Did Jesus Really Say That? Teachings of Jesus [Part 7]

Conclusion: Matthew 5:13-16

Following Jesus will require tremendous sacrifices. It also grants significant reward. These followers, the castaways will be the light and salt of the world.

13. Salt serves mainly to give flavour, and to prevent corruption. Disciples, if they are true to their calling, make the earth a purer and a more palatable place. But they can do so only as long as they preserve their distinctive character: unsalty salt has no more value. Strictly, pure salt cannot lose its salinity; but the impure ‘salt’ dug from the shores of the Dead Sea could gradually become unsalty as the actual sodium chloride dissolved. In any case, Jesus was not teaching chemistry, but using a proverbial image (it recurs in Bekhoroth 8b). The Rabbis commonly used salt as an image for wisdom (cf. Col. 4:6), which may explain why the Greek word represented by lost its taste actually means ‘become foolish’. (Aramaic tāpēl, which conveys both meanings, was no doubt the word used by Jesus.) A foolish disciple has no influence on the world.

14–16. Light, like salt, affects its environment by being distinctive. The disciple who is visibly different from other men will have an effect on them. But the aim of his good works is not to parade his own virtue, but to direct attention to the God who inspired them. By so doing the disciple will give light to all (cf. Phil. 2:15). Jesus is pre-eminently the light of the world (John 8:12), as Isaiah had prophesied of the Servant (Isa. 42:6; 49:6), but this role passed to his disciples (cf. Acts 13:47). The city set on a hill, rather awkwardly introduced among the sayings about light, reinforces the importance of being conspicuously different. A bushel (grain measure of about 9 litres) put over an oil lamp would probably put it out, so that the meaning could be that a lamp is not lit only to be put out again (Jeremias, PJ, pp. 120–121); but the emphasis of the passage is on non-concealment (cf. Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16, ‘under a bed’), so again the ‘scientific’ implication need not be pressed. A secret disciple is no more use in the world than one who has lost his distinctiveness (v. 13). Your Father who is in heaven is a favourite expression in Matthew (cf. 5:45; 6:1, 9; 7:11; etc.), and reflects a major emphasis in Jesus’ teaching. In earlier Jewish thought God was generally the Father of Israel rather than of individuals, though this phrase was coming into use by the first century AD in the latter sense (see ICC, p. 44). (France, R. T. (1985). Matthew: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 117–118). InterVarsity Press.)

The ability to change the world is dependent on our ability to follow Christ. Christ establishes a new standard of righteousness that is foreign to standards of righteousness that was prescribed by the Pharisees and leaders of Judaism.

The point is that religion does not always lead to righteousness. Following Jesus leads to righteousness.

Jesus and the Law: Matthew 5:17-20

Here we discover the relevance and the significance of studying the Bible with time in mind. Jesus makes a startling statement about the law:

He didn’t come to abolish [annul or officially declare invalid or inapplicable.]

He came to fulfill [to satisfy or fill it up as one would do a container.]

The other startling fact is that the law will be in force until the heaven and earth pass away. That is, if the law is no longer in force as we believe Paul to have concluded, this means the new heavens and earth is here (see Ephesians 2:15, Romans 10:4 c.f. 2 Corinthians 3:11). We cannot say that the law is no longer in force, but not conclude that the new heavens and new earth has not arrived.

More interesting is the fact that Jesus taught His disciples to be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees. It seems that the fulfillment of the law will be culminated by the obvious righteousness of those followers of Jesus Christ.\

Righteousness here, is a moral standard.

Jesus’ Ethical Teachings: Matthew 5:21-48; Luke 6:27-30, 32-36

Anger

In Jesus’ teaching, anger incites lawsuits. It’s interesting that lawsuits are not a matter of justice. Rather, it is a matter of anger and such anger is a form of murder.

Court’s here, mean Sanhedrin.

Adultery

Such laws are based on Exodus 20:17 and actually is much more strict.

Divorce

Roman and Jewish law allowed divorce for nearly any reason.

Divorce for any other reason besides adultery is prohibited by Jesus.

Oaths

New Testament 5:33–37—Integrity, Not Oaths

People swore by all sorts of things other than God to testify that their word was true. They reasoned that if they broke their oath based on any of these lesser things, at least they were not bringing God’s name into disrepute. It eventually became necessary for rabbis to decide which oaths were completely binding. Jesus says that everything by which one could swear is ultimately God’s, and demands that people simply be as good as their word. Jesus argues the point in part from Scripture; Isaiah 66:1 declared that heaven is God’s throne and earth is his footstool.

Nonresistance

This commandment on retaliation. Jesus taught that it was not proper to retaliate.

In fact, Jesus advises that we run not away from evil, but rather we run to it without retaliation.

Law prohibits personal vengeance.

New Testament 5:38–42—Nonresistance

5:39. The blow on the right cheek was the most grievous insult possible in the ancient world (apart from inflicting serious physical harm), and in many cultures was listed alongside the “eye for an eye” laws; both Jewish and Roman law permitted prosecution for this offense. A prophet might endure such ill treatment (1 Kings 22:24; Is 50:6).

New Testament 5:38–42—Nonresistance

5:40. The poorest people of the Empire (e.g., most peasants in Egypt) had only an inner and outer garment, and the theft of a cloak would lead to legal recourse. Although conditions in first-century Palestine were not quite that bad, this verse could indicate divestiture of all one’s possessions, even (hyperbolically) one’s clothes, to avoid a legal dispute affecting only oneself. Jesus gives this advice in spite of the fact that, under Jewish law, a legal case to regain one’s cloak would have been foolproof: a creditor could not take a poor person’s outer cloak, which might serve as one’s only blanket at night as well as a coat (Ex 22:26–27).

New Testament 5:38–42—Nonresistance

5:41. Roman soldiers had the legal right to impress the labor, work animal or substance of local residents (cf. Mk 15:21). Although impressment may not have happened often in Galilee, it happened elsewhere, and the fact that it could happen would be enough to raise the eyebrows of Jesus’ hearers at this example of nonresistance and even loving service to the oppressor.

All of these things would be so important as Israel faced a revolt literally trying to take over Jerusalem from Roman oppressors.

Enemies

Be perfect.

Being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish. This is Jesus’ way of saying fulfill the requirements.