You've Heard it Said....But I say to You
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Building Context
Building Context
Jesus is the fulfillment of the entire law.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
“the teachers of the law” told people what they had to do in order to live rightly
“The Pharisees” dedicated their lives to doing exactly that
So what is the Problem?
So what is the Problem?
What did these men do wrong so that our righteousness must exceed theirs?
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The very purpose of the law is to lead us to God by pointing out our sin. Our accountability to God. And our need for His forgiveness.
Jesus Showed them the Truth.
Jesus Showed them the Truth.
Instead of using the law to point to God the Jewish leaders were trying to make themselves look perfect instead of admitting that they were sinners.
This led to an external righteousness that masks internal evil.
Matthew 23:
You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Course Correction
Course Correction
Jesus is going to take six laws that the leaders were using to create an external righteousness:
Murder
Adultry
Divorce
Oaths
Getting Even
Love
And show how external righteousness was not the purpose but rather internal righteousness
You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
How did the error begin?
How did the error begin?
The teachers had wrongly understood righteousness to be something they achieved rather than something they recieved.
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Murder
Murder
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Don’t just avoid the physical act of murder The big #6 but let God transform your heart so you do not harbor anger, resentment, contempt or hatred which lead to the physical act
Application 1
Application 1
When God cleans you on the inside you will not seek to murder someone. Instead, you will seek to reconcile with that person. Likewise, since you know harboring anger in your heart is a sin you will want to help others remove their anger also.
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Question? Who is the angry one in this example?
Application 2
Application 2
Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
This time it seems Jesu is showing the benefit of timely reconciliation. The point may be that now that you know you are truly righteous in God’s eyes you need to gain His righteousness Before judgment day
Adultery
Adultery
“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 lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Don’t just avoid the physical act Big #7 But allow God to transform you that you won’t be tempted within your heart.
How Should we see sin?
How Should we see sin?
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Jesus confirmed that even internal sin threatens our eternity. If the Pharisees wanted to be righteous on the inside as he looked on the outside this is the sort of drastic measure he would need to go to in order to achieve it.
Divorce
Divorce
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The emphasis is external instead of turning to God for true righteousness. Here are some Scriptures that discuss divorce:
Jesus’s point on Divorce Divorce had been so common place it was permitted by law and they saw no problem with it as long as the man saw” something indecent” about the women. Adultery was a big deal but divorce was no big deal. Jesus said that these two are actually related.
Oaths
Oaths
Solemn promise usually made to God by a believer The law was simple
If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Why is it necessary to make a promise if you are a man of your word?
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath 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 take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
Point: you really have no authority to swear by anything since it all belongs to God Just always be honest
An eye for an eye
An eye for an eye
“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.
Don’t get mad get glad
Don’t get mad get glad
Others were personal sin while this one is about if you are wronged.If God has transformed you will you really use the law to your advantage but rather do what is better for the other person.
Just one more
Just one more
Jesu used the last law to prepare for this law. Don’t strike back give more than you are legally required don’t hold back from a borrower even walk two miles for a roman soldier. Go out of you way to show love even to those who are against you
Love
Love
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
The law is actually
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.
Leviticus 19:18
Jesus is teaching is quoting Jewish leaders some of which were additions to the law of Moses
Real Love
Real Love
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.
Application If God shows love to all people we should also show love to all people not just the ones we like.
Have the Love of God
Have the Love of God
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.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Legalism can not save you. if it could the pharisees would be the ones to achieve works based salvation.
The law leads to God