Matthew 5:17-48. The King explains the Meaning of the Law: God’s kind of Righteousness.
The King and the Law, v.17-20 The kind of people who enter the kingdom of heaven are those who know they need God because they are unable in themselves to keep any of the laws of God, let alone all of them. The beatitudes resonate with them as they seek first the kingdom of God. The motives of people and the principles of the law, reveal what a person is really like, and what they think of the Lord. An honest seeker for righteousness will soon find the way into the kingdom of God is to know the King personally.
The King of the Jews swept aside the traditions and interpretations people had become used to who professed to be “law-keepers.” The ethical code of the law has not changed. “The law and the prophets” were to govern the lives of the people, but they had changed that purpose to religion. The Lord established again the law in its real purpose. He fulfilled the law personally and perfectly as to its meaning. Righteousness is to be from the heart. Righteousness outward was intended to testify to righteousness inwardly. The value of the law is to reveal true righteousness and to reveal our inability to earn our way to God by our own efforts. It is our “schoolmaster” to bring us to Christ.
Control of the heart and body begins with control of our eyes. Laws are given to help us love God with our hearts and minds but they had been misapplied and misquoted so much by religious leaders, that they turned the laws of God into confusion. That in turn led to them making the laws a set of rules that couldn’t be really understood because of their own additions, and it ended up in people missing the whole point of the law. The ceremonial law of the Old Testament was specifically related to the worship of the children of Israel. The principles behind the sacrifices and offerings were all good in that they opened the way for those who put their faith in God, to love and worship Him in spirit and in truth. The ceremonial laws that pointed to Christ, were fulfilled when Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification. The ceremonial laws had no more real purpose to fulfill.
Civil laws in Israel were to guide the daily conduct of life in an orderly society. The fundamentals of those civil laws were given to human beings by nature, so that those who do not have written laws, “are a law unto themselves.” People know what is right and wrong inherently. It is implanted in everyone by God. All people have the choice as to whether they obey those implanted guidelines or not. By nature, we all sin and have come “short of the glory of God.” So written laws in a society were given to put consequences to misdeeds. Mosaic laws were the basis of “English common law.” English common law was the basis of the laws of this country when it was founded. Those fundamental laws when obeyed, result in human decency and a society that can function in an orderly fashion so people can live in peace. When those laws are kept, life is normal. But a new problem has arisen in late years. Those who lead in this country have changed some of the most fundamental laws to suit the depraved nature of people. Now it is legal to murder unwanted children before they are born. Manslayers are given sentences instead of following the original law. Society is becoming more chaotic and unsafe and the law God gave to Moses at Mt. Sinai is being abandoned.
Moral law reveals the nature and will of God which is unchanging. We don’t obey laws because they are laws, but we obey the Person who established those moral laws that are consistent with His nature. Because He gave us freedom of the will, mankind has sinned and failed to keep those moral laws, and death has “passed upon all men, for all have sinned.” God, in grace, has made it possible for us to be saved from the condemnation and consequences of breaking the laws laid on us. Those who put their faith and trust in Him who paid those consequences for us on the cross; obey Him and those laws of love, because we love Him. We have a heartfelt desire to please Him who loved us so much that He has made it possible for us to come to God as our Father because of the love of the Son of God who gave Himself for me.
Pharisees and scribes were outwardly righteous people in that they followed the laws, but they were far from the kingdom of God because there was no love or allegiance for God, – only for the law. To observe the law by righteous living but rejecting God’s will is not what is needed for true righteousness. Love and obedience go beyond compliance with laws. When we have a love for God, seek His will; reverence Him and do the works of the law from the heart; we will not be pressured to keep the law or struggle for assurance of acceptance by the Lord. Evidence of our new life in Christ is the principle of the law being written on “the fleshly tables of the heart.”
The law and human relationships, v.21-32
- The first illustration, v.21-26: The act of murder being a criminal offense is in every culture; although what composes taking the life of another person as a crime, is being disputed all over the world. The illustration, the Lord Jesus Christ gave deals with the deeper meaning of the law. The act of murder is forbidden, but anger that is allowed to go unchecked in the first place is forbidden. Courts punish crimes. God judges hidden sins
that lead to crimes; whether the crime has been committed or not. To say to a person, “Raca (empty-headed),” was an expression of contempt of character. It was cause for court work in those times.
The Lord Jesus was not doing away with the law when He said, “But I say unto you…” He was giving understanding as to why the law was given in the first place. Pharisees read the law, knew the law, and taught the law, but harbored anger in their hearts against those who didn’t agree with them. They were angry against the Roman government. They were angry against John for seeing through their hypocrisy and with Jesus for telling them right out, who they were and what they were like.
To keep a law but to be closed to the purpose of that law, and even hold anger against what that law says; is to miss the point of it altogether. Reconciliation is the first step to take when conflicts arise that cause anger. Get right with a wronged person before you get taken to court. Get right with God first before coming judgment makes any attempt you might make to repent, too late. Before going before God and seeking to worship or serve Him; be reconciled to those who have sinned against you, or you have sinned against.
- The second illustration, v.27-30: This illustration as it relates to human relationships, was regarding adultery and conflict in marriage. The is no question as to the fact that adultery is a sin. The mixing of seeds has always been forbidden. The Lord Jesus made the point that most people today find hard to accept, and that is that inner lust is sin. The temptation to commit adultery comes from an undisciplined desire to carry out an act, even though the outcome may never take place. To look upon another person with lustful desire, may lead to deeds of shame that come from fantasies of shame. This sin begins in the eye which is a doorway to the soul.
Such sinful desires cause people to sin in their minds and that may fester as a putrefying sore. Allowing it to go on without confession and forsaking of such sin, can create fantasies that can destroy marriages. If allowed to remain, the desire may lead to acting out that desire. Sinful desire is unrighteousness that turns a person away from fellowship with God. Any illegal access into another person’s body is fornication, and all forms of such sexual activity are totally forbidden.
- The third illustration, v.31-32: The seriousness of fornication in human relationships is exemplified and clarified in the illustration of divorce. When one person in a marriage commits adultery, and divorce is the result; it can lead others to fall into the same condemnation. Often in bitterness of soul, a person who may have been innocent of the sin of adultery abandons the restrictions of marriage and goes into sin themselves.
The law and social relationships, v. 33-42
- The fourth illustration, v.33-37: This illustration emphasizes the responsibility to tell the truth. People will often take their oath about a matter without even thinking about what they are saying. It is God’s intention that our word – our “Yes” or “No,” should be enough to affirm that we are truthful. We should be people “who are as good as their
word.” But that is not always the case. Some people will say, “God is my witness,” or “On my mother’s grave,” or some such kind of false affirmation to impress people with their sincerity. To say such things and then not fulfill the intent of those words, is to commit perjury. In a court of law, that would be a crime. Legal oaths may be called for by governments, but our honesty should make any oath that we make, unnecessary. The Lord Jesus meant that we never make casual comments about our commitments and that our speech should be the truth at all times. He gave no loopholes when He said, “Swear not at all.”
- The fifth illustration, v.38-42: This explanation is to guide and guard people against excessive retaliation and to avoid personal revenge without due consideration. Personal revenge against a person who has hurt or offended another, can get out of hand and go way too far in punishment. The “eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” rule, was to put a limit on vengeance. Such a rule also keeps punishments from being too lenient or too harsh. It balances the punishment with the crime.
People still use this phrase to justify, “Getting back at him.” “I’m just doing to him what he did to me!” or “I’m just giving back to her as good as she gave to me!” is the mindset of people without a sense of law and order. The Lord Jesus Christ when He was reviled, reviled not again, when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously.” When we are wronged, rather than a “get even” attitude; the Lord gave instructions to do good, not keep score. Loving others in this way is not natural, but it is right. God gives the grace and strength to do what is beyond natural.
If a person is determined to deprive you of what is your right to have and what you need; give him more than he asked for. Give him extra – like the shirt off your back after you gave him your coat. Roman soldiers had a legal right to make Jews their porters for a certain distance. Jesus said that in Christian love, go twice as far. To demand interest on money loaned to a relative or friend puts material gain above the human need of the poor person. Our response to personal injury or unreasonable demands, fulfills the intent of the law of love for God and our neighbors.
The Law and a new attitude toward others, v.43-48
- The sixth illustration, v.43-48: To love enemies was a new concept of love that was not usual to the Jews in Jesus’ day. They seemed to think that if they loved God and their neighbors like the law said, that gave them license to hate their enemies. The Old Testament didn’t command them to hate their enemies even though they were enemies. Legalists tried to make the point that if we love our neighbors, that implies permission to hate Romans, publicans, and Gentiles who are perceived enemies. The Lord Jesus called His own followers to love as God loves; with an all-inclusive love that includes enemies
Then He went even further than just our feelings, to taking actions that would demonstrate love. Doing what is in the best interest of others is one of those actions. Praying to God for them, as intercessors; brings the whole area of humanness into divine perspective in our own minds. God is able to give us the ability to do, what to us is personally impossible. When these practices become real to us, we will not only be nice people; we will be the kind of Christ-like people God wants us to be. Hopefully, there be some Christ-like characteristics of our heavenly Father, seen on earth in His born-again children. That is a result of loving God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.