February 13, 2011Sixth Sunday after Epiphany, Year A
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Psalm 119:1-8
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:21-37
Two weeks ago we heard Jesus’ Beatitudes. The focus of these promises about the kingdom of God has to do with our relationship with ourselves — with our own souls.
Last Sunday, we heard Jesus’ metaphors about being salt and light for the world from Matthew 5:13-20. In psychological terms, Jesus was using positive reinforcement by telling his followers that they already are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The focus of this teaching has to do with our relationship with the world. These were encouraging and uplifting words — well, until we get to verses 17-20. Then Jesus tells them he has not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. And that is Matthew’s segue into the portion of Jesus’ teachings that we have before us today.
The passage we heard this morning from Matthew 5:21-37 contains some very tough or strong teachings of Jesus. They are based on two of the Ten Commandments, murder and adultery, and on the tradition of swearing falsely. This passage is a difficult passage to read, and an even more difficult one to live. The focus of this teaching has to do with our relationship with each other and with God.
Jesus' teaching has an interesting construction from a grammatical point of view. No more affirming statements. Instead he draws sharp contrasts. Each teaching begins with a reminder of what everyone listening already knows: “You have heard that it was said . . .” And he tells them the law or tradition they have been taught from childhood. “You shall not murder.” “You shall not commit adultery.” “You shall not swear falsely.” And having quoted the law and the tradition, he then says, “But I say to you . . .”
Perhaps you are familiar with Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), which is basically the study of how best to say things — even challenging things — without causing waves or making enemies. If Jesus spoke in NLP words, he would have said, “You have heard it was said”. . .“AND I say to you . .” From a Neuro-Linguistic point of view, using “and” instead of “but” takes away the sharpness of a contrasting statement. However — Jesus says “BUT.” Jesus is creating a very sharp contrast indeed - one that had not yet been drawn in the history of their religious teaching. “But I say to you . . .” and in the use of this one word — BUT — Jesus establishes his authority as the One who has come to be the fulfillment of God’s Law and of the prophets. “But I say to you...”
And does he ever! He tells them that murder is way more than the physical killing of another person. Murder is also our anger, our insults, our name-calling, our ill treatment of our neighbors, and our failure to admit our guilt when and if we have committed some harm to another.
And adultery is more than cheating on your spouse. It is also looking upon another with lust in your heart. Do you remember the hot water that former President Jimmy Carter got himself into when he admitted that he had been guilty of the sin of lusting in his heart? I always thought it was courageous of him to admit that. But the press and his critics had a field day with it!
And then there’s the swearing falsely thing. Peterson summarizes that whole discussion with these words: “When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.” 1
So what do we do with this part of Jesus’ teachings? How do we handle these sharp contrasts between what folks have been taught about what the Law and their tradition says and what Jesus teaches them through the literary method of contrast — using big ifs and buts.
I read a cute story late this week as I contemplated this question. Here’s the story:
A mysterious building had been erected on the outskirts of a small town. It was shrouded in mystery. All that was known about it was that it was a chemical laboratory. An old farmer, driving past the place around noontime, and seeing a man in the doorway, called to him: “What are you doin’ in this place?”“We are searching for a universal solvent — something that will dissolve all things,” said the chemist.“What good will thet be?” asked the old farmer.“Imagine, sir! It will dissolve all things. If we want a solution of iron, glass, gold — anything — all that we have to do is to drop it in this solution.”“Fine,” said the farmer, “fine! But I have to wonder, what are you goin’ to keep it in?”2
Common sense. The old farmer had it; the chemists did not. And so it finally occurred to me that common sense is a part of what Jesus’ tough teaching is all about. In this portion of his teachings, Jesus is focusing on our relationship with others. And to maintain good relationships with others requires the use of what we know as common sense. It’s common sense to recognize that when we are angry, or insulting, or we demean people in the names we call them, or we mistreat or harm others in some way, we are ruining our relationship with them. It’s common sense to figure that we’d better reconcile our differences with someone who has a good case against us before it goes to court. It’s common sense to recognize that if we let ourselves think lustfully, then eventually our lusts will control us — and that this will ultimately get us in big trouble. Just ask a few of our Congressmen and Senators how that goes. It’s common sense to say what we mean and to mean what we say. Then we don’t get all messed up in trying to keep track of our falsehoods. It’s the use of common sense in how we think about and talk to and about others that keeps our relationships on the right track — that keeps our relationships on solid moral ground. And beyond that, it is what keeps us right with God.
EndNotes
1 Peterson, Eugene H. The Message Remix. NavPress, 2003. Matthew 5:37 on p.1774.
Copyright: Carol J. Borland, Retired pastor, Pastor Emeritus, Interim Pastor, West Danville United Methodist Church, West Danville, Vermont. Preached on February 13, 2011. Epiphany 6A
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