Tuesday: Jesus and the Seventh Commandment
How did Jesus expand the meaning of the law, as seen in Matthew 5:27-28? What did He say in Matthew 5:29-30? How are we to take these words?
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In this passage Christ referred to two commandments: the seventh and the tenth. Until then, the Israelites considered adultery to be only the overt physical sexual act with another person’s spouse. Jesus points out that in reality, because of the tenth commandment, adultery would include lustful thoughts and desires, as well.
In Matthew 5:29-30, Christ was using a figure of speech. Of course, one could argue that it would be better to go through life mutilated than to forfeit eternity with Christ. However, rather than pointing to mutilation, which would be contrary to other biblical teachings (see Lev. 19:27-28; Lev. 21:17-20), Jesus was referring to the control of one’s thoughts and impulses. In His references to plucking out an eye or cutting off a hand, Christ was figuratively speaking of the importance of taking resolute decisions and actions toward guarding oneself against temptation and sin.
What did the Pharisees ask Jesus in Matthew 19:3, and why was it a trick question? (See Matt. 19:7.) What was Jesus’ answer? See Matt. 19:4-9; compare with Matt. 5:31-32.
Both texts (Matt. 5:31 and Matt. 19:7) are citing Deuteronomy 24:1. In Jesus’ days there were two rabbinic schools that interpreted this text in two different ways: Hillel understood it to allow divorce for almost any reason, while Shammai interpreted it to mean only explicit adultery. The Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus into taking sides with one school or the other. However, they had overlooked the fact that it was not God’s original plan for anyone to divorce, ever, which is why Jesus said: What God has joined together, let not man separate
(Matt. 19:6, NKJV). Later, because of the hardness
of their hearts, they asked why God had allowed a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce
if he found some uncleanness in her
(Deut. 24:1, NKJV). Christ corrected the misuse of this passage by uplifting the sanctity and permanence of marriage: the only cause for divorce, before God, is sexual immorality
or fornication
(in Greek porneia, literally unchastity
).
How seriously do we take Jesus’ warning about plucking out our eyes or cutting off a hand? How much stronger a warning could He have given us about what sin can do to our eternal destiny? If this warning scares you, good. It should!
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The imagery Jesus used in Matthew 5:29, 30 and elsewhere indicates among other things that compliance with the law is not natural and may take something unnatural, even as plucking out the right eye or severing the right arm would be. We need supernatural help to even think positively about the law.
Unlike the psalmist, for the most part we do not love God’s law (Psalm 119:97) because of what it rebukes in our life. In a sinless world law would not have this effect. Still, for now we are all in some way rebuked by the law, for we are all sinners.
We begin to love or delight in the law (Psalm 1:2) when we accept the rebuke, allow the Holy Spirit to inspire in us a willingness to change, and regard highly the standard of righteousness to which it summons. Then it is seen as for us and not against us.
Focusing on the law does not save us. Neither does focusing on grace. We honor the law because it is the transcript of the character of the Law-Giver and Savior, and He makes a huge deal about it, so much so that sacrifice and saving grace were introduced to satisfy it.
Thank you, Hugh, for the point about not focusing on the law or on grace, but on the Giver of both. He is wonderful!
Thanks brother Hugh, if we view Christ as the LAW INCARNATE, or the law lived out in a human being, then we begin to LOVE the law. GC 478
I am thinking about David when he gazed at Bathsheba's nudeness and his unrestrained thoughts resulted in adultery and murder. Later, he recognized the source of his sexual perversion, he pleaded: "create in me a clean heart o God and renew thy Spirit in me. "Cut off your hand and pluck out your eye." This self mutilation is painful. It's Jesus' method to treat sin imbedded in the heart. It seems like we have much work to do!! Yes, the Holy Spirit will do it's part, but personal accountability is weighty. That's the essence of David's prayer of repentance - a clean heart is the source of remedy!!! I just learned how to pray about delinquency!! Holy Spirit, please change the heart of delinquent youths.
It is not God's Plan for divorce. Only the death can separate what God has joined, but because of our sinful nature, it happens when even the wealth of this world separate the family. We have to invite Jesus in our families in order to have blessed ones.
Eternal life is so precious that we cannot afford to miss it at whatever cost.Thats why Christ in matt.5:29-30 brings in the figurative speech of mutilating our body part that makes us to commit sin than missing the eternal life.When we give the Holy spirit an opportunity to guide us,He refrains the sinfull nature in us from taking control.Thus our thoughts,actions etc are brought into subjection and will reflect Christ like character.There will be no need for literal mutilating of our body parts.
striving to do good is what i can say concerning this. knowing wat is good n practising what is right are two different things. we need to STRIVE against sin. if possible go to the extremes to show how realy serious u are again sin. Lord help.
We mostly think of adultery as something that has to do with sex but the Old Testament in particular Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea specifically call the tribe and nation of Israel an adulteress so the term seems to have a much broader application than the narrow way we normally conceive of it.
Because of that I wonder if a person can be involved in adultery in other ways than sexually (James 4:4; Rev 2:22).
It seems you are referring to texts like Jer 3:8, Ezek 16, Hosea 2 and many similar passages where God presents Himself as the Lover or Husband of Israel in an extended metaphor. In this He is making clear that faithfulness to Him as God is not a just a matter of following rules, but a matter of relationship - something we sometimes forget even now. The breaking of the boundaries of the relationship (His Law) indicate a break in the relationship.
So these passages do not refer to literal adultery, but unfaithfulness to the Lord. He is saying that unfaithfulness to Him is like unfaithfulness in the most intimate relationship known to humans, the relationship of marriage.
I think we are likely to destroy the force of the original metaphor if we try to extend the meaning of "adultery" beyond its well-known meaning.
The lat question truly summed it all up! 🙂
Jesus metaphor of plucking and cutting are speaking of self-denial. He told the rich young ruler to "cut off" his riches by giving. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar to " break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor;...".
If we take Jesus' yoke, this will be the result in our lives. We will go where He leads us and by learning of Him, become meek and lowly of heart. This will move us away from the pride that breeds covetousness, and will lead us to bring "into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ".
Jesus seems to be saying that even what would seem like extreme self-denial will be worth it. But doesn't that understanding come in this life now once we yield to the Lord in everything? Don't we reap rich blessings regardless of our present circumstances? Can't we taste and see that the Lord is good today?