Matthew 5:21-37
Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany - 12 February 2017
Rev. John Derme
You're driving down the road in your car one day, when all of the sudden, you see that you just passed a police car that was parked on the side of the road. You jam on the brakes. You throw down your cell phone. You carefully make sure to drive exactly in the center of the lane. But it's too late. The police car pulls out behind you. Its lights go on. You pull over to the side of the road. The officer walks up to your window. Will he ask you whether you realize how fast you were driving? Will he remind you that it is against the law to hold your phone while you drive? Will he tell you that he saw you weaving over the double yellow center line? He might have pulled you over for any of those, because they are all illegal activities.
There are a few things that you can be sure he won't say. He won't mention that, as you drove past, he could tell that you were wishing you could drive even faster. He won't mention that, when you first saw him, he knows that you said a naughty word under your breath. He won't mention that you are thinking unkind thoughts even as he stands there at your window. Why not? Well, he can't know that those things happened. But even if he could, none of those are illegal. The laws of our city, county, state, and country are not concerned with your thoughts or private words. They are concerned about your outward actions. As far as the policeman is concerned, you can think and say to yourself whatever you want as you pass him, as long as your outward behavior doesn't break any laws. Human laws can only regulate outward actions. Even hate crime laws, by which prosecutors punish people for their prejudices, can't be enforced unless someone first commits an outward criminal act.
Is outward behavior all that God's law is concerned about, as well? In our Gospel of the Day, from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5, we see what God's highest concern is in our lives. Does God just want us to behave?
Today's section of the Sermon on the Mount focuses on three of the Ten Commandments from the Old Testament. Jesus addresses the Commandments and some common misunderstandings of them.
First, Jesus brings up the Fifth Commandment: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
Jesus shows us that the Fifth Commandment is harder to keep than we would like it to be. We would like to claim that, as long as we've never murdered anybody, we have kept this commandment. But Jesus says that angry words and the hatred that stays hidden in our hearts breaks the commandment, too.
"Raca" is an Aramaic word that means something like "airhead." Although the word "fool" is used in the Bible to call people to repentance, Jesus is speaking here about using it in a hateful way. It doesn't really matter which of these words or another insult a person speaks. The problem with these words is the hateful thoughts behind them. We shouldn't even think those thoughts. Unfortunately, though, we often do. And we don't always apologize and seek to reconcile with people against whom we ourselves have sinned. Can you honestly claim that you have never spoken a hateful word or thought a hateful thought toward another person? Of course not. According to Jesus, we deserve the same judgment as a murderer. We deserve to be thrown into not just an earthly prison, but the prison of hell.
Next Jesus brings up the Sixth Commandment: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.”
Jesus shows us that the Sixth Commandment is harder to keep than we would like it to be. We would like to claim that, as long as we've never actually conducted an extra-marital affair, we have kept this commandment. But Jesus says that even the looking and lusting that remains on the inside is adultery.
Jesus brought up divorce, because at his time the religious leaders taught that it was no problem to get one for any reason. Moses insisted that if a couple were going get a divorce, they had to have a certificate of divorce. But the certificate didn't make the divorce alright with God. And a piece of paper doesn't end a marriage. Only a person's unfaithfulness to his or her spouse can do that. Divorce is always the result of sin. Unfortunately, our society promotes divorce for any and every reason, too. Yet divorce is not the cause of the problem. It is the adulterous desires behind it. Whether you are divorced or not, married or single, can you honestly claim that you have never lusted after another person or desired to be with someone other than the spouse you have promised yourself to? According to Jesus, we all deserve the same judgment. We deserve for our whole bodies to be thrown into hell.
Finally, Jesus speaks about the Second Commandment: “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
Jesus shows us that the Second Commandment is harder to keep than we would like it to be. Sometimes when people talk about swearing, they mean bad language in general. But Jesus is talking about taking an oath that makes God your witness that what you are saying is true. We would like to claim that, as long as we've keep our oaths, we have kept this commandment. But Jesus tells us not to swear at all.
The Pharisees knew that they weren't supposed to break their oaths that they made in God's name, so they swore by other things, instead. But Jesus says there is no difference between swearing by God himself or something that belongs to God. Sometimes you may be required by law to swear an oath in the court of law or if you are elected to public office. In these cases, swearing is done for the benefit of others. Even Jesus was placed under oath when he was on trial. But for the most part, there is no reason that you will need to swear on a day-to-day basis. So many of the things that you might swear about are out of your control. So many things that people swear about are completely trivial. If you feel that you need to swear or else nobody will believe you, that may show that you haven't always been honest in the past. Swearing is a misuse of God's name. Can you honestly claim that you have never been dishonest or failed to honor God's name? Of course not. According to Jesus, those sinful thoughts are from the evil one, from Satan.
When we listen to God's law, we are often tempted to think that our sins aren't really such a problem, or that we haven't broken God's commandments, because we haven't done anything really bad. But in discussing just three of God's Ten Commandments, Jesus has shown us today that our self-justifications are empty.
Does it sound like God just wants us to behave, that he only cares about our outward actions? God's law is concerned with our actions, but even more so it is concerned with where those actions begin. All sins begin in the heart. And even the sins of the heart that no other person knows about make us worthy of God's punishment.
None of us can claim that we haven't sinned in our hearts. Jesus has proved that. God knows what we have done, said, and even thought. This is what makes his law so hard, so impossible to keep. We cannot claim to be on good terms with God by virtue of our own actions.
Since God is primarily concerned about our heart, then how do we get our hearts right with God? The only thing we can do about our sins is to confess them and to ask God for mercy. Our only hope is for him to forgive them. And he does.
Jesus is the only person who ever lived who never once said a hateful word or thought an unkind thought. Jesus also never committed any adulterous action or had a lustful desire. Jesus also never sinfully swore or was dishonest to anybody. Because we haven't done it, he fulfilled every one of God's commandments for you. Then he suffered the punishment of hell to pay for all of our hateful, lustful, and dishonest actions and thoughts. Jesus reconciled us to God the Father. To have hearts that are right with God, God wants us to understand that we cannot claim credit for what we have done. He wants us to trust in what Jesus has done.
Since Jesus has kept God's law for us and paid for our sins against it, how will we thank him? We will not harbor hatred or speak angrily toward others. We will seek to reconcile with others by confessing the sins we have committed against them and forgiving them for whatever sins they have committed against us. This is especially true of our brothers and sisters with whom we take Communion. Jesus said that you ought to be reconciled to other people before you come to the Lord's altar. Therefore, if you have sinned against one of your fellow Christians, go and ask for forgiveness from that person. Then come to the altar to receive the Lord's body and blood in peace.
Also, we will thank Jesus by doing whatever we can to avoid sexual temptation. Jesus doesn't actually want us to gouge out our eyes or cut off our body parts, because lust comes from the heart, not from the members of our body. But there are other things we can do to fight off lust. We can avoid looking at certain things on the internet or in movies or television. We can avoid being alone with someone who would lead us into temptation. Take control of where your eyes wander. Shouldn't you be willing to give up sinful desires to please God? And if you are married, don't you want to show your thanks to God by your faithfulness to your spouse?
Also, we will thank Jesus by being honest with others, always telling the truth, and keeping God's name holy. Then there will be no need to swear. Rather than swearing, we will use God's name to pray, praise, and give thanks.
Of course, God is concerned about our actions. But he doesn't just want us to behave outwardly. He is primarily concerned with what is in our hearts. With hearts that confess our sins and trust in Jesus for forgiveness, we will do, say, and think what God wants.