Matthew 5:38-48 - Jesus' Standards of Christian Behavior (Gospel for February 23, 2014, 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time)

Last Sunday, Jesus preached that the spirit of the law -- embodied in love and forgiveness -- is more important than the letter of the law. This theme is expounded in this Sunday's gospel which shows the radicality of the values that Jesus preached.

This is done by Matthew through a series of antitheses:

1. "An eye for an eye" vs. "offer no resistance." - Actually, the "eye for an eye" dictum was already a moderation of the act of revenge because people's acts of vengeance tended to far exceed the cause that triggered the revenge (i.e. people tended to take two or three eyes).  Jesus takes this a level higher by advocating passive resistance (think Gandhi/Martin Luther King) as the winning strategy to defeat evil.

2. "Struck at the right cheek" vs. "turn the other one as well" - Being struck at the right cheek was particularly insulting because the back of the hand was used, and demanded a higher penalty in court.  Again, Jesus advocated fighting evil with good.

3. "Going to law over a tunic" vs. "handing your cloak as well" - A tunic is one's shirt, or undergarment often extending to the legs, and is one's most indispensable garment.  It is never given up even as payment for a fine or restitution (except when one is sold as a slave).  It would be an excessive demand if one were to ask for the tunic as payment.  Nevertheless, Jesus said to give the cloak (or the coat over one's tunic) as well.

4. "Forces you to one one mile" vs. "go two miles" - "Going one mile" refers to when one is commissioned by government to go along as guide or messenger (similar to Simon of Cyrene) to help carry out a government task.  Sometimes, one's horse is required to send a message, for example, and is used without compensation.  It was an oppressive practice; but Jesus says to go two miles.

5. "Hate your enemies" vs "love your enemies" - Biblical scholars interpret this as one's personal enemies, and not pagans or enemies of the state.  The love demanded is not the emotional one, but the kind that understands and forgives.

6. "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" - The correct interpretation is not "to be without fault" but that the disciple must have a whole, complete and undivided love for all.  

Very difficult standards.

Sources: 

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), 166.
**Raymond E. Brown et al (eds), The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1990), 643-644.

Matthew 5:17-37: What is the Law of Moses (Gospel for February 16, 2013, 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

What did Jesus mean when he said: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven"?

The key to understanding this passage lies three verses earlier where Jesus also says: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.  I have come not to abolish but to fulfill."

When a Jew refers to "the law", he/she refers to the numerous positive (must do) and negative (must not do) commandments for a Jew to be considered righteous before God. I have come across references that the total number of these laws is 613, which is the sum of 365 negative laws (corresponding to the days in a year) and 248 positive ones (corresponding to the number or bones and organs in the human body (according to Jewish tradition).1

The laws are rather comprehensive and includes what we know as "the ten commandments" but also laws which: require the circumcision of males, helping a neighbor unload his beast, lending a gentile with interest but to a Jew without interest, not to eat a worm found in a fruit, not to cultivate the soil in a jubilee year, never settle in the land of Egypt, that a man should not wear a woman's clothing, that a woman shall bring an offering after childbirth, and so many other things.2  

You can appreciate how a typical Jew would have a problem remembering all these laws except for those who specialize in it, i.e. the scribes and Pharisees.  The latter knew their laws and equated following the letter of the law as being sufficient to be considered righteous before God.

Not so, said Jesus.  Jesus regards the literal interpretation as inadequate, though not false.  He shifts the ground from the act - whether you did something or not -- to the spirit of the law.  

Thus, not just murder is forbidden but the emotional anger that precedes a potential murder.  Not just actual adultery, but the desire that precedes it.  Not just performing acts of worship, but being reconciled with one's neighbor.  Not just not taking a false oath, but avoiding swearing at all (which means invoking God's name) and to simply tell the truth in everyday life.

Jesus was also against the complexity of the laws (which provided the scribes and Pharisees undue advantage) and so he simplified it.  Two chapters later in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus would say: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.  This is the law and the prophets."  (Matthew 7:12)  

While simpler, the demands of Jesus is a much tougher standard than just simply following the letter of the law.

Notes:

1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/613_commandments

2 - A full list can be found here: http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm

Photo obtained from: http://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/pharisee-tax-collector/

Matthew 5:13-16 - Salt and Light (Gospel for February 9, 2013)

Source: www.stock.schng (license-free photo)

SALT: The earliest evidence of salt dates back around 6,000 years ago and was a highly valued commodity during Jesus' times.  Salt was used as a condiment to add flavor to food, and also as a preservative.  It was a traded commodity and was transported along specially built salt roads.  Some nations went to war over salt.  Pliny, a Roman writer during the times of Jesus, said: "Nothing is more useful than salt or sunshine."

Jesus chose his metaphor carefully and deliberately.  Matthew quotes Jesus as using this metaphor AFTER the Sermon on the Mount and specifically after the beatitude "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you."  

The key messages of this gospel passage are:

- The disciple INFLUENCES others.  Salt fulfills its value only when mixed with food; it is not good when consumed by itself.  Similarly, the disciple does not withdraw from, but goes into the world that others may see Jesus in his/her life.

- The disciple witnesses to Jesus DESPITE PERSECUTION.  If they do not, then they become like salt that loses its flavor; and since salt is not salt without its saltiness, then a disciple ceases to be such.

- The disciple witnesses to such an extent that it is VISIBLE and HAS IMPACT on others.  He/she is like LIGHT.  A disciple takes BOLD even CONTROVERSIAL steps when necessary.  But this is done not to brag or take credit but so "that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

Tough words and tough demands by Jesus from his disciples.

Other Trivia:

- Salt was also used in many religious ceremonies: Mohammed was reported to have said that God sent four blessings: fire, water, iron and salt.  It is used in house blessings in Hinduism.  Buddhists believe that salt wards off evil.    

- The word "salary" originates from Latin: salarium which referred to the money paid to the Roman Army's soldiers for the purchase of salt. The word salad literally means "salted", and comes from the ancient Roman practice of salting leaf vegetables.

Sources:

- Info on salt sourced from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt.

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), 156.