Welcome to Day 10 of our 40 Day challenge! Matthew 5:21-32

Note: On this day of the challenge, we were just making it out of the storms and getting power back! And I’ve been working on getting the site caught up ever since!

(Catch up with us, with our reading list March, reading list for April,  and Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9)

Today we are in Matthew 5:21-32:

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Matthew 5:21-32

Murder

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery

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

Divorce

³¹ “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’³² But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

As I read the passage, I’m struck by God’s care for us in relationship. As post-resurrection followers of Jesus, we are taught to see the higher call in each of the above sections. (The fulfillment of the law for Jesus, isn’t just our outward action, it’s our heart position.) And this exposes our inability to do any of this without the indwelling Spirit of God.

But today, I’m also noticing the relational focus of this. Each thing Jesus brings up shows our heart positions and that’s what I usually focus on. But they also are about things that impact others in relationship. I often see most things through the lens of how they impact my relationship with God. And it’s important too, to think of how things impact those around me as well.

I’m struck by how caring God is for us in relationship with each other. We need each other. How we treat each other matters. These admonitions set us to a higher standard and show us our inability to meet this standard without God. And they are the best for us, for our hearts and our relationships as well.

We are our best when we have healthy relationships and treat others as who they are, fellow image-bearers who are loved beyond measure.

Wrath against another is so damaging to our hearts and relationships.

Seeing another person’s body as an object to be used for our own gratification is damaging to our hearts, and our relationships.

And divorce was really only a risky thing for women in ancient Judaism. A husband was a partner, but also the sole support a woman could have. Women couldn’t decide to leave a husband, but he could leave her for any reason. She was either dependent on her father or husband, she couldn’t support herself.

In our modern day, the no divorce portion is used to shame those who have been through it. And it is serious and affects so many lives, and shouldn’t be taken lightly, especially by believers. But I’m also thinking about how it’s so different from the time of Jesus.

Today, both parties have agency, and it’s very different from what Jesus is talking about. As with the woman at the well, having five husbands today versus in her day means something completely different. In the time of Jesus, it meant being abandoned over and over again.

And so we can see Jesus protecting the vulnerable in His statements about divorce. I am so very grateful I was widowed in a time that I can have my own bank accounts. Only several decades ago that wouldn’t have been true.

Jesus cares for us and our character and holiness, and He cares for our relationships and how we treat others, especially the vulnerable.

Options for further  journaling or discussion throughout the challenge:

• Choose a part of the passage to write out by hand. Writing by hand helps us slow down and focus on what the Lord might highlight for us in the passage. Our brains can focus and remember better by writing than just reading alone.
• Journal about what the passage brings to mind. Does the passage tell us anything about God? Does it tell us anything about our response to Him?
• Does your heart respond in gratitude to any part of the passage? Write or pray your gratitude to the Lord.

 

We’ll see you next time, for Day 11 and Matthew 5:38-48

♥ Samantha