Matthew 5: 27-48, The Sermon on the Mount, Part 2 (Morality From the Heart)

Jesus continues to contrast the behavior of citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and the accepted religious teachings of his day.

Matt 5:27-32
"You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.'  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body  than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your  body than for your whole body to go into hell.

"It has been said, `Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

The quote in verse 27 is from Exodus 20:14; the quote in verse 31 is from  Deuteronomy 24:1.

We humans rationalize our thoughts and actions by drawing artificial lines that we claim not to cross. But if we fantasize about sex with someone, but we don't act it out, we may indeed avoid external consequences, but we are making decisions that effect who we are and what desires we cater to.

Matt 5:33-37
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long  ago, `Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for  it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem,  for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one  hair white or black.

Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No';  anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

"You have heard it said" is an introduction to an past instruction that has now been defeated by human legalism and rationalization.  In this case, Jesus speaks of promises and oaths and returns to a simple principle, Be Honest.  If you mean Yes then just say it; don't say it if you don't mean it.  (The very emphasis on an oath indicates that there are times when one is dishonest....)

Matt 5:38-42
"You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth  for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone  strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him  have your cloak as well. 

If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

The quotes in verse 38 are from Exodus 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21.

I struggle this submissiveness, but I understand that in most cases we humans love to escalate conflict instead of de-escalate it.  If that Roman soldier says, "You!  Carry my load for a mile!" what response would there be if we smiled and said, "Sure!  Indeed, may I carry it for two miles?"  How strange.  How unworldly.

Matt 5:43-47
"You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans 

do that?

The quote in verse 43 is from Leviticus 19:18.

Jesus removes the calculations from "love".  Most of us practice a basic computation: "I love those who reward my love; I punish those who don't."  But the citizens of Heaven have a different view....

From the NIV Footnotes:  in verse 44 some late manuscripts add "bless those who curse you,  do good to those who hate you", making clear the break from the standard earthly calculus.

Matt 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This is a rather strong, demanding finish to these passages on living righteously!  These instruction are indeed unworldly, distinct from the culture in which we are immersed.

Acts 5, Dishonesty in the Young Church (and Another Jailing)

After the explosive growth of the young church, there is a time of resettling.  From the early enthusiasm there flows a (very human) tendency for jealousy and hypocrisy.

Acts 5:1-6
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.

Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

This is a very scary event! Surely Peter doesn't know this will happen? But somehow he knows to confront the lying and hypocrisy.  

Of course, there is great fear! What if God acted this way in today's church???

Acts 5:7-11
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" 

"Yes," she said, "that is the price."

Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Peter certainly knows now what will happen to Sapphira!

Why does this occur in the early church?  What is the message?

Acts 5:12-16
The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.

As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

The rush to join the new church has ebbed (a little).  But the church continues to grow.

Acts 5:17-20
Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.  But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."

Following behind this amazing event are instructions to return to the battlefield and "do it again"!

Acts 5:21-25
At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest  and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them  there. So they went back and reported, "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside."

On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people."

How embarrassing!  (And possibly life-threatening to the soldiers!). The people they were supposed to be holding are back out in public.

Acts 5:26-28
At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."

The last phrase makes it clear what the jealousy is all about.  The leaders have been accused of being responsible for his death.

Acts 5:29-33
Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.

What did the leaders expect?  It is clear they are not accustomed to this level of independence and stubbornness.

Acts 5:34-40
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Gamaliel's speech has considerable logic.  Something strange has been going in and so Gamaliel is a little wary.  He is also quite happy to have the Romans take care of troublemakers like these.

Acts 5:41-42
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

In this time of opposition and slow growth, the proclamation continues.  And the young church is willing, indeed happy, to suffer "for the Name."

Matthew 21:23-46, Conflict with the Religious Leaders

Jesus has entered Jerusalem, been adored by throngs of Passover pilgrims, cleaned out the temple and then cursed the fig tree.  All attention is on him.

Matt 21:23-27
Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"

Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  John's baptism--where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?" 

They discussed it among themselves and said,  "If we say, `From heaven,' he will ask, `Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, `From men'--we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."

So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said,  "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these  things.

Jesus deflects the question by going to its source.

Matt 21:28-32
"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, `Son, go and work today in the  vineyard.'

"`I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, `I will, sir,' but he did not go."

"Which of the two did what his father wanted?" 

"The first,"  they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

After first deflecting their question, Jesus goes ahead and provides a basic answer, in essence accusing the leaders of ignoring John, an accusation they were trying to avoid.

Being religious does not get one into the kingdom of God.  Being a religious leader might even be a hindrance!?  The Passover Week is filled with conflict between Jesus and the legalistic religious leaders.

Matt 21:33-39
"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. `They will respect my son,' he said.

"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other,  `This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and  killed him."

Another story.  Do the leaders understand the analogy?

Matt 21:40-46
"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "`The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?

"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its  fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

Jesus repeatedly resorts to parables, a very distinctive type of teaching.  He has been doing this throughout his three year ministry.

The quotation in verse 43, on the "capstone" (or "cornerstone") is from Psalm 118:22-23.
Some ancient manuscripts do not have verse 44.

The sparring between Jesus and the religious leaders continues throughout the Passover Week.

Matthew 21:1-22, Entrance into Jerusalem

Jesus's popularity, which has fallen lately due to his "hard sayings" and his refusal to be politicized, has begun to return.  He approaches Jerusalem in advance of the Passover feast.

Matt 21:1-9
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, `See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed  shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he  who comes in the name of the Lord!"  "Hosanna in  the highest!"

The crowds welcome him into Jerusalem as a prophet.  Somehow the people know something is happening on this day; they all interpret this as a Messianic fulfillment of some kind.

The quote in verse 5 is from Zechariah 9:9. The quote in verse 9 is from Psalm 118:26.

NIV footnotes: "Hosanna" is a Hebrew expression meaning "Save!" which became an  exclamation of praise.

Matt 21:10-11

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"

The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

The Passover Week has begun.  It will end with a crucifixion and then something miraculous on the first day of the week after that.  The remaining seven chapters in Matthew will cover that week.

Matt 21:12-13
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, "`My house will be called  a house of prayer,' but you are making it a `den of  robbers.' "

It is not clear how Jesus drove out the money changers.  He may have begun by driving out the animals they were selling for the sacrificial system.

The quotes in verse 13 are, respectively, from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.  The Isaiah quote implies that the temple is to be a model for "all nations", which includes the Gentiles.  Jesus is incensed that the religious leaders have degraded what was to be an example to the world.

Matt 21:14-17
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the  temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. 

"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked  him. 

"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "`From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise' ?" And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Jesus drove the moneychangers out of the temple; this, of course, attacked a certain moneymaking element of the religious power.  But the religious leaders seem most upset that the children are worshiping Jesus, instead of following them!

The quote in verse 16 is from Psalm 8:2.

Matt 21:18-22
Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city,  he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.

When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in  prayer."

A metaphor in action.  (But Jesus seems to be reacting in frustration?)

In the next passage, Jesus preaches in the temple courts.  The religious leaders cannot miss him.