Leviticus 19:1-2, Leviticus 19:9-18, Psalm 119:33-40,
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16-23, Matthew 5:38-48.
A). A CALL TO PRACTICAL HOLINESS.
Leviticus 19:1-2; Leviticus 19:9-18.
In the midst of Jesus’ best-known ethical sermon, the Lord taught the foundational motive for right Christian living: ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48).
In many respects Leviticus 19 is a reshaping, retelling and applying of the ten commandments. Each of the commandments (except the first) is covered, with reference to the living-out of God ‘s laws in Israel’s life. The first commandment is assumed throughout, and governs all the others: because “I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).
The chosen section deals with certain ethical matters, framed for the agricultural, economic, social, judicial, and neighbourly aspects of daily living. The refrain throughout is “I am the LORD”, or “I am the LORD your God”. A holy walk with God is best seen in our attitudes to others.
1. Agriculture.
To city dwellers today, it may seem quite quaint to speak of leaving the corners of one’s field unharvested, and not going back over the job to pick up any missed produce (Leviticus 19:9-10) - but the underlying principle of care is universal. The most beautiful illustration of this practice is found in the book of Ruth: where Boaz would have his reapers drop whole handfuls ‘on purpose’ (Ruth 2:15-16) to provide for Naomi, a neighbour who had fallen on hard times; and her daughter-in-law Ruth, who was a “stranger” in the land.
This is not just a random jumble of commandments: the following word is “You shall not steal” (Leviticus 19:11), and is not unrelated to our attitude towards those ‘less fortunate’ than ourselves. Failing to allow this provision for life’s victims robs them of the dignity of being able to provide for themselves out of the abundance of the generous. Withholding charity is like robbing the poor (cf. Proverbs 22:22).
Such failure is in its turn a dishonest act which fails to give God the praise for what we have by sharing His bounty with others. This in turn dishonours the name of God (cf. Leviticus 19:12).
2. Economics.
In a society where wages were paid daily (cf. Matthew 20:2), with a possible ‘national minimum wage’ which would provide a daily meal for a worker and his family, withholding wages overnight could be disastrous for the labourer. Interestingly here, the employee is to be reckoned as a “neighbour” by the employer (Leviticus 19:13). Surely such consideration would radicalise the workplace today?
3. Social.
There is a duty of care outlined in Leviticus 19:14 - “Do not curse the deaf (who cannot hear what you are saying); and do not put a stumbling block in front of the blind.” I wonder if there is a deeper meaning here on the positive - or even spiritual - side, too: something along the lines of ‘open your mouth for the dumb’ (Proverbs 31:8)? Help the deaf comprehend, assist the blind in the way, perhaps?
4. Justice.
In the first instance, those who sit in judgment are given certain clear standards. It applies to all eras, and all jurisdictions: no partiality, one way or the other (Leviticus 19:15). Then there are those who fancy themselves as both judge and jury, announcing that ‘hanging is too good for that one!’ – this is to “stand against the blood of your neighbour” (Leviticus 19:16).
5. Neighbours.
Not to rebuke a neighbour (where appropriate) is to be complicit in his sin, and is in fact an act of hatred. Vengeance belongs to God (Romans 12:19), and a grudge is soul-destroying (to you if not to the neighbour!)
It is strange that Jesus quoted people as saying, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy’ (Matthew 5:43). This is not found anywhere in the Old Testament, but perhaps could be a total distortion (on their part, not His) of this passage: which happens to mention both hatred of brethren (but only to forbid it), and love of neighbour, in the same paragraph (Leviticus 19:17-18).
Asked for His summary of the Law, Jesus coupled the commandment to 'love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind' (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5) with this commandment to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-40). The Apostle Paul summed up the commandments (Romans 13:9), and the law (Galatians 5:14), in this same word: “you shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18).
B). A PRAYING POET’S APPEAL FOR THE LORD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Psalm 119:33-40.
In the midst of this wonderful symphony about the Torah, the law of the LORD, there are also some petitions and prayers. This particular section uses several causative verbs, asking the LORD for things which He has promised to those who seek Him. One of the marks of true prayer is submission to the will of God: and it is His Holy Spirit who lays in our hearts such desires as are consistent with His Word.
Psalm 119:33. The Psalmist asks the LORD to “teach me the way of your statutes”. The desire of the poet’s heart is to find this Way, and he promises to “keep it” to the end. It is not inappropriate to intersperse our petitions with heartfelt promises and resolutions: faith and commitment travel hand in hand.
‘I am the Way,’ declares Jesus (cf. John 14:6). ‘Christ is the end of the law’, says Paul (cf. Romans 10:4). So when the law proved itself unable to save anybody (cf. Romans 8:3), Jesus came to fulfil the law (cf. Matthew 5:17).
Psalm 119:34. Having kept the ‘way’, the Psalmist promises to “keep” the law. Indeed, if the LORD will give him understanding then he will “observe it with (his) whole heart”. Christians are those who have been pronounced righteous in the Way (in Jesus), who thereafter ‘walk in the law of the LORD’ (cf. Psalm 119:1).
Psalm 119:35. The Psalmist also asks “make me to go in the path of your commandments”. This is his “delight” in life. Jesus encourages us to enter the narrow gate and traverse that path (cf. Matthew 7:14). Elsewhere Jesus points to Himself as the ‘gate’ into this journey (cf. John 10:9).
Psalm 119:36. Then the Psalmist asks that his heart be inclined towards the LORD’s testimonies. This is to be preferred above “covetousness”. It is interesting that Paul uses the breach of the commandment not to covet as an example of the failure of the law to eradicate sin in the man without Christ (cf. Romans 7:7).
Psalm 119:37. The Psalmist perhaps dwells upon the subject, mentioning wandering eyes, or “eyes that behold vanity”. As humans we fail, so it is necessary to pray “quicken thou me in the way” – calling for the new life which only comes with Jesus. Then, having been saved, we need to constantly renew our minds (cf. Romans 12:2) - dwelling rather upon that which is good, and of good report (cf. Philippians 4:8).
Psalm 119:38. One thing that is good for us, and always beneficial, is the written word of God, the Bible. We should look to the LORD with reverence (fear) to establish that word in our hearts. Bible study is individual, as well as corporate (cf. 2 Timothy 2:15) - thereby we will always be ready to ‘give an account’ of the hope that is within us (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).
To ask the LORD to establish His Word (K.J.V.), is to ask Him to establish His promise (N.R.S.V.).
Psalm 119:39. When we ask the LORD to “turn away the disgrace” that we “dread”, we are asking Him to grant us His ‘grace’ in its place. We pray that He would be merciful to us, and forgive our failings and failures. Our faith is in His faithfulness to His covenant, as fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ’s incarnation, substitutionary sacrifice, resurrection, ascension, and eternal intercession on our behalf.
Psalm 119:40. The Pharisee in one of Jesus’ parables drew attention to himself only in the way of self-congratulation (cf. Luke 18:11-12). However, the Psalmist’s prayerful and humble approach to the LORD does allow him to draw attention to himself: how he has “longed” after the LORD’s “precepts”. This man is not looking to establish his own righteousness, but rather appeals for the LORD’s righteousness to be imputed to him.
The LORD is our righteousness (cf. Jeremiah 23:6), our righteous saviour (cf. Jeremiah 33:16). The righteousness of God is provided for us through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Philippians 3:9). Jesus is all our righteousness, and all our righteousness is in Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:30).
C). A BUILDING FIT FOR GOD.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23.
The Apostle Paul refers to the church as God’s ‘building’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9). This applies not only to the church at Corinth, but to ‘all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2). Paul then refers to himself as “a wise architect”, who “by the grace of God” has laid the foundation (1 Corinthians 3:10).
That Paul refers to himself as “wise” is ironic. The expression ties in with the previous contrast between:
(1) ‘the wisdom of the wise’ (1 Corinthians 1:19), which gives rise to the ‘eloquent wisdom of words’ (1 Corinthians 1:17); and
(2) ‘the wisdom of God’ as found in ‘the foolishness of the preaching’ (1 Corinthians 1:21), and in the Person of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The foundation of the church therefore, Paul continues, is none other than Jesus Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 3:11). Or more specifically, ‘Jesus Christ and Him crucified’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:2). There is no church without the ‘scandal’ of the cross of Jesus (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:23-24).
[I was surprised to discover that the following verses (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15) are not discussing what we as individuals might build upon the foundation of our own personal salvation. Rather, these verses are discussing the substance of what other builders than Paul might build upon the foundation of the church as laid by him. The dispute over who follows which leader (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12), whether or not the named leaders were in any way responsible for it (which I doubt), was causing divisions in the church at Corinth - and ultimately exposing it to the danger of schism.]
So what kind of building is the church? Well, says Paul, we are collectively “the temple of God” in whom “the spirit of God” dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16). This would have been an astonishing statement, given that the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing at the time of Paul’s writing. However, that Temple had ceased to be relevant as a dwelling of God at the very moment when Jesus died ‘and the curtain in the Temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom’ (cf. Mark 15:38).
Not only are we collectively ‘called to be holy’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2), but as the Temple of God we collectively are holy (1 Corinthians 3:17). Therefore, the divisions in the church at Corinth - and anywhere else - fall under the strictest of condemnations. As Jesus said, ‘woe betide that man by whom the offence comes’ (cf. Matthew 18:7).
Yet offences do come. There are ideas that enter into the church, even through the instrumentality of good men, that are nothing better than worldly wisdom in Sunday dress. Let such men be wary of deceiving themselves (1 Corinthians 3:18), and (which is far worse) leading astray the very flock of God (cf. Jeremiah 23:2).
Paul again emphasises that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19). The Apostle warns us that the wise will be caught in their own craftiness. All merely human schemes within the church will be brought to a quick end (cf. Job 5:13).
Another quotation is, ‘The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are vanity’ (Psalm 94:11). Paul reads this as “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain” (1 Corinthians 3:20). It is worldly wisdom, even when it is supposedly harnessed by godly men, that is in the dock.
So let no one boast about human leaders (1 Corinthians 3:21). Why? Because all things are yours, church.
All things? Yes: whether church leaders, the world, life, death, things present, things to come (1 Corinthians 3:22). All things are working together for the ultimate good of the church (cf. Romans 8:28).
That is because we are Jesus’ people, and He is God’s Son (1 Corinthians 3:23). And there is nothing – absolutely nothing – that is ‘able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (cf. Romans 8:38-39). On this foundation we rest.
D). RESIST NOT EVIL. THE CALL TO PERFECT LOVE.
Matthew 5:38-48.
I. RESIST NOT EVIL.
Matthew 5:38-42.
MATTHEW 5:38. Oh - it is hard - but “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” belongs to the law courts (cf. Leviticus 24:20), not to personal vendettas.
MATTHEW 5:39a. Jesus rather enjoins, “Resist not evil.”
MATTHEW 5:39b. Traditionally, the slap across the cheek receives a back-handed counter-slap to accept the challenge. But Jesus says, “turn the other cheek also.” ‘Turning the other cheek’ is often used metaphorically of taking an insult without recourse.
MATTHEW 5:40. The “coat” here is an inner garment rather like a long shirt. What is in view here is a legal action whereby a man forfeits his shirt. Rather than resisting, Jesus suggests rather that his “cloak” be offered also, to defuse the situation.
MATTHEW 5:41. “Going the second mile” has its historical setting within the Roman Empire, where a Roman soldier might conscript someone to carry something over a certain distance (cf. Matthew 27:32). Imagine his surprise if you offered to go further! ‘Going the second mile’ is also often used metaphorically.
MATTHEW 5:42. We should always be willing to help the genuinely needy. If we have the wherewithal to help, then we might consider whether a gift or a loan is appropriate.
So the upshot of Jesus’ teaching in this paragraph is: Take the insult (Matthew 5:39), forfeit the garment (Matthew 5:40), go the second mile (Matthew 5:41), be merciful to the scrounger (Matthew 5:42). We are better than all these things.
II. THE CALL TO PERFECT LOVE.
Matthew 5:43-48.
MATTHEW 5:43. “Love your neighbour” is a correct quotation of the Old Testament, but only a partial quotation since ‘as yourself’ (cf. Leviticus 19:18) is replaced here by “and hate your enemy” - a scribal gloss which is found nowhere in the Old Testament Scriptures, and is only quoted here for Jesus’ refutation!
MATTHEW 5:44-45. Jesus gets right in behind the commandment. Love your enemies, bless them, do good to them - pray for them. This is what it means to be the children of your Father in heaven - for He is good to the evil as well as to the good. He was good to me when I was far from Him; He extended His mercy to you, dear Christian, at such a time as you least deserved it!
MATTHEW 5:46-47. Even the hated publicans (of whom, remember, Matthew had been one) loved those who loved them. Even the publicans saluted their brethren: but we are called to love all men, even the worst of men - even our enemies, or those who would count themselves our enemies.
MATTHEW 5:48. This may, in the final analysis, come down to our imitation of God. A child will imitate his father - he will walk like him, talk like him, adopt his attitudes. Jesus says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
