Today I want to look at verses 27-30, once again focusing on who Jesus was speaking to, and on the context of the entire message.
Matthew 5:27-30
(27)“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ (28)But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (29)If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. (30)And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
So if you have read the previous posts, you know that I believe that Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, was specifically trying to show His audience the path to restoring relationship with God as it was in the Garden of Eden before the fall. What I am seeing as I read through and meditate on this sermon, is that it is very different from how Jesus is sold today. Certainly it is not politically correct, nor is it seeker friendly to tell people to tear out their eyes and throw them away. Imagine if a preacher said that from the pulpit today! They would likely be fired by the end of the week, pending a slew of phone calls and a few emergency board meetings.
Was there temptation before the fall? There must have been at least some, because the serpent tempted Eve with his lies before she took of the fruit. (Genesis 3:1-7) Adam and Eve did not just fall for a lie, they knowingly ate in disobedience of God's command. (Genesis 3:3) So when did the fracture occur? When did they sin? Was sin only the physical act of disobedience, as many believe, or is there more to it? I believe that Jesus is showing us the there is more to it. The law says do not murder, but I say do not be angry without cause or throw out insults (previous post). The law says do not commit adultery, but I say do not look at a woman lustfully. (Vss 27-28) Jesus is making sin more that just the physical act, but the heart that leads to the act. So when people, whether it be the leaders in His time or leaders today, do things that while maybe not in technical violation of the law miss the heart of it, that is sin. When others do things that while maybe not in technical violation of the law miss the heart of it, that is sin. Perhaps the break did not occur until they partook of the fruit, but the fracture began when they were tempted, and started to think that maybe that fruit wasn't so bad after all, maybe I would like to have the knowledge it brings and be like God.
In this passage, Jesus gives some advice for avoiding sin, stay away from it. No matter how near and dear it might be to you, separation from God is worse. Even if something as beloved as your own hand causes you to sin, get rid of it. I do not take this literally (the part about the hand) , and hopefully that does not make me one who is changing the law to suit my own self, but I know that if my right hand is doing something sinful, and I cut it off and throw it away, my left hand will soon take over the task. I believe that Jesus is showing us that we may have to make sacrifices rather than alter the meaning of God's commands.
We love clichés. You hear them a lot. One that comes to mind, when dealing with material possessions is that we don't really have to surrender all, but just "hold on to the things of this world loosely." Makes me think of it in terms of, don't drop it, let God knock it out of your hands. But how hard does God have to knock it for you to let it go? Again, I don't have the answer to that question, it just makes me think. I want to be obedient. I have possessions. At what point might those possessions cost me eternity? That is a scary question. Jesus has a habit of asking scary questions. Thank goodness for the clichés that answer them.
Edited 2/6/2022
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