Love as the Basis of Righteousness

The portion of the Sermon on the mount that we have been considering (Matthew 5:17–48) argues that the righteousness of kingdom citizens must exceed that of the Pharisees (v. 20). What the reader must understand is that the Pharisees’ error was to keep the “tradition of the elders” as set forth in the Babylonian Talmud by which they ignored the Old Testament Scriptures. In Matthew 15, Jesus’ disciples were criticized for eating with unwashed hands, an issue of tradition, not Scripture (v. 2). Jesus responded by asking, “Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” (v. 3). They were withholding support of their aging parents by declaring their possessions corban—“dedicated to God as sacred treasury.” Whether they understood this or not, they were guilty of disobeying the fifth commandment (“Honor your father and your mother”). Isaiah warned of this error: “In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (v. 9; Isaiah 29:13).

The people of God are to love Him with all their being. Loving Him involves fearing Him by keeping His commandments (Deuteronomy 6:17; John 14:15, 21). Like the Pharisees of old, everyone, especially the religious, tend to adjust behavior to their own convenience, and in this way, they will alter the commandments to suit their preference. As Jesus revealed, the gate to salvation is narrow and the way is difficult; consequently, few find it (Matthew 7:14).

The instruction Jesus gave in the Sermon provides clear guidance for those who would follow Him. He began by teaching full reconciliation to one’s brother as necessary to acceptable worship through love (Matthew 5:21–26).

He followed by condemning the lustful heart (vv. 27–30). Loving God and one’s neighbor requires one to denounce self-love and the pursuit of fleshly gratification. This principle is followed up and expanded as it relates to marriage and fidelity to God’s principles over personal desires (vv. 31, 32).

Third, the Pharisees’ self-deception led them to justify their dishonesty by inventing ways to “swear” to the truth of their word when they knew otherwise. Jesus responded that all oaths were equally binding because all things come from God (vv. 23–37). We love others when we keep our word to them, even when it costs us to do so (Psalm 15:4).

The last two issues that Jesus addressed were retaliation (vv. 38–42) and loving one’s enemies (vv. 43–48). These issues clearly relate to love for others, as we will show. Jesus closes this section with a charge, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48). Perfect is a reference to the last stage of maturity, not one’s flawless moral state. If one is a child of God (v. 45), he will grow to love as God loves. On the other hand, the tendency of sinful humans is to justify and satisfy self. Love is selfless devotion to the needs and concerns of others. Jesus pressed the fact that righteousness must be the natural fruit of loving as God loves.

Keep Your Promises, Part Two

The law of Moses directed the people of God to fear God, serve only God, and swear by His name (Deuteronomy 6:13). The context of this directive was a warning not to forget the Lord by pursuing the gods of their neighbors. These sons of Abraham were chosen by the Lord to be His peculiar people (Deuteronomy 32:9). The act of swearing technically referred to pledging loyalty to the Lord and His declared purposes alone. “By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance’” (Isaiah 44:23; Romans 14:11).

Allegiance to the Lord was corrupted by the Pharisees. They focused only on how they would appear when their word was given to keep promises made. They understood that allegiances and promises must be kept because Moses warned: “If a man vows a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth” (Numbers 30:2). However, the Pharisees invented a scheme that would allow them to swear to something when they had no intention of following through. The law demanded, “You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God” (Leviticus 19:12). Thus, swearing by the Lord or His holy things obligated the swearer; however, swearing by other things would allow the swearer to excuse himself if he failed the obligation.

The truly righteous person recognizes that truth must characterize his whole being. For kingdom citizens walking in the light or truth, no oath should be necessary. Promises must be kept, even if foolishly or thoughtlessly given. A righteous man is one “who swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Psalm 15:4). He recognizes that not only must he fear the Lord but also must he reflect who the Lord is in all that he says or does, being a son of God. “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God” (1 John 3:10). “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil [or better, ‘the evil one’]” (Matthew 5:37).

The best intentions, however, do not always materialize for well-meaning but imperfect believers. How often do sincere Christians promise their whole life and service to God only to get distracted and sidetracked by worldly cares and personal pursuits. Believers must realize the biblical obligation that believing on Jesus demands full allegiance to the lordship of Christ. He must take first place, or He takes no place at all. Paul testified, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:8; Luke 14:26).

Keep Your Promises

     Keep in mind that this section of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:17–48) is the Lord’s correction of the Pharisees’ interpretation and application of the law (v. 20). Verse 33 introduces the use of oaths. Modern Christians usually find this section of little or no interest, not seriously examining Christ’s teaching here. Some commentators, seeking to identify the source and location of verse 33 in the OT, fail to understand that these are Christ’s own words explaining what the disciples heard (“you have heard”). The Pharisees erroneously interpreted the third commandment, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). After exposing the corrupt “righteousness” of scribes and Pharisees, He corrects with the righteousness (right living in conformity to God’s standards) required of citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

     The third commandment does not just govern the use of the divine Names as “cuss words.” Its main aim is warning those who swear by the Lord’s name. “It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear” (Deuteronomy 6:13). The oath is a solemn appeal to the divine Name. Taking that Name in vain refers to using the oath to assure another that one’s word was good when the swearer had no intention to keep it. Psalm 15 describes the character of those who “dwell” on the Lord’s holy hill. Verse 4 lauds the one “who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” The error of the so-called doctors of the law was their limitation of the prohibition to perjury. However, any frivolous use of the God’s holy and awesome Name in ordinary communication is forbidden and will be brought to judgment. 

     Certainly, perjury was strictly condemned in the law of Moses. The Pharisees held that there was no evil in an oath provided the oath taker did not perjure himself in matters of controversy or contention that could not be settled without it. This is very similar to the use of oath-swearing in courts of law. Sadly, the evil hearts of religious practitioners focused on only the personal benefit of their use of oaths. They invented means of swearing falsely by avoiding the use of the divine Name yet making it sound official. They would swear by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, the temple, or one’s own head, thinking that such did not bind them to fulfill the obligation to which they swore. They piously made promises they never intended to keep, believing themselves to be free of judgment.

     No one is exempt from truth-telling; thus, there really is no need for oaths at all. Kingdom citizens need say only “yes” or “no” to confirm the truth of their words. Believers keep their word and fulfill their obligations, don’t they? 

The Greater Marriage Truth, Part Five

Summarizing what has been considered regarding Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:31 and 32 and following up, the violation of the seventh commandment involves marriage only. Adultery is a violation of the marriage covenant, and sexual sins outside of marriage are labeled fornication (porneia; 1 Corinthians 7:2).

There are no technical or legal terms for ending a marriage in Scripture. The English Standard Version translates two Greek words for divorce eighteen times. The most used (fifteen times) is apoluo, from the preposition apo, a marker for separation or dislocation, and the verb luo, meaning, “to loose.” Apoluo is used in 68 times in the NT and means “to dismiss,” “let go,” or “to send away.” The other term (three times) is aphiemi, again from the preposition apo and the verb “to send,” an intense form of the verb “to go.” The closest thing to a legal term for divorce is apostasion, meaning “to leave or depart” and translated “certificate of divorcement” (Matthew 5:31; 19:7; Mark 10:4; Deuteronomy 24:1). The Pharisees read Deuteronomy 24:1–4 as a Mosaic command regulating divorce, but it only forbids a man from taking his wife back if she remarries.

The simple and clear truth regarding marriage is that it is a covenant establishing a family unit that is not to be broken for any reason. “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6). The error that many make regarding divorce is allowing for some kind of Scriptural justification, usually adultery or desertion. Scripture nowhere allows for such. When Jesus said, “Except for fornication,” He was defining a specific time in the Jewish marriage process. If a man discovered that his future betrothed wife had sex with another man before the marriage was consummated, he could break the betrothal with a bill of divorcement (Matthew 1;18–22). If a marriage is consummated and either party is unfaithful, the sin would be adultery, not fornication.

The fact is people do get divorced and that for many reasons. The Bible gives no clear instruction concerning divorce except in Deuteronomy 24, which forbids a remarriage under certain conditions. So, what does that mean for those who have divorced and married again? As there are many complications, so there are no pat answers. The remarried will have to live with the consequences of the divorce. Some are given the gift of celibacy; some cannot receive it (Matthew 19:10–12). Those who do remarry must seek to live to the glory of God in their new family.

Does divorce and remarriage disqualify a man from ministry? This is another difficult question depending on when and how the first marriage ended. Someone who vilely sinned against his first wife is not likely to be one whom God would call to pastoral ministry. Otherwise, has there been genuine repentance and true spiritual restoration? Since the man’s spiritual restoration, has he proved a disciplined and faithful follower of Jesus? Such a one may indeed serve Christ in leadership, and if there is a call of God, it will be clearly evident.