Sunday, February 12, 2023

Today’s Scripture Reading 
Matthew 5:21–37

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

“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 lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to 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 anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear 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 swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” (NRSV)

Reflection
I’m a bit of a history buff, so when I read this lengthy passage from Matthew I immediately homed in on the phrase “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” That phrase caused political upheaval when candidate Jimmy Carter, a Southern Baptist, said it in a Playboy Magazine interview. It almost cost him the presidential election in 1976.

Carter was reflecting his own deep commitment to his faith, and what wasn’t much talked about was another comment he made: “Christ set some almost impossible standards for us.” And that’s the point of these passages from Matthew and this teaching. These are the context of the commandments: the above and beyond the simpler declarations and moral code they establish.

They certainly seem harsh and unattainable to me. We’re not used to such moral certitude, and it sounds like fire and brimstone preaching. Yet maybe that’s what we need sometimes—that dash of cold water to wake us.

I believe today we are especially in need of the underlying message here, and that is that we need to live our lives with integrity. Being true to ourselves and others matters, but the concept of truth has been bent and twisted in our society. None of us is perfect, but we each have the capacity to look into ourselves and assert boundaries in how we respond to others, make choices, and engage in society. In short, live with integrity.

I’m not a biblical literalist, but I think I get the message.

Prayer
Loving God, be the voice within me, my North Star of guidance. Implant the wisdom to make good judgments and good choices so that I live my life with integrity and meaning. Amen.

Written by Ken Ohr, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

Devotion index by date | I’d like to receive daily devotions by email