Gospel (Mt 5, 17-37)
17 not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets: I am not come to abolish but to fulfill them. 18 Verily I say unto you until you have passed the heavens and the earth, it will not even an iota or a sign from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these precepts, however minimal, and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you that 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 ancients: Thou shalt not kill, and whoever kills shall be liable for trial. 22 But I say to every one who is angry with his brother will be judged. And whoever says to his brother, stupid, it will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool, shall be in hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar and go first be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer thy gift.
25 will soon agree with your opponent while you are away with him, because the adversary deliver thee to the judge and the judge to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 In truth I tell you will never get out until you have paid the last penny!
27 You have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery; 28 but I tell everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, and cast it from thee better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away: better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
31 was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce; 32 but I I tell you, whoever divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, adulteress and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 you have heard that the ancients were told: Do not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord your oaths; 34 But I say: Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. 36 Do not swear your head, because you do not have the power to make one hair white or black. 37 Let your speech be yes, yes, no, no more than this comes from evil.
"Blessed are we, O Israel, for what pleases God was revealed to us" (Bar 4:4). So Baruch expressed the pride of his people and his thanks to the Lord that had given Israel "the way of wisdom" (3.27 Bar) in Torah, in the "book of the commandments of God" (Bar 4 , 1).
As a work of God, the Torah can neither be denied nor contradicted. "The Scripture can not be broken "- said Jesus (John 10:35) - because God can not have second thoughts or deny what you said in the past or make corrections. The path he has traced from TA enduring validity.
In the first sentence of today's Gospel Jesus reiterates this truth: "Do not think that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets: I came not to destroy but to fulfill" (v. 17).
If you feel the need to clarify its position, it means that someone has had the impression that he, with his behavior and his words, demolishing the same beliefs, expectations and hopes of Israel, based on sacred texts.
Jesus was respectful of the laws and institutions of his people, but interpreted in an original way, his reference point was not the letter of the precept, but the good man. To love the man did not hesitate to break even on Saturdays and that his freedom aroused amazement, bewilderment and even irritation in the religious authority. However, more than his failure to comply with the requirements of the Rabbis, which created confusion was his message, the new Torah who had proclaimed on the mountain, a Torah that upset the principles and values which the institution was founded Israel's religious and civil.
Moses had promised: "All peoples of the earth shall fear thee, the Lord will give you plenty of goods, will put you in the head and tail and you're always up and never down" (Deut. 28.10 to 13). How could Jesus claim to be in tune with the AT if proclaimed blessed are the poor, the persecuted, the oppressed, if announced, for his followers, difficulties, suffering and persecution? His message was in direct conflict with Scripture.
reading the prophets, Israel was convinced that the Messiah would have established an everlasting kingdom, glorious, would give "mourners of Zion a crown of glory instead of ashes," while the enemy would have enacted a "day of vengeance of our God" (Is 61.2-3). In the most dramatic moments in its history, Israel found herself in these promises reason to continue to believe and hope for a better future. As Jesus never disappoint these expectations? Here's how
clarifies its position and choices: the promises made by God - he explains - it will make them all, not even a fall. Before the world is over, what has been written will be fulfilled, but unexpectedly and surprise will be so great that even the pious, devout, sincere, like the Baptist, will run the risk of a stagger their faith and remain shocked (Mt 11.6).
In this light must be understood in the sayings of Jesus, which conclude the first part of today's Gospel, on the observance of the precepts and even minimal justice than that of the scribes and Pharisees (vv. 19-20). The precepts are not those referred to by the old law, but the beatitudes. These are the Beatitudes new proposal, the new justice which fulfills and brings to perfection the old, what the scribes and Pharisees - admittedly - practiced in an exemplary way.
As in practice the Old Law there were those who were satisfied with the precepts of loyalty most important and neglected the others, so in adherence to the proposal of the Beatitudes is who adheres to the minimum (admire, approve, endorse those who have the courage to do them) and there who is completely consistent and makes bold choices and decided. In the eyes of God - Jesus says, with a smile - the first will appear as "minimal", the others will be judged great, will be considered "rabbis" in the kingdom of heaven, that is, people will hold up as models by the other disciples.
In the second part of the gospel (vv. 20-37) presents four examples of leap forward, required of all those who want to enter the kingdom of Heaven. There are four provisions that are found in the Old Testament and are not denied, but explained in an original way. Jesus highlights all the implications: it starts from Torah of Moses - that was the end point, the summit reached by the "justice" of the scribes and Pharisees - and goes further by proposing the ultimate goal of this Act.
are leading examples are, but today's Gospel it takes only four, the other two we will be offered next Sunday. They are all introduced with the same stereotyped formula: "You have heard that God told the ancient ... I tell you ...".
not kill! (vv. 21-26).
is the first case which is taken into account. It is a clear, that does not allow exceptions, which condemns any form of murder (Genesis 9:5-6). The man has no power over the lives of his fellow, even if it were a criminal (Gen 4:15). Human life is sacred and inviolable from the moment blossoms until, of course, it is concluded. This was already clear in the Torah old, but to enter the kingdom of heaven, you must understand that the not involve killing much more. There are other ways - subtle, sophisticated, hidden, disguised - to kill.
If there are X-rays can detect the cemetery hidden in our heart scare us. Among the dead would find those to whom we have sworn not to turn over the floor, those to whom we deny forgiveness, those who continue to accuse the mistake, which we removed those with the good name of slander or libel, those who have deprived of the love and joy of living ...
Jesus teaches that the commandment not to kill orders has many implications that go far beyond the physical assault. Who uses words offensive, who is angry, who nourishes feelings of hatred has already killed his brother (v. 22). The murder
always starts from the heart. You can not hate a man and continue to feel at peace with themselves. You can not kill us until they are convinced that you have to do with who is not man does not deserve to live and so it is good to be eliminated. This work is being pursued through the derogatory words, repeating to themselves, as a ruthless refrain: "It's stupid," "is a madman," "is without God." So we arrive, without remorse, to pronounce the sentence deserves "the fire".
This is cruel and unfair to the heart - Jesus teaches us - that must be disarmed. Demonization of the work of man, he counters with his opinion: is a brother. Repeats the word three times (vv. 22-24), as an antidote to heal the heart by the poison of hatred, kept alive and increased by the bad words. Then he addresses the root of conflicts: an introduction to the Reconciliation .
It draws primarily the duty and importance (vv. 23-24).
The idea is borrowed from a religious practice in Israel. Before entering the temple to offer sacrifices had to undergo meticulous purification. Jesus says that is not the body that needs to be pure, but the heart: reconciliation with his brother replaces all the rites of purification.
They taught the rabbis that the most important Jewish prayers - the Shema Israel - once started, could not be interrupted for any reason, even if a snake had Twisted around the leg of the person. Jesus says, to reconcile with his brother, even must not only be planted with half Shema Israel, but even the offering of sacrifice in the temple.
difficult to find in Jewish culture a more effective way to emphasize the importance of reconciliation. Whoever rejects it, who does research at any cost excludes himself from the "Kingdom of Heaven."
had assimilated well this lesson early Christians. The author of the Epistle to the Ephesians recommended: "Do not the sun go down on your wrath" (Eph 4:26) and a few years before, in the young community of Antioch in Syria, had been adopted this provision: "On the day of the Lord, who is at odds with its neighbor can not join you until they have reconciled, that your sacrifice is not contaminated ( Didakè 14.1-2). Two centuries later, a bishop of the same regions called his brother bishops in these words: "Say your decisions on Monday so that having time until Saturday, you can resolve the disagreement (between the members of your community) and the Sunday pacify those who are at odds with each other "( Caption 2,59,2).
After recalling the duty of reconciliation, Jesus emphasizes the urgency (vv. 25-26). It can not be deferred.
A Christian should never need to resort to the courts for justice, should always be able to agree first with her brother. However, if it prefers to take legal action rather than endure the injustice, keep in mind that if you appear before God at odds with his brother, he will not be recognized as a child. The images of severe prison guards, the obligation to pay the last penny should not be materialized. Are typical of the Semitic culture and language rabbinic, are introduced only to recall, so energetic, the imperative need of reconciliation. To obtain the disciple must be willing to surrender any.
After speaking of the commandment not to kill, Jesus goes to the issue of adultery ( vv. 27-30).
The letter of the Torah seemed to prohibit only the bad deeds. Jesus, as we usually do, instead goes to the heart and captures the deepest needs of this commandment. There are friendships, feelings and relationships that are already adulterers.
We are in an area where, with much ease, you are overwhelmed by the instincts and passions that can cause serious trouble to himself, his family and that of others. Jesus insists in front of certain situations, you must have the courage to make cuts, though painful, before the Evil desires are turned into de facto adulterers.
Two members of that body must be willing to amputate: the right eye and his right hand. In this context, the symbol of what arouses lust (looks) and contact hazardous (hand). You must be ready to renounce everything that conventional wisdom considers perhaps experience enriching, rewarding achievements, opportunities not to be missed (the right side was considered the noblest, the favorite, Ps 137.5), while not spoiling the life. It is not mutilation materials, but the hard self-control also mentioned by Paul: "harshly treated my body and keep it subdued lest that after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified "(1 Cor 9:27).
Gehenna is the valley that borders the south-west of the city of Jerusalem was the city garbage dump, the cursed place where they had been sacrificed to the god Moloch and burned children, there was thought that there was a door leading into in the world of demons.
Those who can not impose the necessary sacrifices in the field of sexuality is in danger of throwing the whole body (one's own person) in Gehenna (the garbage). This is not a punishment from God, but the consequence of sin.
The third case involves a divorce (vv. 31-32).
God wanted monogamous and indissoluble marriage. The Bible clearly states, the very first pages: "The two shall become one flesh" (Gen 2:24). For your hardness of heart of man is introduced, however, even in Israel, the divorce.
Going against the custom, traditions and interpretations of the Rabbis, Jesus brings the marriage to the purity of the origins and rules out the possibility of separating what God has determined to remain united. The clause "except for marital unfaithfulness," which seems to leave open the possibility of divorce, in fact concerns the unions are illegal and irregular. Neither
infidelity, or misunderstandings, or difficulties of any other pair can legitimize a new marriage. Any combination of this type is defined by Jesus adultery, not a stain that can be washed by a good confession, but a choice of death.
The disciple should be careful because the mentality, the permissiveness, the trivialization of sexuality, the dissolution of the costumes can easily make you forget the words of the master, to shake even the most solid and convincing belief that it is normal, humanizing, appreciate what but that is only a palliative, a makeshift, an expedient dictated by the "wisdom of this world."
not fair, does not render good service to those in need who occult the demands of Christian morality, those who show willing and offers partnerships that turn out to be inevitably accompanied by painful inner conflicts. One should always remember that part of the evangelical moral renunciation, sacrifice, cross and also the heroism of forced virginity to married people: "There are eunuchs who have chosen to remain so for the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 19 , 12).
The clear words of Jesus but the disciples did not give any license to judge, to condemn, to humiliate, to marginalize those who have failed in their married life. It is, in general, people who have gone through great suffering and who have lived a dramatic situation. For them, it sometimes proves impossible to implement the project of Christian marriage. The community is called to express to them the tenderness and understanding of the teacher who does not put out a smoldering wick or break the bruised reed (Isa 42.3).
The fourth case is that of the oath (vv. 33-37).
During the exile in Babylon, the Israelites had assimilated, among other bad habits, even to swear inappropriately. They came to the point of no longer make a statement without accompanying it with a few curses. To avoid pronouncing the name of God resorted to the formulas less demanding: they swore by heaven, for the temple, for the land, for their parents, for their head. An essay of the second century. BC recommended that "your mouth get used to not swear, used to not take the name of the Holy" (Sir 23:9).
Jesus takes a stand against reckless habit and does so with his usual radical: "Do not swear at all ... Let your speech be yes if so, not when it is not, the rest comes from evil "(vv. 33-37).
It was not the desecration of the name of the Lord that worried him. There are other elements that make an oath is unacceptable. First it presupposes a pagan conception of God is imagined as an avenger, ready to hurl his thunderbolts against liars and perjured, then it is a symptom of a society in which the reigning mistrust, distrust, disloyalty, suspicion between them.
In the community of disciples of Jesus the oath is inconceivable because it is made up of people from the "pure heart" (Mt 5:8), led by the spirit of truth (Jn 14.17, 16.13), by banning them life every lie - as recommended by Paul - "put off falsehood, speak truth each one to your next second, because we are members one of another" (Eph. 4:25, 1 Pt 2.1).
Fernando Armellini (biblical scholar)
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