Scripture: Matthew
5:38-48
In last week’s reading Jesus introduced a handful of topics
(anger, lust, divorce, and oaths) with the phrase, “You have heard it said …”
and followed each of these with, “But I say to you …” This reading completes
the section using that pattern as he confronts the conventional wisdom
regarding retaliation and how to treat one’s enemies. This section also
highlights the call to holy living – in this case referred to as being perfect
– because of who our God is and our relationship to him. We are once again
confronted with the perfection of God’s Law and the difference between the
kingdom of heaven and the ways of the world.
Teaching
Just as the Old Testament lesson from Lev. 19 highlighted
our relationship to our neighbor, Jesus’ words in this reading focus us on how
we relate to neighbors – specifically those neighbors who do us harm. The
attitude that Jesus describes is very different than the conventional wisdom on
how to handle such people. As he urges us to refuse retaliation and to love our
enemies, Jesus positions us to give forgiveness and salvation to others so that
they too may become part of the kingdom of heaven.
The reading ends with the difficult words, “You therefore
must be perfect, as you heavenly Father is perfect.” This puts us in mind of
his previous statement, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that
of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”
(Matt. 5:26). Jesus continues to drive the point that none of us keeps the law
perfectly. This certainly serves to keep us humble. More importantly, it makes
us aware of our need for the one who fulfills the law and the prophets on our
behalf; the one who is perfect for us. It prepares us to understand the need
for the cross where Jesus takes our unrighteousness and imperfection and gives
us his righteousness and total perfection.
Life
How can we show how radically different the kingdom of
heaven is to the world? Refuse retaliation. Love our enemies. Pray for those
who persecute us.
Retaliation can be very difficult to give up. It seems that
we feel the “need” for revenge at an almost physical level. How do we resist
this urge? We must see ourselves as forgiven sinners. We are people who have
received mercy from God instead of justice. We have not gotten what our sins
deserve, and that is a very good thing! Believing that, softens our heart toward
our neighbor. And we should always pray for God to help us refuse retaliation,
remembering Jesus on the cross as he refused to lash out at those who wronged
him.
Loving our enemies can be hard. This, too, requires prayer.
Sometimes the lack of love for our enemy is rooted in fear of the unknown and
other times it is rooted in mistreatment we have received from them. In either
case, remembering that God makes his sun rise and sends rain for them and us
reminds us that our enemies too are loved by God and precious to him.
Prayer
Lord, the kingdom of heaven is so different from the world.
Thank you for giving me your mercy and love. Forgive me for times I have not
wanted to be merciful or loving. Help me to change this part of my live so that
I might be an agent of your kingdom in this world. Amen.
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