Matthew (written)

Friday, 13 December 2024

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ Matthew 5:38

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“You heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that one’s Yes should be yes and his No should be no. Anything beyond that is out of evil. He now starts a new thought, saying, “You heard that it was said.”

He again turns to that which was heard and understood by all. It is a precept out of the law itself, but He will provide additional insights into what God expects. The precept is found first in Exodus 21:24. It is then repeated in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, “Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.”

The original precept said –

“If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. ²³ But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Exodus 21:22-25

This law is known as the Lex Talionis, the law of retaliation. The punishment is given to resemble the offense in both kind and degree of severity. It is a right standard for keeping people in check. If someone knows that he will have his eye plucked out for plucking out someone else’s eye, the chances are that he will restrain from doing that.

This goes for pretty much every action that will be repaid in kind. When one understands that his actions against someone will lead to like punishment, he will normally use wisdom and restrain himself.

This type of punishment was certainly to be evaluated and meted out in a judicial setting. It was not something that people were to do on their own. Whether this was something people did – without judicial approval or not – may be a part of how society in general acted, but it is certain that this was not expected to be what one would normally carry out on his own.

Jesus will next clarify what people should do in such cases of offense.

Life application: Exodus 21, cited above, specifically deals with the murder of an unborn child. The obvious point is that there is a child in the womb considered a human being. This is to be taken as an axiom, and yet it is as common as pages in a book for people to intentionally destroy their unborn children through abortion.

If you want to know if the Lord, who gave us the words of the Bible, finds aborting a child acceptable, one read through Scripture, while taking notes concerning the unborn, will reveal the truth. It is a great sin against human morality, and it is something that can never be condoned when placed in the light of Scripture.

Use wisdom in how you evaluate such moral matters. What is legal does not necessarily equate to what is right. The same people who find it acceptable to abort children because it is legal will claim that past policies concerning slavery cannot be condoned, even though it was legal. The thinking is awry. We must use Scripture as our standard for understanding what is morally acceptable or not.

Lord God, we live in a world of confused thinking, especially over moral precepts. Society cannot be the standard for our moral choices. That has failed throughout history. Where can we go to determine such things? To Scripture! Help us to use Your word to solidify our morals. Surely, in this, we will be doing what is right in Your eyes. Amen.

Thursday, 12 December 2024

But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Matthew 5:37

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And let it be, your word, ‘Yes, yes.’ ‘No, no.’ And the surplus of these, it is out of evil” (CG).

The previous verse noted that Jesus said not to swear by our heads because we cannot make one hair white or black. Now, He tells His disciples how their words should be spoken, saying, “And let it be, your word, ‘Yes, yes.’ ‘No, no.’”

The meaning is that instead of swearing about a matter to elevate one’s supposed sincerity concerning it, a person’s simple Yes should mean yes, and a person’s No should mean no. There should be no need for a person to swear an oath because he is to be known for always keeping his word.

The thought is, “That Mike, you can always take him at his word. If he said ‘Yes,’ then he will do what he said.” Likewise, “I don’t know about you, but if Joey said ‘No,’ she didn’t do it. That settles it with me. She is the straightest shooter I have ever worked with.”

The precept is referred to by Paul in 2 Corinthians 1 –

“Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? ¹⁸ But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. ²⁰ For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, ²² who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:17-22

Likewise, James mentions it in the same context as Jesus in his epistle –

“But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No,’ lest you fall into judgment.” James 5:12

Of this need for sincerity of speech, Jesus next says, “And the surplus of these, it is out of evil.”

The word perissos, surplus, signifies that which is abundant, exceeding, more than, etc. In this case, the meaning is that the need to swear in order to affirm one’s veracity comes from an evil disposition, it stems from an evil purpose, or it is derived from the “evil one,” meaning the devil. No matter which, evil is ultimately derived from the devil. He got the whole ball rolling, and it has continued in hearts of wickedness ever since.

Life application: If you have watched people carefully over the years, you will see that Jesus’ words are borne out in those who constantly swear in order to affirm what they say is true. They will take advantage of the swearing, maybe not lying every time, but using it as a tool of deception when it is convenient.

When they are challenged on their falsities, they will often get angry, belligerent, or act as if they are offended because their integrity has been challenged. It is the people who simply state a matter and follow through with it that are held as people of true integrity.

There is no need for extra ruffles and flourishes in one’s speech when it comes to telling the truth. Just speak what is true in the simplest form, follow through with your words, and people will look at you as a person who is reliable and filled with integrity.

Glorious God, may we be obedient to the precepts laid out for us in Your word concerning our speech and conduct. You created us, and so the manual You have given us for proper living will guide us rightly. We know this, and so help us to remember it as we go forth in the world. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Wednesday, 11 December 2024

Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. Matthew 5:36

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Nor in your head shall you swear, for not you are able one hair – white or black – to make” (CG).

In the previous verses, Jesus told His disciples not to swear at all. He then said not to do so in heaven, nor in the earth, nor unto Jerusalem. Now, He finishes this immediate thought, saying, “Nor in your head shall you swear.”

Some scholars have noted that swearing by one’s head was a practice held by those in the past, both in Jewish society and among the Gentiles. But other than being able to think about God and pondering His ways, such a vow has no relationship to Him at all.

The head is a part of the body, and the body of man was fashioned by God. To swear by one’s own head is its own special form of idolatry. First, it raises the head in general to a level of importance comparable to one’s view of God.

Second, it elevates one’s own head to a level that calls out for acknowledgment that it is so. In other words, it is comparable to saying, “I swear by my head. As this is the epitome of importance, you can trust that my vow has all the binding authority of God Himself.”

When thought through, it is an arrogant display of self-exaltation. But humans often say things without thinking the substance of their words through. Quite often this is unintentional, but our words are what define us. As a reason for not swearing by one’s head, Jesus next says, “for not you are able one hair – white or black – to make.”

The Greek word is poieó, to do or to make. The Berean Strong’s Lexicon says it is a word “encompassing a wide range of actions from creating and producing to performing and executing. It is often used to describe God’s creative acts, human actions, and the fulfillment of commands or duties.”

Most interpreters consider these words to mean that we are unable to change the color of even a single hair. That seems unlikely, though, because we actually can change the color of our hair. Bengel attempts to get around this, saying –

“The dye of human art is not real whiteness or blackness. Not merely is a single hair, but even the colour of a single hair, beyond the power of man.”

In other words, his thoughts are that when we dye our white hair black, it is still actually white. This is a possible explanation, but other than the person who does the dyeing, no one else may even know this, and so it somewhat defeats the intent of the thought that is being conveyed. What is probably the meaning is how the Lamsa Bible paraphrases these words –

“Neither shall you swear by your own head, because you cannot create in it a single black or white hair.”

This seems more likely. It aligns with Bengel’s intent, but it avoids the thought of dyeing the hair completely. Humans cannot create anything, even a single hair that is the color of our choosing. If we do not have the ability to create a single hair, either black or white, then we have no right to affirm an oath by swearing upon our heads.

Life application: As noted above, we often quote things without thinking through what we are actually saying. Rather, we simply repeat something that sounded bold, extravagant, or funny without considering how ridiculous the words actually are.

People will often say things like, “Oh my, this kitchen is to die for,” meaning that it is a really beautiful or well-laid-out kitchen. But if someone were willing to die to have a similar kitchen, then he or she would be dead. A dead person having a kitchen is quite pointless.

Likewise, people often say, “He has more money than God.” It sounds funny at first, but it is demeaning of God while being a completely ridiculous claim. God possesses all things, including the money that we make. To say such a thing elevates money above God.

We should consider the clichés we pick up and repeat. Even if they are intended to make a particular point about the subject that is bold or funny, the substance behind them may be foolish, ridiculous, or even blasphemous. As such, we should be careful what things we convey with our lips.

Lord God, give us wisdom in how we communicate our thoughts, knowing that even our words are being evaluated by You. We often speak before we think. From there, our words become ingrained in our conversations and we repeat things that we should not. Help us in this. May what we say always be glorifying of You. Amen.

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Matthew 5:35

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“nor in the earth, for it is a footstool of His feet, nor unto Jerusalem for it is a city of the great King” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus said, “And I, I say to you, not swear atall, either in the heaven, for it is God’s throne.” He continues this thought now, saying, “nor in the earth.”

Jesus again uses the word en, in. It would be like saying, “I swear in the name of the earth.” The sense is “by” earth. Jesus says that like heaven, we are not to swear by earth. These places are a part of creation. They are not God, nor are they to be likened to Him by using them as a point of swearing. Jesus explains this next, saying, “for it is a footstool of His feet.”

Here the hupopodion, footstool, is introduced. It comes from hypo, under, and pous, the foot. Thus, it is that which is under the foot, meaning a footstool. Almost all translations say “the footstool” or simply “His footstool.” There is no article before the word in the Greek, but more, the earth is not the only footstool of God mentioned in the Bible –

“Then King David rose to his feet and said, ‘Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it.’” 1 Chronicles 28:2

It is true that the temple is on the earth, and so someone could argue that it simply happens to be the point on the earth where His footstool exists, but because the use of the word is a metaphor, and as not only the earth is described as God’s footstool, it is best to translate this without a definite article. Next, Jesus says, “nor unto Jerusalem.”

Jesus changes the preposition from en to eis (unto). This word generally denotes motion or direction towards something or someone. In swearing unto Jerusalem, one would be swearing with the purpose or expected result of it being a satisfactory means of validating one’s words. Jesus, however, says that this is not to be so, “for it is a city of the great King.”

Again, there is no article before “city.” It is true that Jerusalem is the earthly city described as the city of God, such as in Psalm 48:2 –

“Beautiful elevation –
Delight of all the earth:
Mount Zion –
Sides north,
City of great King!” (CG)

However, the earthly Jerusalem is not the only city of the great King. Jesus was referring to the earthly Jerusalem in His words to the people, but that is only a type or hopeful anticipation of something else. There is also the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22), which is the antitype of the earthly.

Life application: Sometimes, evaluating things in Scripture may seem to come down to splitting hairs, but it is important to try to be precise. This is often not possible when using a particular translation of the Bible or even many translations of it.

Translators are just people and they are prone to making mistakes. As such, if you are going to really search out the finest points of a verse or passage, it is good to at least be familiar with how to consult the original languages.

They are available right online and come with all of the parsing necessary to at least know if a translation is correct or not. Even if you don’t understand the language, you can determine if the words match or not. This is not necessary until absolute precision in understanding is needed.

Everyone is on a different level of understanding and maturity in relation to the word. So don’t feel like where you are is not acceptable. But as you continue to grow, strive to be precise in your analysis. Until that point, be careful about being dogmatic about something that you may have actually misunderstood.

Lord God, help us to desire precision in our understanding of Your word. May we be diligent about reading it, thinking about it, studying it, and sharing it with others. As we learn, may we be willing to acknowledge where we may be wrong and then be willing to correct our doctrine, fine-tuning it so that we will be sound in what we believe. Amen.

Monday, 9 December 2024

But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; Matthew 5:34

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And I, I say to you, not swear atall, either in the heaven, for it is God’s throne” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that in the law it says that one should not perjure and that oaths were to be performed. However, Jesus now says, “And I, I say to you, not swear atall.”

Here is the first use of the word holós. It signifies wholly or altogether. When preceded by a negative, it signifies “atall” which, yes, is an English word that matches the Greek exactingly. The other three uses of the word will be by Paul in 1 Corinthians.

Rather than making vows, Jesus says to refrain from making them. However, someone might consider this as contradictory. In Deuteronomy 6:13, it says, “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name.”

Someone could say that Jesus is contradicting what Moses taught. It could also be argued that He was rewriting the law rather than fulfilling it. But this is not so. Jesus continues His words with, “either in the heaven, for it is God’s throne.”

This is the first of five things Jesus says you are not to swear by. In this case, the word en, in, is used to indicate instrumentality as in “by heaven.” We use it this way at times, such as, “I swear in my dad’s name.”

Each of those five things is a part of creation. At times, an oath, adjuration, or vow is required. When it is, then it is to be made solely in the name of the Lord. This is evidenced by Jesus responding to such an adjuration in Matthew 26 –

“And the high priest arose and said to Him, ‘Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?’ ⁶³ But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, ‘I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!’
⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’” Matthew 26:62-64

Further, Paul makes such oaths in his epistles quite a few times, such as in Romans 1:8 where he calls God as his witness. Rather, anything less than an oath in His name would be idolatry, elevating something created to a level of prominence that belongs to God alone.

Jesus will continue with His list of things not to swear by in the coming verses.

Life application: There are many in Christian circles who refuse to make a vow, even in the name of the Lord, based on this verse. This is based on a faulty interpretation of what Jesus is saying.

If a matter requires an oath, such as in a courtroom, the oath is only to be made in the name of the true God. As He finishes this thought, Jesus will tell what the normally expected type of guarantee is to be. It is a precept that is repeated several more times in the New Testament, including by Paul.

Be sure to keep things in context and to fully consider the entire matter that is being addressed when coming to decisions about one’s doctrine and life conduct.

Lord God, help our words to be always truthful so that people can rely on them without ever questioning our sincerity and without calling our relationship with You into question. May all those we interact with consider us as faithful people whose words can always be trusted. Amen.