It's Not About Me
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How fortunate are those whose service to God is without ego or hypocrisy for one day they will see the Invisible One face-to-face. [Mt 5.8, JMT]
Intentional or not, Jesus’ hearers would have heard echoes of Psalm 24.3-4.
Intentional or not, Jesus’ hearers would have heard echoes of Psalm 24.3-4.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of Yahweh? And who may stand in his holy place? 4 He who is innocent of hands and pure of heart, who does not lift up his soul to falseness, and does not swear deceitfully.
And for the Psalmist, Deuteronomy 6.5 would have been ringing in his ears.
And for the Psalmist, Deuteronomy 6.5 would have been ringing in his ears.
5 And you shall love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your might.
In spite of our eisegesis, the OT never, ever taught that ritual purity was enough for God.
In spite of our eisegesis, the OT never, ever taught that ritual purity was enough for God.
Barclay gives us three shades of meaning for καθαρος (pure).
Barclay gives us three shades of meaning for καθαρος (pure).
Clean like clothes after a good washing.
Clean like clothes after a good washing.
Winnowed or sifted like Gideon’s army.
Winnowed or sifted like Gideon’s army.
Used with the adjective ακηρατος, unadulterated like wine not watered down or unalloyed like precious metal thoroughly refined.
Used with the adjective ακηρατος, unadulterated like wine not watered down or unalloyed like precious metal thoroughly refined.
καρδια (heart) helps us zoom in on the meaning Jesus has in view.
καρδια (heart) helps us zoom in on the meaning Jesus has in view.
He was speaking about purity in one’s thoughts and motives, one’s inner being.
He was speaking about purity in one’s thoughts and motives, one’s inner being.
This foreshadows his teachings later in the SOM about murder and adultery.
This foreshadows his teachings later in the SOM about murder and adultery.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded!
This isn’t merely going through the rituals or even moral perfection.
This isn’t merely going through the rituals or even moral perfection.
5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith without hypocrisy,
We’re left with the question why do we do for God what we do?
We’re left with the question why do we do for God what we do?
The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 (The Bliss of the Clean Heart (Matthew 5:8))
Was it not John Bunyan who was once told by someone that he had preached well that day, and who answered sadly: ‘The devil already told me that as I was coming down the pulpit steps’?
The promise is a future reversal of Eden’s curse.
The promise is a future reversal of Eden’s curse.