His Word Today

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

² “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (Matthew 6:1–2 ESV)

Jesus began this second major division in His Sermon on the Mount with a warning to His disciples. What was Jesus warning His disciples to not practice? It was the sin of religious hypocrisy. It was a continually practiced by the Pharisees; in their giving to the needy (vv. 2-4), prayer (vv. 5-15), and fasting (vv. 16-18).

Giving to the poor and needy continues to the present day. The word needy (ἐλεημοσύνη; eleemosyne) means charitable giving. It is an act of mercy to those in physical need (Acts 3:1-2). Such giving, especially during the holiday season near the end of the year, can take many forms. It may be through Thanksgiving Baskets, community Christmas Bureaus, rescue missions and other benevolent organizations. Most importantly, it may be through individual acts of kindness. These personal acts of mercy may, and can, occur throughout the year.

Jesus cautioned that such acts of kindness should never be done with the intention of being seen and recognized. Rather, they are to be done discreetly and quietly. Jesus called people hypocrites who serve for recognition. A hypocrite (ὑποκριτής; hypokrites) was the word for the Greek actor. It was an individual who pretended to be someone they were not. This was a duplicitous, insincere person (Matt. 6:2; 7:5; 15:7; 23:13; Mark 7:6; Luke 12:56; 13:15). While praised on the stage, in real life such an individual is condemned. They evidence their unregenerate condition.

“Perhaps no one sets out to be a hypocrite. Thy hypocrite may start well, doing good innocently. Later, he thinks, it would be good if others knew what I do. My example might inspire them. Finally, he takes steps to insure that others see and praise his piety. We trade the goal of pleasing the Father for the goal of pleasing men,” explains commentator Daniel M. Doriani.

“If we perform for man’s praise, we will receive it. In conversations, we may find ways to tell stories about our work in the soup kitchen; if we are intent on it. The audience may be impressed and may praise us, but that will be then end of the praise. The Father will not honor us in the next life, for we offered our good deeds to humans and not to Him. But if we act righteously in secret, for the audience of One, He will see and reward us. So let us avoid displays of holiness.”

Have a blessed day as you serve for the audience of One.

Soli deo Gloria!    

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1 ESV)

Continuing His Sermon on the Mount in today’s text, Jesus continued to address the subject of His disciples’ righteousness. How were followers of Jesus Christ to righteously live? Jesus began with a warning.

Jesus began this warning with one word; “Beware!” Beware (προσέχω; prosecho) is a present, active imperative verb. It is an active command from God to His followers. The word means to take care, to pay attention, and consider carefully. In other words, it means to be on the lookout.

What sin was Jesus warning His disciples to not practice? It was the sin of religious hypocrisy. It was a continual sin practiced by the Pharisees; in their giving to the poor (vv. 2-4), prayer (vv. 5-15), and fasting (vv. 16-18).

Jesus warned His disciples to not practice their righteousness before other people. To practice (ποιέω; poieo) means to carry it out and conduct it. It is a lifestyle. What Jesus does not want His disciples to do was/is to do works of righteousness before others in order to gain their admiration and praise. Perhaps you have done this. I am ashamed to say that I have. It can become a besetting sin.

If we do our works of righteousness to be seen by other people for their admiration and praise, then we shall receive no admiration or praise from our heavenly Father. The reason is because we have chosen to receive the praise of men rather than the praise from God. How ironic that believers in Christ opt for a temporal reward and forsake an eternal reward.

Are you tempted and enticed by the praise of others? If so, how so? Do you want to serve the Lord, as long as serving involves and results in public praise and recognition? Jesus issued a stern warning against such an attitude and behavior.

“Christ’s teaching is profoundly counter-cultural on many occasions, not in the sense that He calls us to despise all state authorities, but in the sense that His instruction goes completely against the natural, sinful inclinations of mankind,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“The Lord’s Sermon on the Mount has thus far emphasized our need to serve God with whole-hearted devotion. Only those who are committed to Jesus in heart, soul, and mind can live the life depicted in this sermon, from enduring persecution for righteousness’ sake (5:10) to being so focused on our Creator that we care not if others ever notice our fervent piety (6:1–18).”  

May we resolve to serve the Lord; even if no one notices our service but the Lord. Have a blessed day.

Soli deo Gloria!  

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43–48 ESV)

Today’s text is the final installment of Jesus’ “You have heard that it was said, but I say to you…” statements. Today’s text pertains to believers in Christ fulfilling the second greatest commandment; loving one’s neighbor as oneself. How appropriate that this is our text for February 14; Valentine’s Day.

Jesus confronted the familiar Pharisaical teaching of loving a neighbor but hating an enemy. The first half of this statement is found in Lev. 19:18. However, the second half is not found in the biblical text but rather was an interpretation and application by the Jewish scribes and Pharisees. It remains a popular perspective to this day.

Believers in Christ find it relatively easy to love someone who loves them. But what about those who hate you, and who in response you hate? How are Christians to treat these people? How are Christians to behave?

Jesus taught that God the Father’s love extends even to His enemies. This is the implicit teaching of John 3:16. When Jesus referred to the world, He was talking about an ant-God and hateful system of thought and behavior. God did not send His Son to the world because it was filled with nice people worthy of salvation. Rather, Jesus came to save those who hated and despised Him (Isaiah 53:1-12).

God’s love for a sinful, fallen world extends to practical blessings that He indiscriminately gives to the converted and unconverted. This is known as God’s common grace.

Jesus also stated that even pagans treat people they like with loving affection. For believers in Christ to do the same is not that significant. However, to love someone you do not like, and who does not like you, is a testimony of God’s loving character.  

What did Jesus mean when He stated, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Perfect (τέλειος; teleios) means genuine, complete and mature. It means to be mature in one’s behavior. However, it also means to be sinlessly genuine, complete and mature. This could only accomplished by Jesus Christ.

“Christ sets an unattainable standard. This sums up what the law itself demanded (James 2:10). Though this standard is impossible to meet, God could not lower it without compromising his own perfection. He who is perfect could not set an imperfect standard of righteousness. The marvelous truth of the gospel is that Christ has met this standard on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21),” states Dr. John MacArthur.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43–48 ESV)

Today’s text is the final installment of Jesus’ “You have heard that it was said, but I say to you…” statements. Today’s text pertains to believers in Christ fulfilling the second greatest commandment; loving one’s neighbor as oneself.

Jesus confronted the familiar Pharisaical teaching of loving a neighbor but hating an enemy. The first half of this statement is found in Lev. 19:18. However, the second half is not found in the biblical text but rather was an interpretation and application by the Jewish scribes and Pharisees. It remains a popular perspective to this day.

Believers in Christ find it relatively easy to love someone who loves them. But what about those who hate you, and who in response you hate? How are Christians to treat these people? How are Christians to behave?

Jesus said that His disciples were to love their enemies. Love (ἀγαπάω; agapao) means to actively have affection and loving concern for other people. To hate (μισέω; miseo) means to actively detest and to be loveless towards another. Jesus said that believers are to love and not hate. Additionally, Jesus’ disciples are to pray for those who persecute them. To persecute (διώκω; dioko) refers to an active harassment and oppression.  

“Jesus’ application resulted in a much higher standard: love for one’s neighbors should extend even to those neighbors who are enemies (Matt. 5:44). Again, this was no innovation, since even the OT taught that God’s people should do good to their enemies (Prov. 25:21),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

By following this ethical command, Jesus’ disciples show their allegiance to Him. It is one thing to follow Jesus when you engage with people who love you. It is quite another when you encounter people who hate, mock and lie about you (Matt. 5:10-12).

“The OT never says that anyone should hate his or her enemy. This shows that, in his “you have heard” statements (vv. 21, 27, 33, 38, 43), Jesus is correcting not the OT itself but only misinterpretations of the OT. God’s hatred of evil was a central theme in the OT (e.g., Ps. 5:4–5). Consequently, those who embodied evil were understood to be God’s enemies, and it was natural to hate them (cf. Ps. 26:4–5; 139:21–22), but such hatred is never commanded by God,” concludes one commentator.

May we all be loving disciples of our Lord today. Have a blessed one.

Soli deo Gloria!

³⁸“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” Matthew 5:38–42 ESV

• “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “Revenge and retaliation always perpetuate the cycle of anger, fear and violence.” Coretta Scott King
• “Without forgiveness life is governed by… an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.” Roberto Assagioli
• “I don’t get mad, I get even.” Patricia Briggs.

Jesus’ statements in today’s text are not only controversial, they are also misunderstood. Responses may range from total passivism in life to total rejection of biblical truth. “There are few commands in the Bible that clash more with our natural inclination to protect our person and our honor than the commands found in Matthew 5:38-42,” explains commentator Daniel M. Doriani.

How should this text be understood and applied? Let us break the text down sentence by sentence. By studying the particulars, we can arrive at an understanding of the whole.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” The Mosaic Law did establish a principle of a governmental, but limited, retribution for committed crimes (Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 9:21). God designed the punishment to fit the crime.

“The Old Testament did not permit personal vengeance; David, a great warrior, recognized this principle (1 Sam 25:33; 26:10–11),” explains commentator Craig Keener. Therefore, the law was not a validation for personal retaliation. Therefore, Jesus was not altering the law, but rather explained and affirmed its true meaning.

“But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” What did this statement mean in Jesus’ day? Turn the other cheek.

“The blow on the right cheek was the most grievous insult possible in the ancient world (apart from inflicting serious physical harm), and in many cultures was listed alongside the “eye for an eye” laws; both Jewish and Roman law permitted prosecution for this offense. A prophet might endure such ill treatment (1 Kings 22:24; Isaiah 50:6),” states Keener.

“And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” What did Jesus mean? Go the extra mile.

“The poorest people of the Empire (e.g., most peasants in Egypt) had only an inner and outer garment, and the theft of a cloak would lead to legal recourse. Although conditions in first-century Palestine were not quite that bad, this verse could indicate divestiture of all one’s possessions, even (hyperbolically) one’s clothes, to avoid a legal dispute affecting only oneself. Jesus gives this advice in spite of the fact that, under Jewish law, a legal case to regain one’s cloak would have been foolproof: a creditor could not take a poor person’s outer cloak, which might serve as one’s only blanket at night as well as a coat (Ex 22:26–27),” Keener explains.

“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” Give to the one who asks.

“Beggars were widespread. The Bible stressed giving to those in need (Deut. 15:11; Ps. 112:5, 9; Prov. 21:13). God would take care of the needs of those who helped the poor (Deut. 15:10; Prov. 19:17; 22:9; 28:8). Biblical laws against usury and especially about lending to the poor before the year of release (Deut. 15:9; every seventh year debts were to be forgiven; cf. Lev. 25) support Jesus’ principle here, but Jesus goes even farther in emphasizing unselfish giving (especially Luke 6:35),” concludes Keener.

“Jesus pointed out, however, that while the rights of the innocent were protected by the Law, the righteous need not necessarily claim their rights. A righteous man would be characterized by humility and selflessness. Instead he might go “the extra mile” to maintain peace. When wronged by being struck on a cheek, or sued for his tunic (undergarment; a cloak was the outer garment), or forced to travel with someone a mile, he would not strike back, demand repayment, or refuse to comply. Instead of retaliating he would do the opposite, and would also commit his case to the Lord who will one day set all things in order (cf. Rom. 12:17–21). This was seen to its greatest extent in the life of the Lord Jesus Himself, as Peter explained (1 Peter 2:23),” states commentator Dr. John Walvoord.

The values of the Lord become the values of His disciples. The values of the King become the values of the kingdom. May we choose to live in light of these values.

Soli deo Gloria!

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:33–37 ESV)

An oath (ὅρκος; horkos) means to affirm a truth by calling upon a greater being. An oath is also a solemn vow to fulfill a promise or a pledge. It is associated with the verb sworn (ἀποδίδωμι; apodidomi) meaning to fulfill. This is an active verb referring to paying back someone because of an obligation.

Jesus stressed the importance of not making a false oath. He cautioned His disciples that they should not make flippant oaths or pledges in common, every day conversation. God didn’t; we shouldn’t.

What Jesus meant was that people should be true to their word. Believers in Christ should mean what they say and say what they mean. They are to be good at their word. No more; no less. God is in control. Even the color of our hair is under His divine prerogative. All promises and pledges we make should acknowledge the sovereign will of God.

“An oath involved invoking God’s name, or substitutes for it, to guarantee the truth of one’s statements (cf. Num. 30:2). Jesus’ disciples are not to swear at all. Instead, their character should be of such integrity that their words can be believed without an oath,” explains one commentator.

“What Christ is forbidding here is the flippant, profane, or careless use of oaths in everyday speech. In that culture, such oaths were often employed for deceptive purposes. To make the person being victimized believe the truth was being told, the Jews would swear by “heaven,” “earth,” “Jerusalem,” or their own “heads” (Matt. 5:34–36), not by God, hoping to avoid divine judgment for their lie. But it all was in God’s creation, so it drew him in and produced guilt before him, exactly as if the oath were made in his name. Jesus suggested that all our speech should be as if we were under an oath to tell the truth (v. 37),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

“One of the problems that we face in our culture today that has become a very serious issue is the breakdown of our whole system of contracts and covenants that are based upon solemn promises, on sacred vows and holy oaths. God takes promises and oaths and vows very seriously. But we live in a culture today that just seems to play loosely with promises. We’ve seen the disintegration of the institution of marriage, where there’s a willy-nilly violation of vows that take place all the time,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Now, the Bible cautions us to be very careful about taking vows and oaths, and entering into solemn pacts and agreements. For this reason, as the Bible tells us, it is better never to vow than to vow and not pay. Because if I don’t take my vow seriously and you don’t take your vow seriously, God does take it seriously.”

Soli deo Gloria! 

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:33–37 ESV)

“In our day it is hard to find people who take their oaths and vows seriously. Perjury, a high divorce rate, and violations of contractual obligations all testify that when vows are made they are too easily broken,” explains one commentator. “All Scripture affirms the propriety of lawful oaths and vows.”

An oath (ὅρκος; horkos) means to affirm a truth by calling upon a greater being. An oath is also a solemn vow to fulfill a promise or a pledge. It is associated with the verb sworn (ἀποδίδωμι; apodidomi) meaning to fulfill. This is an active verb referring to paying back someone because of an obligation.

“An oath was taken to confirm an agreement or, in a political situation, to confirm a treaty. Both in Israel and among its neighbors, God (or the gods) would act as the guarantor(s) of the agreement and his name (or their names) was invoked for this purpose,” explains the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.

“When Jacob and Laban made an agreement, they erected a heap of stones as a witness (Gen. 31:53). If either party transgressed the terms, it was a heinous sin. For this reason one of the Ten Commandments dealt with empty affirmations: “Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name” (Ex 20:7, nlt).”

“The people of Israel were forbidden to swear their oaths by false gods (Jer. 12:16; Amos 8:14). To breach an international treaty, where the oath was taken in the Lord’s name, merited death (Ezek. 17:16–21). It was one of the complaints of Hosea that the people of his day swore falsely when they made a covenant (Hos. 10:4). Judgment would attend such wanton disregard of the solemnity of an oath. Certain civil situations in Israel called for an oath (Ex. 22:10–11; Lev. 5:1; 6:3; Nm 5:11–28). This practice provided a pattern for the Israelite covenantal oath of allegiance between God and his people.”

Jesus stressed the importance of not making a false oath. He cautioned His disciples that they should not make flippant oaths or pledges in common, every day conversation. God didn’t; they shouldn’t.

What Jesus meant was that people should be true to their word. Believers in Christ should mean what they say and say what they mean. They are to be good at their word. No more; no less.

Today’s text illustrates that God is in control. Even the color of our hair is under His divine prerogative. All promises and pledges we make should acknowledge the sovereign will of God.

Soli deo Gloria!  

³¹ “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31–32 (ESV)

As with His prior two examples, Jesus addressed an issue in direct confrontation to the religious teachings of the Pharisees. The subject was divorce. It is a topic the New Testament pays particular attention (Matt. 19:7-9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; Rom. 7:1-3; I Cor. 7:10-11).

In the ancient world, a certificate of divorce gave a woman the right to remarry and reflected that divorce and remarriage were widely accepted and practiced in the first century world. This was in addition to all sorts of sexual immorality.

“Jesus did not accept the practice of easy divorce represented in v. 31. Because divorce was widespread in ancient times, God had instituted a regulation through Moses that was intended to uphold the sanctity of marriage and to protect women from being divorced for no reason. (Deut. 24:1–4; Matt. 19:8.) Here and in 19:3–9, Jesus based his teaching on God’s original intention that marriage should be a permanent union of a man and woman as “one flesh” (Mark 10:8). Divorce breaks that union,” explains one commentator.

The phrase sexual immorality (Gk. porneia) can refer not only to adultery (Jer. 3:9), but also to prostitution (Nah. 3:4; 1 Cor. 6:13, 18), incest (1 Cor. 5:1), or fornication (Gen. 38:24; John 8:41). Scripture prohibits any kind of sexual intercourse outside of marriage. This includes the practice of homosexuality and bestiality.

Jesus then commented on the consequences of disobedience to God’s Word in this particular context. An unbiblical divorce resulted in sexual immorality if the individual(s) in question choose to marry someone else. By making this declaration, Jesus revealed not only the seriousness of divorce, but also marriage.

“Even though some female Jewish divorcees would have gone back to live with their parents in shame, many would have sought to remarry (which seems to be the typical situation that Jesus is addressing here). Jesus is thus indicating that such second marriages begin with committing adultery, since the divorce would not have been valid in God’s eyes. But Jesus places primary blame on the husband who has wrongly divorced his wife, by stating that he (the husband) “makes her commit adultery,” continues one commentator.   

How many individuals who have married, divorced, and married another individual do you know? I have known several. Among believers in Christ, the divorce rate is not as high as frequently reported. In fact, only 30%, approximately one out of three, of Christian marriages end in divorce. However, if believers in Christ truly believe the Bible is the Word of God, then even 30% is too high.

Soli deo Gloria!

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.” (Matthew 5:27–30 ESV)

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus continued to quote from the Old Testament (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:14). He amplified the extent of obedience God required. In today’s text, we continue to examine Jesus’ statements on the subject of adultery.

How may the believer in Christ combat the temptation of lust of the flesh in general, and adultery in particular? One pastor shares the following story illustrating the importance of killing one’s sin.

“On May 1, 2003, Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven year old backpacker, did something unthinkable in order to save his life. After being pinned for five days by an eight-hundred pound boulder in a remote Utah canyon, he took his dull pocketknife and cut off his right arm to free himself.” 

“He had tried chipping away at the rock at first, but it would not budge. Finally, he realized that he had only two choices. Either he must cut off his arm, or he would die. On the fifth day, hungry and dehydrated, he sawed through his flesh just below the elbow in order to free himself. He walked out of that canyon without his right arm, but with his life.”

“This is the exact picture that Jesus gives us when telling us how to deal with sin that remains in our lives. Jesus is not speaking literally. If you steal with your right hand, then simply amputating it will not cure you of thievery. You could continue stealing with your left hand. And if you remove your right eye because it has been an instrument of lusting, you still have your left eye that can be used for the same purpose.”

“Our Lord’s words are intended to shock us into recognition of the seriousness with which we must deal with the sin that remains in our lives as believers. We must treat it ruthlessly. We must be willing to give up even good things (analogous to eyes and arms) in our effort to put sin to death.”

Puritan theologian John Owen wrote, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you,” Owen’s understood that these are the only two options available to the believer in Christ in dealing with their sin.

Believers must not take sin lightly. We must deal with our sin ruthlessly. Pastor Sinclair Ferguson wisely notes that all mortification of personal sin will include the pain of the kill.

One of the major ways believers in Christ can mortify their sin is by separating themselves from situations, and even from people, who may be, even inadvertently, sources of temptation. We must guard our heart by what we say, what we hear, where we go and what we do when arrive at our destination.  

Remember, take your sin seriously. May the Lord give each of us a spirit of repentance and faith in living for Him.

Soli deo Gloria!