Broadened, Reversed, Internalized

These are the commands given to the Israelites so that they would be set apart from the world around them. We can view them as identifying markers, while the world around fell into lawlessness and self-absorption, God gave Moses the Commands so that Gods people would not come to the same fate.

The Revised Standard Version Chapter 20

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; 11 for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

13 “You shall not kill.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

These are the commands given to the Israelites so that they would be set apart from the world around them. We can view them as identifying markers, while the world around fell into lawlessness and self-absorption, God gave Moses the Commands so that Gods people would not come to the same fate.

The commands served for the Israelites as a way to understand that belonging to God set them apart from the world. Being set apart from the world meant being obedient to God. There was (and still is) a ton temptation in the world for the Israelite to deal with and from what we can read prior to these verses and after them, the Israelites failed time and time again at setting themselves apart from the world. Whether is was worshiping other Gods (Golden calf), or coveting other nations systems (like asking for a king) , or committing adultery (King David’s Betrayal) there was plenty of opportunity to live into the sin of the world and not stay true to the God that is always there with them.

The commands served for the Israelites as a way to understand that belonging to God set them apart from the world. Being set apart from the world meant being obedient to God. There was (and still is) a ton temptation in the world for the Israelite to deal with and from what we can read prior to these verses and after them, the Israelites failed time and time again at setting themselves apart from the world. Whether is was worshiping other Gods (Golden calf), or coveting other nations systems (like asking for a king) , or committing adultery (King Davids Betrayal) there was plenty of opportunity to live into the sin of the world and not stay true to the God that is always there with them.

But can we fault the Israelites for falling into these temptations? Can we sit in judgment upon them? Their circumstances where hardly favorable, they spent a lot of time in captivity, enslaved by other nations. This led to being exposed to other religions, customs, and social norms. It also led them away from their own traditions. In a lot of cases their own traditions were outlawed and practicing them could have placed them in a dangerous situation (Daniel and the Lion’s den, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego just to name a couple). So not being able to practice your religion coupled with the desires of the flesh and the readily available avenues to quench those desires makes for some difficult choices. All I am saying is that it becomes increasing hard to remain faithful.

And yet, God calls them out of Egypt out of slavery, guides them through the wilderness, provides them with food and after all of this they grumble. It would seem a nice thing to just say they are ungrateful. But God wants relationship with them because God loves them. They are still Gods creation and part of Gods promise that came to Abraham. God is faithful and just.

But can we fault the Israelites for falling into these temptations? Can we sit in judgment upon them? Their circumstances where hardly favorable, they spent a lot of time in captivity, enslaved by other nations. This led to being exposed to other religions, customs, and social norms. It also led them away from their own traditions. In a lot of cases their own traditions were outlawed and practicing them could have placed them in a dangerous situation (Daniel and the Lions den, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego just to name a couple). So not being able to practice your religion coupled with the desires of the flesh and the readily available avenues to quench those desires makes for some difficult choices. All I am saying is that it becomes increasing hard to remain faithful.

And yet, God calls them out of Egypt out of slavery, guides them through the wilderness, provides them with food and after all of this they grumble. It would seem a nice thing to just say they are ungrateful. But God wants relationship with them because God loves them. They are still Gods creation and part of Gods promise that came to Abraham. God is faithful and just.

The commandments are going to be difficult for them to follow, but they will no what is right and wrong. They will break some of the commands on a daily basis, but they will know they there are commands to be broken. They will grumble and complain about the difficulty and the demands placed on them, but they will know they are different from the world, if they follow them. God expected more from those who would inherit the promise.

And yet, God calls them out of Egypt out of slavery, guides them through the wilderness, provides them with food and after all of this they grumble. It would seem a nice thing to just say they are ungrateful. But God wants relationship with them because God loves them. They are still Gods creation and part of Gods promise that came to Abraham. God is faithful and just.

The commandments are going to be difficult for them to follow, but they will no what is right and wrong. They will break some of the commands on a daily basis, but they will know they there are commands to be broken. They will grumble and complain about the difficulty and the demands placed on them, but they will know they are different from the world, if they follow them. God expected more from those who would inherit the promise.

Let’s fast forward a bit to a time where the nation of Israel is in a better (with reservations) place. They are now living in towns and cities (although under occupation) where they can practice their religion. They have synagogues where they meet and read the Torah and the Psalter. They have many teachers of the law who instruct the people in what is proper in accordance with it. For all of this, people are still breaking the law and it still serves as a reminder that they are sinful and that they are set apart. How are they going to figure out how to keep these Ten commandments? How if after all this time they still find themselves struggling with greed, lust, slander, other gods, and many other things are they going to finally live up to Gods expectation?

The commandments are going to be difficult for them to follow, but they will no what is right and wrong. They will break some of the commands on a daily basis, but they will know they there are commands to be broken. They will grumble and complain about the difficulty and the demands placed on them, but they will know they are different from the world, if they follow them. God expected more from those who would inherit the promise.

Let’s fast forward a bit to a time where the nation of Israel is in a better (with reservations) place. They are now living in towns and cities (although under occupation) where they can practice their religion. They have synagogues where they meet and read the Torah and the Psalter. They have many teachers of the law who instruct the people in what is proper in accordance with it. For all of this, people are still breaking the law and it still serves as a reminder that they are sinful and that they are set apart. How are they going to figure out how to keep these Ten commandments? How if after all this time they still find themselves struggling with greed, lust, slander, other gods, and many other things are they going to finally live up to Gods expectation?

If you think this is where we introduce Jesus, then you would be right. But, it is not what you expected. Not only do we introduce Jesus into the picture, but we hear from him a sermon that takes the law and seems to make it infinitely harder to follow. You might be wondering how could it get any more difficult? How can something that people already can’t do after hundreds of years and teachers galore and places to practice their law become harder?

Lets fast forward a bit to a time where the nation of Israel is in a better (with reservations) place. They are now living in towns and cities (although under occupation) where they can practice their religion. They have synagogues where they meet and read the Torah and the Psalter. They have many teachers of the law who instruct the people in what is proper in accordance with it. For all of this, people are still breaking the law and it still serves as a reminder that they are sinful and that they are set apart. How are they going to figure out how to keep these Ten commandments? How if after all this time they still find themselves struggling with greed, lust, slander, other gods, and many other things are they going to finally live up to Gods expectation?

If you think this is where we introduce Jesus, then you would be right. But, it is not what you expected. Not only do we introduce Jesus into the picture, but we hear from him a sermon that takes the law and seems to make it infinitely harder to follow. You might be wondering how could it get any more difficult? How can something that people already can’t do after hundreds of years and teachers galore and places to practice their law become harder?

(RSV)

If you think this is where we introduce Jesus, then you would be right. But, it is not what you expected. Not only do we introduce Jesus into the picture but we hear from him a sermon that takes the law and seems to make it infinitely harder to follow . You might be wondering how could it get anymore difficult? How can something that people already cant do after hundreds of years and teachers galore and places to practice their law become harder?

(RSV)

When we being to look at the words of Jesus in this sermon we might have the tendency to miss what he is doing. Jesus is not preaching on something new. He is not setting a new foundation. He is not just painting a pretty picture for the poor and the widows either. Jesus is taking a well-known part of the Israelites life clarifying how to live it. He is answering that difficult question about the ten commandments, the question about following it correctly and making it clear for those who would have an ear.

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

17 “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; 26 truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Chapter 6

1 “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread;

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we also have forgiven our debtors;

13 And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.

Chapter 7

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

7 “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. 18 A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

21 “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’

24 “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it.”

When we being to look at the words of Jesus in this sermon we might have the tendency to miss what he is doing. Jesus is not preaching on something new. He is not setting a new foundation. He is not just painting a pretty picture for the poor and the widows either. Jesus is taking a well-known part of the Israelites life clarifying how to live it. He is answering that difficult question about the ten commandments, the question about following it correctly and making it clear for those who would have an ear.

The first thing we can look at is the way he broadens it. Jesus takes the Ten Commandments and addresses some of the easier commands. First we will look at the sixth command “thou shall not kill”, it seems simple enough, do not take the life of another person. I think most of us can handle that. But then Jesus does something to help us understand what it means to not kill, he broadens the understanding with this, 21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.” We have gone from a command that seemed easy to accomplish by just not taking physical action, to making it about our very thoughts and words. How much more difficult can it become. Many of us struggle with keeping our action right and now we have to keep our words and thoughts in order too.

The first thing we can look at is the way he broadens it. Jesus takes the Ten Commandments and addresses some of the easier commands. First, we will look at the sixth command “thou shall not kill”, it seems simple enough, do not take the life of another person. I think most of us can handle that. But then Jesus does something to help us understand what it means to not kill, he broadens the understanding with this, 21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.” We have gone from a command that seemed easy to accomplish by just not taking physical action, to making it about our very thoughts and words. How much more difficult can it become. Many of us struggle with keeping our action right and now we have to keep our words and thoughts in order too.

He further illustrates the point when he talks about adultery, again this seems simple enough in the original command. Do not have sexual relations with another mans wife or another woman's husband. But in the sermon that Jesus is preaching it gets kick up a notch or two (or three). 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The way this command draws out our hearts motives adds another dimension to sin. At this point Jesus is not just saying sin is a thought or a word or an action, it has not become part of our very being. talk about becoming difficult and convicting. Jesus aims to help us understand that following the commands are more than just difficult, but it is nearly impossible for us.

21 “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.

He further illustrates the point when he talks about adultery, again this seems simple enough in the original command. Do not have sexual relations with another man’s wife or another woman's husband. But in the sermon that Jesus is preaching it gets kick up a notch or two (or three). 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The way this command draws out our hearts motives adds another dimension to sin. At this point Jesus is not just saying sin is a thought or a word or an action, it has not become part of our very being. talk about becoming difficult and convicting. Jesus aims to help us understand that following the commands are more than just difficult, but it is nearly impossible for us.

This is exactly the kind of understanding that i believe Jesus was going for. We can’t help but feel helpless in the face of such an impossible task. Jesus expounds throughout on how the commands are much more than we think they are. He goes into all the ways that we can break them and does not shy away from addressing the penalty for break them. He does not mince words or try to make them sound less than what they are. He is forthright and transparent, you need to do these things in order to please God and inherit the promise.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This is exactly the kind of understanding that i believe Jesus was going for. We can’t help but feel helpless in the face of such an impossible task. Jesus expounds throughout on how the commands are much more than we think they are. He goes into all the ways that we can break them and does not shy away from addressing the penalty for break them. He does not mince words or try to make them sound less than what they are. He is forthright and transparent, you need to do these things in order to please God and inherit the promise.

The second thing that Jesus does in reverse the Law, this is not what you might think it means. It does not mean to change the law into the opposite of what it means. Its purpose is to intensify the actions that are opposite of the things it is telling you not to do. For instance in regards to our enemies Jesus says this 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.

The second thing that Jesus does in reverse the Law, this is not what you might think it means. It does not mean to change the law into the opposite of what it means. Its purpose is to intensify the actions that are opposite of the things it is telling you not to do. For instance, in regards to our enemies Jesus says this 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

This is a perfect example of reversing, not only are we not killing or hating or calling names, but we are loving our enemies . We are taking actions that defy how we would normally desire to treat those that mistreat us. Making friends of our enemies gets rid of our enemies all together. Jesus calls us to be in a different frame of thinking and acting so we can begin to fulfill commands. it makes sense logically, if we are loving our enemies then we are not hurting them or killing them etc.

This is a perfect example of reversing, not only are we not killing or hating or calling names, but we are loving our enemies. We are taking actions that defy how we would normally desire to treat those that mistreat us. Making friends of our enemies gets rid of our enemies all together. Jesus calls us to be in a different frame of thinking and acting so we can begin to fulfill commands. it makes sense logically, if we are loving our enemies then we are not hurting them or killing them etc.

But this doesn't allow us to completely keep Gods commands. Because how am i going to learn to love my enemies and treat them as a friend when I do not find love for them in my heart. How am I supposed to stop lusting after another, when the temptations are always present. The questions continue and we find ourselves in the same place we discussed earlier about the Jews. Can we sit in judgment on ourselves, can we be held responsible when sin and temptation is at every turn? How can we escape this ever present, all surrounding sin and how can I live up to the commands when Jesus just broadened them and told us to live into them, when it is hard enough to just not do them.

But this doesn't allow us to completely keep Gods commands. Because how am i going to learn to love my enemies and treat them as a friend when I do not find love for them in my heart. How am I supposed to stop lusting after another, when the temptations are always present? The questions continue, and we find ourselves in the same place we discussed earlier about the Jews. Can we sit in judgment on ourselves, can we be held responsible when sin and temptation is at every turn? How can we escape this ever present, all surrounding sin and how can I live up to the commands when Jesus just broadened them and told us to live into them, when it is hard enough to just not do them?

The Revised Standard Version. (1971). (). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

This introduces our last part, the last thing Jesus is asking us to do. We need to internalize them. He starts by taking all of these commands that are very difficult and simplifies them , (so we do not have to think to hard) into two commands in “37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” So now just think about these two, do not concern yourself with the overwhelming amount of effort it will take to love your enemy or control your thoughts pr your heart. Just love God and your neighbor, then the commands can start to become part of who we are. As we breath, as we move, as we speak, think, and act, these commands must become our hearts. There are so many scriptures flowing through my head at this moment that I find it hard to grasp just one, but to best illustrate how you can make all of those things happen in internalizing them I think this passage in Galatians says it adequately-

The Revised Standard Version. (1971). (). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.The commands need to become part of who we are. As we breath, as we move, as we speak, think, and act, these commands must be in our hearts. There are so many scriptures flowing through my head at this moment that I find it hard to grasp just one, but to best illustrate how you can make all of those things happen in internalizing them I think these will say it adequately-

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19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained by angels through an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one; but God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not; for if a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the scripture consigned all things to sin, that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. 24 So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

The Revised Standard Version. (1971). (). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

This introduces our last part; the last thing Jesus is asking us to do. We need to internalize them. He starts by taking all of these commands that are very difficult and simplifies them, (so we do not have to think to hard) into two commands in “37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” So now just think about these two, do not concern yourself with the overwhelming amount of effort it will take to love your enemy or control your thoughts pr your heart. Just love God and your neighbor, then the commands can start to become part of who we are. As we breath, as we move, as we speak, think, and act, these commands must become our hearts. There are so many scriptures flowing through my head at this moment that I find it hard to grasp just one, but to best illustrate how you can make all of those things happen in internalizing them I think this passage in Galatians says it adequately-

()

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained by angels through an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one; but God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not; for if a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the scripture consigned all things to sin, that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. 24 So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Broadened, Reversed, Internalized

The Commands