October 29, 2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1.27)

““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5.27,28)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

So, in Friday’s reflection, I made mention of the various levels of cognition and understanding which Jesus used to teach the variety of people who had gathered to hear Him speak. That variety of people also had come to hear Jesus because they had a broad spectrum of needs and/or reasons to inquire of and listen to His words. The least of which was not how to “simply live” or “live simply.” Most people seemed to have come for a sense of justification or exoneration of their chosen line of thinking. It is in that dialogue of intentionalities we can hear in what Jesus said; or rather, how He said it. The prevalent example would be the following: “You have heard it said...” and “…but I say to you.” Clearly, Jesus was drawing lines. Be careful, however, that you think Jesus is taking sides. The value of what He said affirms and disavows both, let’s say, “the right and the left.”

First, let’s address the “You have heard it said….” Regardless of what was in the crowd, from Jew to Gentile, from priest to commoner, the source of authority represented in that phrase was “scripture.” In this case, by default, scripture was “The Law and the Prophets.” It was also influenced then by the interpretation, extrapolation and application of the teaching on the Pharisees. In other words, what was intended to be made simple, straight to the point and unilaterally applicable became heavy, convoluted and a yoke on those who were deemed less righteous, unrighteous or ultimately sinful. Of course, the point was intended that “we all are sinful and all need the mercy and grace of God to make it through this world (Saduccees) and to the next (Pharisees.) But, over time, that spiritual end was beyond the means of those who were deemed outcasts and unworthy. The principle of 20/80 was more like 5/95 or as Jesus would say “the 1 and the 99.” But, that is another story. So, the scripture in the hands of the “ruling elite” whether it was 20, 5 or 1 was the benchmark by which all others had to attend. Of course, they allowed themselves latitude while the rest suffered in a lack of altitude. They might be able to “go up” to Jerusalem but they certainly could not “go up” to God in the Holy of Holies.

Then comes Jesus who claims a different authority, albeit it from the same progenitor of truth, declaring, “…but, I say to you.” Was He opposing the “rule of law”? Was He redefining the “law as a rule”? Or was He simply getting to the root of the matter which created separation from the greatest to the least regardless of who thought who was what. Even in that Jesus turned the tables by setting them right as He taught “Those who would be the greatest among you must become the least.” Was that the problem which the Rich Young Ruler had leading Him to walk away from following Jesus as the Christ? In his mind, he was a part of the greatest in Israel because of His wealth and his prominence in the land. The thought of becoming the least was nothing he had ever considered before as a paradigm or praxis of success. Jesus was the epitome of it. So, then, would the followers of Jesus be challenged to become the images of it in their communities.

No sooner does Jesus address the issue of “murder and unforgiveness” as equal in their expression of sin and sinfulness, than He moves to adultery and lust being sinful companions without one being lesser than the other. Again, the simple fact of the matter is that Jesus addresses the heart, mind and spirit of people. He invokes and challenges the inward life to be in harmony with the outward life. True life comes from being centered on God in all things. Wow, who among us is that kind of good? Not me! Still, we have to grasp what Jesus was actually doing. He did not come to do away with the Law or the Prophets. He did not come to change them either. He did intend to fulfill the Law in a prophetic manner by living out the very essence of what made the Law (and the Prophets) the descriptors of God’s perfect will. I alluded to that in reflecting on the “Beatitudes.” Our actions may seem to portray our thoughts as long as others do not know what our thoughts truly are. For some, they may be in perfect harmony. For others, it may seem to be a disguise. For others, there was even a greater challenge. That challenge existed in that their outward condition, being products of a broken world, was seen as the judgment on who they were inwardly. But, what happens then to that gentle, kind, fruit of the spirit filled person who truly believes and trusts in God alone as their provider and savior? No amount of effort could be exerted to change the exterior to reflect the interior unless it were seen as a deception or a trick. Today, during communion, I was given the consideration in my spirit concerning lambs and goats. The practice of Israel was to choose a lamb to be sacrificed for the sins of the nation on the Day of Atonement. There was also a goat chosen as well to bear the weight of the sins of the nation of Israel. The lambskin was placed on the goat and then the goat was driven out into the wilderness to die. [It was actually staked out so that it was easy prey to a predator (man or beast) or would starve to death. Regardless, the penalty for the sins of the nation was “death to the goat.”] But, what Jesus saw, and He was not alone in this, was the number of lambs of God’s flock who were deemed to be “goats,” better known as scapegoats, and driven out of communities left to fend for themselves. Better yet that they would die. Yet, Jesus was one of that flock of God’s people. He took on the sins of the world at Calvary and allowed, by being the sacrificial lamb, the people to be saved from the consequence of sin…they would not die.

How that relates to “adultery and lust” is now brought to light beyond the physical and is applied to the political and spiritual realms. What was hoped to be buried by one side and ignored by the other was brought to light. That which everyone thought was done in secret was exposed to the light of truth. The consequence of that truth was to challenge everyone to look within and see what they truly could do without. We can reflect more on that tomorrow and consider if such knowledge and wisdom isn’t applicable even today. Until then, with eyes and ears let us receive God’s word. Shalom.

PRAYER IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD:

Father, You have revealed to us best in Jesus the Christ. By Him and Him alone shall we gain the eternal life and our place in eternal rest, living for You always. Show us more and by Your Holy Spirit instruct us in the way we should go, the truth we should reveal and the life we shall live with you forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.