We’ve been going through the “Sermon on the Mount” for several weeks now, looking at what Jesus said in the inaugural sermon of his ministry.
If you’ve noticed, ever week on the Scripture page in the bulletin I put the scripture passage that we’ll be studying the next week. You might have looked at the passage for today and been curious, or even cringed.

Talk about a hard saying for the modern ear:

Matthew 5:27-32
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (ESV)

The modern church seems to have divided into two camps on this passage. There are those churches that will not permit a divorced person to join their church. Members of the church who get a divorce are asked to leave the church.

Then there’s the other side of the coin. There are churches where divorce is given no more thought than a hangnail. It’s viewed as rather unfortunate, but not really a big deal. And we’ll quote scripture about there being an unforgiveable sin and this isn’t it, so why worry.

What did Jesus say, though?

If we take this in the context of the passage, what has Jesus said and what is he about to say? If you remember, he’s already said that our righteousness has to exceed that of the Pharisees. He’s already said that we not only shouldn’t kill but shouldn’t hate or even call someone a fool. Then, after the passage we just read, he’s going to tell us not to take oaths.

What’s the big picture here?

It’s not about just keeping a law, it’s about character.

What kind of person was Jesus thought to be by his contemporaries. In Matthew 11:19 (& Luke 7:34) they accused him of being a drunk. In Mark 2:23-3:6 they tried to prosecute him for not keeping the Sabbath the way they said it ought to be caught. In Mark 2:18 they got onto him for not fasting. In Mark 7:1-5 they were aghast that he wasn’t washing his hands and eating implements the way they said he should. And (in both Matthew and Luke) he gets into trouble for not just associating with but eating with sinners!

We look back from 2000 years and know that Jesus was the only sinless person who ever lived, but to his contemporary detractors he was a flagrant sinner.

I bet these rumors were already starting to spread by the time of this sermon. That’s why he said earlier that he hadn’t come to do away with the Law, but fulfill it; and that not even the least little line of it would pass away.

But then he begins to point out that the law is about so much more than actions, it’s about the heart (or mind). Take the passage for today. The Pharisees said it was OK to look at a woman and even do whatever you wanted to with her in your mind just so long as you don’t act on it. That’s what our world says, isn’t it? Why do we have entire empires built on fomenting lust?

Jesus knows better. He knows that what’s in our hearts will come out.

And Jesus doesn’t want people who just act right, he wants people who are right. And that’s from the inside out.

What was the purpose of the Law? It was to cause people to live together in harmony with each other and with God!

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NIV)

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (NIV)

Now, the Gnostics took this so far as to say that it didn’t matter what you did with your body so long as your mind was with Christ. Sleep with prostitutes, do drugs, get drunk … doesn’t matter as long as you’re thinking Godly thoughts!

Jesus, though, sums up the law and the prophets in Matthew 22:37-40 by saying we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and love our neighbor as ourselves. It’s both how we act and how we think.

The Pharisees were pretty good at how they acted—even manipulating divorce so as to keep themselves “pure” while essentially legalizing adultery. Want a new wife? Divorce the old one and go on!

To illustrate the seriousness of the changes Jesus is instituting (though, really, he was the original author of the law and is just taking his audience back to the original intent), he says:

Matthew 5:33-37
Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil. (ESV)

The Pharisees and other law-keepers held that you could make a promise, but only so long as the collateral you used was in keeping with the promise. For instance, to was OK to say you promise “by the hairs of my head” to be at the diner at noon. No big deal, so no big promise. However, if you were going to promise something bigger, like to stand by your neighbor in a time of war, you’d swear by your whole head.

The Pharisees only had a problem with this if you a] didn’t keep your promise or b] overpromised. Overpromised? That would be, “I swear by my very head I’ll be there for lunch!” In other words, if I’m not there for lunch, feel free to decapitate me. A lunch appointment is obviously not worth decapitation, so that’s an overpromise.

But whether they promised or overpromised, the Pharisee would add, “If the Lord wills.” This is different from when James encourages us to use this phrase. As the Pharisees used it, they were making the promise, then giving themselves an out. “I swear by the hair of my head that I’ll meet you at the café for lunch, if the Lord wills.” That way, anything from a lightning strike to a stubbed toe can be blamed on God and you’re off the hook for the lunch.

Jesus says to just let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no. How could that be? People are going to have to know your character well enough to know that your word means what it says. In other words, you don’t have to “Swear to God” (ever used that phrase before?) but you do have to let people get to know you well enough for your word to mean something to them.

Once again, it’s not about law, it’s about character.

What about those who have been divorced? Is it over for them? God is a loving and gracious God and offers all us sinners grace. But grace isn’t a doormat for wiping your feet. If you’re married now—and even if this is your second or fifth marriage—you turn your marriage over to God. You’ve made a sacred commitment and it’s your character that’s on the line here.

If you are single—either having never been married or because you are divorced or because you spouse has died—you don’t listen to this world when it comes to marital advice. You listen to God and only go into it when you and the person you are marrying are willing to give it completely over to God. [If the person you want to marry isn’t willing to do that, get out now! Don’t get back in until you are both ready to submit to God.]

What do I DO with this?
Live different!