Matthew 5,17-37.
This part of the Sermon on the Mount deals with the place of Law in Jewish and Christian life and shows how Jesus can draw out of the Law all the potential it has within it.
He has come not to abolish the law or the prophets but to complete them. He is not a lawbreaker as some Pharisees would accuse him. He wants to draw out of the Law of Moses its full potential. The one who observes the Law and appreciates the values which it enshrines will be worthy member of the kingdom. If the disciples don’t observe the law more perfectly than the Pharisees who focus on externals, they won’t enter the kingdom of heaven. Their virtue and piety must be more than mere externalism. It must come from the heart.
Today’s gospel reading deals with three important areas of morality where Jesus’ interpretation offers new depths and insightful applications. He deals with each issue by quoting the law of Moses and then adding an authoritative parenthesis – “But Now I say to you,” – which deepens and broadens the concerns of the particular law quoted.
The first issue he treats is murder and killing. Not only is murder forbidden by God’s law, but according to Jesus the law also forbids attitudes and passions like anger, name-calling, belittling somebody, which could lead to murder. The violations of the above and the mentioning of the appropriate courts and punishments to deal with them are listed in ascending order of seriousness ending with hell as the ultimate punishment for killing somebody. Worship of God should be undertaken only after one has been reconciled with anyone who has something against them, and anyone they have something against. If we are not at rights with others and they with us, it is not possible to be at rights with God.
The commandment forbidding adultery is broadened to include actions and attitudes which cause men to treat women as sex objects. Jesus does not literally mean one to surgically remove their right hand or eye but emphasises the urgent need to carefully avoid all occasions of sin.
While marriage was held in very high esteem in the time of Jesus, divorce was permitted (Deut 24,1). There were two rabbinic schools of thought on divorce: the Shammai school was quite restrictive in permitting divorce, while the Hillel school was very liberal. Jesus (in Mk 10,11-12) rules out divorce, but here, he reluctantly admits an exception, “unchastity,” which some experts say means a marriage within the forbidden degrees of kindred.
Deuteronomy in 6,13; 10,20, commands swearing oaths in the name of God, but probably from long experience of the abuse of this privilege, it became more restricted in use. Here Jesus says that for the upright person there is no need for oaths to buttress the truth of anything they say. Their own honesty and uprightness should speak for itself. Their word is their bond. For the upright person yes means yes and no means no.
Christians always should, but sadly, sometimes don’t, show respect for the Lord’s name. Regrettably, the sacred names of God or Jesus are sometimes used as expletives to emphasize a fact or express surprise. The people of Israel never pronounced God’s name out of reverence for it. Some Christians have much to learn from them on this matter. Blessed be the name of the Lord, Jesus.
Oaths that are false (perjury) are the ultimate insult to God who is truth itself.