Living in the King's Community

Quick reminder of where we’re at: Matthew is sharing the story of Jesus so that his readers can understand why he believes Jesus to have been the fulfilment of God’s promise of a Messiah – a king who would come to rule over all the world as part of restoring the Kingdom rule that had existed before humankind’s choices had created the rebellion we’ve been living in since Eden.

The message of Jesus was that people need to turn back to God because his reign is being reestablished. Declaring our allegiance not only puts us in his camp but living out that allegiance helps lead others to join his Kingdom.

Faith in Matthew’s messiah isn’t simply the matter of flying a flag or claiming to be on the team. As Jesus sat down at a flat spot on a mountainside to talk with those following him, he began by stressing the kind of people who would come to be part of the Kingdom and went on to emphasize what the lives of those in the Kingdom would look like, how they would show mercy and an effort to keep their reason and drive focused on Kingdom efforts, and how they would be constantly striving to bring harmony and wholeness to all the world.

It was a grand vision – one that would make some hearts soar. But others would have found this message disturbing – it sounded different than what they’d heard before. Was Jesus teaching them a whole new way, one that rejected the way they knew which had been given by God through Moses and then interpreted by their ancestors and elders over the years? Was he calling on them to spurn what had come before in favor of some radical new teaching?

Even as these thoughts and questions would have begun bubbling under the surface of the minds of his listeners, Jesus addressed them. More than that, he went on to give some particularly pointed examples of how God’s Kingdom calls us to a HIGHER standard, not a lesser or different one.

By now you have probably found Matthew 5. We’re starting where Jesus is speaking at verse 17.

17 “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. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. [1]

We’re going to take a couple of moments to go over a few things in this passage which you probably didn’t understand. Matthew’s audience, the people he wrote this biography for, were First Century religious Jews living in what we consider to be the Ancient Near East. There are things that were part of their everyday life which he didn’t explain, because everyone knew them. Things that went without saying for them, but which we might miss or misunderstand because we don’t know about them in the same way.

For example, when Jesus talks about the Law. We Americans tend to think of the Law as something which has been legislated and put into books to regulate some kinds of behaviors. We generally believe that everyone else should follow these rules explicitly and that we should be able to bend or break them if it would inconvenience us to follow them.

Most of us know that “The Law” was something more than that to God’s people in the scriptures. It was the commands given to Moses by God which formed the basis of all religious life for the Israelites, right? Well… Yes, but also, no. That doesn’t really capture the extend of what it meant.

Their world didn’t separate into sacred and secular. There was no separation of church and state. The Law of Moses was the single, driving force behind all of their society. Everything you did, including how you got up in the morning and how you lay down at night was shaped by how you understood those 613 commands to interact with what you were doing. And, just like we do, the people struggled with how to understand those rules. A lot of them have no explanation or qualifier – some are guiding principles with no details at all. “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy” – what does that mean? At what point does taking a nice afternoon walk turn into working instead of resting? Can you go to the gym? Some of these discussions go on even now – Kindling a fire on the Sabbath was forbidden – does that mean you can’t turn on a light switch or start a car in modern days? Can flipping a switch really be compared to gathering sticks and brush and laboring with flint and iron or other tools to strike some sparks to create a cookfire? Different authorities had different interpretations for many of these commands, and that’s still true today.

This led to a saying that someone who was clarifying the true intent of a command so that it could be understood and followed according to God’s ideal was fulfilling that law. And if your interpretation fulfilled the letter of the law but did not meet God’s ideal, then you were abolishing or destroying that law.

So what is Jesus saying? He’s saying that he’s not here to get rid of or change God’s law, but he is here to make it clear that God’s intent isn’t being met. He says that even the smallest letter won’t disappear from the law.

What’s the smallest letter in English? Maybe the lower-case “i”? In what Jesus is saying it is the Hebrew letter yodh.

There was a story told by the sages, well known by the people of the day, that when the LORD changed the name of Abraham’s wife Sarai to be Sarah, the yodh that was removed cried out for many generations. At last, when Moses changed the name of Hosea the son of Nun to be Joshua, the yodh was returned to scripture. The teachers would say that this proved that not even the smallest letter can pass from the Bible.

The point Jesus is making is that even the smallest details of God’s instructions for life are essential.

The Pharisees and the Scribes who were charged with teaching and enforcing the Law, along with Corps Officers, Pastors, and other religious teachers should be particularly aware and observant of those details because of our roles in life. Jesus uses them as examples because they are known for their religious precision and effort to conform to the Law. But he’s telling people that really becoming a part of God’s Kingdom takes more than that. Keeping the letter of the law while missing the intent is possible, and it’s a grievous mistake to make, because it means that you are NOT living in God’s Kingdom.

Don’t miss that. It’s too important!

Nothing in the teaching of Jesus is focused on getting us some kind of golden ticket that will allow us to go to heaven some day. Everything in his teaching is focused on what it means to live under the reign of God NOW. The Kingdom of God is at hand – is your allegiance to God or is it to the rebellion? If it’s to God, then this is the expectation. Start making an effort to live the way you are intended to! It isn’t about going through the motions: It’s about allowing your heart to be transformed!

Jesus gives us six examples where living out God’s principles would transform not only our hearts, but the whole world.

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, e and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. [2]

Let’s face it: Killing someone isn’t really that hard to avoid. But letting them get under your skin and make you angry? And then harboring that feeling, letting it fester and grow? That’s a lot easier to indulge, isn’t it? And when that happens, you’re suddenly closer to murder than you might think.

In the story of Cain and Abel, it is Cain’s anger that leads to his murder of Abel. Anger that began in a little thing, but which Cain kept burning until it fired him to draw his brother out into a field and strike him. He may not have intended to kill Abel, but when you allow your emotions to control you instead of the other way around, things inevitably get out of hand.

Jesus tells us how to know when our anger has already taken us too far. When we refer to them contemptuously or insultingly. That word “raca” is an expression of contempt. Like calling someone stupid. And the bit which says, “you fool,” is translated from a word referring to being morally worthless. This is the progression of anger, right? Something sets you off and you think or say or post on Facebook, “You’re such an idiot!” and that’s just feeding the fire, so your emotion grows stronger and you come back, “You’re an idiot and you’re evil. Your opinion is without value. You’re obviously bound for hell!” Maybe you stop speaking to them at all. Maybe you start talking about them behind their back. Everything they say just upsets you more. Your anger blinds you to anything but more anger.

Jesus says that’s on you.

Oh, but listen, he tells you what to do about it!

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. [3]

Even if you are in the middle of an important religious duty, if you remember you are angry with someone, walk away until you fix it. Be reconciled – that means go change your feelings. You may need to go talk it through or make restitution or apologize in some other way. Or you may need to identify the root cause of your anger and stamp it out and resolve, with God’s help, not to allow it to drive you to anger again. But it’s your anger to deal with.

What if someone else is angry with you? Don’t worry, he’s got this one for you too:

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. [4]

Yeah, that’s on you too. Settle with them. Find a way to make friends with them. Be the peacemaker! Don’t let this go any further! Don’t let it grow into something more! Even if you are in the right, or think you are, court proceedings could go against you, then you will end up owing everything you’re being sued for, plus any penalties or court costs that could be imposed.

Does that seem to lack justice? Perhaps, but remember that true justice isn’t you getting what you think you deserve. True justice is when all parties are reconciled and able to live and function together in community. Or at least that is what the word justice meant before we moderns corrupted it to mean something on the order of “you hurt me, so I get to hurt you.”

What is material wealth? This is God’s world. If you need to see wrongdoers punished to give you a sense of satisfaction, I guess we’ll have a chance to see that in God’s time even if we never see it in our lifetimes. But what if you can reach that wrongdoer and bring them into the Kingdom instead? What if, by making peace instead of indulging anger, you are part of seeing that life changed from one on a path to destruction to a life that blesses all people in the name of the LORD? How much is a life redeemed worth?

We’d better move on. I could easily spend three or four days on each of these, but we’ve only got a few minutes left.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ j 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. [5]

It’s pretty easy not to engage in sexual activity with someone else’s spouse, right? But just because that’s what’s happening (or not happening) outwardly, it doesn’t mean you’re controlling yourself where that person is concerned, does it?

There are a couple of important things about this passage we need to consider. One is that it is badly translated. It just doesn’t cleanly move from Greek to English. Where it says that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has committed adultery has led to all kinds of troublesome interpretations, including ones where a woman obviously can’t wear what she wants or be seen in public because her very appearance is going to somehow inflame men with lust, forcing them into sin. But that is the opposite of what Jesus is saying. A better translation might be the one from the Lexham English Bible:

I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.[6]

See the difference? It’s about intent and follow through, not about temptation. Your lust is your responsibility, not the responsibility of that person you’re eyeballing and fantasizing about.

Speaking of eyeballs, a lot of people think that this bit at the end is hyperbole, with Jesus going over the top to make his point by talking about eyes or hands being removed. However, these are the real penalties for the very real crimes that lustful indulgence is committing. Voyeurism, looking at what you shouldn’t be, was punished by removing an eye. Theft, including stealing affections, which is what you are fantasizing about doing, was punishable by removing a hand. It was a permanent reminder to control yourself.

No, I’m not advocating that you go and maim yourself. What I am saying is what Jesus was saying: You can control yourself, including your actions and your thoughts. Over time, with practice, you’ll find you can even control those flashes of temptation so they take less energy to deflect. Making them less tempting, as it were.

That could even have a preventative effect on many of the things that lead to divorce. Which, Jesus tells us, matters.

31 “And it was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. [7]

There were two schools of thought about divorce at this time. One was that a husband could divorce his wife for anything that displeased him. According to one popular rabbi, that included burning a meal or not being as attractive as another woman who the husband decided he would like to be married to instead. The other school allowed divorce only if the wife committed adultery.

At first glance, it may seem that Jesus is agreeing with the second school, but we are again running into some interpretation being done by translators. Without getting into all the details, they have used the phrase “sexual immorality” because there is some uncertainty as to whether the word and context should be translated as “prostitution” or “incest”. It is most likely that the only exception being allowed is for an incestuous marriage, such as the one Herod Antipas was entangled in. There are Biblical examples of a prostitute wife being restored in her marriage, but no examples or allowances for incestuous relationships to be considered marriage. Lot was never seen as the husband to his daughters, for example.

All of which means that the casual way we make and break marriage commitments is NOT acceptable in the Kingdom.

Again, we could spend days looking at the ins and outs of this, but for right now just recognize that Jesus is saying we need to live differently under God’s rule. I’m not saying there is no forgiveness for past mistakes. I am saying that grace should never be taken lightly. The things we say and do have meaning.

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to the ⌊people of old⌋, ‘Do not swear falsely, but fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, because it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king. 36 And do not swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be ‘Yes, yes; no, no,’ and anything beyond these is from the evil one. [8]

What is the point to taking an oath?

When you think about it, it’s like you’re saying, “I lie a lot, but in this instance, I promise I’m probably not lying.”

If the only reason you are going to keep a promise is because you’ve invoked your deity or signed a contract or raised your hand and pledged it on a book, you’ve missed the transforming power of living an honest life. What if, as a citizen of the Kingdom of God, pledged to serve his interests, you simply were honest all the time?

Let me put it more plainly: Jesus says that living the way God created us to live means living with integrity all the time. Oaths are unnecessary and they don’t make you honest. Swearing to God doesn’t add to the value of your word – it degrades it and misuses God in the process.

Two more, and I think you’ll see Jesus bringing us to a certain understanding of what it means to live transformed by God’s Law. First, this:

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ w 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. [9]

I’m going to keep this as short as I can.

In the Mosaic law, there was an expectation that evil was going to happen. Limitations were set on the type and extent of any revenge. Jesus is calling for this to be taken one step farther. Abandon all efforts at vengeance. Don’t resist evils done to you personally. Instead, respond to them with kindness, generosity, and a spirit of reaching out to embrace the other. Rather than living in the world and responding to the world attacks in the world’s ways, live in God’s Kingdom and show them that there is a better way. This is not a new teaching! It is taking the previous teaching to the next level, which is what the LORD is constantly nudging us towards. There’s even a fancy church name for this kind of teaching. It is a redemptive movement model, where instead of taking you from point A where you are to point C, where God is leading you, he first takes you to point B, a smaller step on the road towards C. Like if you were making a road trip that was going to take 30 hours of driving, you might divide it into three ten-hour days so that it wasn’t too overwhelming.

In a time when people would kill someone for almost any offense, for example, let say someone stole something from you, God set up a rule telling them that there was a limit. Your retribution was limited to the value of what you lost. A tooth for a tooth. And now, after a thousand years of resting in that limitation and adjusting to it and the ways it could be applied, like the payment of what a tooth was valued at rather than a physical tooth, it was time to recognize that community could be preserved and restored without vengeance. You could work out some other equitable arrangement or just forgive the loss, knowing that your wealth or teeth or eyes are gifts from God and he has promised a time of wholeness is coming for us all.

And that time is when the Kingdom of God will be fully restored. A time that Jesus says is at hand.

So what is the point of all this tightening and elevating and advancing of the Law? As the reign of God envelopes the world, what is the heart transformation that Jesus wants his followers to embrace at the center of their faith and life so they will be living the way God intended? So that WE will be living in the way that God intended?

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor z and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. [10]

God reaches out to the righteous and unrighteous alike. To those who respond with gratitude and love and to those who respond by ignoring or attacking him. To those who are living as part of his family and his Kingdom and to those who are living in rebellion.

We are to follow his example, not the example of the rebelling world.

When he says to pray for those who persecute you, his doesn’t mean that prayer you say that whatever you feel they did to you will come back to bite them. He means pray for them like you would for a friend in need or like you would pray for yourself.

Love your enemies! And the word love here, like almost everywhere in the New Testament, is from the Greek word agape, meaning an action that you choose. Choose to care about your enemies, even if they don’t care about you or if they care to exploit you or bring you harm. I’m not saying you should allow yourself to be exploited, abused, or harmed. I’m a proponent of active and even aggressive non-violence! But rather than setting your heart on revenge, set your heart on reconciliation. Instead of wishing harm on another, pray for them to join you in the Kingdom. Because the truth is that when you love an enemy, they aren’t your enemy any longer. They become a friend you want to see rewarded with the best that God can provide for them.

That’s life in the Kingdom and it’s how followers of Jesus are expected to live. Not just told to live or encouraged to live, but EXPECTED to live. Just as God has told his family from the very beginning, be perfect, be holy, be like the example I show you.

Perfection sounds hard, so here’s another word that we could put there. Be WHOLE. Be COMPLETE. What it means, no matter which English word you use to say it, is that we are to be wholly committed in our allegiance to the Kingdom of God. Allow God’s commands to rule your life, not the world’s demands. Because he loves you and wants the best for you, no matter who you are or where you think you are in life.

That calling you feel tugging on your heart? That’s the Spirit of God, calling you to enter the gate of the Kingdom. He’s calling you to throw off the yoke of the world and to take a step closer to becoming the person you were created to be. The first step takes a simple acknowledgment of allegiance.

Dear Lord, I want to be a part of your Kingdom.

The next step takes a willingness to commit to that choice.

LORD, teach me your laws and lead me in the direction I need to go.

And finally, you need to be willing to live in the Kingdom as one of his subjects, as one of his children, and to encourage others to come and do the same.

Father-God, I don’t know how to love my enemy well, but I know you can teach me. Help me to be the beacon you have called me to be, beckoning to all around, letting them know that your Kingdom is available for them as well.

Thank you, LORD, for the opportunity to serve you. If I misstep or step away, bring me back and work with me so that it will not happen again. I may not be perfect, but with your help I can be whole and I can show others how they can be too.

We pray all this in the name of Jesus the Messiah. Amen.

[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 5:17–20. [2] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 5:21–22. [3] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 5:23–24. [4] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 5:25–26. [5] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 5:27–30. [6] W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 5:28. [7] W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 5:31–32. [8] W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 5:33–37. [9] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 5:38–42. [10] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 5:43–48.

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