Today’s passage is one of the sections that those so inclined love to turn into the equivalent of the New Testament law. At least that’s what they do with the parts about adultery and divorce, and maybe oaths. And so they come away from this with ammunition to condemn this one or that one (maybe even themselves) on technicalities. Never mind the fact that they almost always avoid the part about loving our enemies, they have missed the whole point of the passage by treating it like a law book.
All of these things Jesus said are true but He didn’t say them to say, “If you don’t measure up then you’re outta here!” He wasn’t replacing a law we couldn’t keep with a harder law to keep. We all stand condemned before this passage if it is “the law.”
He was instead disabusing us of any notion that we were actually measuring up to God’s standards (“I’m talking to you, Pharisee.”) by making clear that technical compliance is of little value compared to the heart.
No sane person seriously thinks that Jesus really wants us to cut off a hand or intentionally put out an eye. He is simply taking us to the extreme (and logical outcome) of technical compliance. His remarks about divorce were directed at those who would use technical compliance with the law as a smoke screen for breaking their oath to a woman simply because the found a better deal.
He was also showing us a goal and glimpse of the sane whole integrity and freedom of what the Holy Spirit is causing to be wrought in us. Kingdom life in His image.
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