Sermon Tone Analysis

Laying some groundwork

Jesus has been teaching about the character and the quality of the Kingdom dweller, the influence of the kingdom dweller and the righteousness too.

Now Starts a section for the rest of chapter known as the antithesis.

It will all make sense as we work our way through this week and next.

The thesis (Mt5:20)

So what does thesis mean?

(stop, ask the question; wait for answers)

the·sis /ˈTHēsis/ noun; a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.

So here is the thesis:

_____________________________

The antithesis

Murder (Mt5:21-26); Adultery (Mt5:27-30)

Divorce (Mt5:31-32); Vows/oaths (Mt5:33-37)

Vengeance (Mt5:38-42); Enemy (Mt5:43-47)

The command (Mt5:48)

________________________________

The antithesis

An antithesis is a person or thing that is direct opposite of someone or something else; or it is a contrast or opposition between two things.

Jesus is taking what they (the Pharisee’s, etc) know and are contrasting their righteousness with surpassing righteousness.

Watch at you see the phrases of “you have heard it said;” “But I say to you” as the two points, two sides.

What the commandment, the law says and what the spirit of the law as interpreted by Jesus says.

Now today we are only going to look at a couple of them, but here they all are for now, then we will look at our passage for today.

Murder (Mt5:21-26); Adultery (Mt5:27-30)

Divorce (Mt5:31-32); Vows/oaths (Mt5:33-37)

Vengeance (Mt5:38-42); Enemy (Mt5:43-47)

The command (Mt5:48)

What did you see, what did you notice, what sticks out to you?

A couple more things in laying the ground work before digging into the passage.

Jesus asserts His authority in the antithesis by using the word “I” (v.22, 28)

Jesus tells it is for application now “I tell you;” so we have the truth from the truth giving; the one with the authority telling them directly what the truth is.

If we want to know the truth today we need to be diligent to study the Truth (2Tim2:15)

Finally, these antithesis statements are not all inclusive nor exhaustive; they are a sample, to show a pattern which is to be learned.

Here about the law and the spirit of the law

We don’t want to miss out on the true intention of all of this.

Seek and apply the heart intention of God’s instructions, not merely the letter of it.

Do not murder . . .

but I say

Jesus in the antithesis draws from the commandments (Exo20:13) and Jesus is going to define the meaning whereas the Pharisee’s with literal, Jesus, with His authority speaks of the spirit of it, which by the way, would be more constricting.

You can find passages that go into detail about murder, about manslaughter but the point we want to make really is what Jesus had to say.

If you are angry with your brother, you are guilty (Mt5:22)

If you are angry, get right, get right now (MT5:23-24)

Anger is one letter away from “danger”

Don’t confuse this with righteous anger (Mk3:1-5; Eph4:26-27)

Jesus displayed righteous anger here as well as you know in the temple when turning over the tables and driving out the money changers.

Now look at this.

There are many who would say it is not OK to get angry at all, but anger is a God given emotion is it not?

But to stay angry is a danger and can become a sin.

May we always be going to God to make sure if we are angry we deal with it, deal with it appropriately.

Get right get right now or else let it become sin (Mt5:23-24; Ps4:4; Ps139:23-24)

I love what David asked in his prayer

Anger can hurt our relationship with God; that is why Jesus said we need to get right and get right now.

In the culture at the time if you had on offense on someone you would be the one to go tract the person down and take them to court (see Mt5:25-26) because when the court decides on something you can end up in jail and no way out of the issue that the anger caused.

The point Jesus is trying to make is that anger is serious and needs to be dealt with quickly!

Whereas the Pharisee’s were thinking murder alone, they were adhering to the letter of the Law, Jesus looks at the intent of the heart.

Anger can turn to hate and irrevocable words and spiritual murder (Mt5:22; 1Jn3:15)

I put that back up there for look at the last bit of it.

hell, some versions would say gehenna.

Did you know Gehenna was a place they would all know about, it was outside the Western wall of Jerusalem; it was also known as the valley of the son of Hinnom.

This is the place where Ahazand Manasseh sacrificed their sons to the god Molech then later it became the place where Jerusalem burned its refuge so there was always a burning going on.

So this picture should show us how serious Jesus thinks anger is.

Get right, get right now or else (Mt5:25-26)

Or else is that you put yourself in captivity.

This is a serious issue.

We cannot harbor anger or hold a grudge it impacts our walk with Christ and can impact our future destination.

This is a salvation issue by Jesus own words.

But I say . . .

looking with lust is adultery

The One with authority has words regarding true adultery; giving the new standard.

Jesus is affirms God’s law of purity and the sanctity of marriage and sex.

God created man, created sex and protects sex.

_______________________________________

Command under the Law (Mt5:27; Exo20:14)

Jesus interpretation (Mt5:28)

Jesus solution (Mt5:29-30)

Do whatever it takes; don’t let it be a part of you (COl3:5; Rom6:13; Rom12:1-2; Rom13:14)