precious that God gives us.  Why else would Jesus have to remind us that our own earthly parents (who He reminds us are actually evil) will always give us good things so how much more will our Heavenly Father!  [By the way, even evil people sometimes do good things!  We are all born evil but even before we met Jesus, we still did some good things.  We are evil because we all come short of God’s glory.]  God’s answer to our cries for help is always to give us something good.  But sometimes we are tempted to act like the pigs who turn on their keepers who try to give them pearls instead of that delicious slop we so desperately wanted.  This is exactly what happened in the Garden of Eden!  God had surrounded the first couple with good things and even warned them about the one dangerous item in their garden.  But they believed the serpent’s lie that God was withholding good from them.  And they trampled on His warning only to discover they had fallen for a lie.  They had undervalued God’s goodness in what He had provided.

Remember Esau!  He despised the birthright of God’s blessing that God had promised to His father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham.  But his twin brother Jacob valued it.  Later in his life Esau wept bitterly about how he had traded God’s blessing for a bowl of soup—just because he was hungry.  Here is Jesus’ question to you and me:  Do we despise something He has given us?  Or do we value God’s provision even though it may not look particularly great when comparing it to what others might have?  Unbelievers surround us and they naturally despise the precious promises given to us in the Word of God.  They don’t value the same things you do.  But what about you?  What about what you have in terms of this world’s goods. 

One more word about eternal values.  God is the One Who measures out what is ‘good.’  Corrie ten Boom learned that fleas were good at Ravensbrück because they kept the guards from discovering the Bible study!  Ravi Zacharias tells how a Christian prisoner in North Korea learned how latrine duty was good because that was where he discovered discarded pages of the Bible!  Good is never measured by my expectations!  It is measured by God’s.

© 2018 Eric Thimell

Making Righteousness Personal (Matthew 7:1-6)

In our study of the “Sermon on the Mount”, we now come to a very familiar Bible verse—well-known even to unbelievers—but usually quoted out of context.  It is misunderstood and misused by both Christians and non-Christians alike.  “Judge not!” has been used to shut down even the most cursory observations of negative behavior.  But, Jesus did not teach that we cannot speak out against sin and evil.  This is precisely what God called His prophets to do.  Of course, even those who quote this verse out of context will still insist that there is evil in the world—namely those who judge their actions!  So, what they mean is that you cannot condemn their sin – just the sin that is out there in the world!

Hypocritical Judging

So, what does Jesus mean when He says, “Judge not?” That phrase is only half the conversation!  Actually, Jesus is saying that we should not be doing hypocritical judging. 

Look at the next lines.  Apply the truth you are concerned with in someone else to yourself first (by removing the log or plank in your own eye).  Condemn the way this sin is in your own life. When you have experienced a measure of victory in this area then you have some ground to stand upon—some humility based on experience that will be able to help and encourage rather than to condemn and destroy another.  Psychologists tell us that it is common to see our own sin in others before we see it in ourselves.  They call it projection.  Often when the Spirit points out sin in our lives we tend to rationalize what we do and “apply” the Spirit’s words by condemning it in another.  Jesus condemns hypocrisy more than anything else and notice that it is the biggest complaint mentioned by the world—more than anything else—as a barrier to their own spiritual progress.

Condemnatory Judging

After we have applied the truth to our own life, we can share it with others.  In this context, the word means judging—not condemning—as we are so easily led to do; this refers to pointing out a spiritual fault.  We are free to do this AFTER we have examined ourselves.  Now be careful.  How does the Spirit of God convict you and me of sin?  With condemnation?  (Not according to Romans 8:1).  If we have other related issues (besides the fault under examination) in our lives that we know need to be dealt with, we probably are not ready to be presenting ourselves as representatives of a holy God.  Not perfection, but in a constant state of openness to the judgment of the Spirit in our own life.  Why should we pause?  Because God wants our heart fully.  His Spirit will use you once you put on your breastplate of righteousness.

So, Jesus is actually telling us to prepare ourselves to encourage others with the truth of the righteousness that God requires—instead of beating them over the head with it!  In humility, show your brother or sister how this action does not measure up to God’s standard and how they can be transformed—not just how they are wrong.

Premature Judging
Who are these others we may confront?  Jesus says to be careful taking your precious truths about sin and righteousness that you have delved into and now desire to encourage others with them.  There are people out there that are not ready for them.  Jesus calls them pigs and dogs! 

Pigs were not kosher so Jesus is likely speaking of pagan Gentiles in a generalized sense.  To His Jewish audience, Gentiles were ungodly pagans—the unreached of the world.  They did not even know God.  In our context, we would call them unbelievers—people that don’t know Jesus personally.  When we speak to unbelievers, our witness should be about Jesus, not about others’ personal failings so much.  If they are not ready, telling them about personal victory over sin is like tossing a handful of expensive jewelry into the pig trough!  The gospel they actually need is not about cleaning up their lives!  That would be like discipling an unbeliever!  Yes, they need to hear that they are sinners but this is probably not the place to bring up quitting certain habits.  No one is saved by quitting anything.  That kind of approach could unneccesarily entangle you in a conversation about relative goodness and come across as unnecessary condemnation.  Yes, we all stand condemned before a holy God, but not because you are shacked up and I am not.  They need to hear that we all fall short of God’s glorious perfection (Romans 3:23).  The right approach comes across as one who has been rescued and is offering to help another find salvation.

Dog was a code word for sinners in general—although it was sometimes synonymous with the ‘gentile.’  It was sometimes used to denote homosexuals in Greek culture, but Jesus’ Jewish audience would be thinking of those who compromised with regard to the Law—like “tax collectors and sinners.”  In our culture, we might think of people who may profess a belief in God but are apparently unconcerned with God’s standards.  Be careful of what such people are really ready to hear.  Jesus says they might turn on you!  Not every professing church goer is ready to hear every wonderful truth you have uncovered.  Paul says even some believers aren’t ready for “meat” but can only handle “milk.”  The right approach here is to beware of premature judging.  Find out what their relationship to the Lord is like.  Do they accept His authority?  If they do not, they may not even be ready for the gospel.

The “pearls” of truth prematurely tossed around in this immediate context probably include things appropriate for a “discipleship” context but not a “witnessing” context.

 Here are some pearls Jesus had been discussing in His sermon that the Pharisees were NOT ready to hear.

1)      Jesus has discussed the need for a change to an eternal perspective

2)      Jesus has discussed the need for heart attitude not just external behavior

3)      Jesus has proclaimed the need for trust (faith) in God’s supply of His children’s needs.

4)      Jesus has taught them to believe in God’s goodness when some might question its value.

Eventually, these hearers would turn on Him and crucify Him.

Constructive Judging

In the context of Jesus’ whole sermon, we are wanting to encourage others in personal righteousness, but some people are just not ready to hear about entering the Kingdom of heaven until they actually have Christ the King in their life.  So, we must beware of these three wrong kinds of judging:  hypocritical judging, condemnatory judging, and premature judging.  But we don’t ignore sin altogether!  What we ARE tasked with is constructive judging to effect transformation and restoration.  “Let me help you with that speck in your eye.”

© 2018 Eric Thimell

Perspectives and Priorities on Possessions (Matthew 6:19-34)

In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus continues his sermon by challenging his listeners to evaluate their heart priorities for their possessions with an eternal perspective.  In vss. 19-24 the priorities being examined involve the proper use of our saving for future needs while vss. 25-34 the priorities being examined involve trusting God for our current needs.

Investing with Eternity in View (Matthew 6:19-24)

Vss. 19-21 gives us an eternal perspective on two vividly contrasting investments. Investment in heaven is a sure winner and investment on earth is a sure loser.  The eternal perspective looks at all investments with a view to their advancement of the kingdom of heaven.  Earthly investments have a limited lifetime and ultimately are lost to the wear and tear of time and the possibility of theft.  Notice that Jesus says, “Lay up for yourselves . . .”  There is a personal benefit to be had in heaven (or on earth) for investing.  Would you rather have an eternally guaranteed return or a limited risky return?  Your investment strategy reveals where your heart is—in heaven or on earth.  Note this is a spiritual investment strategy.  It is looking on the motive and perspective of the heart as discretionary possessions are placed in your hands for investing.  Is your goal to become wealthy so you don’t need to rely on God?  Is it to not be a burden to your children so they can make their own investment decisions?  Or possibly combining that with maximizing your sharing in the financial needs of kingdom ministries as God enables?
Momentarily skipping down to vs. 24 we are given a keen point of perspective about this whole issue:  Who is my God?  Are money and possessions an idol?  If God and money are both important to you, you have to choose which one is your top priority.  If money wins, it is an idol having replaced God!  It is your master.  You are its slave.
So now we are ready to examine vss. 22-23 in light of the surrounding verses and Matthew’s mention of the “evil eye.”

Jumping ahead to Matthew 20:15 helps us to understand Jesus’ saying about the “bad (or evil) eye.”  Unfortunately, many translations don’t give the literal translation but rather the gist of the meaning.  This may help us understand the parable in Matthew 20 but not the fact that this is the same idiom in Matthew 6 as well as Matthew 20.  Literally, Jesus says to the grumbling dayworkers who all received the same wages despite the disparity in their toil that their “eye is evil.”  Most translations render this as “begrudge.”  The idea in both passages is ill-will toward God because they feel cheated in their labor. 

So, putting this together, we see that in 6:19-21, the worker labors hard and then is told to invest it in heaven when perhaps he’d rather spend it on something now.  Vss. 22-23 tell us that we need an eternal perspective instead of a begrudging temporal one.  It is all too easy to look at God with an “evil eye” when we hear that He wants us to invest it in advancing the kingdom.  All too often an unhealthy attachment to money leads to “the evil eye.”  Jesus compares these two perspectives with light and darkness.

Trusting God for Our Current Needs (Matthew 6:25-34)

Now in vss. 25-34, Jesus leaves the discussion of what to do with our discretionary spending to take up our current needs.  Some people may not have discretionary funds beyond what they need for their daily necessities, but we all must trust God for the things we need.  And God promises to supply them!

Notice that Jesus is giving a command here.  “Don’t be anxious.”  Here it is in reference to your daily needs of life.  Anxiety over daily needs betrays a lack of trust in God.  It may cause us to set aside more money than we need because we are unsure whether God will take care of us. 

But note that saving for future necessities is not at all wrong with the proper perspective.  Joseph saved up for seven years in light of a coming famine.  So how much is “enough?”  If we are saving because of anxiety, we are not trusting God.  If we are saving more than we need or to acquire things we do not need, then our perspective is warped.  Our “eye is evil.”

Notice also that this section is built on the previous with the opening word “therefore.”  If God is your master (vs. 24)—not money—you do not need to worry.

Food, drink, and clothing are the kind of things listed as necessities that we shouldn’t ‘worry’ about.  Jesus’ illustration from nature points out that the rest of God’s creation have all these things provided for them and you are more valuable than the animals God takes care of!

Jesus’ second point is to notice that worry never helps the situation anyway.  This is common sense!

Notice His comment about worry being a sign of a lack of faith in vs. 30.  If He is truly our God, we will trust in Him.

Notice that Gentiles are used as a foil in the argument.  A Gentile was a godless person and an idolater in the Jewish perception and was largely true at this point in history.  Godless people lack faith because they don’t know God Who created them and cares for them!

Then notice in vs. 32 that God knows our needs for all of these things.  Our anxiety and worry over our real needs is actually a disbelief in the goodness of God.  But, unlike birds, neither do we presume on God but we ask Him for our needs as Jesus demonstrated in our model prayer (give us this day our daily bread).  Asking God for our needs is an expression of trust in Him!

Now, Jesus returns to the previous discussion on eternal perspectives which not only govern our investments but they also govern our dependence on God to provide our daily necessities.

Vs. 33 does not say ‘Seek only the kingdom of God’ as if every last cent we earn ought to be given to the poor.  It says it ought to be the priority.  Seek it first!   The first question to ask concerning the proper use of resources entrusted to us by God is “To what extent does this expenditure advance the kingdom of God?”

There is something else we are to seek first?  His righteousness!  This goes back to the beatitudes in 5:6. ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’  So a second question to ask is “To what extent does this expenditure reflect God’s righteousness?”

Jesus summarizes this eternal perspective with another connecting word in vs. 34: “therefore.”  So, based on this discussion regarding an eternal perspective about tomorrow’s needs, Jesus says, “Don’t be anxious.”  The idea is not that we just sit in Mom’s basement waiting for her to call us up for dinner but that we do not allow ourselves to doubt that God really will provide.  There will be evil days, but even then, God will take care of us.  How is your eternal perspective?

© 2018 Eric Thimell

Good Works that Glorify God (Matthew 6:5-18)

Matthew 6:1-4 was actually the first of three examples where Jesus talked not about things we should NOT do but about things we SHOULD do—things which should shine like lights so that those around us will glorify God (Matthew 5:14-16). Their purpose is not to glorify us!  So last time we looked at giving to those in need.  We said we should do this BUT be careful that we do NOT do it to draw attention to ourselves BUT to draw attention to God.  So the kind of giving that God likes is the kind that meets a real need AND draws attention to God.  For example, giving a cup of water in Jesus name.
Now, we will look at two more examples of things we should do that should draw attention to God –not to us.

Prayer that Glorifies God

Matthew 6:5-15 is about prayer.  There are prayers that God does NOT like!  Jesus calls people who draw attention to themselves when they pray “hypocrites” or another translation is “pretenders.”  We might call them “posers.”  The Pharisees would make a show of their prayers made in public places.  They did them so that people would see them and think highly of them.  They recited passages of scripture and reviewed their theology.  They “thanked God” for how blessed they were compared to others. Jesus condemned “show off” prayers because their purpose had nothing to do with God and everything to do with the person doing the praying.  Jesus said, “They have their reward!” (Don’t expect a commendation from God!)

Because saying prayers in public was such a culturally acceptable way to get public acclaim Jesus told them to just pray by yourself because God could still hear and would answer them.  If you like to “pray Scripture” and remind God of His promises and make lengthy prayers, that is the perfect place to do it. This does not at all mean that group prayer is wrong but remember that Jesus is trying to help us make God-focused and God-honoring prayers. When we are by ourselves before God we are usually more real. When we pray in a group setting, we need to be sensitive to glorify God and not draw attention to ourselves.  We should not use group prayer to preach to others although we might want to speak for the group in pleading on their behalf.  (Just like our giving practices should also focus on God and glorifying Him).

Another way that prayers become unacceptable to God is when we use “vain repetition.”  Jesus said this is something that the heathen did.  Our prayers should be brief rather than lengthy.  We do not need to give God all the details of the situation.  We do not need to impress God (or anyone who may be listening) with our spirituality. 

In summary, we are to avoid showy, repetitious, and lengthy prayers that tend to draw attention to our prowess in prayer rather than meekly coming to God and praying for what we need.  Just as giving has a human purpose—meeting needs—so does prayer.

Jesus’ Model Prayer

Jesus gives a model prayer sometimes called the “Lord’s Prayer.”  But notice that Jesus would not pray this prayer Himself.  He had no need to ask for forgiveness!

The parts of the ‘Model Prayer’ are as follows:

1)      We pray to the Father who is in heaven recognizing that we do not use His name in vain because it is holy.  (Do we tend to repeat His name over and over as we pray as if to remind Him that we are talking to him?  Can this tend to be vain repetition?)

2)      Our primary purpose in prayer is to pray according to God’s will which as far as we are concerned involves the coming of His kingdom to earth and His will be being done on earth as it already is done in heaven.  This involves wisdom and understanding about what God would like to accomplish through me and others and faith to understand that He will empower me to do what He wants me to do.  Prayer is about kingdom purposes and a desire to see God’s will done on earth just like it is done in heaven.

3)      We also pray about our sustenance here called “daily bread.”  He promises to supply this.

4)      And we pray for God’s mercy where we have failed.  Notice the connection with showing mercy to others.  If we come to God in prayer asking Him to forgive us, but we have refused to forgive others, we are a hypocrite.  We might need to pray for wisdom and strength to go to that other person who needs to experience some mercy from us before we can expect God to hear us any further.  Notice Jesus’ further comments in vv. 14-15.

5)      Finally, we can ask God for deliverance from the evil one.  Elsewhere in Scripture we are told to resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Notice we flee temptation but resist the devil and pray for deliverance.

6)      This happens to fit the little mnemonic A-C-T-S (Adoration-Confession-Supplication-Thanksgiving).

Fasting That Glorifies God

Now in vv. 16-18 Jesus does this same kind of teaching about fasting except His model fast was already done before His temptation!  (That was a situation requiring spiritual preparation through fasting.) 

Notice that for each of three good works mentioned here, Jesus does not quote an Old Testament Law but rather begins with, “When you _________” (give, pray, or fast).  So, Jesus is assuming that each of these good works will be done at some time and when we do them we should be careful that they glorify God – not ourselves.

How should we glorify God in fasting?  Once again, Jesus points out the wrong way that “posers” do.  They let everyone know they are on a fast.  They draw attention to their personal sacrifice.  They tell people what they are “giving up.”  This does not glorify God.  So, by contrast, Jesus said to don’t draw attention to yourself.  It’s better to just act normally and give the glory to God—not yourself. 

This particular good work also meets a human need.  It is not merely a ritual.  Giving is for the needs of others, praying is for the needs of myself and others (v. 8), fasting is also to meet my need for undistracted communion with and focus on God.  It is intensely personal, although, like prayer, it is possible for a group of people to commit to it together having God and His glory as the focus. 

Note: The church at Antioch fasted and prayed together before sending out missionaries (Acts 13:1-3).  If you or your spiritual acquaintances experience especially difficult opposition or a decision requiring special spiritual insight, you may wish to consider organizing a period of fasting and prayer—either by yourself or as a group—in a way that does not draw attention to you but glorifies God who sees in secret.

© 2018 Eric Thimell

Living for the Messiah before the Millennium (Matthew 5:38-6:4)

In this section Jesus concludes his examples of “blessed” living in a society that does not acknowledge Him.  He has shown His listeners (and us) that God wants our hearts and our attitudes not just our outward behavior.  He explains that while the Law of Moses was given to reign in outward evil behavior, God desires more from us than just toeing the line on a list of behavioral prohibitions.  Here we will look at living in an unrighteous society.

In vv. 38-42, He explains how to live with injustice in a pagan justice system.  In vv. 43-47, He talks about living with unrighteous neighbors who misuse you.  And in 6:1-4, He talks about our proper motivation for living out these beatitudes before an evil watching world.

Jesus cites an Old Testament law from Exodus 21:24: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”  This so-called law of retaliation set limits on jurisprudence so that the punishment would not exceed the crime as it frequently did under the laws of the ancient world where might was right.  Stealing a loaf of bread should not be punished with 20 years in prison!  Nor does this law set aside the role of mercy even where one person sinned against another.

In Jesus’ day (as in ours), the Roman legal system was not regulated by the ten commandments or Old Testament Law.  So, many Jews felt it was their duty to resist the government.  It wasn’t a fair system so why should they be bound to it?  But Jesus explained (as had the prophets before Him), that it was their duty to seek the welfare of the nation in which they lived.  Ezekiel, Daniel, Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah had all served the pagan governments under which they found themselves.

The Roman government was certainly no better than the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, or the Hasmoneans who had ruled Israel for the past 600 years.  But Jesus said they were not to resist that government.  These verses (38-42) are not talking about your neighbors or home invaders or evil people in general.  It is okay to defend your home and your life against thieves and murderers.  These verses are talking about an evil government—evil in the sense that they do not necessarily respect God’s laws of fairness and justice—just like today!

Such a government may physically abuse you. They may demand your property unfairly. Or, they may demand that you labor for them.  But you are to cooperate with them.  Such a government may even have a corrupt justice system that allows unrighteous rulings against you or unfair tax liens.  Still, you are to cooperate fully.

What about verse 42?  In an evil government, there are people who will be taken advantage of by the government.  There have always been people in need due to illness and accidents rather than to wickedness.  Such people Jesus' listeners were willing to help but helping the victims of evil government officials has its own inherent dangers.  But, Jesus said to help such people.  In 1 Timothy, Paul lays out some ground rules for helping needy people in the church.  They are to be truly needy – not able-bodied people who can work.  In our country today, there are so many government programs to help needy people, that some people have learned to just subsist that way as well as on the mercy of generous people.  It takes some wisdom to be able to sort out those who truly need help but if we believe they are needy we are to help them.

In vv. 43-47, Jesus moves to the subject of living with fellow citizens who abuse you.  He quotes the Old Testament law from Leviticus 19:16-18, “Love your neighbor” and adds what was apparently a misunderstanding taught by the Pharisees, “and hate your enemies.”  They felt that they needed to apply the law of justice (an eye for an eye) to people who hated them and hate them back.

But, Jesus says we are to “love our enemies.”  Again, notice who He is talking about.  Perhaps the enemy might include occupying Romans but, He is not really talking about enemy combatants.  He is talking about “persecutors.”  It is in the context of living in an unrighteous neighborhood.  He is talking about evil neighbors and evil government representatives. 

We are to love them.  This does not mean that we approve of their evil, but that we do not return evil for evil.  We are told to pray for them – even when they are hurting us because of our faith.  And we are not to ignore them but to be civil toward them.

Notice that this behavior is the same as God has toward us!  God sends the sun and rain not just to good people!  God is merciful toward us even when we sin against Him.

Finally, in 6:1-4, Jesus sums up this whole section of explanation of the beatitudes with another bookend explanation of our motivation for such behavior.  In 5:13-16, Jesus said to let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  But now in 6:1-4, He says to “practice your righteousness” in secret.  How do we reconcile these passages?

Note that verse one is a warning about the motives of your heart.  It is being examined by God!  Why are you doing these good works?  The wrong reason:  So, people can see you in a good light.  The right reason: So, people will see God in a good light.  Another good reason: So, God will see YOU in a good light and reward you.  He sees everything.

Why do you let others see you praying, giving, or sharing?  Is it to make God look good?  Or you?  Hidden motives of the heart are crucial.

© 2018 Eric Thimell

The Messiah Corrects the Interpreters of the Law (Matthew 5:31-37)

In our last study, we saw that Christ had come to fulfill the lofty demands of God’s Law.  However, this hopeful purpose was clouded by the inability of His people to keep the Law perfectly and the Pharisee’s misinterpretation of God’s standards.

The religious leaders of the day tripped up on precisely this point.  The Pharisees believed and taught wrongly that they could keep the law perfectly.  This was why John the Baptist was so harsh with them. Of course, we also saw that one reason for this blindness was because they totally ignored the sins of the heart.  So, Jesus preached a shocking message that entrance into God’s kingdom required a greater righteousness than that of the legalistic Pharisees. 

We looked at several of Jesus’ examples of this. The scribes and Pharisees ignored sins of the heart like anger and lust which Jesus said were just as evil as murder and adultery.  While the heart sin of covetousness, the tenth commandment, was known, it had no prescribed penalty like the other points of the Law, because it involved something hidden from all but God.  It was easy to ignore.

Jesus gave another couple examples of crucial misinterpretations of the Law which failed to take the sins of the heart into account.  They even used the Law to justify breaking the Law—as if the Law really contradicted itself!

1)      Look at Jesus’ correction of their teaching on divorce under the Law in verses 31 & 32.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees argued with one another on just what constituted grounds for divorce under the Law but they were both wrong.   

The Sadducees tended be very relaxed and saw divorce as a matter of convenience for the husband.  The Pharisees argued that there should be some actual grievance, but the Law, found in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, makes it clear that Moses was regulating an existing practice that allowed for a divorce on the grounds of “indecency (ESV).”  So, if there was some sort of immorality, the aggrieved husband was required to get a certificate of divorce after proving this “indecency” before sending his spouse away.  And there was no going back.  The point of the Law was to protect women from being passed around like a prostitute on the word of a covetous spouse.  But the religious leaders were interpreting Moses as if he approved of divorce for something the husband didn’t like!  

But notice!  This “indecency” was a reference to some sort of sexual immorality.  The word in Greek is porneia— related to the English word “pornography.”  Based on Jesus’ words about lust just a few verses back, He is focusing more on an issue of an unrepentant heart of lust than he is on a single moment of passion.  By way of application, if a spouse has sinned against us, but is asking for forgiveness, our response should include mercy and forgiveness for we have been forgiven much ourselves.  Furthermore, Jesus would never condone divorce for our convenience or even “our happiness.”   

By the way, a pattern of unrepentant abuse and family violence are also heart issues and may well fit into righteous grounds for divorce but certainly not because we “finally found our soul mate.” 

2)      Jesus next corrects their treatment of oath keeping under the Law. Once again, the Pharisees broke one law to justify another.  This law is found in Leviticus 19:12, “You shall not swear by God’s name falsely.”  A promise to God is sacred and must be kept.   

The Pharisees hijacked this law to force someone to prove that they were telling the truth about something.  They were looking to God to be their cosmic cosigner—the guarantor of their words.  They knew better than to swear by God’s name so they used a circumlocution and would swear by the gold of the temple, etc.   

But Jesus is saying that God is not going to endorse your words.  If you are a liar, you make God out to be a liar.  Your words ought to be able to stand on their own – especially if people know you are trustworthy.  This doesn’t mean you can’t make a promise to God; just be sure to keep your promise. 

By way of application, do we ever really need to say things like, “To be honest . . .,” “To tell the truth . . .,” or even, “As God is my witness . . .”  While some of this is just idiomatic speech, when we think about it, unless we are with people who do not know our reputation, we should be able to just speak and be believed.   

Swearing in court or before a government official, probably should be viewed as an acknowledgment that, under threat of perjury, you are making this statement.  It is a legal way for the judicial system to identify statements which you certify to be true under threat of legal consequences.  They always allow you to say, “I affirm” instead of “I so swear” if your conscience bothers you on this point. 

This is why we must be careful in our evaluation of ourselves and others.  God alone knows what is in the heart of another and He considers it to be of equal importance to what one sees on the outside.

© 2018 Eric H Thimell

The Mission of the Messiah (Matthew 5:17-30)

As we continue looking at Matthew 5-7, commonly called the “Sermon on the Mount,” we turn now to Jesus explanation of His purpose—His mission.  He is speaking to a large crowd of people within sight of the Sea of Galilee.  The crowd included His disciples and seekers from all over the provinces of Syria, Decapolis, Perea, and Judea.  They were mostly Jews but we know that many Gentiles were drawn to Him as well as people who were eagerly seeking the long-promised kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew has uncovered the revelation of Jesus that the blessedness of those who will enter the kingdom of heaven is that they are qualified to enter because they reflect God’s righteousness.  Jesus goes on to tell us that God is looking at the heart as well as the outer qualities.  He is interested in seeing inner spiritual qualities that reflect God’s nature NOT just outward displays.  (Such blessed ones are humble, grieving over spiritual lack, meek, longing for spiritual reality, merciful, pure in heart, not troublemakers, and people willing to be persecuted for the truth.)  As we pointed out last time, this revelation was quite puzzling to most Jews because they assumed that the qualification was being a member of the chosen people who followed all the outward rituals required by the law.

So, how does this domain of the blessed ones—the kingdom of heaven—relate to us?  Our participation in God’s kingdom is directly related to a heart issue – not simply adherence to externals.  This is a realm inhabited by the “pure in heart.”  Not an existential world of ephemeral feelings and desires but a world of the will and motives that only God can see although it does affect our external world like David—the “man after God’s own heart.”  They have an inner world that is fully integrated with the outer world that others can see.  This is the idea behind “integrity.” There is no hypocrisy.

So now Jesus brings up a serious question.  Why does God bless people anyway?  The short answer is so they will reflect the glory of God throughout the earth. In Psalm 67 David says it is so “thy way may be known upon the earth.”  The blessing starts when we believe in Him and begin reflecting His righteousness.  That’s when we begin reflecting God’s nature even though there is eventually a greater fulfillment in being with the King in all His glory whether in the earthly kingdom of heaven or ultimately in the eternal heavens for all who believe.  There is also the sense that we who believe have NOW been transferred into the kingdom of His dear Son (Col. 1:13) and so experience some of those same blessings to glorify God NOW.

Are God’s blessings material or spiritual?  The short answer is both.  Every resource at our disposal is given by God to us for the purpose of doing His "will on earth as it is in heaven."  These blessings can be used, abused or misused.  But the ultimate blessing is to be one of God’s “blessed ones” who inhabit His kingdom and reflect His righteousness.  The key to gaining this righteousness is right in front of them—the One Who will “fulfill the Law.”

In Jesus’ unexpectedly new explanation of God’s Law and entrance into the kingdom, some of His hearers began to say that Jesus was trying to abolish the Law of Moses.  But He pointed out that such was not at all the case.  Rather, the Law must be fulfilled by the Messiah in every way.  As we shall see, Jesus alone would keep it perfectly and would thus be proven worthy to bring in the prophesied kingdom of heaven.  Also, Jesus would be the substitute for all who believe in Him so they, too, can enter in.  What kind of righteousness does God require for those who enter the Kingdom of God?  It must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.  How is this possible if we are all unrighteous?  The Messiah has come to bring righteousness--enough to fulfill the Law's righteous requirements for all.

These leaders DID attempt to practice the Law of God in many externals.  But God looks also at the heart.  Jesus gave several examples of how the Law should be correctly interpreted (unlike the common interpretation). The practice of righteousness is supposed to begin in the heart. 

For example: (1) The Law prohibited murder.  How should that be practiced in the heart?  Anger should not be allowed to become hatred and wrath.  (2) Note the reference to animal sacrifice (at the altar) in v. 24.  How does this apply to us?  Sin that has not been confessed or properly dealt with shows our outward religious activity to be mere hypocrisy.  Our heart relationship with God is even more important than our outward activities.  (3) The Law prohibited adultery.  How should that be practiced in our heart?  Temptation should not become lust.  Don’t let the things of this world become a “fatal attraction.”  

One final question:  Will the sins of anger or lust put you in danger of hell or even a greater danger than other sins?  The Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.”  And the “wages of sin is death.”   Any sin earns us death and eternal separation from God but God’s free gift of eternal life cleanses us from all sin when we put our faith and trust in Him as the substitute sacrifice for our sin.  It is never too late as long as we still have breath.

© 2018 Eric Thimell