The Sermon Continues - Pt 7

 

[Jesus said] “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:5–8 ESV).

 

Our reading today see Jesus continue to deal with hypocrisy. In this instance He teaches the proper way to pray. Some context may be helpful. In Jesus’ day there were traditional garments worn as a sign of religious fervor. There were prayer shawls with fringe around the hem and sleeves that were pit on to indicate a posture of prayer. The self-righteous of Jesus’ day would done their prayer shawls in a way that the fringe was easily seen by others. Then he would stand in a public place, perhaps the synagogue or market and lift his hands loudly proclaiming his petition before the people gathered. Jesus says this is no more than hypocritical posturing.

 

The other reference to “many words” is a practice by some of the pagan religions. They fashioned metal tubes with engraving of prayers on them that were mounted on horizontal poles so they that could be spun with the hand of the petitioner. Of course, there was a “donation” expected for each revolution. Their belief was the more times the prayer wheel was spun, the more they were heard by their gods.

 

Today, we scoff at the absurdity of this practice. However, I wonder if we have really done any better than them with our public worship. The point of Jesus’ teaching is clear. Pray from a heart that is centered on God; worship from a place of humility and sincerity. It is not the outward appearance or posture that God honors. It is the inward state of our heart. We will see more of this in the coming days as we examine the Model Prayer of Jesus which Matthew records next. Today, determine to pray in a manner that is efficacious!

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 6

[Jesus said] “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. 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. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:1–4 ESV).

 

Jesus’ clarity in our reading today is obvious. This continuation of the Sermon on the Mount is a core teaching where Jesus warns against practicing righteousness—specifically giving to the needy—for public praise. Clearly Hia desire is that His followers practice charity in all of its forms; but, He teaches that charity should be done in secret, and God the Father, who sees in secret, will reward it. It is a call to genuine righteousness rather than vain behavior. John Calvin writes the following:

 

“For the same reason, all who are desirous of vain-glory are called hypocrites. Profane authors gave the name of ὑποκριταὶ, hypocrites, to those who personated assumed characters in plays and on the stage; and Scripture has applied this term to men who are double in heart and insincere. There are various kinds of hypocrites. Some, though conscious of being very wicked, impudently give themselves out for good men before the world, and endeavor to conceal their vices, of which they have an inward conviction. Others allow themselves to proceed to such a pitch of audacity, that they venture to claim even perfect righteousness before God. Others do good, not from a desire to do what is right, nor on account of the glory of God, but only to obtain for themselves fame and a reputation for holiness. This last mentioned class Christ now describes, and he properly calls them hypocrites: for, having no proper object in view in the performance of good works, they assume a different character, that they may appear to be holy and sincere worshippers of God.”

 

Jesus’ reference to “sound no trumpet” is somewhat unclear to the modern reader. However, it was very clear to the original audience. The drawing I’ve included gives you somewhat of an idea of the common practice of these self-righteous hypocrites as they walked into the synagogues and rolled their coins into the offering bowls. These bowls were often shaped like the horn of a trumpet, thus if you cast them into the collection bowl just right it would make quite a loud sound as metal against metal clanked as it fell to the bottom. Of course, in the quiet of the gathering, all heads would turn at the noise and see the pompous piety of these strutting peacocks who paraded their giving to receive the praise of men. We should be careful in our giving. It should be motivated from a heart of compassion and executed in humility.

  

The Sermon Continues - Pt 5

 

[Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 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. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matthew 5:43–47 ESV).

 

Our reading today contains a verse where Jesus addresses the traditional cultural and religious teachings of his time regarding relationships with others. In the first part of the verse, Jesus references a common interpretation of the law at the time. While the Hebrew Scriptures commanded to "love your neighbor" (cf. Leviticus 19:18), the addition of "hate your enemy" was a cultural and religious tradition that the religious leaders (ie.: the Pharisees) had adopted to justify drawing lines between insiders (their people) and outsiders (foreigners or those who opposed them). Sound familiar?

 

Jesus recalls the true intent of the command of God. Jesus completely flips this concept by instructing his followers: "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." He explains that showing love only to those who love you back is easy, but loving your enemies reflects the character of God, who generously provides sunlight and rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous alike.

 

Jesus certainly lived this principle in His life. There are countless examples of Him loving those who clearly hated Him. He prayed for them as well. You remember as they nailed Him to the cross, Luke recalls this for us:

 

“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. (Luke 23:33–34 ESV).

 

We cannot, we must not, make those who are vehemently opposed to us our hated enemies. We should treat them with the love and wisdom of God.

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 4

 

[Jesus said] “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.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:33–37 ESV).

 

Have you ever made a “pinky swear”? It may be that you are not aware of the origins of this innocent promise. It traces back to Japan during the Edo Period (1600–1803), the act translates to "finger cut-off". When a serious vow was made—famously linked to courtesans, geishas, and the yakuza mafia—breaking the promise required the offender to physically amputate their own pinky finger as the ultimate penalty for betrayal. Over time, the physical self-mutilation became entirely symbolic. The linked fingers were accompanied by a binding Japanese chant, yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu, which translates to: "Pinky swear, whoever lies will be made to swallow a thousand needles". It later was popularized in America during the 19^th century and approximates “cross my heart and hope to die.”

 

In our reading today, Jesus challenges us to abandon deceptive language and manipulative oaths. He calls His followers to such profound integrity that a simple "Yes" or "No" is enough. Absolute honesty should be the unmistakable hallmark of every believer.

 

The context is important to understand. In the ancient world—and within Jewish tradition—people would swear oaths by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even their own heads to make their promises sound more credible. Often, they used these varying degrees of oaths to create loopholes. The underlying logic was that an oath sworn by God was strictly binding, while an oath sworn by the earth or the temple was less serious and could be broken with less guilt.

 

Jesus completely dismantles these religious loopholes. He points out that all creation belongs to God—heaven is His throne, and the earth is His footstool. Even your own head is under God's control, as you cannot change a single hair to white or black. Therefore, there is no such thing as an "unbound" promise. Every commitment you make is made in the presence of God. Therefore there is simply a single standard of truth. And Jesus summarizes this with a command: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil".

 

The "Yes" and "No": Your personal integrity should be so reliable that you never need to swear on anything to prove you are telling the truth. When you give your word, you follow through. Jesus warns that adding elaborate oaths to convince people actually reveals a hidden motive or a history of dishonesty. Exaggerations, half-truths, and over-promising ultimately stem from the "Evil One," who is known as the father of lies.

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 3

 

[Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 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. 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).

 

Our reading today continues Jesus’ sermon which He delivered on the hillside above the Sea of Galilee.  It is a passage where Jesus elevates the traditional commandment against adultery (cf. Exodus 20:14). The word He uses here is only found in two other passages of the New Testament. It is μοιχεύσεις (moicheuseis). In the Greco-Roman world, extramarital relations were common and often tolerated for men, yet the Old Testament consistently condemned them (cf. Proverbs 6:32). By employing the same verb in the Septuagint, the New Testament writers tied first-century believers back to Israel’s covenant ethic, distinguishing the church from surrounding cultures. By redefining adultery as a matter of the heart, Jesus raises the bar of righteousness, driving His hearers toward dependence on God’s grace and the regenerating work of the Spirit.

 

Jesus accomplishes this by shifting the focus from purely physical actions to the condition of the heart. He emphasizes that harboring lustful thoughts is just as spiritually corrupting as the physical act of adultery. The instructions to gouge out an eye or cut off a hand are hyperbole. Rather than advocating for self-mutilation, Jesus uses vivid language to illustrate the absolute necessity of taking drastic, uncompromising measures to avoid temptations and remove anything that leads you into sin.

 

It should be noted in this use of the hyperbole that the eye and hand symbolize things that are highly valued or ingrained habits (like certain technologies, relationships, or activities) that cause one to stumble. By setting a perfect, demanding standard, Jesus highlights humanity's inability to achieve righteousness on their own, thereby pointing to their need for God's grace. Our dependency on that grace of God must be the overcoming factor in the daily onslaught of sexual temptation. Again, Jesus is giving us the simple answer, not the easy one. Be careful with your eyes!

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 2

 

[Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:21–26 ESV).

 

Our reading today takes us to a common need among all of us. Jesus teaches about anger and reconciliation. While the law condemns those who murder, Jesus says in a kingdom community such a low bar inadequate. The kingdom can only take root in communities where people practice reconciliation. Hate and anger are like a virus that grows and poisons a community. If we are going to experience God’s kingdom we must not allow it to take root. God’s desire is for us to experience joy, peace, love and belonging. But unresolved conflict makes that impossible in a community. Instead, God desires that his people live in harmony with each other. To safeguard the community, believers need to practice reconciliation as a way of life. As we learn to deal with small conflicts immediately, larger conflicts can be avoided. While conflicts are unavoidable, anger and reconciliation must go together.

 

There are some practical principles in this part of His sermon. Jesus redefines God's law to show that sin begins in the heart, not just in physical actions. He equates unrighteous anger and insults to murder, emphasizing that God values human dignity and requires believers to aggressively pursue reconciliation.

 

People were taught "do not murder" and that physical violence is what makes someone guilty before God. However, Jesus explains that harboring malicious anger or using demeaning language toward someone is a violation of this command. Using insults (like calling someone a "fool") devalues them as an image-bearer of God, making your heart guilty of the same root attitude that leads to murder.

 

Jesus also teaches that unresolved conflict is a barrier to fellowship with God. If you are about to offer a gift to God and remember that someone has an issue with you, you must stop, leave your offering, and make peace first. Of course, He is not saying that reconciliation is an easy matter. I often remind people that much of the teachings of Jesus are simple, but they are often not easy. He is emphasizing that loving God and loving people are inseparable. We cannot have a right relationship with God while harboring resentment or ignoring a fracture in human relationships.

 

Notice how Jesus uses this as a warning. We should give priority to dealing with our relational debts and hostilities. Waiting or allowing bitterness to build only leads to a worse outcome, ultimately standing before God's ultimate judgment.

 

 

The Sermon Continues - Pt 1

[Jesus said] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes 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. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17–20 ESV).

 

While we have finished the section called “the Beatitudes,” the “sermon” of Jesus continues. We often refer to these three chapters in Matthew’s Gospel as the “Sermon on the Mount.” For the next few days I hope to do a deeper dive into the entirety of this pivotal message Jesus has for all believers. It is a very strong statement about the continuing validity of the Old Testament law.

 

Even with a brief look at this teaching we cannot escape the great difficulty they have presented to many Christian interpreters. Some have felt that they are in contradiction to Jesus’ more liberal attitude to the law attested in Mark’s Gospel (and elsewhere); others have wondered how they can possibly be reconciled with the teaching of Paul, the writer to the Hebrews and others, who suggest that the Christian is at least in some senses freed from the law. However, what is nearly universally accepted is the fact that Jesus rejects the charge that he is a law-breaker who is lowering standards by asserting his endorsement of the Old Testament and by claiming that his standards are actually higher, not lower, than those of the supposedly pious defenders of the law, the scribes and Pharisees.

 

And, that become an introduction to the remainder of His “sermon.” In fact, Jesus will go on to teach that the Scriptures remain eternally valid, and it should challenge us to pursue a deeper, internal righteousness that goes far beyond just outward rule-keeping. This was at the heart of His conflict with the religious leaders of His day. It remains the same with the modern pharisee.

 

The key for us today is to recognize that our outward practice means little if it is not a result of the inward spiritual change brought to us by the work of the Holy Spirit.