New Testament Notes 56-57

Last updated on: February 21, 2019 at 10:33 pm by Dan Peterson

New Testament Notes 56-57 2019-02-21T22:33:11-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Sea of Galilee, in northern Israel (Wikimedia Commons public domain)

Matthew 5:27-32

Compare Matthew 18:8-9; 19:9; Mark 9:43-48; 10:11-12; Luke 16:18

In my recently posted note on Matthew 5:17-20, I mentioned what I call “antinomian” readings of Christianity, which seem to suggest that it’s all and only about grace, and that good works have very little place in Christian discipleship. I commented that one would be hard pressed to defend such a reading from the four gospels, and particularly from the Sermon on the Mount.

Today’s reading selection certainly illustrates my point. Even lustful thoughts are to be avoided, whether they lead to adulterous actions or not.

The standard is extremely high. Between the law of Moses and the New Testament, it certainly hasn’t been lowered. Jesus’s vivid language about plucking out and throwing away your right hand if it leads you into sin, or dispensing with your eye, surely can’t be taken to suggest that Jesus views sin with benign indulgence or indifference. The Christianity taught by Christ himself is very demanding.

But I don’t mean to suggest that this text is merely a good weapon to deploy against others who may differ from us about faith and works. We who profess to follow Christ should be continually applying the test Christ describes in our own lives. Is there anything in our daily routine or among our possessions that distracts us from living as Christian disciples, that interferes with service in the Kingdom and to the Saints and others? If so, we should seriously consider getting rid of it.

C. S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce is a profound meditation on just this kind of discipleship, and I recommend it to all.

***

“Perry Mason” just wouldn’t have been the same without witnesses under oath.
(Wikimedia Commons public domain photo)

Matthew 5:33-37

Some Christian groups have, quite understandably, taken this passage to mean not merely that disciples of Jesus shouldn’t swear falsely but that they should never take oaths (e.g., of citizenship) at all.

But this seems to me mistaken, and quite impractical.

Why? Because our society runs on promises such as contracts, marriage covenants, and the like. We could not, and should not, function without them.

And God himself is said to have sworn an oath, at Hebrews 6:13, where we’re told that, having nobody greater to swear by, he swore by himself.

There’s a great deal more that ought to be said on this subject, but it seems to me that the burden of Christ’s counsel here might not be that we should never make promises, but that we not swear by things such as the heavens, the earth, the city of Jerusalem, or, even, our hair (an oath that I’ve seldom been tempted to take).

Uncategorized

Previous Post

February 20, 2019

New Testament Notes 54-55

Next Post

February 21, 2019 Of Apiculture and Keeping the Faith

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the teaching about honoring parents?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Disobey Leave home early Honor your father and mother Ignore advice