The Spirit of the Law--Matthew 5:17-26

The next major section of the Sermon on the Mount takes the form of "You have heard it said.....but I say."  Jesus is addressing that fact that there were people who looked to be law-keepers who were actually law-breakers because they had committed the sin in their heart or mind or had obeyed with wrong intentions or motives.  As Jesus holds up the mirror to us to show us what we really look like to God, what is our reaction going to be?

First Jesus establishes a very important point.  Nothing that He is about to say abolishes any part of the Law or the Old Covenant.  Instead, Jesus is the one--the only one--that would completely obey the Law and would fulfill every requirement and that not even the smallest part of the Law would disappear until "everything is accomplished."  There is some question as to exactly when that is.  Some think that happened at the cross while others think that this won't happen until this creation passes away and God makes a new heaven and a new earth (described in Revelation 21 and 22).  I'd argue that it has not happened yet because of the following verses where Jesus identifies His true followers as those who love the Law and choose to obey it, and likewise anyone who shows contempt for the Law shows contempt for the Law Giver (God) and will be reckoned "the least in the kingdom of heaven."  It does not directly say that they will not be part of the kingdom, but this seems to be implied later in Chapter 7 when Jesus says to the group that says to Him "Lord, Lord" and lists their works and replies, "Depart from Me you who who practice lawlessness (live as if there is no Law), I never knew you."

Please note that I'm not saying that adherence to the Law saves you, but I am saying (and Jesus is saying) that if you love the Law Giver, then you will love and obey the Law.  If you do not love and obey the Law, then it is impossible that you love the Law Giver.

Jesus then breaks down some of the commandments that we are oh so quick to say, "Well, at least I'm not guilty of THAT one."  For instance, "You shall not murder."  Seems pretty easy.  If you never kill anyone you can't be guilty of this right?  Wrong!  Jesus says that if you hate someone so much that you've wished they were dead or fantasized about killing them, you have already committed the sin of murder in your heart.  If you hate someone so much that you believe you would be better off without them, then you are a murderer at heart.  Whoa, hold on there Jesus.  That's a pretty high bar.  And just who is He to think He can go around and change the Law and tell us that we don't understand what it means and that God originally intended the Law to mean something higher than what our current understanding is?

Jesus then tells the people that if they don't have their "horizontal" relationships right with each other, then they must make things right before bringing their sacrifice to the altar to worship in a "vertical" direction.  We are also told to admit our mistakes and immediately try to make restitution and to avoid needing to be taken to court for restitution to be made.  This especially should never happen among two followers of Christ.  

That's some pretty heavy stuff, but it's not over yet.  The next two sections will discuss sexual sin, so I'll cover them together in the next edition of the blog.