Thursday 26 September 2013

Background

The verses preceding today's extract from theSermon on the Mount are the key to understanding it, with itsrepeated contrast between "you have heard that it said" and "but Isay". In each case - murder, adultery, divorce, oaths - Jesuscontrasts the way Old Testament teaching was traditionallyinterpreted by the religious leaders of the time, the scribes andPharisees, with his own more exacting requirement. The overallthrust is to go behind a literal approach, which could easily leadto people finding ways to evade the rule, to the spirit of the ruleand the need for a change in our inner attitude.

So in verses 21 to 26 the emphases are on controlling the angerthat gives rise to violence and on reconciliation rather thanconflict. Verses 23-24 are referring to individual acts of devotionwhich can be postponed, not to sharing in public worship at fixedtimes, and verses 25-26 to the settlement of debts.

Clearly verse 28 refers to more than just noticing an attractivewoman. And obviously, verses 29-30 are not meant to be takenliterally. Jesus has a habit of making striking statements to bringhome a point. You may think of other examples.

In verses 31-32 it is important to remember the context of thetime, which was very different from Western society today. Then, inJewish law the wife was the husband's property; only he couldinitiate a divorce, and according to some interpretations could doso for any reason however trivial. In that context verse 32 insiststhat unless the marriage bond has already been broken by adulteryit remains binding and marriage to a divorced woman constitutesadultery by both parties.

Verses 33-37 expose the fallacy of thinking that one can escapethe consequences of a broken oath by substituting something elsefor God's name. Jesus goes to the heart of it. Let your word itselfbe your bond.

Note how the authority of Jesus comes out in all thesesayings.

To Ponder

• To what extent is Jesus' teaching here practicable in today'sworld?

• Does verse 32 state an absolute rule for today? If not, whynot?

• In what other ways should a Christian's conduct should gobeyond conventional standards?