OATHS AND VOWS

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33 ``Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, `YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' 34 ``But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36 ``Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 ``But let your statement be, `Yes, yes' or `No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.

Here is another misapplication of their religious teachings and practices-making oaths or vows they did not intend to keep. They made many vows (promises), but found ways to get around them. This was not in legal situations, but in ordinary conversation.

Jesus is referring to: 1-Swearing that something is true when one knows it is false. 2-Failing to do what one has promised under oath.

In the Old Testament, if you would swear something and bring God's name into it, it better be the truth and you better do what you said-fulfill your vow. The Pharisaical practice was to trick people (usually the outsiders) by swearing to do something or that something was true "by heaven" or "by God's creation (earth)" or "by Jerusalem." The trick might be to swear "by the Holy Temple" that you will do this or that. But, among the Pharisees they knew that you had to swear "by the gold in the Holy Temple", then it was binding. They were caught up in getting around doing what they said they would do by the technical use of terms. They also felt that God, Himself, was not involved in these transactions and therefore they were not binding.

Jesus had 4 things to counter this action: FIRST--God cannot be separated from life's transactions. Heaven is God's throne, earth is God's footstool and Jerusalem is the Messiah's Capitol.

SECOND--Don't make vows you don't intend to keep.

THIRD--Don't make vows that depend upon your control as if you are in control. God is still in ultimate control--"if God wills".

FOURTH--Fulfill your vows to the Lord by being clear with your words-yes means yes and no means no.

This is not applicable in a court of law. Jesus responded to an oath in that situation. Here are some practical applications:

1. Always speak the truth and you won't need to hedge with some sort of oath. I think it's funny when a person prefaces a statement with "I'm going to tell you the truth!" What was he saying prior to this? Lies? 2. When you make an oath, keep it. 3. Do not make someone else responsible for your statements.

God is still on His throne, talk like it!

ADULTERY AND DIVORCE

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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 lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 ``If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than, for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 ``If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

31 ``It was said, `WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE'; 32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

In the same way that an angry heart is murdering someone, so is lusting after someone in your heart is adultery.

NOTE they were used to "Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce." Divorce was allowed by Moses in the Law as an accommodation to the failure of a marriage. The reasons were as loose as they are today-even for being obnoxious! The religious of the day were basically concerned about doing their paperwork and then they could move ahead with divorce.

Jesus is teaching 4 things here: Lust in your heart for another is committing adultery. According to Jesus, if you have ever lusted after another, then you are an adulterer. Note that this has nothing to do with a physical or emotional affair. This is a matter of the heart! We tend to draw the line as good Pharisaical believers at "having sex" with another. But Jesus erases all lines and calls the lust in your heart adultery. So, are you an adulterer? Sadly, I am. I don't know of anyone with a pulse who isn't!

When you divorce your mate, you force him/her into an adulterous situation. When a person's 1 + 1 = 1 relationship is broken, then the adulterous play is set in motion.

Your marriage is a serious commitment and therefore divorce is a serious offense. God hates divorce. He hates it, because it brings destruction and distortion to the individuals and to His image of one flesh. Do whatever you have to do to keep from stumbling. This is like a doctor cutting off a limb to save a person's life. It's Jesus' use of hyperbole and is not to be applied literally. However, it points to the seriousness of violating the principles of God.

Jesus is pushing very hard at this point. There is literally no way out of being convicted of this sin. You see, Jesus is setting it all up. God requires perfection. Plan A says that you must be perfect. But since no one is able to rise to this perfection, you must move toward the perfection of Jesus, the Messiah. That's Plan B!

So Jesus starts by calling you a murderer and now an adulterer. I mean to tell you, there's no way out, EXCEPT through Jesus. You are guilty at the core of your being-your heart-and only Jesus can get you out of this planet alive!

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, even though he dies, shall live."

MURDER AND ANGER

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Here in what is called Jesus' "sermon on the mount" we come to a section that I like to call PRECEPTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. This is where Jesus actually moves through 6 specific teachings taught by the scribes and Pharisees and then gives His teaching on each one. Each teaching is from the Law which Jesus says He will not abolish, but will fulfill. Each time he prefaces the teaching with something like "You have heard it said, but I say to you." The difference is very clear and deeply convicting.

1-MURDER 21 ``You have heard that the ancients were told, `YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and `Whoever, commits murder shall be liable to the court.' 22 ``But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, `You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, `You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23 ``Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25 ``Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 ``Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

This refers to a debtor's prison. Handle your conflicts to the best of your ability to avoid hurtful circumstances.

I don't think anyone would be against this teaching that a murderer ought to be sent to court for some accountability. Jesus takes the entire matter deeper. He is saying that murder is not committed simply on the social level between people (externally), but murder goes deeper into the heart (internally).

Jesus says: 1st Degree Murder-Everyone who is angry at another brother. The root of murder is in the heart-anger! Now, you will have anger, but don't hang on to it and allow it to fester. That will prove to be as destructive as the social act of murder.

2nd Degree Murder-Everyone who calls his brother "good-for-nothing". The word, Raca, has to do with attacking one's head, calling him stupid!

3rd Degree Murder-Everyone who calls another a "fool", this term has to do with contempt for a person's heart and character. Jesus covers the entire spectrum of anger!

Jesus then turns driving His point home by using an extreme illustration. Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you. In other words, Jesus says that even the high act of worshipping God must not take precedence over your relationships with others. This is a powerful point! He will reiterate this dynamic later in this speech. You must understand that your relationships with one another is at the heart of God! Jesus sets out the procedure to follow. Leave your offering there-stop your worship or attention toward the Lord.

Go to your brother-seek out this offended one. Be reconciled to him-as far as it depends upon you. You may not accomplish full reconciliation in return. Then come and present your offering-now you are ready to face the God of gods.

Be careful not to act like a Pharisee and wrangle over words, like saying, "Well, I haven't really had 'anger' in my heart, maybe 'dislike' but not anger or called anyone 'stupid' or 'fool', therefore I have not done any of these things that are at the heart of murder.

GET OVER IT! You may not have murdered someone in society (an outward act), but you are guilty of murder through one or more of the degrees of murder (an inward act). NOW ACT UPON IT. THE JESUS WAY!

JESUS CAME TO FILL IT FULL

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I see this passage as containing the key to the entire book of Matthew. This is the primary theme of what Matthew intended to communicate to all who read: ``Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 ``For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 ``Whoever, then annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever, keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

After painting a portrait of blessed believers, Jesus begins more specifically answering the question in everyone's mind: "How does your teaching differ from what we've been taught?" He positions His teachings with the Mosaic Law. Jesus makes it clear that He does not nullify the Law in any way, but has come to fulfill it. To fulfill literally means to fill it full. Imagine an empty glass as the Law and filling up the glass with Jesus. The Law was the form and Jesus is the substance!

The Law of Moses spoke and illustrated Jesus throughout, then Jesus shows up to fill up the form set forth by that Law.

NOTE that Jesus in no way excludes the Jewish people and their Law of Moses, but only has difficulty with their application of it. In fact, Jesus isn't like the Christian exclusivists. He is always inclusive. Jesus unites. Everything and everyone else tends toward dividing. I don't know many people like this, like Jesus.

20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

NOTE that Jesus gives the requirement for entering the kingdom of heaven. Your righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees. Wow! Is Jesus saying that we are to be more religious than these Jewish leaders? Not at all--just the opposite!

The scribes and Pharisees were some of the most religious people ever. Their religiosity was all about external matters-separation from sin and sinners and cleansing oneself. The Pharisees were known for: 1. Professing righteousness without possession of it! 2. Being hyper-critical-not hypocrites in the normal sense, but hair-splitters, nit-pickers, feather-pluckers! 3. Emphasizing the letter over the spirit of the Law-all truth and little grace! 4. Making absolutes out of non-absolutes-listing as many rules and regulations as possible! 5. Drawing the condemnation of men on righteous acts before God-such as praying, fasting, giving.

Jesus was not saying to outdo these super-religious people. He was saying that your righteousness must surpass their righteousness. I believe He is saying that your righteousness must go deeper-from the externals into the internals. Remember, God looks on the heart (internals) while man looks on the outward appearance (externals). Righteousness as Jesus teaches it is a matter of the heart and He will delineate how this works in the next few paragraphs.

If you are counting on your good behavior or looking spiritual to get you into the kingdom of heaven, then you will be very disappointed. Unless your righteousness exceeds (goes deeper-internal) than that of the Pharisees, you will not get in!

From this point forward, Matthew will use Jesus' teaching and many other incidents to illustrate that all externals ought to emerge out of the internal, that being must come first, then on to the doing!

SALT AND LIGHT

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Now that Jesus has described what it means to be a happy, blessed and fulfilled follower, He uses two dynamic terms to position us in this world-salt and light.

FIRST-SALT You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

NOTE Jesus says, "You ARE the salt of the earth!" It's not that you might be or you could be, but you ARE. Salt was used as a preservative to counteract the decay in meat. In order for the salt to be effective it must be out of the salt-shaker and applied to the meat. Salt is the invisible presence of God. It must be sensed! You're the salt in the world around you-the invisible presence of God among those you touch. Just by your presence there ought to be a preserving of purity, honesty and fairness.

Salt is: Powerful PURPOSE of loving God with all your heart! Powerful PRODUCTIVITY of losing yourself in Him! Powerful PERSPECTIVE of living in the underground! Powerful PARTNERSHIP of linking up with Jesus, the King!

Preach the gospel everyday--When necessary, use WORDS! That's salt!

SECOND-LIGHT You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot, be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

NOTE again Jesus says, "You ARE the light of the world!" Salt has a powerful invisible nature to it; light has more of the visible presence of God. Salt must be sensed-light must be seen! Light counteracts the darkness.

The visible presence of God consists of the energy of salt and the expression of light-IT MUST BE ATTRACTIVE AND AUTHENTIC! The core of this light can be found in loving your neighbor as yourself.

We are beyond the point where mere talk-no matter how sound-can make an impression. Demonstration is required. We must live what we talk, even in places where we cannot talk what we live. We stand again at Mt. Carmel (I K 18:20-40). THE TEST IS REALITY-AUTHENTICITY-THE GENUINE!

You ARE the salt of the earth and the light of the world. You are the invisible and visible presence of God on planet earth. Don't become tasteless as salt and don't dim out or cover up your light! Allow Jesus to be sensed and seen in you!