Jesus Interprets the Law - Pt. II

Jesus Interprets the law in its truth

This section Jesus starts to look at the true meaning of the law, the true spirit of the law. This does not pit Jesus against Moses at all. It is Jesus against the superficial interpretation of the law and the true meaning behind the law. The error of the scribes and the Pharisees that really restricted God’s commands, and yet extended God’s commands as you will see, well past His intentions. This afternoon we will only look at a few.

Jesus Interprets murder

Mt5:21-22 “21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”

Notice any key words, key phrases in this passage?

How about words? Maybe your version uses a different word or phrase in (v.22); like the word “raca”

Do you know everything in the law? Well, neither did they. They trusted other people to study and know the law. They trusted what other people said. So if they defined what “murder” was, they trusted it.

Let me give you an example from today’s society. have you heard the example “love is love.” We know the truth is “God is love.” God defines love. Love is between a man and a woman, not a between Adam and Adam or Eve and Eve or any other type of combination. God created, God defines.

Just because someone say’s it is true does not make it true does it? That is why it says:

Act17:11 “11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

Turn with me, just a few pages to -Chapter 7, verse (28-29) the last words of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt7:28-29 “28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”

Jesus is showing His authority through His teaching, because of His true understanding of the Law and the prophets and was going to expound on that.

Spurgeon said: “What a King is ours, who stretches his scepter over the realm of our inward lusts! How sovereignly he puts it: ‘But, I say unto you Who put a divine being has authority to speak in this fashion? His word is law. So it ought to be, seeing he touches vice at the fountain-head, and forbids uncleanness in the heart.”

The scribes taught through the law the Pharisees that You shall not murder, and that was true, yet, they also taught anything short of that might be allowed. Jesus corrected this mis interpretation, and makes it clear that is not only those who commit the act of murder who are in danger of judgment but those who have murderous intent in the heart are also in danger.

Jesus exposes the essence of the heresy. The law is not only a matter of the external performance but the internal intent. It is not the same as the act in punishment, but can be in judgment eternally.

Morgan puts it like this: The supervision of the Kingdom does not begin by arresting a criminal with blood red hands; it arrests the man in whom the murder spirit is born.”

We should be sure to emphasis that Jesus in not saying anger is the same as murder, it is not morally the same, yes anger can be a sin (Ps4:4; Eph4:26-27); it is not murder, it is a different sin. God’s morality addressed not only the end, but also the beginning of murder.

Barclay says: “the Greek word translated for angry: So Jesus forbids for ever the anger which broods, the anger which will not forget, the anger which refuses to be pacified, the anger which seeks revenge, the anger that leads to murder in the heart and in the hands.”

Look again at (v.22)

Matthew 5:22 NKJV

22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Maybe your says “good for nothing” or “raca” to say “raca” is defined as “nitwit” blockhead, numbskull, bonehead, brainless, idiot.

France says “These are not uncommon or particularly vulgar words . . . but they suggest an attitude of angry contempt.”

Before moving on from this, one more quote because I think it sums it up beautifully

F.F. Bruce “In these words of Jesus against anger and contempt there is an aspect of exaggeration. They are the strong utterance of one in whom all forms of inhumanity roused feelings of passionate abhorrence. They are of the utmost value as a revelation of character.”

Now we get to (vv.23-26)

Matthew 5:23–24 NASB95

23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Matthew 5:25–26 NASB95

25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

What pronoun so you notice in these verses?

What do you see as the subject matter, major subject matter in this passage?

Who has a problem against whom (v.23)?

Jesus thinks it is far more important for there to be reconciliation between brethren than to perform religious duties (give offerings).

While our service to the Lord is good, our love for the brethren is more important. Love the Lord our God is loving our neighbor as ourselves!

May we always remember (have everyone turn to ROM12:18!

Rom12:18 “18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

Who does it mostly depend on?

Look at the next verse (v.25)

Matthew 5:25 NLT

25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison.

Quickly take care of your problems, out of court, don’t be “imprisoned” by problems, don’t let anger, wrath hold you in prison (check out: Eph4:26-27)

Eph4:26-27 “26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.”

Jesus is not speaking literally, but by a figurative of speech, a very strong one. Could this anger keep you out of the kingdom of heaven? From the letter of the law that could not get you into heaven to the spirit of the law that by faith can?

A strong quote I found is from Trapp, and I mean strong so hold on:

“Let our merit-mongers first go to hell for their sins, and stay all all eternity there; then afterward, if God will create another eternity, they may have liberty to relate their good works, and call for their wages. . . a child with a spoon may sooner empty the sea than the damned in hell accomplish their misery.”

OK, will try to get one more today.

Matthew 5:27–28 NKJV

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

What is the difference you notice here in these two verses?

Heard (past tense); say (present tense)

Shall not (action); looks (heart action)

The law taught that adultery the action was wrong, and only the act itself was wrong it did not deal with the matter of the heart at all.

Jesus had already explained about the murder in the heart, now her he addresses the adultery in the heart via lust. Consider

Job31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?”

Commentator Trap speaking on lust said “when one seemed to pity a one-eyed man, he told him he had lost one of his enemies, a very thief, that would have stolen away his heart.”

Adultery and adultery in the heart are not the same but can lead to the same thing. Don’t be deceived, both are sin, Jesus point is just that, both are sin, both are prohibited.

Guzik wrote this, found it interesting: This principle applies to much more than men looking at women. It applies to just about anything we can covet with the eye or mind. These are the most searching words concerning impurity that ever were uttered.”

What are you feeding on, it matters? If you feed on impure things, impure things are going to get seeded and will lead to impure actions.

Jesus was tempted in all ways yet did not sin (Heb4:15) “He was able in all points as we are, but desire was expelled by the mighty power of a pure love to which every woman was a daughter, a sister, or a betrothed: a sacred object of tender respect.” F. F Bruce

So there is so much more that can be said about adultery, but this is being addressed at this time for a specific purposed Jesus and the law.