You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery." But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart

 

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it our and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 

 

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  Bu I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. 

 

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

 

 - Matthew 5:27-37 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5 - 7.  Yesterday we read that Jesus taught,  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

 

  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  My study Bible comments that the issue here is not the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but rather the selfish promptings of lust.  Sin doesn't come out of nature, it notes, but rather out of the distortion of nature for self-indulgence.  Thoughts that enter the mind involuntarily are not sins, but they are temptations.  They only become sins when they are held and entertained.  

 

 "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it our and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."  This imagery is not to be taken literally, my study Bible says, but refers to decisive action to avoid sin and to continue in purity.  Elsewhere Christ uses similar imagery in His teachings once again (see Matthew 18:8, said in the context of avoiding offenses or abuses against the "little ones").  My study Bible moreover comments that this teaching applies to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties.

 

 "Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  Bu I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."  In contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that day, my study Bible explains, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (Matthew 19:8-9) and emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage.  The possibility of divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality shows that marriage can be destroyed by sin.  In the Orthodox Church, my study Bible points out, divorce and a second marriage are allowed as a concession to human weakness and a corrective measure of compassion when a marriage has been broken.  Accordingly, a third marriage is permitted under specific and limited circumstances.

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  My study Bible notes that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in man's possession anyway, but only through simple integrity.  

 

 What is lust?  Here Jesus speaks in the context of adultery; and let us note that He is addressing men in the context of His society at the time.  So when Jesus uses the imagery of amputation of that which is diseased in order to save one's life, He speaks about curbing impulses, taking action to deal with one's own behavior and impulses.  He says, " If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it our and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."  An eye may covet what doesn't belong to it, give looks that are inappropriate, gaze with desire where it doesn't belong.  A hand may reach to grab what is outside of proper boundaries, to steal from others (like another's spouse).  In this context Jesus also introduces the topic of divorce, an easy way to break up a marriage in His time.  Finally there is the question of integrity; He urges His followers once more to keep it simple, and not to indulge in theatrics when pledging an oath.  We must note how one's word must speak for itself in a kind of chastity that is fidelity to God.  We can also take His words about lust and interpret them more broadly, as applying to anything we might covet or desire inappropriately, whether that be the wealth of someone else, or property, or others' talents, or whatever else we might in some sense envy.  For personal integrity plays a great role in all that He teaches here.  It plays a role in our regard for spouse and care of those who depend upon us (let us consider the position of women and children in His society), it plays a role in how we speak to others in that our word is our bond.  It plays a role in what we seek in life, the things we choose to fix our eye upon or reach out to grasp.  In all these things, once again, we seek the integrity that He embodies.  We seek a communion with Christ so that we may place our desires in His hands, and be taught what that kind of integrity means for us, to trust in Him to lead us into the proper path.  That would include "cutting off" the things within ourselves that are unhelpful, improper, and lead us to stray from discipleship under Him in our lives.  Christ helps us therefore with what it means to have a kind of honor, in that we first honor God, so that God teaches us to live our lives with honor, to regulate ourselves, and gives us the strength and grace to do so when we are otherwise weak.  We all face temptations, but Christ offers us a way beyond the control of our desires and temptations, no matter what they are.  Ask anyone who struggles with sobriety what it means to trust in Christ for help to stay on that path and make their lives healthy in every way they can.   In the Revelation, we're told that Christ stands at the door of our hearts: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20).  Let us invite Him in, so that He may guide us in sobriety and integrity, and shape our hearts to be like Him.  For this real salvation, our most helpful guide for life.  

 

 

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much

 

 "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  

 

"The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  

 

"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery."

 

- Luke 16:10–17 (18) 

 

Yesterday we read that, after preaching three parables to the Pharisees and scribes about God's desire to save the lost (see the readings from Wednesday and Thursday), He also said to His disciples:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'  So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

 

"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."  My study Bible comments that the test as to whether God will bestow heavenly blessings (true riches) on a person is directly related to how one spends one's money.  The money which we consider to be our own, my study Bible notes, is actually another man's.  That is, it belongs to God, or at least to the poor.  In patristic texts, there is a universal view that a person's failure to give money to God's work is stealing.  Theophylact calls it "nothing less than embezzlement of money belonging to someone else."

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."  My study Bible notes that the things which are highly esteemed among men include money, power, position, and praise. 

 

 "The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail."   A tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrew letters.  So, what Christ teaches here is that the whole of the Law is affirmed as the foundation of His new teaching, the gospel of the kingdom of God.   

"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery."  Here is a teaching on divorce, which was a highly debated topic in Christ's time, particularly among the Pharisees.  My study Bible comments that in contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that time (a topic also important to the Pharisees), Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce in the Gospels (see for example, Matthew 5:31-32; 19:8-9), and He emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage.  The disputes over divorce often centered on the misuse of dowry money and remarriage for that purpose. 

It's important to understand Jesus' mentioning of the teaching regarding divorce in what seems to be an out-of-context mentioning of a different subject.  But, first of all, as noted above, divorce was also a matter of the misuse of marriage for purposes of financial gain, due to concerns about the way dowries could be manipulated through remarriage.  This was an important concern for the Pharisees also, and it distinguished them from the Sadducees.  So Jesus quite knew to whom He was preaching.  But, as is so often true in the Gospels, there is a kind of poetic "rhyming" [if you will] of subjects on a more abstract level.  Jesus is speaking of fidelity to God, to God's purposes, to God's will.  In that context, we can also consider the subject of marriage and divorce as touching upon the meaning of fidelity, of being true to something, upholding something.  This topic can also be extended to Christ's words on the Law:  that "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail."  As with the subject of divorce, the Pharisees were the ones who endlessly debated the fine points of the Law and believed they zealously upheld its commandments.  So here Jesus preaches about His gospel of the Kingdom, that it is founded upon the Law, in which a violation of one part of the Law meant a violation of all of it.  Fidelity to the commandments of God was the whole foundation of the Pharisees' belief in their traditions that they had built up; but Christ's preaching is always to emphasize that this fidelity must be true to God's purposes in the Law, otherwise it is a failure of fidelity to God.  In other words, the emphasis is on faithfulness.  So, in these perhaps abstract senses, Jesus' preaching here on divorce reminds them all that our loyalty is above all to God and to God's purposes, not to our interpretation of traditions that may hinder the practice of mercy, which is prized above all.  As part of today's daily lectionary readings, we're also given a passage in the Epistle of James (James 2:1-13).  In that passage, James also speaks of fidelity to the Law, but he speaks also of what he calls the "royal law" :  "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you do well" (James 2:8), and the chapter finishes with the following:  "So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:12-13).   In His conversation here in Luke, addressing both the Pharisees and scribes who complain that He receives and eats with tax collectors and sinners, and in Christ's address of yesterday's parable of the Unjust Steward to His disciples, Jesus has embraced on the whole this topic of mercy and justice.  In His preaching against divorce, He has also brought mercy into the equation.  In Matthew 19, Jesus prefaces the same words He teaches here against divorce with this sentence:  "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so" (see Matthew 19:8-9).  So in the teachings in this chapter on the use of money, on forgiveness and sin, even on good stewardship in its broad sense, all echo themes of love, mercy, and the practice of God's justice:  fidelity and faithfulness to God's purpose in all things. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate

 

 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."  

 

His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."  But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

 

- Matthew 19:1–12 

 

In yesterday's reading we read that, after Jesus' teaching on mutual correction in the Church, Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'  So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

 

 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.  The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"  And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?  So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."  They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"  He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."  My study Bible informs us that the basis of the Pharisees' test in this question about divorce is Deuteronomy 24:1-4.  It notes that God's condescension, or allowance for human weakness, does not override the original principle of permanent monogamous marriage as revealed in Genesis 1; 2.  With authority, Christ twice adds His own clear prohibition against divorce here.  We note Christ's preaching on divorce in the Sermon on the Mount found at Matthew 5:31-32.  See also Malachi 2:13-16.  Regarding Christ's final statement here, my study Bible also notes that the possible reasons for divorce were expanded in the ancient Church to include threat to a spouse's or a child's life and desertion, in all cases acknowledging the spiritual tragedy of such a situation.

His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry."  But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given:  For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."  Here my study Bible asks us to see that Christ steers the disciples toward understanding the holiness of virginity -- not as a rejection of marriage, but rather as a special calling for those to whom it has been given.  Eunuchs were men who had been castrated -- whether by birth, defect, disease, or mutilation -- and were often employed to guard women of nobility.  They played a powerful role in the ancient and historical kingdoms of the world.   But here, Jesus uses this term figuratively for those who freely choose lifelong celibacy for the kingdom of heaven.  My study Bible adds that this consecrated virginity is not to be confused with self-mutilation, which the Church condemned at the First Ecumenical Council (AD 325).  See also 1 Corinthians 7:7, 25-38.

The questions regarding divorce proposed to Jesus by the Pharisees were very hotly debated issues in their time.  The Pharisees spent time and energy on questions of the regulation of divorce, and differed from their opponents such as the Sadducees in the Council (the Pharisees were closer to Christ's position, favoring a more strict understanding of the practices of divorce).  Often such questions involved the issues of money and dowry, which included practices of remarriage after divorce to the same woman.  But for our purposes let us consider the emphasis in my study Bible on Jesus' pronouncement of the sacredness of marriage, and the bonds of such a union as a holy institution.  This is where marriage becomes more than a contract, even more than a social contract or personal relationship.  In Christ's view (and in the view of the passage from Malachi previously cited above), marriage in some sense involves three parties:  the two spouses and God who brings them together in the sacrament of marriage.  In the words of Malachi, God is witness in the marriage.  Therefore what Jesus emphasizes here (as well as Malachi) isn't simply the importance of the marriage bond, but rather God's role in sealing and growing that bond, the Spirit enforcing and helping its union.  This adds a different dimension to marriage that is meant to nurture something much deeper than simply what two people can bring to the table, so to speak, in their marriage.  It adds, if we may use this metaphor, the leaven of God to the union of the marriage, in which we can think of marriage not as a static bond, but rather as something which is dynamic.  That is, a relationship that grows and evolves.  In that sense, Jesus invites us to think of marriage as something that needs prayer and nurturing within the holiness God can help bring to it.  And there we may also pause to consider that this teaching comes immediately after Christ's teaching on mutual correction in the Church, as well as on forgiveness in the process of the same.  Essentially both involve the need to rely upon God, upon the communion God offers us within which our own relationships may dwell, and this becomes in some sense the "leaven" of the marriage.  Marriage may involve intense struggles and sacrifices, and can be a bedrock within which people suffer through tragedies and great difficulties that worldly life can offer to us.  A sick or disabled parent, the tragic illness of a spouse, possible afflictions of a child, and worldly events such as wars, natural disasters, and other upheavals, even social calamity, all become part of the experience of marriage when two people bound in holy matrimony must face and struggle with such issues together.  In the modern world, such struggle and sacrifice is all too frequently undermined and undervalued, but it is the very stuff of the bonds we understand of human relationships, and within which children also take their own security and form an awareness of how bonds between people can function,  Marriage also asks of us discipline in all the ways that Christ teaches us as His followers:  to watch our words, to know our own weaknesses and flaws, and to engage in the process of repentance and forgiveness.  For all of these reasons and more, the Orthodox Church has traditionally called marriage the layperson's way to holiness, the counterpart of monastic life for those others whom Jesus also discusses in today's reading.  Therefore, let us not undervalue marriage as an institution built as part of God's ideal for us, even a kind of effort of mutual giving and sacrifice that builds the bonds of love, tenacity, and a depth of the heart that we would otherwise not know.  These are primary values to hold in our world, which root goodness and depth in our lives, and which are a terrible shame to lose.  Young people who suffer from the loss of such as children often struggle to root their own lives in finding and bringing this depth of relationship and commitment to their own children, for they feel this loss keenly.  When we lose sight of this through easy divorce or lack of commitment to such values, we lose goodness in our lives.  Love always becomes the ultimate root of everything that Jesus teaches us, and importantly, this also includes the "eunuchs" about whom Jesus teaches as well, bringing a sacredness to the commitment of virginity in service to the Lord.  Therefore, no one is left out of this teaching, because there is none left out of God's love and communion in this structure of the Kingdom which Jesus tells us about here.  All are included in the bonds of love and communion and holiness, every one. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one

 

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.  

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

 

- Matthew 5:27-37 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).   Yesterday we read that Jesus taught, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

 

  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  My study Bible comments that the issue here is not the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but rather the selfish promptings of lust.  It notes that sin does not come out of nature, but rather out of the distortion of nature for self-indulgence.  It's very essential to remember that thoughts that enter the mind involuntarily are not sins, but they are temptations.  They become sins only when they are held and entertained.  

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."  This is not meant literally, but Christ rather refers to decisive action needed to save -- as in a necessary amputation because of spreading infection or disease.  Jesus is likening our need to take decisive action to avoid sin and continue in purity to such medical emergencies.

 "Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."  My study Bible notes that in contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce at that time, Jesus makes repeated condemnations of divorce (see also Matthew 19:8-9).  His emphasis is on the eternal nature of marriage.  My study Bible adds that the possibility of divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality shows that marriage can be destroyed by sin.  In the Orthodox Church, it explains, divorce is discouraged but allowed as well as second marriage which is seen as a concession to human weakness and a corrective measure of compassion when a marriage has been broken. 

 

 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  My study Bible comments that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in the possession of human beings to begin with -- but only through simple integrity.

In a modern (perhaps Western) context, we often hear swearing but not necessarily in the serious context of an oath.  So frequently in expressions of this kind, words in a modern context seem almost to lose their meaning.  But here Jesus speaks even of the seriousness of taking an oath.  What that indicates to us, first of all, is the seriousness of the language that we use.  As remarked upon in yesterday's reading, Jesus gives us a sense of how powerful our words are, but not in the ways that we necessarily think so.  Most importantly, our words and our use of words reflect back upon us, and will be significant in the time of judgment.  Our words make an impact within and among our relationships, communities, families.  But perhaps even more significantly, our words also have an impact upon the state of our souls, where we sit with God, and who we are in the world.  My study Bible comments that for Christ, it is integrity that is of the highest value, a quality that is at once precious, and seemingly devalued in modern life.  Christ's teaching, "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one" makes this explicitly clear to us.  Speaking about divorce can be also taken in this context, for marriage is a covenant, a kind of oath.  We give our word of faithfulness.  So let us first consider the importance of integrity in this context.  Marriage is not easy, and it demands mutual sacrifices of us.  It asks us to place the marriage itself in higher importance to oneself as an individual.  These things take commitment, flexibility, creativity, and an understanding of how exactly both sacrifice and even suffering are part of life.  The integrity which Christ describes He showed throughout His own life, and in so doing, teaches us how we need to meet our own suffering, responsibilities, and even the joys of life as well.  

For of such is the kingdom of God

 

 Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him.  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'   For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.   Therefore what God has joined  together, let not man separate."

In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

 

- Mark 10:1–16 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the disciples, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

 

  Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan.  And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.  Jesus has once again left Galilee, and now has come to the region of Judea, but not to Jerusalem.  Rather He is east of the Jordan (see this map).   

The Pharisees came and asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" testing Him. The Pharisees no doubt know Jesus is in this area teaching to multitudes.  They've come from Jerusalem specifically to test Him.  Divorce was a hotly contested issue in Christ's time, with issues that complicated the nature of divorce because of the contractual agreements, and specifically monies involved, such as the bride-price.  Who would gain control of this money, and lose it through divorce, became a part of the problems of marriage, including remarriage to the same person as a way to gain money.  The Pharisees were actually closer to Christ's position than were other parties in the arguments over this issue.

And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.  But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'   For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.   Therefore what God has joined  together, let not man separate."  The basis for the Pharisees' test is Deuteronomy 24:1-4.  My study Bible comments that, in contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that day, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (see, for example, Matthew 5:31-32; 19:8-9).  Instead, Jesus emphasizes marriage as a holy institution with an eternal nature.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives as a possible reason for divorce sexual immorality, which shows that even holy matrimony can be destroyed by sin.  Jesus quotes from Genesis 1:27; 5:2 and Genesis 2:24.

In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.  So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.  And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  My study Bible comments that God's condescension, or allowance for human weakness (by allowing divorce), does not override the original principle of permanent monogamous marriage as revealed in Genesis 1; 2.  Here, Jesus speaks with authority to the disciples, adding His own clear prohibition against divorce.  My study Bible also explains that the permissible reason for divorce were expanded in the ancient Church to include threat to a spouse's or child's life and desertion -- but in all cases acknowledging the spiritual tragedy of such a situation.

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.  According to Theophylact, the disciples rebuked the mothers for bringing little children to Christ because their manner was "unruly" and moreover because they thought that children "diminished His dignity as Teacher and Master."  But Christ turns this thinking on its head, and sets little children as an example of those who inherit the kingdom of God.  So therefore, my study Bible explains, children are invited (even as an example to adults) to participate in the Kingdom through prayer, worship, baptism, chrismation, and Communion.  Theophylact is further quoted by my study Bible:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in completely simplicity."  

With regard to this final comment by Theophylact (as quoted in my study Bible), it's worth taking a look at the important concept of simplicity in Biblical and hence the historical theological terms of the Church.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Matthew 6:22 KJV).  This verse is often translated to read that one should make one's eye "good" (NKJV), or "sound" (RSV).  But in the Greek of the text, this word translated in various ways is ἁπλοῦς/aplous, which can mean both "simple" and "single."  It literally means "unfolded," and therefore we should think of it as undivided, uncomplicated; or, more to the point, it is the opposite of double.  So, in this sense, to be "simple" and for one's eye to be "single" means without an agenda, straightforward, sincere, without guile; not double-minded.  It speaks to purity of heart.  This concept of the single or simple eye is also linked to that of the evil eye, meaning envy.  (See the reference by Jesus to an evil eye in Mark 7:21-23, as part of this reading).  So, if we're going to take a close look (no pun intended!) at what it means to be "simple" in the Biblical context, we may come to understand something important related both to the little children whom Jesus says are of the kingdom of God, and something important about divorce as well.  Because divorce is so often linked to covetousness, leading to adultery, the concepts here are intertwined.  It is also reflected in the concepts of yesterday's reading (above), in which Jesus taught that "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out."  To gaze with envy or with covetousness, both of which can play a strong role leading to divorce, is to have an "evil eye" which is not simple but rather double-minded, containing hidden motivations and agendas.  Rather than a single-minded devotion to one's marriage, this kind of narrowing of the gaze, or doubling of one's interior intentions, skews the purposes to which God has instituted holy matrimony and our deepest and strongest relationships.  This is further emphasized by Jesus quoting from the Old Testament that "the two shall become one flesh."  Again, "one flesh" emphasizes the single and the simple nature of the deep bond described as marriage here.   This emphasis on singleness/simplicity is also reflected in Jesus' words to the disciples as He sends them out on their first apostolic mission.  Matthew 10:16 is often translated as teaching the disciples to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  But the word translated as "harmless" is ἀκέραιος/akeraios, meaning "unmixed."  Again the emphasis is on simplicity or singleness meaning "innocent" (it's the same Greek word that St. Paul uses in Romans 16:19).  In all of these related ways, simplicity or singleness becomes an important concept for us to consider when it comes to the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Finally, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).  Unadulterated, unmixed, simple, single-minded ("eyed"), without guile or deceit:  these are the concepts that define pure in heart, meaning that one is the same from the inside to the outside.  Let us consider how central these concepts are to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and His gospel, and how we seek to live our lives.  

 

 

He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first

 

 And everyone went to his own house.  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.  Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.  And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned.  But what do You say?"  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.  But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  

 

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?"  She said, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." 

 

- John 7:53—8:11 

 

Yesterday we read that, on the last day, that great eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.  Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet."  Others said, "This is the Christ."  But some said, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?   Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"  So there was a division among the people because of Him.  Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.  Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"  The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"  Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?  Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed in Him?  But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."  Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"  They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee?  Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."

 

And everyone went to his own house.  But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.  Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.  And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act."  My study Bible explains that today's story of the woman caught in adultery is not found in several ancient manuscripts.  In addition, it isn't fond in the commentaries of St. John Chrysostom and certain other patristic figures.  But it is still sealed by the Church and understood as inspired, authentic, canonical Scripture.  It bears the same authority as all other Scripture.  In the Orthodox Church, this passage is read on one of the two days when St. Mary of Egypt, a reformed prostitute, is commemorated.  

"Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned.  But what do You say?"  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.  But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  My study Bible says that the law dictated the death penalty for adulterers (Leviticus 20:10).  But this ordinance, however, was not observed to the letter in the time period of Christ's life.  The Pharisees have brought this particular woman because there is an opportunity to test Christ.  If He object to the punishment, He cold be accused of opposing the Law; if He upheld the punishment, Jesus could be accused of showing no mercy to sinners.   Additionally, this is the only place in the New Testament where we're told that Jesus wrote something.  There are several theories regarding what Jesus wrote, which my study Bible sames as follows:  Some say that He wrote out the Ten Commandments, which all of these accusers had violated at least once.  Others suggest Jesus wrote the names of the accusers who had themselves committed adultery. 

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?"  She said, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."    My study Bible comments here that Christ's answer confounds the Pharisees, because He upholds a great principle of the Law -- that the wages of sin is death (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23) -- but does not neglect its greater aspect of mercy (Deuteronomy 13:17; Psalms 117:2 - 118:4; Hosea 6:6).  Christ's mercy is offered freely to all repentant sinners, my study Bible says; but in order for us to receive this gift, we must in turn flee from sin, as Christ says to this woman.  

 

Christ's compassion for women transcends the mores of His place and time.  There are numerous references to His relationships to women throughout the Gospels that express this.  One example is His friendship with Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus.  There is this particular episode told in St. Luke's Gospel, of the time Jesus visited.  His sympathy with Mary, who wanted to learn from Him (as His male disciples were no doubt listening as well) is profound when we consider that it is she who is not doing what is expected of her as female in the household -- at least according to her sister (See Luke 10:38-42).  In St. John's 11th chapter, we will read about the raising of Lazarus.  In verse 5, we read that He loved Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus.  It also contains the shortest verse in the English version of the Bible, "Jesus wept," and we're asked to observe just how deep His sympathy and compassion is with these women who mourn their brother.   In Matthew 27:55-56, we read about the many women who followed Him from Galilee and served in His ministry.  Luke 8:2-3 mentions several women whom Jesus had healed, and who supported His ministry out of their own substance.  Lest we forget, it was to a woman (and a Samaritan at that) that Jesus first openly revealed Himself as the Christ (see John 4:1-43; esp. verse 26).  At His Resurrection, it is to a woman that He will first be revealed as well John 20:11-18.   So what we find altogether in the Gospels is a well-rounded picture of Christ's sympathy with women, His willingness to trust and to reveal Himself to them, to teach them, to accept them in key roles in His ministry, and to include them as His beloved friends.   In today's reading He reveals Himself to be entirely just, standing up to the men that accuse the woman taken in adultery, but also warning her about the state of her own relationship to God and sin:  "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."   Ultimately, we we can observe about Christ is just that, that He is perfectly true to His Father in the sense that His judgment is just and true.  In this story of the woman taken in adultery, He exemplifies what He has just taught in the temple to the religious leaders, that "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him."  Moreover He sets the example of His own teaching to them, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (see both statements in Saturday's reading).  Jesus' sympathy and relations with women are not merely a kind of inverse prejudice, nor a special indulgence; they are instead manifestations of His righteousness and just judgment.  He counsels compassion and recognition of one's own capacity for sin, and at the same time enforces the need for communion with God.  Let us endeavor, all of us, to follow His example.

But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one

 

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

 

- Matthew 5:27-37 

 

We are currently reading the Sermon on the Mount.  In yesterday's reading, Christ said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.   First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

 

  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  My study Bible comments that the issue here is not the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but rather the selfish promptings of lust.  Sin does not come out of nature, but out of the distortion of nature for self-indulgence.  Thoughts that enter the mind involuntarily are not sins, but temptations.  They become sins only when they are held and entertained.  

 

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."  My study Bible says that this imagery is not to be taken literally, but refers to decisive action to avoid sin and to continue in purity.  Moreover, if we examine this closely, we see that the right eye corresponds to a man looking at a woman with lust who is not his wife, and likely is married to another, thus emphasizing the selfish and covetous nature of lust as addressed to Christ's disciples in this sermon, and in the verses immediately following which discuss divorce.  A right eye may cast a covetous look, a right hand may reach out to grasp what does not belong to it.  In both cases, even a precious right eye or hand may be better to lose than one's whole body be cast into hell.  In a note on Matthew 18:8, my study Bible also adds that this imagery may be applied to severing relationships for the sake of the salvation of all parties.

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."   In contrast to the easy access to divorce offered under the Mosaic Law, and also because of the misuse of divorce in that day, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (see also Matthew 19:8-9) and He emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage, my study Bible explains.  It notes that the possibility of divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality shows that marriage can be destroyed by sin.  (Clearly this is true of all relationships, and marriage is, importantly, no exception.)  

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,''No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."   My study Bible comments that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in man's possession anyway, but only by simple integrity.  

Jesus' last direction and command here emphasizes the importance of honesty and humility in all things.  It builds upon the command regarding anger in yesterday's reading (see above), and also the commands regarding both lust and adultery.  That's because if we follow Christ's thinking here, we will see that He is advocating a kind of honesty that is steeped in humility, in limiting ourselves to what is truly real and not getting beyond ourselves.  Jesus makes this very clear when He says, "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black."    That is, our own heads should not swell with attributes, powers, and an inflated sense of ourselves that goes far beyond our own reality.  He says, "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,''No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  Perhaps the most gruesome story of corrupt excess in the New Testament is the story of the beheading of John the Baptist, found in Matthew's Gospel at Matthew 14:1-12.  The bloody beheading of the great prophet comes out of a rash oath sworn by Herod, something that makes him not only pathetically foolish but a man deluded, infantile, and we might say not much of a man at all.  The text even tells us that the king was sorry (verse 9).  Mark's Gospel adds that "Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly" (Mark 6:20).  And yet, despite this, and because of a senseless oath borne out of excess, he nonetheless consents to this awful beheading of John, which results with the saint's head served on a platter at the king's birthday party.  It's hard to imagine a more diabolical horror story, but that is the nature of what we're talking about. Jesus underscores the lesson when He says, "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,''No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."   It might not seem that something one has sworn to out of the need to impress, or perhaps from too much to drink, or maybe from simply a swollen ego, can result in great disaster -- but we really should not take these stories lightly.  For they tell us about human nature and the result of our own misguided foolishness in not knowing ourselves better, and in not understanding how each of us has a need for an enforced, deliberate humility in order to have the discipline necessary for an honorable and honest life.  We live in an age where social media has turned virtually everyone into their own Public Relations agent, and all kinds of things are exaggerated for a photograph or to make an impression.  But this is not the way that Christ has taught us to live, and it is not the way that the Gospels teach us about life and how precious it is.  Perhaps we should say that to become humble, to bear life's circumstances with the meekness that is all about strength and courage and discipline no matter where we find ourselves, is to accept wisdom and bear it into the world.  This is how we keep our heads and wits about us, and it is the only way to cultivate true and good leadership.  For we know what happens with bad.

 

 

You cannot serve God and mammon

 

 "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery."

 

- Luke 16:10-18 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave a fourth parable, which followed that of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, and also of the Lost Son or Prodigal Son.  Those parables were directed to the scribes and Pharisees who criticized that Christ received and ate with tax collectors and sinners.  But yesterday's paralbe was directed to His disciples.  He said:  "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.  So he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you?  Given an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'  Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do?  For my master is taking the stewardship away from me.  I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'   So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.'  So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?'  So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.'  And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly.  For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."

 

 "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?  No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."  My study Bible comments that the test as to whether God will bestow heavenly blessings (true riches) on a person is directly related to how that person spends money.  The money which we consider our own is actually another man's -- that is, it belongs to God, or at least to the poor.  My study Bible adds that in patristic teaching, a person's failure to give money to God's work is universally seen as stealing.  Theophylact calls it "nothing less than embezzlement of money belonging to someone else."

 

 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."  My study Bible says that the things which are highly esteemed among men include money, power, position, and praise.

"The law and the prophets were until John.  Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail."  We recall that Christ has also said that He Himself did not come to destroy but to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17).  He Himself is the fulfillment of both in His being, words, and actions, and it is He who preaches the kingdom of God.  A tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrew letters.  Therefore, my study Bible says, the whole of the Law is affirmed as the foundation of Christ's new teaching. 

"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery."  Jesus cites an example which was actually hotly contested in His time, a source of disputes among the Pharisees themselves.  So in this context, it is an example that is meaningful to them.  Divorce and remarriage at that time also could involve abuse of financial practices concerning a wife's dowry.  My study Bible comments that in contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that day, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (see also Matthew 5:31-32, 19:8-9) and emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage.  Like all sin, there are forms of abuse that destroy community and relationship, including marriage, but this does not take away from Christ's emphasis and teaching.

We might wonder what Jesus' statement about divorce is doing in the middle of this discussion about money and our use of money ("unrighteous mammon").   As mentioned above, we should note that one issue of divorce involved tricky financial aspects such as a woman's dowry, especially if she divorced and remarried and later return to her first husband.  As the Gospel text notes, money was an important issue for the Pharisees.  But in the context of the Law, it's unquestionable for them that adultery is a violation.  Dispute may center around divorce, and the recognized financial concerns that went with it in the context of that period of time, but about adultery there was no question.  Hence, Jesus makes a clear point here.  One can quibble about the meaning of one thing or another, but in the wider framework He notes the man's responsibility in the marriage and in the context of divorce, and thus adds a deeply serious note regarding the nature of marriage itself.  Looking at today's reading from a modern perspective, we might easily see that just as Jesus calls upon us for a charitable use of our financial resources -- especially within the context of community and fellowship -- so He is also calling upon us to take the context of all of our relationships deeply seriously and within the spirit of charity.  As we give to community, so we also understand marriage to be something worth giving for, and involving sacrifice on the part of both parties.  In this sense, the convenience of money and our use of it does not override deeper considerations of God's understanding of the importance of community and relationships, and the extent to which we make sacrifices in order to ensure a righteousness of right-relatedness, to support community and love.  Taking His words on divorce in context, we may understand from His teachings that there is no greater consideration in making our choices in life than community and right-relatedness.  God's kingdom of love and the drive to salvation becomes an overriding goal that hovers over all of our choices in life, including what we do with our resources and even how we treat our spouses.  We nurture in life the things we put our resources toward.  In terms of the care of the poor, we might consider something as simple as the beautification or building of a Church.  Who benefits?  In a secular world, a public good such as a museum or a place to take children and family might have a costly admission that is impossible for many people.  But in a church, there is no admission, and the poor belong and share in the beauty and blessedness of the Kingdom as well as any wealthy patron.  This is Christ's ideal, and He emphasizes over and over again the need for His good stewards to care for the "least" among them, that this is the job the disciples must learn, for they will be the stewards in His Church, the leaders of His flock.  In an ideal sense, this is the way we may see ourselves as believers and servants who follow.  As He has said elsewhere, Christ's emphasis is on seeking the kingdom of God first, and that all things follow that (Matthew 6:33, Luke 12:31).  This would include our resources of wealth, including our time and attention, and the nurturing of community and relationships, even the close relationship of a spouse.  For the kingdom of God is a blessed way of life, embracing all who truly desire it, and Christ asks us to build our communities and lives upon it.

 

 

But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No." For whatever is more than these is from the evil one

 

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's thrown; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

 

- Matthew 5:27-37 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

 

  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  My study Bible explains that the issue here is not the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but the selfish promptings of lust.  Sin does not come out of nature, it says, but out of the distortion of nature for self-indulgence.  Thoughts that enter the mind involuntarily are not sins, but temptations.  They only become sins when they are held and entertained.  It's important to emphasize the selfish component of what is being discussed here, which leads to viewing and using other human beings in a materialistic way.

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."  My study Bible says that this imagery isn't to be taken literally, but rather refers to decisive action to avoid sin and to continue in purity.  Jesus repeats this imagery in Matthew 18:8, in discussions regarding the use of power and notions of what constitutes "greatness" in His Church.  One's right eye is considered precious, but if one's gaze is meant to covet or own another, or to look upon another with kind of lust that leads to abuse, it is necessary to make a correction.  One's right hand may reach out selfishly to harm or to seek to grasp what does not belong to oneself, to reach beyond a proper boundary.  The imagery implies that something one cherishes may be causing one to sin grievously, and thereby must be let go.

"Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."  In contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in that day, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorces (see also Matthew 19:8-9), and emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage, my study Bible tells us.  The possibility of divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality makes it evident that marriage can be destroyed by sin, such as abuse.  

 

 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'  But I say to you, do not swear at all:  neither by heaven, for it is God's thrown; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  My study Bible comments here that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in the possession of human beings anyway -- the only answer is simple integrity.  

Jesus tells us all, "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  It would seem that these words of advice from Christ put a great deal of emphasis on meaning -- on lending true meaning to the language we use, our communication with others.  For if our "Yes" is truly "Yes," and our "No" is truly "No," then what we have done is maintain a meaning and integrity that goes beyond simply personal responsibility.  We will have, in fact, restored language to its power and potential, and even more importantly, to its truth.  And there we get to the crux of what Christ means and who He is.  Jesus will teach us that He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).  He will call the Spirit, the "Helper" whom He will send, the "Spirit of truth" (John 16:13).  At the same time, He calls the devil the "father of lies" and says that "there is no truth in him" (John 8:44).  In the Revelation we're told that those who will remain outside the city of God, with no access to the tree of life, will include "whoever loves and practices a lie" (Revelation 22:14-15).  So, in Christ's statement here in the Sermon on the Mount regarding our use of language, there is a great deal to be discerned about what it means to have integrity, especially in terms of whether or not the words that come from our lips contain integrity and meaning, are blessed with truth, and do not constitute lies.  So much, in fact, hangs on the need for our words to convey their true meaning, that Jesus includes these specific teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, and advises us to lay aside swearing and oaths, and all manner of seeming vehemence, and simply let our "Yes" be "Yes," and our "No" be "No."  For when an individual begins to allow one's own word to become corrupted with lies and dissembling, with self-delusion or misleading statements, that leads to a corrupt way of life, corrupt practice.  When this becomes a habit for a person, or within a family, or a society, then the false and misleading use of language becomes an increasingly corrupting influence.  We can see this throughout history in the use of language as a political tool, the corrupting use of images to convey a false sense of values where there is none, of integrity where it doesn't exist, of promises that turn out to be lies.  In Nazi Germany, what was called the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda relentlessly cranked out self-serving images and slogans in deliberate effort simply to gain and hold power.  The same can be true of many totalitarian regimes in various countries and using various political systems.  And, of course, with the use of corrupting language, the same can happen in a country we consider a democracy -- simply because a "Yes" is not really "Yes," and "No" is not simply "No," but false and misleading statements, slogans, and platforms are used to mislead and to corrupt.  It is we who must make up our minds to follow Christ in His advice about our own language and its integrity as the only certain way to begin to put a halt to ever-widening circles of corruption that are started simply through propagandistic lies, slogans meant to mislead, language used simply to gain power through half-truths and smokescreens.  While the world will continue to entertain misleading notions and utopian promises, we can begin to look at Christ's truth -- for He is the One who doesn't sell us short and doesn't sugar coat a mission of truth.  We look to Him to teach us and guide us, even within a maelstrom of competing images, interests, and public voices designed to turn us one way and another, to gain someone power and authority, to point us in one direction that serves a false god with a narrative that takes us down a rabbit hole whose destructive effect on human beings we only see with hindsight.  If we start to practice His way, to let our "Yes" be "Yes" and our "No" be "No," then we will have begun to stop the spread of the falsehood, to take a stand against misleading, to start with ourselves to join in His integrity.  It is Christ who says to us that whatever is more than this is from the evil one.