Matthew 5:20-26

Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that

of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,

You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.

But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother

will be liable to judgment,

and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’

will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,

and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,

and there recall that your brother

has anything against you,

leave your gift there at the altar,

go first and be reconciled with your brother,

and then come and offer your gift.

Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.

Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,

and the judge will hand you over to the guard,

and you will be thrown into prison.

Amen, I say to you,

you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I want to imitate your patient love. When someone offends me or corrects me, I will not react in anger or rashly, but seek the truth in love. When I offend someone, I will seek out their forgiveness and make amends.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Torah of the Messiah and True Righteousness: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has just announced the principle that guides the New Covenant Torah. He has not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to bring them to fulfillment and perfection. Jesus takes up six topics, sometimes called “antitheses,” because Jesus contrasts something found in the Old Covenant Torah, such as divorce, with his New Covenant teaching, such as fidelity in marriage. He calls attention to the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, who prided themselves on a meticulous observance of the Law of Moses and their traditions. But Jesus teaches that this type of righteousness is insufficient. It does not bring about entry into the Kingdom of Heaven that he is bringing and inaugurating on earth. True righteousness or justification is a primarily a gift from God. We need to welcome it and be empowered by it. Only with God’s grace can we live the New Covenant Torah faithfully and in such a way that it brings us into the Kingdom.

2. New Covenant Reconciliation: In the moral life, we can be tempted to reduce our efforts to not breaking the Ten Commandments. But we would be mistaken to think: “You will go to heaven, just as long as you don’t kill anyone.” Jesus points to other things, like anger or name-calling, that we need to address. And Jesus is aware that such things will happen in our daily lives. We get frustrated with others, judge them, gossip about them, get impatient with them, and say horrible things about them. What Jesus teaches is that, on the one hand, we need to work with God’s grace to grow in virtues like patience, humility, gentleness, and meekness. These are all hinted at in the beatitudes, which open the Sermon. On the other hand, when we offend someone, we need to seek to be reconciled with them. This is one of the pillars of the New Covenant Torah of the Messiah. It is not enough to go through life without committing murder. The Christian life is so much more, and God empowers us with his divine life to live, love, and forgive as he does and as his Son does.

3. The Body of Christ: When we present ourselves before God, we do so as people redeemed in Christ. We form part of the Body of Christ and are bound with others in love. Having something against our brothers or sisters wounds this unity and charity. Calling them “fools” goes against the peace and joy that Christ brings. Our righteousness or holiness does not consist primarily in fulfilling detailed external rites. The Pharisees were confused on this point. Our righteousness and holiness are found in union with Christ. This union with Christ and the communion we share with others in Christ is a gift that we need to accept and protect. That is why Christ tells each one of us today: “Go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I desire to practice righteousness. I want to remain in a right relationship with the Father, with you, and with the Spirit. I ask for your grace so that I may do good works that give glory to God and merit eternal life.

Living the Word of God: Who is it that I struggle with the most? Who do I interact with that I call a fool or consider a fool in my heart? What can I do to fix that relationship? How can I see the good in my brother or sister?