I have repeated verse 11 to begin today’s study below because I do not want to lose the continuity that Matthew provides for this glimpse of Jesus’ teachings (3 years condensed into 3 chapters). The statement about being reviled and persecuted is one way of preparing the disciples for their journey, the negative part of the journey. However, what follows describes their purpose in proclaiming the King and the Kingdom.
5: 11-16. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Because they preach Jesus’ message, the disciples (does this include us?) will be slandered as Jesus was; however, the disciples (we?) are working for a noble cause that is well worth the effort. The cause is to serve as salt in societies that otherwise might be more unjust and predatory than they are if we avoid the public forum and keep quiet. Salt is different from anything else on our dinner plate; by its presence it preserves other food from spoiling, and salt improves food by adding flavor.[1] Does the presence of our particular Christian community do that where we live? Jesus says that if the salt (tabel in Aramaic) has lost its saltiness, then the salt (the disciples and us) has become worthless or ‘foolish’ (tapel in Aramaic).[2]
The cause can also be compared to a light that exposes what is done in the darkness, unless we dim the light in order not to stand out too much from the mainstream view. Or, the mission can be compared to a gleaming city on a hill that shows how justice and righteousness can shape a society so that others may follow our good example or even find refuge there. That is, unless we cease to be a shining example of a just society or unless we refuse to offer refuge to refugees. Either way, we abandon the cause and thus dim our light.[3]
5:17-20. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter [jod], not one stroke of a letter [tittle] will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks [annuls] one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
The immediate social context of Jesus and his disciples is First Century Jewish society that is occupied by the Roman army. The leaders of the Jews, with limited authority, are the priests and scribes. They are the heirs of Moses and thus they are, or they should be, the proper interpreters of the Law. Jesus says so later in Matthew 23: 1-4. However, the people listening might surmise that Jesus is speaking against the Law. Jesus says this is a false conclusion.
Jesus is pretty precise with his words. The phrase “the Law or the Prophets” is a way of referencing the whole Old Testament. The word ‘fulfill’ means to complete or even bring to fruition (by showing expanded applications). In fact, Jesus is pretty exact by claiming that not one ‘jot or tittle’ as the King James Version has it, will pass away. The ‘jot’ or ‘yod’ is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, while the ‘tittle’ refers to diacritical marks above the words; they are about the size of an apostrophe mark (‘).
What Jesus is setting up is a question not about the Law but rather about how it has been interpreted down through the centuries since Moses. Notice the rather odd charge: “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.” That sounds impossible, unless the teachers of the Law have overemphasized some laws (tithing from spices like mint and cumin) while narrowing down the full impact of other laws (as we will see below).
5: 21-26. “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult [without cause] a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council, and if you say, ‘You fool,’ [Raca] you will be liable to the hell [Gehenna] of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Question: When Jesus says “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times,” is he talking about the Law as Moses received it and wrote it down? Or, is he talking about what people, like the scribes and Pharisees, have ‘said’ to the people about the Law? This is critical because every time Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said…,” this is followed by the phrase, “but I say….” Jesus goes on to say something different.
After Jesus has said, “Not one of the smallest marks in the text of the Law will pass away,” it seems most certain that he is not going to turn around and annul the Law. Instead, Jesus must be talking about what others have said about the Law, or the ways that later teachers have interpreted the Law. In this case, Jesus is concerned with the tendency to restrict the commandment about murder, that is, to be concerned only if someone actually reaches the point of killing someone else. Jesus says there is a lot more to it, because first there is anger, then there is the desire to get revenge, and then finally comes the murder. Jesus says, when resentment begins, you must not even entertain these emotions and desires. It’s not that they won’t pop up, but rather that you must not nurture their growth. That is, you must ‘nip it in the bud’ rather than enjoy the moment of dreaming about revenge.[4] Jesus says that this is a spiritual matter that should be dealt with as preparation for true worship.
Raca seems to refer to an Aramaic term for ‘fool’ or ‘nitwit’. Remember that Jesus did not speak Greek during his ministry, so the stories of Jesus are already a translation from Aramaic into Greek. The term Gehenna is Greek for the Aramaic term Gehinnom. The word has a long history, but basically it refers to a valley just outside Jerusalem where in the distant past child sacrifice by fire was practiced (II Chronicles 28:3 and 33: 6). It had come to mean something like ‘hell fire’. The point is that if you call a brother ‘worthless rubbish’ that is only fit to be burned, be careful that your careless desires do not lead you to hell fire instead. In sum, the sixth commandment means a lot more than “Do not murder.” It means do not even think about murdering someone and thus let it get out of hand.
5: 27-20. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin [stumble], tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell [Gehenna]. And if your right hand causes you to sin [stumble], cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell [Gehenna].
The Law says “Do not commit adultery.” But, also do not even entertain thoughts of adultery. That also is wrong, and when covertly nurtured, dreaming about adultery can lead to adultery. With some sense of hyperbole, Jesus suggests taking drastic measures to avoid this trap.
5: 31-32. It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The problem here is that the scribes and Pharisees, all men, had over time loosened up the rules, much to their own favor. Divorce had become too easy, and women suffered the consequences. Remember that First Century Palestine was a highly patriarchal society in which women’s only worth was as a wife or mother. Even widows went down a notch, and a widow without a son was in danger of having no legal standing at all.[5] Jesus reminds the men that they cannot divorce a wife just anytime they feel like it. But, if they have a good reason and do divorce, then they must give a legitimate certificate to protect the woman’s rights.
5: 33-7. Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you: Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 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 one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
The scribes and Pharisees had tried to soften the blow of “Do not swear falsely” by parsing the kinds of oath-taking that count and the kinds that do not count. Children in elementary school do something similar when they swear what they say is true, but then reveal that they had their fingers crossed behind their back. With God there is no finger crossing. If you say it, then you mean it. And, if you don’t do it, you stand in danger of being corrected by God.
5: 38-42. You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also, and if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give your coat as well, and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
Once again, the scribes and Pharisees have misinterpreted the Law. They have taken this one for a positive command, that is, you must take an eye for an eye, etc. Instead, Jesus reminds them that this was a negative law, that is, the aggrieved is limited to taking only an eye for an eye, etc. How much are you limited in seeking recompense? It is better that you get the short end of the stick than that you overreach and retaliate by taking more than God allows.
5: 43-48. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Now, it is pretty clear that the Old Testament says that you shall love your neighbor, but it is not clear that it categorically says that you shall hate your enemy. The teachers of the Law pushed the interpretation to this conclusion; and they were wrong.
In sum, Jesus sees that the Law goes beyond actions to thoughts and emotions. Jesus says ‘You shall not want to murder’, ‘You shall not even dream about committing adultery’, ‘Divorcing is serious business, so you better have a good reason and see to her future’, ‘There are no excuses anytime to speak falsely’, and finally, ‘Loving your neighbor does not permit you to hate your enemy’.
[1] So says R. V. G. Tasker, The Gospel According to Matthew, (1973), Page 63-63. “As Paul said, a Christian’s speech must be ‘always with grace, and seasoned with salt’ (Col. Iv. 6).”
[2] Ben Witherington, Matthew (2006), points out this possible word play since Jesus is speaking Aramaic. Page 124.
[3] Some fourth and fifth century Christians thought that Rome was such a city. But Rome was corrupt within and weak without, and when the city fell to people that the Romans called ‘barbarians’, some thought that all was lost. That is why St. Augustine (354-430) wrote the tract The City of God in order to distinguish any earthly city, or nation, from the City of God (see Revelation 21) or the Kingdom of Heaven (as here in Matthew).
[4] A modern-day saying has taken shape: “Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” It comes from Emmet Fox in “Sermon on the Mount” (1936), was picked up by Alcoholics Anonymous and is used in counseling, then reworded by Malachy McCourt in 1998.
[5] That is the full meaning about Jesus’ resurrection of a widow’s only son (Luke 7: 11-17).