NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 (RCL)
1 Corinthians 3:16-23 (Roman Catholic)
3:10 (NRSV) According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?* 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,
‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’,
20and again,
‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are futile.’
21So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
h/t montreal anglican
Paul has offered two metaphors for the Church: a crop in a “field” (v. 9) and a “building”. As God’s agents, he and Apollos have worked together: he has planted, i.e. founded the church at Corinth, and Apollos has watered, i.e. nurtured the community. He now likens the growth of the church to constructing a building. He founded the community properly; “that foundation is Jesus Christ” (v. 11). Others must construct the building above the foundation “with care” (v. 10). Sloppy or improper craftsmanship will be apparent on “the Day” (v. 13), when Christ comes again to judge people; he will evaluate it (“with fire”). Good work will be rewarded, but those whose work fails the test will be saved, but only just (v. 15). Perhaps he thinks of leaders who expected all Christians to obey Mosaic law and follow Jewish practices.
He now changes metaphor again: “you are God’s temple” (v. 16); the Holy Spirit is within you. The disputes among members of which he has heard (1:11), and attempts to divert the church from its founding principle (Christ) can destroy it (v. 17). God will condemn those who do so. If you think you are wise by earthly standards, may you become foolish in earthly terms in order to become wise by God’s standards (v. 18). So end your quarrels regarding leaders (v. 20). You “belong” (1:12) to none of them; rather you belong “to Christ” (v. 23) and “to God”. They are servants of Christ and thus of the church. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, they, and everything else, belong to you (the community), and you to Christ.
GOSPEL: Matthew 5:38-48 (all)
5:38 (NRSV) ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Pharisees and the scribes kept Mosaic law diligently, and taught it. Jesus has said this is not enough; one must exceed the requirements of the Law (v. 20). He fleshes out its meaning fully (v. 16). God expects us to refrain not only from the act (e.g. murder) but from even thinking thoughts that may lead to it (e.g. nursing anger).
In v. 38, Jesus reminds his audience of two laws. They did limit retaliation to one for one. By Jesus’ time the authorities often commuted the penalty to a fine. Jesus goes further: avoid physical violence (v. 39). To strike “the right cheek” with the back of the hand was particularly dishonouring; shame your opponent into a change of heart. Avoid litigation (v. 40); overcome greed with generosity to the wrong-doer. The “coat” was the inner garment, a short-sleeved knee-length tunic held in at the waist by a girdle; the “cloak” was the outer garment. Now v. 41: a soldier could force a civilian to carry his pack. The Greek words translated “forces” and “mile” reflect the imperial messenger service, a courier service using relays of horses. To “go ... the second mile” would be to avoid another civilian being compelled. Be generous, even under duress.
“Love your neighbour” (v. 43) is in Leviticus 19:18. People generally thought that outsiders were “enemies” and should be hated. V. 44 is wise advice for overcoming persecution. To be “children of” (v. 45) God is to pattern one’s attitudes after God’s; he provides for all, both good and evil people. In v. 46, Jesus thinks of both earthly and heavenly “reward”. “Tax collectors” worked under contract with the Romans. To meet their stipulated target, they often extorted money; they collaborated with the occupiers. Being morally suspect, their reward was seen as being only earthly. A greeting (v. 47) in the Near East, then and now, is a prayer for blessing on the one greeted. “The Gentiles” were at the time mostly pagan. What distinguishes your love from that of unbelievers? “Be perfect” (v. 48), conform to the divine ideal, as God does: love everyone!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (RCL)
1 Cor 3:1 (NRSV) And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4For when one says, ‘I belong to Paul’, and another, ‘I belong to Apollos’, are you not merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
In Chapter 1, Paul says that he has learnt that there are divisions in the church at Corinth, that some adhere to particular leaders of the community rather than to Christ. The faith only makes sense to those who understand it spiritually, so he addresses them not as “spiritual people” (v. 1) but as neophytes (“infants”). He has been criticized for oversimplifying the good news, but their “jealousy and quarrelling” (v. 3) demonstrate that they are still only earthly minded, are still behaving according to human standards (“inclinations”).
It is natural to be attached to the person who welcomed you into the church, but you need to recognize that they are all “servants” (v. 5) of Christ. Each has a distinct function in bringing you to faith. Paul founded the church at Corinth (“planted”, v. 6); Apollos nurtured faith (“watered”) in the community; but it is God who causes spirituality and faith to grow. He and Apollos have the same objective (v. 8). Perhaps the rewards (“wages”) are in seeing the church grow; perhaps they are in heaven. Paul and Apollos are co-workers. In the following verses, Paul expands on the church as “God’s building” (v. 9).
Verse 9: “field ... building”: In stony Palestine, rocks from clearing fields were used to build walls.
h/t montreal anglican
GOSPEL: Matthew 5:21-37 (RCL)
Matthew 5:17-37 or 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37 (Roman Catholic)
Matt 5:17 (NRSV) ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
21You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
27 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” 28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 ‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” 32But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 ‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” 34But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Jesus has made clear that his mission is not to do away with (‘abolish”) the Old Testament; rather he fleshes out its meaning fully (“fulfill”, v. 17). He speaks particularly about Mosaic law; it will remain in force until he comes again at the end of time (v. 18). In v. 19, he seems to soften his tone: whether or not one keeps and teaches every one of the 613 laws, one will be admitted to the Kingdom. The scribes and Pharisees kept all the laws scrupulously. Now he explains how their adherence to the Law is insufficient.
Each of Jesus’ expansions of the Law begins with “[You have heard that] it was said” (vv. 21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43). He then quotes a law. “Ancient times” refers to the days of Moses. The Ten Commandments forbid the act of murder (v. 21). Jesus extends this law to include propensities to kill: nursing anger, calling someone good for nothing (as the Greek says) or a “fool” (v. 22). Vv. 23-24 say that reconciliation take priority even over worship, to a Jew the most sacred act. Vv. 25-26 may be a parable: the Kingdom of God is at hand; seek reconciliation “quickly” lest God, the judge, finds against you. Jesus offers forgiveness.
Vv. 27-28, give another example. Avoiding adultery is not enough; even for a man to “look at a woman with a lustful eye” (Revised English Bible) is unacceptable. God expects purity of thought and desire as well as of action. Vv. 29-30, which look extreme, they are meant figuratively, not literally. Jesus advises that one discard, promptly and decisively, anything in one’s life that tempts one to turn away from God.
Divorcing a wife was easy for a man in Palestine: in some circles, he could simply write her a “certificate of divorce” (v. 31) without cause. Jesus’ point here is that marriage is indissoluble, lifelong. He probably thinks of Genesis 2:24: in marriage, God makes man and wife “one flesh”. He makes one exception: “on the ground of unchastity” (v. 32). The Greek word means unlawful sexual behaviour, including adultery. He forbids remarriage because the first marriage still exists. This extension of the Law was not onerous for first-century Christians, for they expected the world to end soon, and they could live separately from their spouses. Then vv. 33-37: one swore an oath to guarantee that what one said on a particular occasion was the truth. We still do it in court appearances today. Isaiah 66:1 refers to “earth” (v. 35) as God’s “footstool”; “Jerusalem” is God’s city (“... of the great King”). They are part of his realm. To “swear by your head” (v. 36) is to swear by oneself. Jesus says one should always tell only the truth. When one does, there is no need for swearing[-in]. A truthful person is consistent in what he says. Inconsistency is a sign that one has turned against God (v. 37). Perhaps Jesus actually said something like James 5:12: “let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no”.
Verses 17-20: The relation of Jesus’ message to the Jewish law was a great concern for followers with a Jewish background. [NOAB]
Verse 17: “abolish ... fulfill”: In the background are two rabbinic expressions:
• one meaning to confirm or establish the law by putting it on a better base for interpretation , and
• another meaning to void, abolish, suspend, neglect, cancel a law.
Paul says in Romans 3:31: “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law”. Here in Matthew, Jesus replaces establish with fulfill, thus extending the question beyond the purely legal to his whole mission. [NJBC]
Verse 17: “the prophets”: In the Hebrew Scriptures, these comprise the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. Many Jews esteemed the prophets less than the Law; hence the word “or” here. [NOAB]
Verse 18: In Mark 13:31, Jesus says “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”. In Luke 16:17, he says “... it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped”. [NOAB] NJBC says that the Law still bound the Jewish Christian followers of Jesus.
Verse 19: “breaks”: Or sets aside. [NOAB] NJBC sees this verse as part of the argument between Christians who felt themselves obliged to keep the Law and those who did not (particularly Paul and his followers). It reflects a delicate, ecumenical way of fighting: you make your point but do not damn your opponents.
Verse 19: “teaches”: James 3:1 says “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness”. [NOAB]
Verse 20: “righteousness”: One’s acceptance of God’s requirements and one’s being accepted by God. See also Luke 18:10-14 (the Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector). [NOAB]
Verse 20: “the scribes and Pharisees” : They were the official teachers of the first century. [CAB]
Verses 21-22,27-28,31-32,33-34,38-39,43-44: “You have heard that it was said ... But I say”: This is a technique much like that used in rabbinic schools. [NJBC] Jesus speaks by his own authority. [CAB]
Verses 21,33:: “to those of ancient times”: i.e. to those who first heard the Law at Mount Sinai. [NJBC]
Verses 21-26: More basic than prevention of murder or punishing culprits are:
• avoidance of anger or insults towards others, and
• efforts to effect reconciliation. [CAB]
Verses 21-22: “judgement ... the council ... the hell of fire”: The punishments escalate:
• “the judgement”: a local Jewish court established in every town or city in accordance with Deuteronomy 16:18.
• “the council”: the Jerusalem Sanhedrin, composing 70 members
• “the hell of fire”: literally the Gehenna of fire, the place of God’s final punishment of the wicked. The image is of the Jerusalem garbage (rubbish) dump where fires were always burning [NOAB] [BlkMt]
Verse 21: “You shall not murder”: A quotation from the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17. [NJBC]
Verse 25: There is an escalation in the penalties: “the judge”, “the guard”, and “the prison”. [NJBC]
Verse 27: “You shall not commit adultery”: A quotation from the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy
Verses 29-30: The parallel is Mark 9:43-47. There is no parallel in Luke, perhaps because of the extremely exaggerated (Near Eastern) way in which they are expressed. Jesus calls for a radical reordering of priorities. [NJBC] Eyes and other bodily members are to be kept under strict self-control. [CAB]
Verses 31-32: “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce”: Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 24:1-4 in compressed form. This law governs the case where a man divorces his wife, she remarries, and her second husband divorces her or dies. It forbids the first husband to marry her again. This is the only law on divorce, so it was legal but it was unregulated. It does protect a wife to a degree: a husband could not simply tell her to go. The two principal rabbinical schools, those of Hillel and Shammai, differed regarding the gravity of misdemeanour that was sufficient for a man to divorce his wife. Wives could also divorce husbands. [TMJ] Jesus’ strict rules on adultery are explained more fully in Matthew 19:1-12. Jesus says that men are as responsible as women for marriage breakdown. This was not the case in Jewish law. [CAB]
Jesus does here permit divorce “on the ground of unchastity”, i.e. unlawful sexual behaviour. This exception is neither found in 19:9 nor in Mark 10:11 nor in Luke 16:18 nor in Paul’s epistles. [BlkMt] Paul writes about marriage and divorce in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16. Jesus’ intention was not to cause pain but to set out a clear and high ideal of human relations. [NJBC]
Verse 32: “adultery”: An adulterous woman could in principle be stoned to death per Leviticus 18:20; 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:20-21, but whether Jewish courts had this authority during the Roman occupation is unknown. [NJBC] [TMJ]
Verses 33-37: Rather than determine one’s responsibility to meet an obligation by deciding the sincerity and authority of one’s oath, it is essential that all one’s statements be reiable and unequivocal. [CAB]
Verse 33: Jesus summarizes Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 5:11; 23:21. The problem with oaths is that they introduce a double standard of truth and honesty. The use of solemn-sounding oaths instead of simple, truthful speech is a concession to a double standard. [BlkMt]
Verse 43: It is unfortunate that the NRSV (and other translations) include “and hate your enemy” within the quotation marks, for it is not in the Bible. [NJBC]
1 Cor 3:1 (NRSV) And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4For when one says, ‘I belong to Paul’, and another, ‘I belong to Apollos’, are you not merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
In Chapter 1, Paul says that he has learnt that there are divisions in the church at Corinth, that some adhere to particular leaders of the community rather than to Christ. The faith only makes sense to those who understand it spiritually, so he addresses them not as “spiritual people” (v. 1) but as neophytes (“infants”). He has been criticized for oversimplifying the good news, but their “jealousy and quarrelling” (v. 3) demonstrate that they are still only earthly minded, are still behaving according to human standards (“inclinations”).
It is natural to be attached to the person who welcomed you into the church, but you need to recognize that they are all “servants” (v. 5) of Christ. Each has a distinct function in bringing you to faith. Paul founded the church at Corinth (“planted”, v. 6); Apollos nurtured faith (“watered”) in the community; but it is God who causes spirituality and faith to grow. He and Apollos have the same objective (v. 8). Perhaps the rewards (“wages”) are in seeing the church grow; perhaps they are in heaven. Paul and Apollos are co-workers. In the following verses, Paul expands on the church as “God’s building” (v. 9).
Verse 9: “field ... building”: In stony Palestine, rocks from clearing fields were used to build walls.
h/t montreal anglican
GOSPEL: Matthew 5:21-37 (RCL)
Matthew 5:17-37 or 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37 (Roman Catholic)
Matt 5:17 (NRSV) ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
21You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
27 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” 28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 ‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” 32But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 ‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” 34But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Jesus has made clear that his mission is not to do away with (‘abolish”) the Old Testament; rather he fleshes out its meaning fully (“fulfill”, v. 17). He speaks particularly about Mosaic law; it will remain in force until he comes again at the end of time (v. 18). In v. 19, he seems to soften his tone: whether or not one keeps and teaches every one of the 613 laws, one will be admitted to the Kingdom. The scribes and Pharisees kept all the laws scrupulously. Now he explains how their adherence to the Law is insufficient.
Each of Jesus’ expansions of the Law begins with “[You have heard that] it was said” (vv. 21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43). He then quotes a law. “Ancient times” refers to the days of Moses. The Ten Commandments forbid the act of murder (v. 21). Jesus extends this law to include propensities to kill: nursing anger, calling someone good for nothing (as the Greek says) or a “fool” (v. 22). Vv. 23-24 say that reconciliation take priority even over worship, to a Jew the most sacred act. Vv. 25-26 may be a parable: the Kingdom of God is at hand; seek reconciliation “quickly” lest God, the judge, finds against you. Jesus offers forgiveness.
Vv. 27-28, give another example. Avoiding adultery is not enough; even for a man to “look at a woman with a lustful eye” (Revised English Bible) is unacceptable. God expects purity of thought and desire as well as of action. Vv. 29-30, which look extreme, they are meant figuratively, not literally. Jesus advises that one discard, promptly and decisively, anything in one’s life that tempts one to turn away from God.
Divorcing a wife was easy for a man in Palestine: in some circles, he could simply write her a “certificate of divorce” (v. 31) without cause. Jesus’ point here is that marriage is indissoluble, lifelong. He probably thinks of Genesis 2:24: in marriage, God makes man and wife “one flesh”. He makes one exception: “on the ground of unchastity” (v. 32). The Greek word means unlawful sexual behaviour, including adultery. He forbids remarriage because the first marriage still exists. This extension of the Law was not onerous for first-century Christians, for they expected the world to end soon, and they could live separately from their spouses. Then vv. 33-37: one swore an oath to guarantee that what one said on a particular occasion was the truth. We still do it in court appearances today. Isaiah 66:1 refers to “earth” (v. 35) as God’s “footstool”; “Jerusalem” is God’s city (“... of the great King”). They are part of his realm. To “swear by your head” (v. 36) is to swear by oneself. Jesus says one should always tell only the truth. When one does, there is no need for swearing[-in]. A truthful person is consistent in what he says. Inconsistency is a sign that one has turned against God (v. 37). Perhaps Jesus actually said something like James 5:12: “let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no”.
Verses 17-20: The relation of Jesus’ message to the Jewish law was a great concern for followers with a Jewish background. [NOAB]
Verse 17: “abolish ... fulfill”: In the background are two rabbinic expressions:
• one meaning to confirm or establish the law by putting it on a better base for interpretation , and
• another meaning to void, abolish, suspend, neglect, cancel a law.
Paul says in Romans 3:31: “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law”. Here in Matthew, Jesus replaces establish with fulfill, thus extending the question beyond the purely legal to his whole mission. [NJBC]
Verse 17: “the prophets”: In the Hebrew Scriptures, these comprise the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. Many Jews esteemed the prophets less than the Law; hence the word “or” here. [NOAB]
Verse 18: In Mark 13:31, Jesus says “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”. In Luke 16:17, he says “... it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped”. [NOAB] NJBC says that the Law still bound the Jewish Christian followers of Jesus.
Verse 19: “breaks”: Or sets aside. [NOAB] NJBC sees this verse as part of the argument between Christians who felt themselves obliged to keep the Law and those who did not (particularly Paul and his followers). It reflects a delicate, ecumenical way of fighting: you make your point but do not damn your opponents.
Verse 19: “teaches”: James 3:1 says “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness”. [NOAB]
Verse 20: “righteousness”: One’s acceptance of God’s requirements and one’s being accepted by God. See also Luke 18:10-14 (the Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector). [NOAB]
Verse 20: “the scribes and Pharisees” : They were the official teachers of the first century. [CAB]
Verses 21-22,27-28,31-32,33-34,38-39,43-44: “You have heard that it was said ... But I say”: This is a technique much like that used in rabbinic schools. [NJBC] Jesus speaks by his own authority. [CAB]
Verses 21,33:: “to those of ancient times”: i.e. to those who first heard the Law at Mount Sinai. [NJBC]
Verses 21-26: More basic than prevention of murder or punishing culprits are:
• avoidance of anger or insults towards others, and
• efforts to effect reconciliation. [CAB]
Verses 21-22: “judgement ... the council ... the hell of fire”: The punishments escalate:
• “the judgement”: a local Jewish court established in every town or city in accordance with Deuteronomy 16:18.
• “the council”: the Jerusalem Sanhedrin, composing 70 members
• “the hell of fire”: literally the Gehenna of fire, the place of God’s final punishment of the wicked. The image is of the Jerusalem garbage (rubbish) dump where fires were always burning [NOAB] [BlkMt]
Verse 21: “You shall not murder”: A quotation from the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17. [NJBC]
Verse 25: There is an escalation in the penalties: “the judge”, “the guard”, and “the prison”. [NJBC]
Verse 27: “You shall not commit adultery”: A quotation from the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy
Verses 29-30: The parallel is Mark 9:43-47. There is no parallel in Luke, perhaps because of the extremely exaggerated (Near Eastern) way in which they are expressed. Jesus calls for a radical reordering of priorities. [NJBC] Eyes and other bodily members are to be kept under strict self-control. [CAB]
Verses 31-32: “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce”: Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 24:1-4 in compressed form. This law governs the case where a man divorces his wife, she remarries, and her second husband divorces her or dies. It forbids the first husband to marry her again. This is the only law on divorce, so it was legal but it was unregulated. It does protect a wife to a degree: a husband could not simply tell her to go. The two principal rabbinical schools, those of Hillel and Shammai, differed regarding the gravity of misdemeanour that was sufficient for a man to divorce his wife. Wives could also divorce husbands. [TMJ] Jesus’ strict rules on adultery are explained more fully in Matthew 19:1-12. Jesus says that men are as responsible as women for marriage breakdown. This was not the case in Jewish law. [CAB]
Jesus does here permit divorce “on the ground of unchastity”, i.e. unlawful sexual behaviour. This exception is neither found in 19:9 nor in Mark 10:11 nor in Luke 16:18 nor in Paul’s epistles. [BlkMt] Paul writes about marriage and divorce in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16. Jesus’ intention was not to cause pain but to set out a clear and high ideal of human relations. [NJBC]
Verse 32: “adultery”: An adulterous woman could in principle be stoned to death per Leviticus 18:20; 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:20-21, but whether Jewish courts had this authority during the Roman occupation is unknown. [NJBC] [TMJ]
Verses 33-37: Rather than determine one’s responsibility to meet an obligation by deciding the sincerity and authority of one’s oath, it is essential that all one’s statements be reiable and unequivocal. [CAB]
Verse 33: Jesus summarizes Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 5:11; 23:21. The problem with oaths is that they introduce a double standard of truth and honesty. The use of solemn-sounding oaths instead of simple, truthful speech is a concession to a double standard. [BlkMt]
Verse 43: It is unfortunate that the NRSV (and other translations) include “and hate your enemy” within the quotation marks, for it is not in the Bible. [NJBC]
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