Sermon on the Mount: 4th Blessing

MATTHEW 5:21-30

CHRISTIAN RIGHTEOUSNESS (AVOIDING ANGER & LUST)

The first two illustrations Jesus gave of His Sermon theme (He was deepening, not destroying the demands of the Law) relate to the 6th and 7th commandments, which are the prohibitions against murder and adultery.

AVOIDING ANGER

The commandment “thou shalt not kill” would be better expressed as “thou shalt not murder” if the original Hebrew was literally translated. This command is not a prohibition against the taking of any human life in all circumstances, but rather against actual murder. War and the death penalty have long been questioned as to where God stands on these matters. The Lord gave us numerous instances in His Law which require the death penalty. The Lord was specific that His chosen people were to war against the pagan nations in the promised land and were to “utterly destroy” them, including children and animals.

The scribes and Pharisees were evidently seeking to restrict the compliance to the 6th command to be only seen as the physical act of murder itself (the actual killing). If the people refrained from this they were said to be in obedience to this command. Jesus disagreed. He said the true application of this command was much wider and it included thoughts and words as well as deeds, anger and insult as well as homicide.

Anger is quickly mentioned as Jesus speaks of everyone who is angry with their brother. Not all anger is evil, as it is found in the wrath of God, which is always holy and pure. Even fallen human beings may feel righteous anger. Insults are also mentioned as evidence of falling short of God’s standard.

These things may not lead one to the actual act of murder but the teaching is that they are part of the act in the sight of God. John later writes in John 3:15 that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer. Evil wish is a breach of the 6th command before the bar in the courtroom of heaven. If anger and insults are so very dangerous, then we should avoid them at all costs for Jesus is quite clear that not avoiding these things are liabilities toward hell.

Every deed, word, look, or thought by which we harm or offend another human being are open doors of evil. If we want to avoid doing murder in the sight of God we must take all possible steps to live in peace and love with all men.

AVOIDING LUST

Jesus now turns from the 6th commandment to the 7th, which is the prohibition against adultery.

The rabbis were teaching that as long as the people did not enter into the actual physical act of sexual immorality then they were in compliance of the 7th command. (Remember the adulterous woman brought to Jesus whom the men said was caught in the act itself). So the definition of the 7th command was made very narrow and purity was given a wide definition. Once more Jesus disagreed and He made clear that we can commit adultery in our hearts and our minds. Verse 28 cannot be interpreted any other way.

This teaching refers to unlawful sex outside marriage whether practiced by married or unmarried people. He is not forbidding a man to look on a woman but is clear that a man may not look upon a woman lustfully. His emphasis is that any and every sexual practice which is immoral in deed is also immoral in look and thought.

Jesus’ teaching here is directly contrary to all the earlier Pharisee teaching on this matter. Even in modern times many Christians seems to say that He means lustful looks cause a person to commit adultery in the mind. That is not what Jesus said. The look does not cause the adultery. By the time the lustful look happens, the adultery has “already been committed” in the heart. The lustful looking is the wicked fruit of a heart that is already immoral and adulterous. 

Now Jesus gives His powerful admonition to these areas that create unrighteousness (meaning disobedience to the deeper meanings of these two commands). If your eye causes sin, pluck it out. If your hand leads you astray, cut it off. These are dramatic figures of speech meant to give power to the importance of the teaching. Jesus is not teaching mutilation but rather mortification. He wishes not self-maiming of the body but rather teaches us to make these sinful activities die in us and to “take up our cross daily” and follow Him.

What is necessary is for each of us to place internal guards to warn us when these temptations arrive and to sound the alarm at their approach.

Jesus was clear that it is better to forego some experiences this life has to offer in order to enter the next life with more rewards for obedience. It is better to accept some personal lifestyle amputations than to risk damaging our fellowship with the Lord. Our decision is whether to live for this world or the next. 

Jesus is beginning His delivery of the roadmap to guide our decisions.