Matthew 5:21-37 is the Gospel text for February 16th in the Lectionary...
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained His fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. It calls us to a different way of thinking. No more quid pro quo, as that is an expression of empire values. No check list of righteous and unrighteous tests. This is much more about establishing and maintaining a relationship based on Agape Love (active commitment/committed action on behalf of the other, even stranger or enemy, and especially the most vulnerable among us).
It is not enough just not to murder out of hatred.
We are not allowed to murder in our hearts - to be hostile or wrathful (orgidzomai) to another, even to labeling or name calling.
We cannot be hostile and wrathful with our sisters and brothers AND be right with God, so we must take care of the relationships, heal those that need to be healed, before we make gestures of righteousness with God. Only God is judge, and it is to God that we are accountable. If our accusers go to God, we are liable to the punishment.
Letting go of hostility to others, any others is Jesus' Way. It is a better way with neighbor and God.
Notice that the adultery message is aimed at men. It certainly applies to women, but Jesus knew men. Wandering eyes cause us to wander. Touching others inappropriately causes us to sin. Here, Jesus teaches that we had better see things differently and not touch inappropriately. It is better to lose the lusty thoughts, actions and ways than to hurt someone we love and then be at enmity with God. It is a different, better way. It is Jesus' way.
Again, divorce teachings are aimed at men. Men had all the power in that time and place. Women were victims of the system that allowed men to divorce their wives (see Mark 10:2-12). Jesus admonishes men to not use divorce in a cavalier fashion in order to simply gratify themselves with someone else. Marriage is intended to be for life, in every sense of that - life enhancement, security, abundance, sustainability. Unless your spouse has been unfaithful, ending a marriage against her will is breaking a covenant of love and trust that should not be broken, causing her also to be a part of that breach of covenant. It is not fair. Men had all the power to divorce. Whoever has power in marriage should not abuse that power for any reason. God does not want that for marriage or for individuals in it. This is Jesus' better way.
"Bearing false witness" is about lying. It's just not all about lying. To swear on a fact as a witness was critical for those seeking the truth, particularly in civil conflicts, for justice. Exaggeration, making claims one cannot possibly guarantee and lying are not God's Way. We live now in the post truth/alternative facts era and are bombarded by 15,000 blatant lies in 3 years by the "leader of the free world," wild and fearful claims designed to manipulate some to scapegoat others or to gain the allegiance of the easily duped and gullible, half truths that are designed to make people question what they are actually seeing and hearing and wild conspiracy theories that are designed to incite division and even violence. Telling the simple truth with "Yes" or "No" would be refreshing at this point. Even when that does happen, we have a great propensity to cover the truth with misdirection and false smears of character, clearly. So, we must stubbornly hold to claiming on that which we know to be true, repeatedly in the face of the falsehoods, putting it out there for people to see and hear. We have no power over the outcome, no matter how much we "swear to God," so we should not do so. All we have is a true witness of what we see and hear. "Anything else comes from the evil one." I believe that this may thoroughly admonish most of us. I know it does me, especially regarding what I send along in posts at times. We can do better. We must for the sake of God's children. That is Jesus' better way.
BONUS... (not in the Lectionary this year for some reason)...
"An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind." Gandhi
At one time, this law was meant to be a limit on retaliation, likening the limit to justice. There was a certain amount of Grace in it for a very punitive Law-oriented people.
Under empire (in this case of the Roman variety), people were desperate and poor. All was taken from them to feed the empire elites and the soldiers that occupied Israel. Desperate people did desperate things. Giving to ease the pain of the victims of empire is still a necessity.
Violently resisting the evildoers, in this case those who abused their power under empire, meant more pain, imprisonment or even death. Active, non-violent resistance was a better, more sustainable way to react, according to Jesus (then Gandhi, Vernon Johns, Dr. King, etc.). Turning the other cheek was a defiant act toward those who abused their power over the occupied. It was a way of letting them know that their abuse was not going to put the victim in despair. Pledging one's coat was collateral for loans that many could not repay, and when one's coat was demanded, it was a way to display the injustice of the practice by giving one's cloak as well. Roman soldiers could demand that citizens carry their gear for one mile. "Going the extra mile" was a way to defiantly say that this was no imposition at all, an attempt to shame them for their abuse of power.
Giving to beggars was a way to sustain those most vulnerable in the community, who were the most victimized by a system that rewarded the ruthlessness of those with power and wealth, who had status. It was a way to counter the pain for the most vulnerable. Loaning without a pledge was a way to exhibit Jesus' Kingdom of God values over those of empire. It was all about a relationship built on Agape Love for even stranger and enemy, and especially the most vulnerable.
And finally, here is that loving enemies thing - that praying for persecutors thing.
Loving can not be like the empire quid pro quo arrangement. That is not real loving - not Agape. This love is unconditional, even sacrificial. Loving those who will benefit you means nothing in the Kingdom, according to Jesus. It is loving those who even hurt you that is hard, and that is of Jesus. If we would be perfect according to Jesus, we must love enemies, strangers and the most vulnerable among us. The good news is that Agape is not about feelings. It is about active commitment/committed action on their behalf. I don't have to like them, trust them or join them in their oppressive ways. In fact, I must necessarily not do that. I must pray for them, because they too are locked into an oppressive system. They may be on top, but they are still victims of it. Until we see the wisdom and faithfulness of getting rid of oppressive systems, we must pray for all who are under them and especially those victimized by them. Finally, it is not about what they are like, how they are treating us or what they do to us that matters, but who we are in it. I do not want to become what I do not value. Ruthlessness, retribution, victimization and hostility are not Kingdom Values, according to Jesus. Those are empire values. We are under empire and subject to it, but are not to be a part of it. I should therefore not become a laissez-faire Capitalist because I know the system is designed to benefit the few at the expense of the many. I can pray for them and must resist their ways, hoping that someday they will see the wisdom and faithfulness of Kingdom Values. I must model the alternative by being generous with any abundance I may have for those most vulnerable, who are my sisters and brothers. Likewise with those who are Hawkish by nature, those who are xenophobic, ethnocentric, homophobic, nationalistic, misogynistic or just plain bigoted. These are the characteristics of those who value empire. I need not hate them or be hostile toward them, for that would make me unfaithful to Jesus' Way, but rather pray for them, resist their ways in my own life and model a different, better way - Jesus' Way.
Jesus' Way is the Kingdom of God Way.
Jesus' New Covenant is faithfulness to God.
It is not easy, especially under empire, though it was given under those conditions and specifically as an address to empire values.
It is faithfulness to live Jesus' Way - what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled as we have that in the Gospels.
It is a more sustainable way. It is a more loving way.
My prayer is that we will see empire for what it is and resist adopting its values. Our nation has been steadily, intentionally been adopting empire values since 1981 in this most recent iteration. I pray that we will reject the normative empire ways of greed, lust for power and desire for status, along with the hatreds that fuel and sustain them, and turn toward (metanoia - repent) Jesus' Way of living Agape Love and Grace in the world.
Until we do, we will be victims of and promoters of values that run contrary to the Will of God.
There was a New Covenant in Town, captured by the Gospels - here Matthew's Gospel.
Isn't it time that we learned what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled and then apply it to how we live our lives here and now, in this part of God's Kingdom?
Pastor Jamie
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