A PRAYER TO START

This prayer ascribed to Saint Patrick encapsulates the essence of Jesus’ teaching the 5th chapter of Matthew’s story. Begin your time praying it 3xs…

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and near,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

DIVING INTO THE DETAILS

Jesus is re-framing how we understand and relate to the scriptures and ultimately to God our Father. Yet he is careful to make sure that in his re-framing we do not misunderstand the importance of the revelation that has come before him. He says in 5:18-19,

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Already in Matthew’s story we know that Jesus has come to fulfill what has been long awaited (see 1:22-23; 2:5-6, 15, 17-18, 23; 3:3, 15; 4:14-16). The people of Jesus’ day were expecting God to once again speak to them like he did to Moses,

God, your God, is going to raise up a prophet for you. God will raise him up from among your kinsmen, a prophet like me. Listen obediently to him. This is what you asked God, your God, for at Horeb on the day you were all gathered at the mountain and said, “We can’t hear any more from God, our God; we can’t stand seeing any more fire. We’ll die!”

And God said to me, “They’re right; they’ve spoken the truth. I’ll raise up for them a prophet like you from their kinsmen. I’ll tell him what to say and he will pass on to them everything I command him. And anyone who won’t listen to my words spoken by him, I will personally hold responsible.

(Deuteronomy 18:15-19, MSG)

At this point in the story Jesus has been preaching (4:17), teaching and healing (4:23) long enough to garner a massive and curious following (4:25). These who had waited with bated breathe for God to reveal himself plainly and mightily, were curious what part Jesus would play in the interlude of salvation’s story. Is he a prophet? A wise man? A rabbi to follow or fool to banish? Beginning in verse 21 of chapter 5 all the way through the end of chapter 7, Jesus will let them know what role he has in history. Jesus’ revelation will leave some amazed, others perplexed, and even more offended. But why? Jesus has already affirmed his connection and affection for the God of their past and the scriptures that they cherish. Is he not like others before him, and after, that are committed to helping people live out their faith in the daily grind?

There has been a long tradition in the rabbinic world of interpreting scripture in order for it to be applied to the time in which people where presently living. Such commentaries were not considered as adding to or taking from the sacred text of the Law and the Prophets. Much like today, they were the take home points to help people follow God in their homes and workplaces. Thus people chose rabbis to follow based on their expounding of the life of faith. Jesus' “You have heard that it was said…And I say to you…” statements (5:21-22, 27-28, 31-32, 33-34, 38-39, 43-44) is a common phraseology for rabbis to delineate their teaching from that of others. So makes Jesus different?

For rabbis, the interpretation of scripture is ongoing, never ending process—a living word, if you will. Yet Jesus “closes the issue”, not arguing for a way but the way of understanding and relating to God and one another, as chapters 6 and 7 will help clarify. Jesus is not offering an opinion of kingdom life. Likewise, any interpretation of scripture (or rejection of another’s interpretation) was justified by citing other scriptures or widely accepted teachers or even divinely received knowledge. Yet Jesus appeals to no authority except his own, “And I say to you…” It was this declaration that caused the crowds to be “astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (7:28-29).

David Garland (64-65) argues that Jesus’ revelation as the authority, as revelation itself, is what made Jesus’ life and ministry so astounding and controversial,

“In Matthew’s Gospel, one is to listen only to Jesus (17:5). He is the one teacher (23:8), and the disciples are to make other disciples from the nations by teaching them to observe all things that Jesus has commanded. A. Ginsberg wrote: ‘Israel cannot accept with religious enthusiasm as the Word of God, the utterances of a man who speaks in his own name—not ‘thus saith the Lord’ but ‘I say unto you.’ This ‘I’ is in itself sufficient to drive Judaism away from the Gospel forever’…In Matthew’s story, we first detect this same revulsion among the scribes and Pharisees who label Jesus a blasphemer and sorcerer, and they will attempt to deter the crowds from being swayed by him.”

It is through Jesus that we can know God. It is through Jesus that we can know how to live with God and others. As Jesus himself would say in John’s gospel story, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7).

The ministry of Jesus that follows chapter 7 in Matthew’s gospel is a demonstration of the authority by which he spoke. A revelation of God himself among us, for us, saving us and inviting us to follow him. Indeed the people of Jesus day will discover what we know, that,

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

(Hebrews 1:1-3)

DEVELOPING DISCERNMENT

If we are to live a life in which we relate to God, and to others in a flourishing way, it will be by abiding in Jesus. Following him in the way that he gives us to follow, and no other. There is great freedom we will discover in following Jesus, but there is no room for interpreting life apart from him. Don’t skip this part. Information is of little use in quickening a transformed life if we are undiscerning people. Take the time to thoughtfully answer these questions, and maybe use them as conversation starters in Gospel Community, at work or in your home. Doing so will pay dividends in the long run!

If Jesus is the only way to know God and to live a life in right relationship with God and others, then describe what relating to Jesus looks like for you. How are you getting to know Jesus?

Consider your life of faith. Who has been most influential in your following Jesus? Perhaps it is friend or older believer. Maybe a co-worker or preacher or author. Someone you observe from afar or have walked closely with. How often do you consider what they say to do and how to process life and decisions? How well would you say you could say, “So and so says _____ about ____”?

Consider the influences on those in your workplace, neighborhood and family. Who do they follow as they try to live life well?

There is certainly nothing wrong with imitating others who are imitating Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). What have they shown you about Jesus? In what ways have they made you love, appreciate and deep your commitment to Jesus?

How might you do the same for others?

How well do you know the words and works of Jesus? When you have a question about God or are struggling to comprehend your world or find tension in your relationships; where do you go generally go first? It’s okay to be honest, most of us don’t go to gospels!

What do you think makes people—including myself—go to resources about Jesus rather than directly to him in prayer and in the words that reveal him to us?

How might knowing Jesus more intimately and thoroughly impact the way you are salt and light?

As we begin to immerse ourselves in the words and works of Jesus, getting to know him inside and out, we will become ones who can “truth in love”. Ones who live out the truth we speak to each other and our neighbors.

A PRAYER TO CLOSE

We will close with a portion of the prayer we opened with. Praying together to be surrounded by Jesus, recognizing Jesus and making Jesus known today.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

Amen.