Holiness in Action
Series: Called - Part 5
Matthew 5:21-48
You have heard that it was said to those who lived long ago, Don’t commit murder, and all who commit murder will be in danger of judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with their brother or sister will be in danger of judgment.
Matthew 5:21 (CEB)
Listen to this week’s sermon here:
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“The Bible clearly says…”
No, not really.
We hear and even say such authoritative and absolute statements about scripture all the time, but if we’re really honest, our certainty is not in what the Bible actually says or means, but in the particular interpretation of particular scriptures we have been taught most of our lives. It would not take long talking with people from different backgrounds or different denominations to realize that people interpret scripture in very different ways. If the Bible was so absolutely clear we wouldn’t be arguing about infant vs. adult baptisms or whether women can preach or even whether God actually created everything in 6 literal 24 hour days only 6,000 years ago despite the overwhelming scientific evidence for a much older earth.
The point is not to fight to the death about who is right or wrong on any given scripture, but rather to understand scripture on it’s own terms and not demanding that it answer modern questions that the Biblical writers never even thought about.
This week we find Jesus himself reframing or perhaps even “re-interpreting” several core scriptures that people thought were absolutely clear, including a few of the ten commandments themselves like murder and adultery. When we think of “right” interpretations, these verses are about as clear as it gets, or is it?
You have heard it said, do not murder, but I say do not be angry… You have heard, do not commit adultery, but I say do not lust…
The list goes on, but Jesus is making a point about how we are to interpret scripture. It’s not enough to stick to the letter of the law. It’s about the heart. We can obey all the commands, follow all the right worship practices and sacrifices, celebrate all the right festivals and do everything exactly as the Bible says and still completely miss the point.
Underneath of Jesus’ re-interpretation of scripture is a question of the heart, a question of motive, a question of relationships, and a question of love. What good does it do that you chose not to kill someone if you treat them as if you wish they were dead? What good does it do not to cheat on your spouse when you’re constantly thinking about being with someone else? What good is it to honor an oath when you can simply avoid making an oath and get away with lying or breaking informal promises all you want? How can we truly understand the unconditional love of God when we are always seeking revenge against those who hurt us?
Maybe the point of scripture then, is not to give us a checklist of do’s and don’ts to keep us out of trouble with God, but rather a guide for cultivating loving, grace-filled, thriving communities of people who bear the image of God while honoring and celebrating the image of God in one another.
What if we interpret scripture through the lens of loving God and loving others instead of using scripture to excuse the many ways we choose not to love?