Enemies
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Scripture Reading
“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 the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
“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 sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 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, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:
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Review
Matthew series
Sermon on the Mount
Instructions for kingdom living
6 examples of verses 17-20
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes 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.
Matthew 5:
Next Slide
Remember, the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was the standard for righteousness to the people.
Illustration: Mother Theresa
This passage (21-47) is bookended by two key texts.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:
Matthew 5:48
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Begin Exposition:
First Point (38-39)
Background information: The principle of Retribution (Known as the lex talionis)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
This OT commandment was given so that the government could justly give punishment for someone who had been wronged.
It was not given to allow for vengeance
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
This text immediately precedes command repeated in
The problem is, the Scribes and Pharisees took it to allow for vengeance and retribution
The principle of retribution.
But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Do not resist in a court of law
“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 the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matthew 5:38
“one who is evil” is a person who seeks to take from you unjustly
Turn the other cheek
Jesus teaching contradicts the OT Law
Context of verses 17-20
Similar to Jesus previous example of divorce
Four Examples
v. 39 Turn the other cheek
Matthew 5:40
And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
Tunic: Inner garment
Cloak: OT said that a cloak was not to be taken
essentially, if someone tries to take your suit, give them that and the shirt off of your back.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Roman practice, military could have civilians carry their luggage for one Roman mile
This was a right of soldiers
Outrage
Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Interest free loans
Giving spirit
give to anyone who asks
All four examples speak to the heart in these types of dealings
Not a law but an attitude of grace
These are not absolute but portray a general mindset.
ex. the third example would lead the giving person to be wearing nothing but a loin cloth
I. Be a servant (38-42)
I. Be a servant (38-42)
Notice Jesus doesn’t give a reason here.
The reason in given in the bookends to the passage as well as the overall context of the Sermon on the Mount.
The reason is simple, this is what Kingdom citizens ought to act like because if is how their Father, who is perfect acts.
Gospel
Point
Second Point (43-47)
Matthew 5:43-
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
“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 sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
There is no OT command to “hate your enemy.”
What Jesus is saying is that the scribes and Pharisees portray this example.
We see this in writing of others at the time, such as the Qumran community.
Instead, Jesus commands the radical position of loving your enemy
Pray for those who persecute you
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, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Matthew 5:46-47
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Matthew 5:
II. Love everyone (43-47)
II. Love everyone (43-47)
This is a characteristic of Kingdom citizens
Again, the OT law was not able to make this change.
People are not able to love everyone on their own.
But in the Kingdom, that will be everyone.
In the kingdom today we must strive to exhibit these charactertics
We still can’t, but Christ, in us, through the Spirit, can.
Third Point (48)
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:
III. Be perfect (48)
III. Be perfect (48)
The final point is simple yet utterly impossible, and that is the point.
Mathew
Contrast to Scribes and Pharisees.
Gospel
