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.  

 

 

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 eye 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.  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 

 

This week we are reading through the Sermon on the Mount, in preparation for Lent, which begins next week.  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."  The issue here, my study Bible tells us, 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.  When thoughts enter our mind involuntarily, those are not sins.  They are temptations.  They only become sins if they are held, built up, 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 eye 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.  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."  Of course, Jesus is speaking figuratively here.  He is using these images to teach us how important it is to take decisive action to avoid sin and continue in purity.  Notice He speaks of the right eye and right hand; these would be even our "favored" parts of ourselves, the things we most depend upon.  Even these, Jesus says, can be deadly to us.  If we consider these images, we'll note that an eye can gaze with an improper covetousness on things that it shouldn't, a hand can reach out to take what doesn't belong to us.  

"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, my study Bible comments, and because of the misuse of divorce in Christ's time, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (see also Matthew 19:8-9) and emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage.  That Jesus mentions the possibility of divorce due to sexual immorality is a teaching that shows us that marriage -- like other relationships -- can be destroyed by sin.  

"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 a person's possession anyway, but only by simple integrity. 

If we continue our thoughts from yesterday's reading, we can start with the last part of today's Gospel passage, in which Jesus teaches us to let our "Yes" be "Yes" and our "No," "No."  Once again, in preparation for Lent, we might take these words of Christ to suggest an important practice of economy with our words.  What do our words mean?  How do we use them?  If we want to take a closer look at Christ's words about swearing oaths we have only to look at the story of the death of John the Baptist (see Matthew 14:1-12).  Essentially, in that story, although the King understood John the Baptist to be a holy man, and although he felt very badly, it was because of an oath he swore in front of his nobles and "great men" of his kingdom -- and the rash sway of his own emotions by the dancing of his queen's daughter -- he gave the orders to behead John the Baptist and present his severed head in a grotesque display of heedless and vicious excess.  In that case, Herod's swearing before the "grand" people of his court, and his own vainglory involved in doing so, complicates this story.  But it also adds to our understanding about why we do best to stick to humility in economizing with our words.  We don't need to make vain proclamations about what we think or believe, and we don't need to make them public or excessively vehement.  For to do so is to step into a trap of vainglory, and to risk being unable to step down from such a place when it's necessary.   The humility of using only our necessary words to make a point, to defend ourselves, or to make a public statement is something that will stand us in good stead, help us to learn how to use our language well, and keep us in a safe and good path that our Lord asks of us.  So, while we think about abstaining during Lent, and risking temptations, let's add this precaution to our own use of language, and help ourselves to become more thoughtful and precise in so doing.  In an age where vehement language and excessive swearing is the stuff of internet memes and viral videos, let us consider what it is to be the opposite:  to learn how to use language with richness and real aptitude.  Perhaps we will become more distinguished in our capacity for expression by doing so, in imitation of the integrity of our Lord.

 

 

 

 

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.  

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.

 

 

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.

 
 

 

 

Let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No"

 "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

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 tells us that the issue here is not the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but rather the selfish promptings of lust.  This is a question of thinking in terms of acquisition.  My study bible adds that sin does not come out of nature, but rather out of the distortion of nature for self-indulgence.  But it cautions us to recall that thoughts that enter thine mind involuntarily are not sins but rather temptations.  They only become sins when they are held and entertained.  Jesus asks us to consider the wholeness of a human being, not imply outward actions, but the fullness of the soul, of who we are.

 "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 imagery is given not to be taken literally, but Christ uses metaphorical language to emphasize decisive action to avoid sin and thereby protect the whole self.

"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 remarks that in contrast to the easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and because of the misuse of divorce in His time, Jesus repeatedly condemns divorce (see also 19:8-9), and emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage.  Additionally, however, it must be noted that the possibility of divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality tells us something important:  that marriage -- as other relationships -- can be destroyed by sin.  It is a recognition of abuse resulting in broken communion.  My study bible says that the Church allows divorce as a concession to human weakness and as a corrective measure of compassion when a marriage has been broken.  Let us note also that the possible reason for divorce Jesus names is simply that, a possibility.  This is not a command to divorce; in all cases relationships are redeemable but that depends on both parties.

"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 here that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in humanity's possession anyway, but rather only by simple integrity. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus seems to have an overarching theme of the integrity of the wholeness or fullness of a person.  He is encouraging each of us in a "not-so-simple" way to be what we can be, to become more truly and deeply, and with faith, what we are in God's sight.  He asks us not to settle for a worldly or selfish point of view, but for something quite different which is indicated by participation in the kingdom of heaven.  In this light, He gives us different goals than the world does, and asks us to pursue a life of blessedness, of a kind of joy that is the product of a fully-integrated spiritual life, not one separated from our worldly lives.  In today's reading, He emphasizes this kind of integrity by first of all separating out impulses that destroy or deny the wholeness of who we are.  In yesterday's reading (see above), He spoke of anger being akin to murder.  In today's He mentions lust.  Let us note that my study bible points out that lust in this context does not indicate a simple normal attraction, but rather a kind of covetousness, a selfish orientation that is nurtured or held onto.  It is here that Jesus first uses the language of surgery, such as might be applied in His time to an infection that might spread to the whole body, and so amputation is required to save the whole person although parts might be lost.  It is in this context that He speaks of the preference to lose an eye or hand rather than the whole body perish.  Metaphorically an eye covets what does not belong to the person, a hand reaches out to grasp or grab where it should not.  Jesus emphasizes integrity and wholeness by reminding us that if a small thing gets hold of us and takes all our attention and time and energy it can drag the rest of us down with it, making a mess of the whole of our lives.  Integrity is further emphasized through His warnings about divorce.  When is marriage worth sacrificing?  Should we easily cast something away that is good or does good?  In Christ's time, a wife could be cast off for almost any reason -- and we are given to understand through Jesus that such relationships are sanctified by God and should be cherished for what they are truly worth.  It's worth remembering also that He does not excuse abuse nor overlook the possibility of such a relationship being destroyed.  But in our fullness of integrity as human beings, we must remind ourselves what the goodness of communion means and especially in the context of the possibilities of marriage.  See also Jesus' view on marriage as two becoming one flesh for a fuller understanding (Matthew 19:3-6).  This concept of integrity is emphasized more fully through Christ's teaching on swearing oaths.  To "let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No' " is to act with the greatest integrity of all.  When Jesus adds, "For whatever is more than these is from the evil one" He is again giving us a sense of temptations that can lead to a contamination (so to speak) of the whole of one's integrity.  This teaching is an emphasis on what it is to be pure in heart as well, in which we are not duplicitous, but rather the same on the inside as the outside.  It seems that it is also in this sense that Jesus praises Nathanael, in John's Gospel, when He says, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" after Nathanael asks whether any good thing can come from Nazareth (John 1:45-49).   When our word becomes truly worth its meaning, it is in some sense "bankable."  That is a certain kind of fullness of integrity that Jesus encourages us to aspire to.  It is a worthy endeavor indeed.  All in all, today's passage gives us many ways to enhance our lives and our stature, ways of making our souls full of substance.  It's important that these concepts are not given to us simply as talents or things with which God enhances us or not.  Rather Jesus presents them all as things toward which we can work in faith.  They are all things each of us can develop, acquire, and build up through discipleship.  And that is a most important and essential component of our faith:  it is one of growth, change, forgiveness, and ongoing endeavor and mission.  Indirectly we can conclude a tenet Jesus will teach later, that of endurance, and a spirit of never giving up even in what seems like the darkest or most difficult of times.  Jesus teaches us that with God's help, all things are always possible.  Our Lord is our greatest cheerleader, if you will, His mission in our world is not simply one of redemption but of promise to all human beings with humanity held in the highest esteem for the things of which we are each capable.  This is the discipleship He offers to us.  Shall we take Him up on it, and follow Him to the goals He sets for us?

Let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No"

Marriage of Virgin Mary and St. Joseph

"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.  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, an 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."   Once again, we understand that Jesus is speaking about a righteousness that surpasses the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (5:20).  This involves a depth of the self and knowledge of the self.  What is at issue here, my study bible says, regarding the statute against adultery, is not the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but rather the selfish promptings of lust.   Here, lust is a kind of greed, a desire for possession.  My study bible says that sin does not come out of nature, but rather out of the distortion of nature for selfish indulgence.  It adds that thoughts that enter the mind involuntarily are not sins, but rather temptations.  They become sins when they are held, entertained, made habitual through indulgence.

"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."   Christ is advocating quick action in order to avoid sin, and to continue in purity.   These images are not meant to be taken literally, but give us an image of what it is like to try to change ourselves.  What is habitual or usual can feel like we are cutting off a needed and useful limb, even our own right eye.  The eye is an important metaphor:  how we gaze upon the world determines quite often what we will do.  Do we look with lust, envy, greed, or honor?  Is our "eye" aggressive or does it judge good judgment?  Does our right hand seek to grasp what does not belong to us?  Even to cast off the things that seem most necessary is good if there is danger of dragging the whole of who we are where we would rather not 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."  Under the Mosaic Law, men had easy access to divorce.  My study bible says this led to misuse of divorce, and hence Jesus repeatedly condemns it (19:8-9).  Christ instead emphasizes marriage as a spiritual union which therefore has an eternal quality.   But Jesus leaves a possibility of divorce on ground of sexual immorality, showing that marriage, like other relationships, can be destroyed by sin, abuse.  In the Orthodox Church, divorce and second marriage are seen as concession to human weakness and corrective measure of compassion in the cases where 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."   As is consistent throughout these teachings on righteousness, Jesus emphasizes a personal integrity.  My study bible says that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in the possession of human beings in the first place.

Integrity seems to be the byword for Christ's teaching about a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees.   This is closely linked to purity of heart, in which one's inward state is mirrored clearly and plainly in the outer.  His prescription for faulty external behavior is to correct the inward parts, impulses and habits that lead to bad behavior, to the breaking of community in some way.  If we begin with Christ's teaching on adultery, He goes to the heart of the impulse to look outside of marriage and seek other partners.  Let us keep in mind from the language of the text that He's addressing primarily men ("whoever looks at a woman to lust for her"), and that when it comes to divorce, Jesus cites the Mosaic Law by saying "whoever divorces his wife."   But regardless of these aspects, the teaching that emphasizes integrity is for all followers of Christ.  He begins with the heart, where our focus has to be.  If lust -- or any form of selfishness, a desire to possess or take what doesn't belong to us -- begins in the heart, then there is where it must begin to be addressed, before it becomes an outward issue.  His prescription for any of our own tendencies which are undesirable for community, and lead to sin, is to directly go to the heart of the problem and "cast it off."  The metaphors to surgical removal of needed body parts teach us that He's quote aware of how difficult this can be.  Our own habits and desires seem like fully a part of us, necessary to identity and the ways in which we think of ourselves.  But what He is also telling us is that this is not so.  We do not really need that which will lead us to destructive behavior, no matter how integral to ourselves they may seem to be.  This is not an easy teaching.  But it does speak to the necessity of understanding ourselves as people with pliable, even "plastic" capacities for change.  It also speaks entirely to the concept of responsibility.  To use the metaphor of removing one's right eye or right hand is not to minimize the difficult of doing so.  And yet, His teaching is that this is the necessary thing to do, it is what is needful.  He moves from the concept of lust to divorce, and emphasizes the spiritual nature of marriage, which in its best and most perfect state is an eternal union.  In this text, Jesus recognizes the difficulties of fidelity, specifically where any kind of abuse or sinful behavior has caused destruction to the union.  But His emphasis is on rethinking the easy or facile nature of divorce.  The deeper consideration is about relationship and community, what makes for loving relation.  This is something we work at, put effort into.  It does not call us to selfishness, but to a kind of practice of consciousness of what we're supposed to be about, a shoring up of the good, and a casting away of what is harmful.  Everything in Christ's teaching is about love in action:  righteousness of this sort is what it takes to build relationships, the foundation and expression of community.  It begins with integrity, and this includes the type of integrity in which our own word might even be as powerful as His.  If our "Yes" is "Yes" and our "No" is "No," then we have achieved a level of integrity in which our very word is potent, and reflects a true personal integrity -- from the inside to the outside.  We need nothing else to swear by if our own integrity is as intact as His example.  This speaks to us clearly against hypocrisy and duplicity.  It teaches us something of an integrity that starts from the care of the heart.  Christ asks us for a careful understanding of ourselves, and a willing participation in seeking an integrity of the self that considers the heart.  He doesn't minimize the difficulties of separating ourselves from habits and proclivities that could lead us into problems, but neither does He minimize the potential for harm a careless life can bring.   Above all, He asks us for mindfulness, and awareness of what we are to be about.  Perfection seems to be contained not in having no flaws at all, but rather being aware that as human beings we're complex subjects -- there will always be a need for mindfulness, a consciousness that things to which we might normally never give a second thought (our"right eye", our "right hand") could lead where we'd be better off not going.  He asks us for a consciousness of discipleship, a commitment to integrity as model for discipline.  Let us bear in mind that as the disciples will encounter greater difficulty in their own and others' circumstances, it is God's help that we are assured is present to make all things possible, and the grace of the Helper He will provide.

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, chapters 5-7 of Matthew's Gospel (beginning with Monday's reading).   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.  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."  Jesus quotes from the Law regarding adultery (Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18).  My study bible says that what is at issue here that Jesus discusses isn't the God-given mutual attraction of men and women.  Rather Jesus is speaking of the selfish promptings of lust.  Sin isn't what nature gives us; sin is rather the distortion of nature for self-indulgence, a kind of greed.  Thoughts that enter our minds involuntarily are not sins.  They are temptations.  They are only sins if held, entertained, nurtured.  Jesus speaks of the importance not only of self-knowledge and self-awareness, but our own capacity for self-mastery -- to put away what feels like a part of us but really isn't healthy for the whole of us, and would tend to drive the whole in a self-destructive path.  My study bible says that Jesus' striking imagery is not to be taken literally; it rather refers to decisive action to avoid sin and to continue in purity.

"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 Jesus' time, there was easy access to divorce under the Mosaic Law, and a great deal of misuse of divorce.  In fact, there was dispute about divorce between various parties, with the Pharisees coming closer to Jesus' point of view.  Jesus repeated condemns divorce because of misuse (see also 19:8-9).  Instead, He emphasizes the spiritual and eternal nature of marriage.  It is a way of understanding the union of persons with immortal souls.  The possibility of divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality expresses the concept that marriage can be destroyed by sin.  Even our relationship to God is subject to abuse; in this sense it is a fundamental concept of community and love to understand what can be broken by sin and hence abuse.   The implications of the necessity and power of repentance and forgiveness also are evident here in this example.

"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 says here that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that are not in man's possession anyway.  The only assurance is by simple integrity.

What does it mean that our word is our bond?  In marriage we give our word as commitment.  In some sense, all of today's reading focuses on integrity.  What does our word mean?  In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave us the example of name-calling as akin to murder.  Today we consider what marriage vows mean, and how bonds can be broken by sin, by abuse.  In this light, it is not so strange also that Jesus gives us a teaching about swearing oaths.  By what is our word worth something?  Where is our integrity found?  It may be strange to consider, but once again we come back to the importance of language, of words.  Are our words worth listening to?   Ironically, perhaps, in the age of the internet, the impact of our words, the evaluation of whether what we have to say is worthy of giving voice to those words, is both more needful and more forgotten than ever.  As fast as a person can tweet out a message or post something on Facebook (or even a blog like this one), our words slip into an expanding whirlwind of what it is that passes for commerce, participation, and community.  Rather than drawing us together, thoughtless iterations draw us apart, making actual communication seemingly lesser and lesser.  News which used to be counted upon for factual understanding of events in our world now takes on characteristics of egging on one side or another, for who knows what actual purpose or interest -- and increasingly rather than being able to sort facts for truths we can count on, "news" takes on the appearance of pure conflict without enough substance to give us actual analysis or ability to sort fact from fiction.   It all comes back to Jesus' words here about integrity, what we will swear by, what we can put our own trust into, and what our commitments mean.  When language becomes abused, when our word means nothing but is meant merely to sell or attract attention or distract attention from elsewhere, meaning goes by the wayside.  We're no longer able to trust, and for the public trying to find its way to truth and understanding, obscurity becomes more profound, reality hidden far behind publicity.  Perhaps the most healing act we are capable of making in such confusion is the measured use of our words, and most especially a high value placed on our own integrity.  As my study bible points out, in the end we really own nothing but our own word.  Let us make certain, in the whirlwind of chaos in which we may find ourselves, that our own words have the worth He asks of us.

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

 "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 reading through the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew chapter 5.  We began with the Beatitudes, the blessings of the Kingdom.  Jesus then taught about the righteousness of the Kingdom.  In yesterday's reading, He began to explain what this means, how it is a depth and fulfillment of the Law:  "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 says that the issue here isn't the God-given mutual attraction of men and women, but rather the selfish promptings of lust.  Sin, it tells us, doesn't come out of nature but rather out of the distortion of nature for self-indulgence.  The thoughts that enter our minds involuntarily are not sins.  Rather they are temptations.  They only become sins 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."  Jesus uses the analogy of an eye or hand as sin that is nurtured and indulged beyond temptation.  In a certain sense, the analogy holds even further:  when we are covetous we cast an eye upon and view things or people a certain way.  A hand may wish to reach out and take what isn't rightfully or properly truly ours.  Habitual thoughts or desires can feel so much a part of ourselves that they are like a hand or eye.  In this sense Jesus is encouraging each one of us to decisive action to avoid sin.  The analogy acknowledges the difficulty, but it also stresses the need and the cost of the failure to do so.

"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."  Jesus repeatedly addresses the question of divorce in the Gospels (see this recent reading from Mark's Gospel).  Under Mosaic Law, there was very easy access to divorce for Jewish men.  But Jesus condemns divorce in light of what He sees as misuse of the Law.  Instead, He emphasizes the eternal nature of marriage and the depth of the marriage bond.  He does allow for divorce on the grounds of sexual immorality, teaching us how sin can destroy relationships.

 "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 says that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by the things that aren't truly in our possession anyway.  It's only simple integrity in which trust is based.  If we studiously pay attention to Jesus' communication, we see that He embodies this Himself.

In each of Jesus' teachings, we can see that sin is a kind of toxin.    It poisons the well of relationships, of communion.  The things Jesus addresses all seem to have to do with depth of communion and relationship.  Marriage is a bond given by God.  In some sense, all communion is a reflection of Jesus' teaching on the two great commandments (see this recent reading from Mark's Gospel).  The first is a love of God with all one's being, the second love of neighbor as oneself.  That is, our participation in the love of God via the communion of faith allows us to share in that love with others.  Marriage as sacrament given by God to create a depth of communion ("the two shall become one flesh") is one example of the two great commandments at work.  But sin can destroy any relationship; it is in itself a kind of distance and separation from God, a reflection of such.  Selfishness poisons that well of love, the ties we have with others.  Whether we speak of murder and the things that are like it (as in yesterday's reading), or a thoughtless approach to marriage that treats one partner as possession one may discard, these behaviors harm love and community.  The sort of lust Jesus speaks about is a kind of covetousness that doesn't respect the real nature of communion either, not in social terms and not in personal terms.  It treats human beings as commodities rather than persons.  In addition, Jesus speaks about swearing oaths to prove or bolster one's truthfulness.  But what it all comes down to is personal integrity.  This is the stuff of true relationship -- within oneself, with God, and with others.  If one's word is one's bond, if "yes" means "yes" and "no" means "no," then we're speaking of the possibility of trust.  And trust is everything.  It is even the real root of faith.  This sort of integrity is related to purity of heart, a lack of duplicity, where what one is on the inside is what one sees on the outside.  To be tempted to magnify anything beyond this true wealth of integrity is to endanger the bonds we have with others based in that capacity for trust rooted in such a character.  All things come back to this, where we put our trust, and how others -- even God -- may put trust in us.  It starts with the heart, the place from which we discard that which poisons the well, and the place where we align with that which develops and builds love in all its forms.  Jesus offers us a choice in His vision of righteousness.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'"

"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

In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke of His elaboration or fulfillment of the statute against murder. We are going through the Sermon on the Mount. On Monday, we read the Beatitudes, in which Jesus told of the blessings of life in the kingdom, the life of discipleship. This was followed by You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world, in which He taught the value of discipleship. Next, Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. Jesus taught that in Him and His commandments is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. 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." He spoke of the dangers of anger, provocation, and that which leads to a kind of murder in the heart -- and our responsibility in guarding the heart, accepting the commands of the inner life.

"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." In this next commandment, Jesus takes on the prohibition against adultery, and once again teaches us about the interior life, the life of the heart. My study bible explains that the type of lust Jesus is speaking of isn't just the natural attraction between one person and another, but is rather the deliberate cultivation of lust. It says, "God sees the hidden desires which motivate our actions . . . Sin does not come out of nature, but out of internal self-indulgence." This is distinguished from temptations, which are involuntary. Again, as in yesterday's teaching regarding the statute against murder, here Jesus takes us into the region of the heart, the responsibility we bear for what we cultivate and how we manage our interior lives.

"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." Here, Jesus elaborates on the life of discipleship, and what it means to us. We have been given the examples of murder and anger, and adultery and lust, and we're given a picture of a kind of self-indulgence (not momentary and involuntary passion or temptation, but the deliberate cultivation of a life which may lead to harmful behavior). If we habitually indulge ourselves in passions which may be harmful or endanger us to sin in some sense, then our discipleship takes on the form of cutting out from ourselves such habits -- even if they may feel like they are deeply a part of self, a pattern we've come to cultivate. Therefore Jesus compares such habitual indulgences to our own right eye, or right hand. He's quite aware of the powerful hold a particular habit of passion, once regularly cultivated and indulged, can have upon us. But even something we have nursed or come to rely upon inwardly for some reason, which is ultimately harmful to ourselves, must be cast away. Jesus gives us the analogy: better we may lose a part of ourselves we've come to rely on, than that the whole of who we are is cast into hell. This is discipleship -- a way to the spiritual discipline of growth in the spiritual life, and of casting away that which is ultimately harmful, self-destructive.

"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." This passage is also found in other Gospels, emphasizing the character of marriage -- and especially addressing the "hardness of heart" that allowed men easy divorce in Mosaic Law. Jesus is addressing a Jewish audience, in which this type of divorce was easily available for men, and we have to take this teaching in context. He's not saying divorce is impossible (the early Church would expand grounds for divorce), but rather emphasizing that the basis of marriage is love, care, inclusion -- and is a union of equals, in which two become one flesh, and so bear responsibility for one another. In the context of the teaching against lust, it becomes a teaching in which love is emphasized, and the care and respect for one another inherent in Jesus' vision of marriage. This is contrasted with the misuse of divorce in Jesus' time. One is not the property of another to be cast off when tired of it, perhaps into destitution and social ostricization. Again, the emphasis is on the attitude of the inner life, how we look at the world and one another, how we cultivate the ways in which we see and therefore treat one another. It is about a habitual indulgence in ways that are harmful, and the inner discipline to note the ways of the heart.

"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." My study bible says, "Jesus speaks against casual use of God's name and superficial oaths. The words of Jesus have not only a negative meaning, but a positive one also. They not only forbid us to swear, that is, to bind ourselves with an oath; they also command us to speak the truth and keep our promises." One may swear by all kinds of things, but why swear by something that is not really ours to begin with? Even our own head is not our own in this sense -- for it is made by Creator, not by ourselves. All lead to a kind of exaggeration into which we are easily tempted to misstep -- to grandiosity that, when indulged, is (like the other passions already discussed) a kind of danger that may lead to sin and destructive behavior.

"But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." If our "Yes" is "Yes," and our "No" is "No," then we really haven't anything else to swear by, and in effect our word becomes much more valuable. To be representative of just the self, without any grandiosity or exaggeration, with real humility, is to be aware of just where we stand and who we are; it is also to elevate to our true self-worth to just what we as humans have been endowed to be by Creator. "Trust is secured," says my study bible, ". . . by an inner integrity. Jesus teaches us to live in the simplicity of the present moment." Anything else, He says, is once again temptation for us.

Let us remember above all the compassion Christ has for us, for our human situation and condition. In all of these teachings, He is encouraging us to a discipline of the true human spirit, leading to what is better for us. It's not a condemnation of our natural tendencies, of temptations we may all feel, but rather an urging to a kind of discipline that is able to distinguish and make choices -- to heed and be aware of our own weaknesses and the true state of ourselves in our world, the possibilities inherent in a flamed and indulged anger, a cultivated and nurtured lust. Christ is asking for discipleship in which we are aware not only that we can do better, but also a measured and wise response to and awareness of our weaknesses. He's asking us to step up, to be smart, and to be prepared for something much, much better in ourselves, the work of the Spirit. In effect, discipleship prepares us for the true worth of a human being, what kind of creatures we are and can become. Are you ready for that life? Can you possibly tell where it may lead you? In discipleship, Christ assures us of our value and potential, and we always have His infinite compassion and help. We just have to try, and have faith in the faith and trust He puts in us. Can we step up to discipleship? It starts with humility, self-awareness, understanding that we are enough -- and reliance on His teaching, faith in His understanding. In a modern age, we have all kinds of ways of indulging our appetites, for anger or lust, for the ways in which we choose to use others, and how we try to aggrandize ourselves. You can find anything over the Internet, any image we may wish to pursue, and the cautionary tales that go with it. But inherent in His teachings is the promise that we all have much better things to do with our lives, with our time, with His help.