Continuing on with the "do nots" in Matthew's version of the sermon:
Matt. 7:1-5, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged..." Seems pretty clear. The passage continues on to talk metaphorically about how hypocritical it is to judge when you also have issues. "First take the plank out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
This passage is repeated in Luke's version sermon (Luke 6:37-42) but with modifications and additions. After saying do not judge, Jesus goes on to say "Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." This actually sounds quite lovely, a kind of divine karma, the root of the prosperity gospel. Too bad it doesn't always work. Very often, people don't get good for good. I don't think that means we shouldn't do good and give to those in need. We just shouldn't expect to reap a windfall from our charitable deeds. Be good for goodness sake. Collective goodness makes the world a more pleasant place.
Matt. 7:6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls before pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces." (This is not found in Luke) What in the world does Jesus mean here? My study bible commentary says that it is connected to the "do not judge" because you can judge whether a person is a "dog" or not by their character. You just can't be hypocritical about it. Personally, I think Jesus's "brother" in the judge not passage is a fellow Jew. In my opinion, dogs and pigs are metaphorically representative of Samaritans and gentiles. Later, in Chapter 15, Matthew recounts a story of a Canaanite woman who asked Jesus for help. He basically called her a dog, but he ended up helping her because he liked her sassy reply. Actually, this "do not" passage, with the dogs and pigs, does not seem to fit the rest of the sermon's theme and style.
Matt. 7:7-12, there are no more "do nots." Now Jesus tells his disciples to "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Wow! That's quite a promise. And it doesn't appear to come with any caveats. In fact Jesus goes on to say that god will give good gifts to those who ask him. That is the reason given for doing to others what you would have them do unto you. God does it, so should you. Again, prosperity gospel preaching. No conditions given.
This passage is repeated in Luke 11:9-13. (Not in the sermon) However, it is at the end of a parable about a man who needs something from a friend but the friend is in bed and his door is locked. The man is bold and persistent and gets what he needs. This is shown to be a metaphor for how a person should ask god for things. It makes a lot more sense in Luke's context.
Matt. 7:13-14, gives us the wide gate and broad road to destruction, and a small gate for the narrow road that leads to life. Only a few will find it. This comes after telling us how generous god is. Apparently he is not generous enough to keep all of humanity from destruction. In Luke 13:24, Jesus speaks of a narrow door into the house of salvation. There is also an interesting passage in Isaiah 35:8-10 that talks of a "highway of holiness." Maybe Matthew got the idea from that.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Sermon on the mount, part eight
Continuing on with the "do nots" in the book of Matthew:
*6:25-33 Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or what you will wear. God knows what you need. If you seek his kingdom first, he will take care of you. "These things will be given to you." This is horrible advice. First of all because it is not true. There is no invisible being in the sky making sure you have everything you need. Things like food and clothing don't just happen. Plenty of religious people live without adequate food and clothing, including children, who are dependant on adults. Food and clothing are the result of someone's labor. Money represents human hours of labor. If you don't think about how you can either make or pay for the things you need, you won't have them, unless you steal or live off the generosity of others. If you do that on purpose, you are a sponger. Many evangelists, missionaries, and monks, are professional spongers. (Not all)
Part of Jesus's reasoning is that birds don't need to worry about their food and flowers don't need to worry about what they will wear. God takes care of them. No he doesn't. Birds and flowers are a natural part of earth's interconnected evolved ecosystem. Humans have developed ways to transcend and exploit the ecosystem. Birds and flowers die daily from disease, drought, and being eaten. Have you ever watched a bird feeding its young, or seen one that was angry or frightened? Birds are not carefree. Of course flowers are worry free. They have no consciousness! Every conscious being concerns itself over its next meal. That's how they stay alive.
This passage is repeated in Luke 12:22-31, which is not part of Luke's similar sermon.
*Matt. 6:34 "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." This ends the above passage about clothing and food. It too is a bad idea, especially in the modern world. We need to think and plan for the future, unless we want to be homeless. Some translations have anxious in place of worry, which gives the passage a different connotation. Anxiety is often unproductive. However, caring what happens to you is not the same as debilitating anxiety. It motivates you to accomplish things.
Luke ends the similar passage differently. (12:32-34) He says, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted..." If you want to sell your possessions and give to the poor, fine. Just don't make yourself become someone that other people must support. There won't be any treasures in any afterlife. Besides, what would you do with treasure in heaven? If it is physical, you won't need it. If it is "spiritual" what will you do with it? Maybe the treasure is heaven itself? In that case, I would need to be convinced that such a place exists and that I would want to be there.
I find it interesting that my study bible claims Jesus is only talking about undue anxiety, not a legitimate concern to provide for one's daily needs. This is something I hear echoed in church. However, Jesus did not say, "It's totally okay to be a little concerned about your daily needs, just not a lot." Did he? How much concern is too much? Also, Paul, who wrote his letters earlier than Matthew and Luke were written , was concerned when people were not willing to work for their subsistence. (2Thessalonians 3:6-12) It's also interesting that Paul doesn't seem to have been aware of most of Jesus's teachings.
*6:25-33 Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or what you will wear. God knows what you need. If you seek his kingdom first, he will take care of you. "These things will be given to you." This is horrible advice. First of all because it is not true. There is no invisible being in the sky making sure you have everything you need. Things like food and clothing don't just happen. Plenty of religious people live without adequate food and clothing, including children, who are dependant on adults. Food and clothing are the result of someone's labor. Money represents human hours of labor. If you don't think about how you can either make or pay for the things you need, you won't have them, unless you steal or live off the generosity of others. If you do that on purpose, you are a sponger. Many evangelists, missionaries, and monks, are professional spongers. (Not all)
Part of Jesus's reasoning is that birds don't need to worry about their food and flowers don't need to worry about what they will wear. God takes care of them. No he doesn't. Birds and flowers are a natural part of earth's interconnected evolved ecosystem. Humans have developed ways to transcend and exploit the ecosystem. Birds and flowers die daily from disease, drought, and being eaten. Have you ever watched a bird feeding its young, or seen one that was angry or frightened? Birds are not carefree. Of course flowers are worry free. They have no consciousness! Every conscious being concerns itself over its next meal. That's how they stay alive.
This passage is repeated in Luke 12:22-31, which is not part of Luke's similar sermon.
*Matt. 6:34 "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." This ends the above passage about clothing and food. It too is a bad idea, especially in the modern world. We need to think and plan for the future, unless we want to be homeless. Some translations have anxious in place of worry, which gives the passage a different connotation. Anxiety is often unproductive. However, caring what happens to you is not the same as debilitating anxiety. It motivates you to accomplish things.
Luke ends the similar passage differently. (12:32-34) He says, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted..." If you want to sell your possessions and give to the poor, fine. Just don't make yourself become someone that other people must support. There won't be any treasures in any afterlife. Besides, what would you do with treasure in heaven? If it is physical, you won't need it. If it is "spiritual" what will you do with it? Maybe the treasure is heaven itself? In that case, I would need to be convinced that such a place exists and that I would want to be there.
I find it interesting that my study bible claims Jesus is only talking about undue anxiety, not a legitimate concern to provide for one's daily needs. This is something I hear echoed in church. However, Jesus did not say, "It's totally okay to be a little concerned about your daily needs, just not a lot." Did he? How much concern is too much? Also, Paul, who wrote his letters earlier than Matthew and Luke were written , was concerned when people were not willing to work for their subsistence. (2Thessalonians 3:6-12) It's also interesting that Paul doesn't seem to have been aware of most of Jesus's teachings.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Sermon on the mount, part seven
Next in Matthew's sermon on the mount, Jesus gives his followers a list of "do nots."
6:1- Do not do acts of righteousness publicly, in order to be noticed. You get NO rewards from god if you do that. This encompasses a few of the following do nots as well.
6:2-4 Do not publicly announce your charitable acts, so you can be honored. Don't make a show of helping the needy. Give in secret. Then god who sees what is done in secret will reward you. How many Christians follow this command? This is not found in Luke.
6:5-6 Do not pray publicly, to be seen. Go into a room and pray to god who is unseen. The god who sees what is done in secret will reward you. This command of Jesus is broken daily by Christians all over the world. This is not found in Luke, or anywhere else.
6:7-15 Do not babble on and on when you pray. Make it short and sweet. (We all know this one is often ignored.) God already knows what you need. Then Jesus gives them an example prayer which has become known as "The Lord's prayer." The prayer is also found in Luke 11:2-4, in a totally different context. It is also worded differently. It does not say "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." It also does not say "deliver us from the evil one." Prayer is useless. There is no virtue in praying.
6:16-18 Do not act like a gloomy Gus when you are fasting. Act normal. No one needs to know. God who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Listen closely all you public observers of Lent.) This is not found in Luke. Fasting is unnecessary, unless it is for medical reasons. It Is not a virtue.
6:19-24 Do not accumulate wealth or possessions. Those things don't last. Store up everlasting treasures in heaven. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also....You cannot serve both god and money." Part of this is echoed in Luke 16:13, in a totally different context. "No servant can serve two masters...You cannot serve both god and money." Does Joel Osteen know? Seriously, there are so many popular preachers who are wealthy that it's ridiculous. Some tele-preacher guy asked his congregation to give him money to buy an airplane! So he can serve the lord, of course.
It is interesting to note that my study bible has a foot note on this passage that says the New Testament is full of verses about the dangers of being wealthy. Then it gives a list of them. After that, it says "Nowhere are they (riches) condemned in and of themselves. What Jesus condemns here is greed and hoarding of money." This is what I have heard preached so many times. It's not the money that's the problem it's the "heart." You can be rich, just don't be greedy. Those bible editors know which side their bread is buttered on. But is that what Jesus actually teaches? Where does he say, "Don't get me wrong, it's totally okay to be wealthy, if you've got the right attitude?" In Luke's sermon on the mount, (6:24) Jesus says, "woe unto you who are rich." Luke 18 and Mark 10 both tell the same story of a wealthy man who Jesus told to give all his wealth to the poor. This made the man sad. Then Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, he later adds that what is impossible with men is possible with god. This is the part that Christians grab hold of. See! It's not impossible, just hard. God can get us to heaven, even if we are wealthy. How much wealth is too much?
As an atheist, I am conflicted about these teachings. Clearly most Christians are hypocrites when it comes to following Jesus's teachings here, but how useful are the teachings in real life? I don't think virtue comes from poverty or wealth. I think how you treat others says more about you than what you believe, and wealth can be used to help a lot of people. It also sets a good example when others see you giving freely, or lavishly as many celebrities do. Sure, they often get publicity and honors, but they also give a lot of people pleasure from their acts of generosity. I find myself unwilling to cast judgment on people like Oprah and Bill Gates. What would I do in their shoes? I don't know. What I do know is that, no matter what, any benefits, rewards, or punishments, I get will be here on earth, not in a nonexistent afterlife.
6:1- Do not do acts of righteousness publicly, in order to be noticed. You get NO rewards from god if you do that. This encompasses a few of the following do nots as well.
6:2-4 Do not publicly announce your charitable acts, so you can be honored. Don't make a show of helping the needy. Give in secret. Then god who sees what is done in secret will reward you. How many Christians follow this command? This is not found in Luke.
6:5-6 Do not pray publicly, to be seen. Go into a room and pray to god who is unseen. The god who sees what is done in secret will reward you. This command of Jesus is broken daily by Christians all over the world. This is not found in Luke, or anywhere else.
6:7-15 Do not babble on and on when you pray. Make it short and sweet. (We all know this one is often ignored.) God already knows what you need. Then Jesus gives them an example prayer which has become known as "The Lord's prayer." The prayer is also found in Luke 11:2-4, in a totally different context. It is also worded differently. It does not say "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." It also does not say "deliver us from the evil one." Prayer is useless. There is no virtue in praying.
6:16-18 Do not act like a gloomy Gus when you are fasting. Act normal. No one needs to know. God who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Listen closely all you public observers of Lent.) This is not found in Luke. Fasting is unnecessary, unless it is for medical reasons. It Is not a virtue.
6:19-24 Do not accumulate wealth or possessions. Those things don't last. Store up everlasting treasures in heaven. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also....You cannot serve both god and money." Part of this is echoed in Luke 16:13, in a totally different context. "No servant can serve two masters...You cannot serve both god and money." Does Joel Osteen know? Seriously, there are so many popular preachers who are wealthy that it's ridiculous. Some tele-preacher guy asked his congregation to give him money to buy an airplane! So he can serve the lord, of course.
It is interesting to note that my study bible has a foot note on this passage that says the New Testament is full of verses about the dangers of being wealthy. Then it gives a list of them. After that, it says "Nowhere are they (riches) condemned in and of themselves. What Jesus condemns here is greed and hoarding of money." This is what I have heard preached so many times. It's not the money that's the problem it's the "heart." You can be rich, just don't be greedy. Those bible editors know which side their bread is buttered on. But is that what Jesus actually teaches? Where does he say, "Don't get me wrong, it's totally okay to be wealthy, if you've got the right attitude?" In Luke's sermon on the mount, (6:24) Jesus says, "woe unto you who are rich." Luke 18 and Mark 10 both tell the same story of a wealthy man who Jesus told to give all his wealth to the poor. This made the man sad. Then Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, he later adds that what is impossible with men is possible with god. This is the part that Christians grab hold of. See! It's not impossible, just hard. God can get us to heaven, even if we are wealthy. How much wealth is too much?
As an atheist, I am conflicted about these teachings. Clearly most Christians are hypocrites when it comes to following Jesus's teachings here, but how useful are the teachings in real life? I don't think virtue comes from poverty or wealth. I think how you treat others says more about you than what you believe, and wealth can be used to help a lot of people. It also sets a good example when others see you giving freely, or lavishly as many celebrities do. Sure, they often get publicity and honors, but they also give a lot of people pleasure from their acts of generosity. I find myself unwilling to cast judgment on people like Oprah and Bill Gates. What would I do in their shoes? I don't know. What I do know is that, no matter what, any benefits, rewards, or punishments, I get will be here on earth, not in a nonexistent afterlife.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Sermon on the mount, part six
We continue on with Jesus outlining how to be more righteous than the pharisees, in the sermon on the mount.
In Matthew 5:38, Jesus refers to the Exodus 21:23-25 command from Moses, god's proxy, to take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, when injury occurs from fighting, basically instating and permitting blood feud. However, Jesus says not to resist an evil person. "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Is Jesus saying the law was wrong? His suggestion here is diametrically opposed to what is seen in Exodus, not just an extension of its principles. My personal opinion is that this teaching was contrived to keep its listeners/readers out of trouble with their Roman overseers or their slave masters. He is advocating non-resistance, as is seen in the next couple of statements which tell his followers to give up their possessions to those who ask for them with or without implied force. It is basically a survival strategy. Also, this teaching of Jesus's advocates complete non-resistance and "going the extra mile" or giving more than what is asked of you. Make no mistake, this is not the passive resistance or civil disobedience of Ghandi and MLK. Are most Christians today practicing this kind of nonresistance?
In 5:43, Jesus goes on to discuss a saying of "love your neighbor and hate your enemy." This combination is not actually found in the Old Testament scriptures. There is absolutely no command to "hate your enemy." However, many times in the OT scriptures, the Israelites were encouraged to do horrible things to the so called enemies of god, who became their enemies as well. Leviticus 19:18 does say, "Love your neighbor as yourself." However, in that context the neighbor appears to be a fellow Israelite. In Mark 12:31, Jesus says "Love your neighbor as yourself" is the second greatest commandment. In Luke 10:27-28, Jesus agrees with a man who says "Love your neighbor as yourself" is one of the things you must do to inherit eternal life, even though eternal life is not mentioned as a reward in the Old Testament.
In 5:44-47, Jesus continues, saying that not only must you not hate your enemies, you must also love them and pray for them. It is not anything special to only love those who love you. This sentiment, along with turning the other cheek and giving more than asked for, is echoed in the Luke sermon (6:27-36) However, Luke puts everything in a different order and adds, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Matthew ends the how to be more righteous passages with Jesus saying, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect." Luke ends the one similar passage with Jesus saying, if you do these things "You will be sons of the most high, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful as your father is merciful." But is that true? Is the god of the bible perfect? Is he kind to the ungrateful and wicked? Is he merciful? Since when?
Let's do a thought experiment. As a general rule, what do you think would happen to you and your life if you gave over every single thing that was asked of you, and more, without question or resistance, without expectation of repayment? Do you actually know anyone who does this? The only example I can think of is the sister of Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place. She ended up in a Nazi gas chamber.
In Matthew 5:38, Jesus refers to the Exodus 21:23-25 command from Moses, god's proxy, to take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, when injury occurs from fighting, basically instating and permitting blood feud. However, Jesus says not to resist an evil person. "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Is Jesus saying the law was wrong? His suggestion here is diametrically opposed to what is seen in Exodus, not just an extension of its principles. My personal opinion is that this teaching was contrived to keep its listeners/readers out of trouble with their Roman overseers or their slave masters. He is advocating non-resistance, as is seen in the next couple of statements which tell his followers to give up their possessions to those who ask for them with or without implied force. It is basically a survival strategy. Also, this teaching of Jesus's advocates complete non-resistance and "going the extra mile" or giving more than what is asked of you. Make no mistake, this is not the passive resistance or civil disobedience of Ghandi and MLK. Are most Christians today practicing this kind of nonresistance?
In 5:43, Jesus goes on to discuss a saying of "love your neighbor and hate your enemy." This combination is not actually found in the Old Testament scriptures. There is absolutely no command to "hate your enemy." However, many times in the OT scriptures, the Israelites were encouraged to do horrible things to the so called enemies of god, who became their enemies as well. Leviticus 19:18 does say, "Love your neighbor as yourself." However, in that context the neighbor appears to be a fellow Israelite. In Mark 12:31, Jesus says "Love your neighbor as yourself" is the second greatest commandment. In Luke 10:27-28, Jesus agrees with a man who says "Love your neighbor as yourself" is one of the things you must do to inherit eternal life, even though eternal life is not mentioned as a reward in the Old Testament.
In 5:44-47, Jesus continues, saying that not only must you not hate your enemies, you must also love them and pray for them. It is not anything special to only love those who love you. This sentiment, along with turning the other cheek and giving more than asked for, is echoed in the Luke sermon (6:27-36) However, Luke puts everything in a different order and adds, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Matthew ends the how to be more righteous passages with Jesus saying, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect." Luke ends the one similar passage with Jesus saying, if you do these things "You will be sons of the most high, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful as your father is merciful." But is that true? Is the god of the bible perfect? Is he kind to the ungrateful and wicked? Is he merciful? Since when?
Let's do a thought experiment. As a general rule, what do you think would happen to you and your life if you gave over every single thing that was asked of you, and more, without question or resistance, without expectation of repayment? Do you actually know anyone who does this? The only example I can think of is the sister of Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place. She ended up in a Nazi gas chamber.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
The sermon on the mount, part five
After telling his disciples to be more righteous than the pharisees, who make a point of obeying the law, Jesus explains how to do that by going one step further. He also covers some points of law that are not included in the ten commandments, but are found in the broader context of the many rules and regulations god supposedly gave to Moses, apart from the ones carved in stone. He starts with a point of law, then expands the requirements necessary to avoid hell/damnation.
*First (Matt. 5:21-22), is murder, found in the ten commandments. Not murdering anyone is not enough though. You also must not get angry with anyone (some manuscripts say without cause, a little loophole.) or face judgement. This is not found in Luke.
*Second, saying "raca" (Apparently a grievous insult that insinuates someone has nothing between their ears) to anyone can land you in front of the sanhedrin, the Jewish court. However, Jesus says even calling someone a fool, presumably a lesser offense, can land you in the fires of hell (gehenna). This is not found in Luke.
*Third, it's not enough to give a sacrificial gift to god, you must first go and make sure you correct any relationship issues first. Wise advice. After that, you won't even need to go make your sacrifice. Not found in Luke.
*Fourth is practical advice to settle monetary disputes out of court if you don't want to end up in jail. Not found in Luke.
*Fifth is adultery, found in the ten commandments. It is not enough to never commit adultery physically. A man must also never look at a woman (presumably one he is not married to) lustfully. This is deemed equivalent to the actual act of adultery. It occurs in the "heart" instead of the body. The body, however, seems to take the blame. A man would be better off without eyes than to look, lust, and land in hell. He would also be better off without his right hand, too. What's his hand got to do with it? Shall we read between the lines? Have you noticed yet that these these teachings are directed primarily at men? This is not found in Luke.
*Sixth is divorce. Jesus says "It has been said, anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce." The old testament law doesn't actually say that. It is what the Jews came up with from reading Deuteronomy 24:1-2. It says, "IF a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her (basically he thinks she was not a virgin Deut 22:12-14), let him write her a certificate of divorce, give it to her and sends her from his house, and after she leaves his house if she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband....writes a certificate of divorce...the first husband is not allowed to marry her again....That would be detestable in the eyes of the lord." There is no command to give certificates of divorce, unless you want to quibble with semantics, but there is an inference that certificates of divorce are the standard procedure.
Anyway, Jesus says in Matt. 5:31-32 that anyone who divorces his wife , except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. This is echoed in Luke 16:18, but is not part of the comparable sermon. There, it is more of an afterthought stuck in between two parables. Matthew reapeats himself in 19:7 and Mark also chimes in with similar words in Mark 10:4. Those last two references are in a context of Jesus having a discussion about divorce. We will not go into a broad discussion of divorce here. The basic idea is any man is an adulterer if he marries a divorced woman, and a divorced woman is an adulterer no matter who she marries. There are no guidelines for a woman who wants to divorce her husband.
More to come.
*First (Matt. 5:21-22), is murder, found in the ten commandments. Not murdering anyone is not enough though. You also must not get angry with anyone (some manuscripts say without cause, a little loophole.) or face judgement. This is not found in Luke.
*Second, saying "raca" (Apparently a grievous insult that insinuates someone has nothing between their ears) to anyone can land you in front of the sanhedrin, the Jewish court. However, Jesus says even calling someone a fool, presumably a lesser offense, can land you in the fires of hell (gehenna). This is not found in Luke.
*Third, it's not enough to give a sacrificial gift to god, you must first go and make sure you correct any relationship issues first. Wise advice. After that, you won't even need to go make your sacrifice. Not found in Luke.
*Fourth is practical advice to settle monetary disputes out of court if you don't want to end up in jail. Not found in Luke.
*Fifth is adultery, found in the ten commandments. It is not enough to never commit adultery physically. A man must also never look at a woman (presumably one he is not married to) lustfully. This is deemed equivalent to the actual act of adultery. It occurs in the "heart" instead of the body. The body, however, seems to take the blame. A man would be better off without eyes than to look, lust, and land in hell. He would also be better off without his right hand, too. What's his hand got to do with it? Shall we read between the lines? Have you noticed yet that these these teachings are directed primarily at men? This is not found in Luke.
*Sixth is divorce. Jesus says "It has been said, anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce." The old testament law doesn't actually say that. It is what the Jews came up with from reading Deuteronomy 24:1-2. It says, "IF a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her (basically he thinks she was not a virgin Deut 22:12-14), let him write her a certificate of divorce, give it to her and sends her from his house, and after she leaves his house if she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband....writes a certificate of divorce...the first husband is not allowed to marry her again....That would be detestable in the eyes of the lord." There is no command to give certificates of divorce, unless you want to quibble with semantics, but there is an inference that certificates of divorce are the standard procedure.
Anyway, Jesus says in Matt. 5:31-32 that anyone who divorces his wife , except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. This is echoed in Luke 16:18, but is not part of the comparable sermon. There, it is more of an afterthought stuck in between two parables. Matthew reapeats himself in 19:7 and Mark also chimes in with similar words in Mark 10:4. Those last two references are in a context of Jesus having a discussion about divorce. We will not go into a broad discussion of divorce here. The basic idea is any man is an adulterer if he marries a divorced woman, and a divorced woman is an adulterer no matter who she marries. There are no guidelines for a woman who wants to divorce her husband.
More to come.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
The sermon on the mount, part four
The next section of the sermon on the mount is Matthew 5:17-20. Here, Jesus says he did not come to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them. "Until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished." There are many disagreements in christendom as to what that means. Heaven and earth have not disappeared. Does that mean the law of moses is still in effect? Some would say yes. However, others would say Jesus accomplished everything/fulfilled the law when he died on the cross. Now there is a new law, the law of the heart. The old law is dead. What do you think is the true meaning of this passage?
Jesus goes on to say that anyone who breaks the commandments, or teaches someone else to break them, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. (But do they still get to be part of the kingdom?) "Whoever teaches and practices the commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven...I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the pharisees and teachers of the law, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (That answered my question.) It seems clear to me that Jesus wanted people to obey the law of Moses. Was that teaching just for those people there on the mountainside, or for everyone, for all time?
What about those pharisees and teachers of the law? My study bible says that they were excessively legalistic, following the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Frankly, I question the existance of a spirit of the law. It is not evident in the Old Testament. The phrase "spirit of the law" does not exist in the whole bible. Plus, isn't it even more legalistic for Jesus to insist that his followers become more righteous than even the Pharisees are? How is it less legalistic? He says you won't get into the kingdom of heaven otherwise! I wonder what those faith vs. works people think of this passage.
Luke slightly echoes this in 16:16-17, which is not part of the comparable sermon. It says, "The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John (the baptist). Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of god is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. (??? What does that mean? How can someone force their way into the kingdom?) It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law." This statement comes after Jesus has berated some pharisees, telling them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but god knows your hearts." Again, he has raised the standard. It is not enough to do right, you must think right as well.
As far as I can tell, this is not in Mark or John.
Jesus goes on to say that anyone who breaks the commandments, or teaches someone else to break them, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. (But do they still get to be part of the kingdom?) "Whoever teaches and practices the commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven...I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the pharisees and teachers of the law, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (That answered my question.) It seems clear to me that Jesus wanted people to obey the law of Moses. Was that teaching just for those people there on the mountainside, or for everyone, for all time?
What about those pharisees and teachers of the law? My study bible says that they were excessively legalistic, following the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Frankly, I question the existance of a spirit of the law. It is not evident in the Old Testament. The phrase "spirit of the law" does not exist in the whole bible. Plus, isn't it even more legalistic for Jesus to insist that his followers become more righteous than even the Pharisees are? How is it less legalistic? He says you won't get into the kingdom of heaven otherwise! I wonder what those faith vs. works people think of this passage.
Luke slightly echoes this in 16:16-17, which is not part of the comparable sermon. It says, "The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John (the baptist). Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of god is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. (??? What does that mean? How can someone force their way into the kingdom?) It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law." This statement comes after Jesus has berated some pharisees, telling them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but god knows your hearts." Again, he has raised the standard. It is not enough to do right, you must think right as well.
As far as I can tell, this is not in Mark or John.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
The sermon on the mount, part three
Many people don't realize it, but the so called sermon on the mount, or Luke's sermon on the plain, contains more than just the so called beatitudes. Jesus is not done sermonizing. We will continue to compare the sermons in Matthew and Luke.
*Matthew 5:13 calls the disciples (or the jews?) the "salt of the earth." But if salt loses its saltiness, it isn't good for anything and needs to be thrown out and trampled by men.
*Luke does not say this in his comparable sermon. However, he does say something very similar much later, in Luke 14:34-35. There, it is in the context of the cost of being disciple of Jesus. The author says, "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil, nor the manure pile; it is thrown out."
*Mark 9:50 also says something very similar in a very different context. After talking about it being better to remove body parts than to be cast into hell where the fire is not quenched, the author says, "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other."
Can salt lose its saltiness? Well, yes and no. Answer in link. Does this metaphor make any sense in its various contexts? To me, it seems to make the most sense in the Matthew context. The other two instances seem very random and disconnected to the context. Also, salt has never been good for soil. Does Luke not know that? What does it mean to be salted with fire? I think Mark was mixing his metaphors. The only other mention of salt in the New Testament is Colossians 4:6 where Paul says, "Let your speech be gracious and seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." This actually makes sense, because salt is a flavor enhancer. Matthew's salty verse seems to be referring to that as well.
*Next in the sermon as recorded in Matthew 5:14-16 is a continuation of Matthew's theme of the disciples being an enhancement to the world. He tells them they are the "light of the world." They need to let their light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven. "Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl, instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house."
*Luke 8:16 has a similar verse, but it is not in the comparable sermon. It comes after the parable of the sower and says, "No one lights a lamp and hides it under a jar, or puts its under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open." we can see that the reason for the lamp is very different in Luke's passage. The concept of divine hiddenness is given by Jesus earlier in the chapter, when he tells the disciples secrets of the kingdom are given to them, but he talks about the kingdom to everyone else in parables to keep them in the dark, so to speak. "Though seeing, they may not see; though hearing they may not understand." That doesn't seem quite sporting of Jesus.
More to come.
*Matthew 5:13 calls the disciples (or the jews?) the "salt of the earth." But if salt loses its saltiness, it isn't good for anything and needs to be thrown out and trampled by men.
*Luke does not say this in his comparable sermon. However, he does say something very similar much later, in Luke 14:34-35. There, it is in the context of the cost of being disciple of Jesus. The author says, "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil, nor the manure pile; it is thrown out."
*Mark 9:50 also says something very similar in a very different context. After talking about it being better to remove body parts than to be cast into hell where the fire is not quenched, the author says, "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other."
Can salt lose its saltiness? Well, yes and no. Answer in link. Does this metaphor make any sense in its various contexts? To me, it seems to make the most sense in the Matthew context. The other two instances seem very random and disconnected to the context. Also, salt has never been good for soil. Does Luke not know that? What does it mean to be salted with fire? I think Mark was mixing his metaphors. The only other mention of salt in the New Testament is Colossians 4:6 where Paul says, "Let your speech be gracious and seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." This actually makes sense, because salt is a flavor enhancer. Matthew's salty verse seems to be referring to that as well.
*Next in the sermon as recorded in Matthew 5:14-16 is a continuation of Matthew's theme of the disciples being an enhancement to the world. He tells them they are the "light of the world." They need to let their light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven. "Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl, instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house."
*Luke 8:16 has a similar verse, but it is not in the comparable sermon. It comes after the parable of the sower and says, "No one lights a lamp and hides it under a jar, or puts its under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open." we can see that the reason for the lamp is very different in Luke's passage. The concept of divine hiddenness is given by Jesus earlier in the chapter, when he tells the disciples secrets of the kingdom are given to them, but he talks about the kingdom to everyone else in parables to keep them in the dark, so to speak. "Though seeing, they may not see; though hearing they may not understand." That doesn't seem quite sporting of Jesus.
More to come.
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