Do Not Worry About Your Life,
What You Will Eat or Drink, or What You Will Wear
Matthew 6: 25-34

Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or what you will wear DIG: How does you choice of treasure, master and generosity in Matthew 6:19-24 affect your attitude toward life? What does God’s care for the birds and lilies teach you? How does the work ethic fit into this passage? How does faith?

REFLECT: Why pray when you can worry? Why worry about things you can’t control? What does worry rob us of? What causes you to worry the most? What are the signs that indicate you are worrying too much? What do you do to counteract worry in order to concentrate on God’s Kingdom?

In His eleventh example, the Messiah teaches us that, opposed to the Pharisees and Torah-teachers, true righteousness relies on God. Here Messiah expands on the principle of evaluating our inner priorities and values in light of the world around us. Both the rich and the poor have their special problems. The rich are tempted to trust in their possessions (to see link click Dr – Store Up Treasures in Heaven, Where Thieves Do Not Break in and Steal). There, in that file Jesus focused on the attitude toward luxury, or the unnecessary physical possessions people stockpile for selfish reasons. But here, He focuses on the poor who are tempted to doubt God’s provision – the perfectly human connection between money and worry. The heart of Yeshua’s message is that we shouldn’t worry about necessities. He gives us the command: Do not worry three times in verses 25, 31 and 34 and gives us four reasons why worrying is wrong.⁵⁷⁷

First, worrying is unfaithful because of our Master. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life (Greek psuche, meaning all of a person’s being, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes (Mattityahu 6:25)? Worry is the sin of not trusting the promise and provision of ADONAI, yet because of our fallen nature, is very common. The English term worry comes from an old German word meaning to strangle, or choke. And that is exactly what worry does; it’s a kind of mental and emotional strangulation. Worry is the opposite of contentment, and we should all strive to be able to say with Rabbi Sha’ul: I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need (Philippians 4:11-12; First Timothy 6:6-8 NASB).

Our contentment is found in ADONAI, and only in ADONAI– in His ownership, control and provision. Everything we now have belongs to the Lord, and everything we will ever have belongs to Him. The earth is ADONAI’s, with all that is in it, the world and those who live there; for He set its foundations on the seas and established it on the rivers (Psalm 24:1 CJB). So, if everything is already His, why, then, do we worry about His taking from His children what really belongs to Him? Next, God controls everything. Riches and honor come from You, You rule everything, in Your hand is power and strength, You have the capacity to make great and to give strength to all (First Chronicles 29:12). Lastly, believers are to be content because God provides everything. The supreme Owner and Controller is also the supreme Provider as revealed in one of His ancient names, ADONAI Yir’eh, or The LORD Will Provide (Genesis 22:14a). If Abraham, with his limited knowledge of Ha’Shem, could be so strong and content, how much more should we be who know Messiah and who have His complete written Word? As Paul assures us: And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Second, worrying is unnecessary because of our Father. The basic meaning of these verses is that as believers, we have absolutely no reason to worry because ADONAI is our heavenly Father. It’s as if the Holy Spirit is asking us, “Have you forgotten who your Father is?” To illustrate this point, Jesus shows us how foolish and unnecessary it is to worry about food, longevity, and clothing.

Worry about food: There are many birds in northern Galilee, and it seems that Jesus pointed to some of them flying by as He said: Look at the birds of the air. As an object lesson, He called attention to the fact that birds do not have a complicated process for acquiring food. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns. Like every creature, birds receive their life from God. But, He does not say to them, “OK, I’ve done My part, from now on you’re on you’re on your own.” The LORD has provided them with an abundance of food resources and the instinct to find those resources for themselves and their offspring. And yet your heavenly Father feeds them. If ADONAI so carefully takes care of such relatively insignificant creatures as birds, how much more will He take care of those who are created in His own image and who have become His children through faith?⁵⁷⁸ Are you not much more valuable than they (Matthew 6:26)?

Worry about longevity: Our culture is obsessed with trying to live longer. We exercise, eat carefully, supplement our diets with vitamins and minerals, get regular checkups, and do everything under the sun in the hope of adding a few years to our lives. Yet, ADONAI knows the year, the day, the hour of our demise. Exercising and the like are fine but they cannot add one hour to our lives. Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life (Mattityahu 6:27)? You can worry yourself to death, but not to life. Dr. Charles Mayo, of the famous Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota, wrote, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands and the whole nervous system. I have never known a person to die of overwork, but I have known a lot who died of worry.”⁵⁷⁹

Worry about clothing: The third illustration has to do with clothing, using lilies as a model. Surely many of the people to whom Yeshua spoke had little clothing. Again He must have pointed to their surroundings, this time to lilies, to assure them of ADONAI’s concern and provision. And why worry about clothes? Those beautiful lilies made no effort to grow and had no part in designing or coloring themselves. See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these (Matthew 6:28-29). The language at this point is especially relevant to the crowd, as Jesus uses a rabbinic principle of interpretation first elaborated in seven principles by Rabbi Hillel (10 AD). Because these principles were used in the days of Christ, it is relevant to understand His words. Here, He uses one of the Middot principles to challenge the faith of His hearers: If God provides for His natural creation, how much more can we be assured that He will provide for those who call Him their heavenly Father?⁵⁸⁰ Does He supply our wants – sometimes; but does He supply our needs – absolutely.

Despite their beauty, however, lilies do not last long. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith (Matthew 6:30)? If the LORD bothers to dress the grass of the field with beautiful but short-lived lilies, how much more is He concerned about His very own children who will live eternally (see Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith)? To worry about the necessities of life, Messiah says, is sinful and shows little faith. When we are not in the Word of God daily so that Christ is in our hearts and minds, the Adversary moves into that vacuum and plants the seeds of worry. Rabbi Sha’ul counsels us as he did the messianic community at Ephesus: I pray that the God of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the glorious Father, will give light to the eyes of your hearts, so that you will understand the hope to which He has called you, what rich glories there are in the inheritance He has promised His people, and how surpassingly great is His power working in us who trust Him (Ephesians 1:17-19a CJB).

Worry is unreasonable because of our faith. Worry is characteristic of unbelief. So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them (Matthew 6:31-32). Those who have no hope in ADONAI naturally put their hope and expectations in things they can enjoy now. They have nothing to live for but the present, and their materialism is perfectly consistent with their worldview. They have no God to supply their physical or spiritual needs, their present or eternal needs, so anything they get they must get for themselves. They are ignorant of the LORD’s provision and therefore cannot draw from it. No heavenly Father cares for them, so there is reason for them to worry.

The gods of the Gentiles were man-made gods inspired by the Destroyer of souls. They were gods of fear, dread, and appeasement who demanded much, promised little and provided nothing. It was quite natural that those who served such gods would run after all these things and seek whatever satisfactions and pleasures they could while they could. Their philosophy is still around today among those determined to live like the devil. Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (First Corinthians 15:32) is an understandable lifestyle for those who have no hope in the resurrection (see my commentary on Revelation Ff – Blessed and Holy Are Those who have Part in the First Resurrection).

But, living like the devil is completely foolish and unreasonable for those who do have hope in the resurrection, for those who’s heavenly Father knows that [they] need the basics of life (Matthew 6:32). To worry about, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear” demonstrates a lack of faith. When we think like this world and desire the things of this world, we will worry like this world because a mind that is not centered on ADONAI is a mind that has cause to worry. The faithful believer follows the advice of Rabbi Sha’ul when he cautions us: Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6 CJB). The faithful believer refuses in any way to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2 NASB).

Our calling is rather simple – but profound: Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33). What Jesus is saying to us is, “Rather than seeking and worrying about food, drink and clothing like unbelievers do, just focus your attention and hope on the things of God, and He will take care of your basic needs.” Of all the things in the world, there are two things that we need to seek: God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness. As we have seen in the teaching of the Disciples Prayer (see Dp – When You Pray, Go Into Your Room and Close the Door), God’s Kingdom is both the messianic Kingdom in the future and God’s sovereign rule now. Instead of longing for the things of this world, we are to be looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10). But, it is more than longing for something in the future; it is also longing for something in the present – God’s righteousness. We are not only to have heavenly expectations but also lead holy and godly lives (Colossians 3:2-3). Since this world will ultimately be destroyed, what kind of people should we be? We should lead holy lives, as we wait for the Day of God and work to hasten its coming (2 Peter 3:11-12a CJB).

Worry is unwise because of our future. Consider the earth! Our globe’s weight has been estimated at six sextillion tons (a six with twenty-one zeroes). Yet, it is precisely tilted at twenty-three degrees; any more or any less and our seasons would be lost in a melted polar flood. Though our globe revolves at the rate of one-thousand miles per hour or twenty-five thousand miles per day or nine million miles per year, none of us tumbles into orbit.

As you stand observing the LORD’s workshop, let me pose a few questions. If He is able to place the stars in their sockets and suspend the sky like a curtain, do you think it is remotely possible that ADONAI is able to guide your life? If your God is mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that He is mighty enough to light your path? If He cares enough about the planet Saturn to give it rings or Venus to make it sparkle, is there an outside chance that he cares enough about you to meet your needs?⁵⁸¹

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). This saying has the ring of popular proverbial wisdom. Making reasonable provisions for tomorrow is reasonable, but worrying about tomorrow is foolish. It seems that some people are so bent on worrying that if there is nothing to worry about today they find something to worry about tomorrow. Yeshua says not to do that for tomorrow will worry about itself. Like the manna of old (see my commentary on Exodus Cr – I Will Rain Down Manna from Heaven for You), the LORD only gives us enough grace for one day at a time. Being a follower of Jesus may not be easy, but He promises the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit along the way. Worry is the greatest thief of joy.

Let there be no confusion, the Bible does not condemn feelings of anxiety or distress. We are counseled to avoid worry over worldly concerns, such as physical needs the Lord has promised to supply. But, a parent’s worry over the spiritual welfare of his or her children is quite in order! However, anxiety should prompt us to approach problems constructively, especially by employing God’s remedy for worry: prayer (Philippians 4:6-7). Let us set aside the notion that worry is sin. It is not. The point is that we shouldn’t go through life with material things becoming a burden to us. We can always find something to worry about; however, with Messiah in control of our lives – why bother?

Warnings About True Righteousness
Matthew 6:25 to 7:27

Christ anticipated that some, in spite of the Pharisees’ rejection of His message, would receive it. Therefore, Jesus turned in His Sermon on the Mount to instruct those who desired to enter the Kingdom. He finished up with several warnings about the do’s and don’ts of true righteousness.

Store Up Treasures in Heaven,
Where Thieves Do Not Break in and Steal
Matthew 6: 19-24

Store up treasures in heaven, where thieves do not break in and steal DIG: How did the Pharisees and Torah-teachers misinterpret Deuteronomy 28? What alternatives does Jesus propose with respect to treasures in verses 19-21, generosity in verses 22-23, and masters in verse 24? What is the link between the treasure and the heart? The heart and generosity? Master and money? What are the five wise habits that can help you gain financial freedom?

REFLECT: Considering this past week, is your bank account on earth or in heaven? What are your priorities? Do you want to change accounts? Who has been the boss lately? Why can’t you serve two masters? What choice have you made?

In the Lord’s tenth example of true righteousness, He teaches us about attitudes toward material possessions and how the Torah differed from pharisaic Judaism. Once again He challenges us to evaluate our inner priorities and values in light of the world around us. There is nothing inherently wrong with wealth. We read about godly people like Abraham and Solomon who were extremely wealthy. But, it is our attitude toward wealth that is crucial. Money is not the problem . . . the love of money is the problem. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith, and pierced themselves with many griefs (First Timothy 6:10).

In Deuteronomy 28 God promised that He would bless the Israelites materially if they walked in obedience to His Word, and He also promised to discipline them by reducing them to poverty if they disobeyed. As a result, the rabbis used their material prosperity as imagined evidence of their spirituality, proclaiming without shame that they were materially blessed because they were spiritually superior. Deuteronomy 28 describes blessing through obedience; however, any wealth accumulated by greed, dishonesty, deceit, or any other immoral means are not to be conceived of as blessings from God. To claim ADONAI’s approval merely on the basis on one’s wealth, health, prestige, or anything else is to pervert His Word and His name. Thus, the greatest goal in lives of the religious leaders during Jesus’ day was to accumulate material wealth.

Both the rich and the poor have their own spiritual problems. But, this passage is directed at the wealthy that are tempted to trust in their possessions and become self-satisfied in the false security of their treasures. In the present passage Yeshua looks at materialism – particularly in regard to luxuries – from the three perspectives of priorities, generosity, and obedience.

First, Messiah has us take a look at our priorities. What is really important to us and how can we demonstrate that belief? To begin with, the Lord reminds us not to put our entire faith in the material world. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal (Mattityahu 6:19). The context here suggests a stockpiling of money that is not being used, but hoarded for its own sake to make a show of wealth. The key to Yeshua’s warning here is yourselves. When we accumulate possessions simply for our own sakes, whether to hoard or spend lavishly, those possessions become idols. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:20), where we can reap eternal dividends. Christ is not saying that if we put our treasure in the right place our heart will then be in the right place, but, that the location of our treasure indicates where our heart already is. Spiritual problems are always heart problems. Sinful acts come from a sinful heart, just as righteous acts come from a righteous heart.

It is clear from this passage, as well as from many others in Scripture, that Jesus is not advocating poverty as a means to spirituality. In all His many encounters, He only once told a person to sell your possessions and give to the poor (Matthew 19:21). In that particular case, the young man’s case, his wealth was his idol, and consequently became a barrier between him and the lordship of Yeshua Messiah. It provided a great opportunity to test whether or not he was willing to give the steering wheel of his life to the Lord. It turned out that he would not. The problem was not in his wealth itself, but his unwillingness to part with it. The Galilean Rabbi did not explicitly require His apostles to give up all their money and other possessions to follow Him, although it may be that some of them did so. However, He did require obedience to His commands no matter what the cost. Evidently the price was too high for the wealthy young ruler, to whom possessions came first.⁵⁷²

For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be (Matthew 6:21). The most powerful life is the most simple life. The most powerful life is the life that knows where it’s going, that knows where the source of strength is, and the life that stays free of clutter and haste. Being busy is not a sin. Jesus was busy. Paul was busy. Peter was busy. Nothing of significance is achieved without effort and hard work and weariness. Being busy, in and of itself, is not a sin. But, being busy in the endless pursuit of things that leave us empty and hollow and broken inside – that isn’t pleasing to God. The result is only weariness and dissatisfaction.⁵⁷³

There are five wise habits for financial freedom. First, keep good records (Proverbs 27:23-24); secondly, plan your spending (Proverbs 21:5; Ecclesiastes 5:11); thirdly save for the future (Proverbs 13:11 and 21:20a); fourthly, tithe. We need to support those who feed us spiritually (Matthew 10:5-11; Luke 9:1-5; and 13:29; First Timothy 5:17-18), but, after that the percentage we give will be determined by the love of our own hearts and the needs of others (to see link click Do – When You Give to the Needy, Do Not Do It to be Honored by Others); fifthly, enjoy what you have (Ecclesiastes 6:9; Hebrews 13:5).

Second, Jesus wants us to look at our generosity, because that trait reveals much about our heart. Are we greedy, constantly seeking to satisfy our own desires, or are we generous, and concerned about others. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, that is, if you are generous, your whole body will be full of light. In Judaism, “having a good eye,” or ‘ayintovah, means being generous, and “having a bad eye,” or ‘ayin ra’ah, means being stingy. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness (Matthew 6:22-23). The eye that is bad flows out of the heart that is selfishly indulgent. The person who is materialistic and greedy is spiritually blind. The principle is simple and sobering: the way we look at and use our money is a sure barometer of our spiritual condition. That this is the correct interpretation is confirmed by the context, greed and anxiety about money being the topic in both the preceding and following verses. This passage is another link in the chain of evidence that New Covenant events took place in Hebrew.⁵⁷⁴

Third, Yeshua wants us to really understand where our obedience lies. Who or what is our master. We have to make a choice. There is no middle ground. Just as we cannot have our treasures both in heaven and on earth, be generous and stingy, we cannot serve two masters (Greek: kurios). Consequently, Jesus forcefully declares: No one can serve two masters (Mattityahu 6:24a).

Kurios, or masters, is often translated lord and refers to a slave owner, not merely an employer. A person could have several employers at the same time and work for each of them satisfactorily. Many people today hold two or three jobs. But, the idea here is one of slaves and that a slave owner has total control over the slave. For a slave, there is no such thing as a part-time obligation to his master. He owes full-time service to a full-time master. He is totally owned and controlled by his master. He has nothing left for anyone else. To give anything to anyone else would make his master less than master. It is not simply difficult, but utterly impossible, to serve two masters and be obedient to both.

Over and over again the B’rit Chadashah speaks of Meshiach as Lord and Master, and of believers as His bondslaves. Rabbi Sha’ul tells us that before we were saved we were enslaved to sin, which was our master. Don’t you know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, then, of the one whom you are obeying, your are slaves – whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to being made more righteous. But, when we were saved, we became slaves to God and of righteousness. But by God’s grace to you, you, who were once slaves to sin, obeyed from your heart the pattern of teaching to which you were exposed; and after you have been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness (Romans 6:16-18).

Yeshua is not saying that we don’t need work, that we don’t need to eat, or that we shouldn’t bother about how we dress. He was warning against those things becoming so important that we become slaves to money instead of trusting Him. We cannot claim Christ as Lord if our allegiance obedience lies with anything or anyone else, including ourselves. And when we know God’s will but resist it, we show that our loyalty is with something or someone else. We can no more serve two masters at the same time than we can walk in two directions at the same time.⁵⁷⁵  We will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24b). Such a teaching was designed to correct the Pharisee’s false attitude toward money.

In 1915 Pastor William Barton started to publish a series of articles. Using the archaic language of an ancient storyteller, he wrote his parables under the pen name of Safed the Sage. And for the next fifteen years he shared the wisdom of Safed and his enduring spouse Keturah. It was a genre he enjoyed. By the early 1920s, Safed was said to have a following of at least three million. Turning an ordinary event into an illustration of a spiritual truth was always a keynote of Barton’s ministry.

We took a journey, I and Keturah, and we Changed Cars in a certain city, and we lodged there One Night in an Inn. And we walked abroad after we had Dined, and it was evening. And the Shops were closed, but the Movies were open. And we gave Two Dimes unto a Damsel in a Glass Cage, and we went in and sat down.

And we beheld a Moving Picture, the theme whereof was The Reward of Virtue. And it was concerning a Young Woman who loved Art with a Capital A, and who appeared not to love Dishwashing. And she left her Home and went to a Great City and Studied Art. And she was subject to Great Temptations, all of which were Shown to us, and the way she was Tempted was A Plenty. But nothing tempted her to go Back Home and help her mother Wash the Dishes in the Kitchen Sink. So she Came to the Very Brink. And the man who Tempted her Most was a Millionaire in Disguise. And the More he Tempted her the more he Loved her. And when he found that he could not have her without Marrying her, he offered to marry her. And they were Married. So the Reward of Virtue was Cash in the Bank. And we Sat Through this Highly Moral Movie. And we yawned, both of us.

Then spake I to Keturah, and said, There are Two More Films. Shall we stay for them?

And she said, This stuff doth not amuse me.

And I said, It is not up to Our Speed. Let us go.

So we went while the Going was Good.

And as we wandered, we came to a Down Town Church, where the rich had moved away, and the poor remained. And the door was open and we went in. And there was a Prayer Meeting. And there were Not as Many people there as there were in the Movies. And they who loved the Lord spake there to each other, and comforted one another, and lifted their prayers to God for Courage for the Day’s Job.

And we saw in their Faces, and heard in their Words such Dramas and Tragedies as No Movie ever invented. And the Reward of Virtue for them was in Faith to go on, and the Approval of Conscience, and the Peace of God.

And we Returned unto the Inn, and I answered Keturah, and said,

That also was a Moving Picture, and it was Great Stuff.

And Keturah said, That was the Real Thing. That was Life.

And when we knelt beside our Bed that Night,

we prayed for Both Companies of people.⁵⁷⁶

When You Fast, Put Oil on Your Head and Wash Your Face
Matthew 6: 16-18

When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face DIG: What fasts do Jews remember to this very day? What is the one supreme fast? On what days did the Pharisees and Torah-teachers fast? What was significant about those days? How did they fast? Why did the Lord rebuke them for their wrong motives? What was their reward? In contrast to them, how are Jesus’ disciples supposed to fast?

REFLECT: What examples do we have of fasting in the Scriptures? Are we commanded to fast? If we choose to do so, what benefit is there for us when we fast? What is fasting an expression of? How are we supposed to look when we fast? Why? Who sees our fasting? How do we receive our reward?

In His ninth example of true righteousness, Yeshua teaches about fasting and how the Torah differed from pharisaic Judaism. There are many examples of the righteous of the TaNaKh fasting. Moshe, Samson, Samuel, Hannah, David, Elijah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Dani’el and many others fasted. And the B’rit Chadashah tells us of the fasting of Anna, John the Baptizer and his disciples, Yeshua (Matthew 4:2), Rabbi Sha’ul, believers at Antioch (Acts 13:3), and numerous others. We know that many of the early church Fathers fasted, and that Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Whitefield and many other faithful believers also fasted.

Zechariah mentions four such fasts that were observed during his generation and continue down to today. This is what ADONAI, the LORD of heaven’s angelic armies says: The fast days of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months are to become times of joy, gladness and cheer for the house of Y’hudah. Therefore, love truth and peace (Zechariah 8:19 CJB). The fast of the fourth month (the 9^th of Tammuz/July) recalls the breech of the walls of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The fifth month’s fast (the 9^th of Av/August) recalls many tragedies that have befallen Isra’el, especially the destruction of both the first and second Temples on this very day. The fast of the seventh month (the Fast of Gedaliah/September) marks the assassination of the last king of the first Temple period. The fast of the tenth month (the 10^thof Tevet/January) commemorates the tragic time when the Babylonians set the siege against Jerusalem.

In addition to these traditional fasts in Judaism, there is one supreme fast on Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement. Some may argue that even this is not a directly commanded fast, yet the similarity of language in Leviticus and Isaiah leads to this natural connection. The same Hebrew word for humble your soul, or oni in Leviticus 23:27 is used specifically of fasting in Isaiah 58:5, making Yom Kippur as the greatest fast of the spiritual year.⁵⁶⁸

The rabbis taught that in order for it to be a proper fast, it needed to be continued from one sundown until after the next, when the stars appeared, and for about twenty-six hours the most rigid abstinence from all food and drink was required.⁵⁶⁹ The Pharisees made a spectacle of fasting twice a week on Monday and Thursday, in addition to the fasts above (to see link click Cq – Jesus Questioned About Fasting). They claimed those days were chosen because they were the days Moses made the two separate trips to receive the tablets of Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. But, not so coincidentally, those just happened to be major Jewish market days, when the towns were crowded with farmers, merchants, and shoppers. Thus they were two days where theatrical fasting would have the largest audiences. Those fasting would wear old clothes, sometimes purposely torn and soiled, dishevel their hair, cover themselves with dirt and ashes, and even use makeup in order to look pale and sickly. So, they let the world know that they were fasting by their sanctimonious behavior. What a show. But, when the heart is not right, fasting is a sham and a mockery. It is, therefore, no surprise that the Messiah rebuked the Pharisees for their wrong motives.⁵⁷⁰

There is no commandment in the New Covenant to fast. While fasting is optional, many believers find that fasts keep them connected with the Covenant people by observing them. As a result, because God does not command fasting, it is not like giving or praying, for which there are many commands in the Scriptures. The purpose of fasting is to simplify our physical life so that we can focus on our spiritual life. Consequently, fasting is an expression of dependence upon ADONAI rather than upon daily nourishment. We are not to go around looking miserable as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Because God had no place in their motives or thinking, He had no part in their reward. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full (Mattityahu 6:16). They wanted recognition by the public, and that reward, and only that reward, they received in full.

The phrase and when you fast supports the understanding that fasting is not commanded. But when it is practiced it is to be regulated according to principles Jesus gives here. In contrast with the Pharisees and Torah-teachers, believers’ washing and anointing are supposed to be a part of everyday hygiene that was sometimes given up during a fast. But Christ said: When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face (Matthew 6:17). When fasting, believers should avoid calling attention to themselves. Jesus was teaching that this is a private act of sacrificial worship that should not provide any room for religious pride. Everything is supposed to look normal so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting (Mattityahu 6:18a).

Yeshua’s apostles didn’t fast while He was with them because fasting is normally associated with mourning or other times of heightened spiritual need or anxiety. When the disciples of John the Baptist asked Messiah why His talmidim did not fast like they and the Pharisees did, the Lord answered: How can the guests of the groom mourn and fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. As long as Yeshua was living they couldn’t mourn because the Groom was physically present. They needed to feast, not fast. But the time will come when Jesus, as the Groom, will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast (Mt 9:15; Mk 2:19-20; Lk 5:34-35). As a result, fasting is appropriate for this Dispensation of Grace (see my commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace), because Christ is physically absent from the earth. But, it is appropriate only as a response to special times of testing, trial or struggle.

An overwhelming sense of danger often prompts fasting. King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a national fast in Judah when they were threatened by an attack from the Moabites and Ammonites (Second Chronicles 20:3). From a purely human standpoint they could not possibly win; but yet, they cried out to ADONAI for help, fasting as they did so. Queen Esther, her servants, and all the Jews in the capital city of Susa fasted for three full days before she went before King Ahasuerus to plead for the Jews to be spared from Haman’s wicked scheme against her people (see my commentary on Esther Ba – I Will Go to the King; If I Perish, I Perish).

When fasting, only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:18b). The one who sincerely wants to please YHVH will purposefully avoid trying to impress others. Jesus does not even say we should fast for the purpose of being seen by Ha’Shem Himself because fasting is not to be a display for anyone – including God. Fasting is merely a part of concentrated, intense prayer and concern for the Lord, His will and His work. The Holy Spirit’s point here is that the Father never fails to notice fasting that is heart-felt and genuine.⁵⁷¹ Only those who fast before ADONAI in this manner will receive their reward.

When You Pray, Go Into Your Room and Close the Door
Matthew 6: 5-15

When you pray, go into your room and close the door DIG: What does hypocrisy look like? What is its motivation? Its reward? How does it contrast with genuine compassion for the needy? How does the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Torah-teachers affect their prayers? How does their reward contrast with that of those who pray sincerely? According to verse 6, what is the antidote to worry and the secret to peace? In Yeshua’s model prayer, what three concerns related to God did He pray about first? What personal concerns follow? What is the relationship between forgiveness and prayer?

REFLECT: How does it help you to know that God stays calm and does not get stressed out? That He is called the God of shalom? What do you feel most stressed about, your mind or your heart? In verse 6c how do you think shalom guards your heart? Since ADONAI is trustworthy in keeping His promises, what promise do you need for your life today? If our Father knows what we need before we ask, why pray?

In the Meshiach’s eighth example of true righteousness, He gives us a model when we pray. It shows us the vital themes and principles desired for effective worship in contrast to the hypocrisy of the prayer of the Pharisees and Torah-teachers.

During the High Holy Days, Jews seek t’shuvah (or repentance); t’fillah (or prayer); and tzedakah (or charity), to avert judgment. In the Jewish tradition, one is obligated to pray in the morning, the afternoon and the evening. The patriarchs prayed at those times and we see a similar pattern in Dani’el 6:10. As a traditional Jew Himself, Meshiach believed His followers would model the same behavior.

The Jewish believe that prayer is more about listening to ADONAI than telling Him what you want. It is not a monologue, but a dialogue. And the word t’fillah, or prayer, comes from the Hebrew, to judge. It is derived from the word l’hitpallel, meaning to judge oneself. These words provide insight into the purpose of Jewish prayer, which is making sure that your will is aligned with God’s will. Prayer should not be something that happens once a week. It should be a vital part of everyday life. In fact, one of the most important prayers, the Birkat ha-Mazon, is never recited in synagogue services. Instead of counting sheep, we should listen to the Shepherd!

The Jewish mindset for prayer is referred to as kavanah, which is generally translated as “concentration” or “intent.” Those of the Quaker faith call it “centering-down.” The minimal level of kavanah is an awareness that one is speaking to the LORD and an intention to fulfill the obligation to pray. If you do not have the minimal level of kavanah, then you are not praying – but merely reading. Not only that, it is preferred that you have a mind free from other thoughts, that you know and understand what you are praying about and that you think about the meaning of the prayer.

The Talmud states that it is permissible to pray in any language that you can understand; however, traditional Judaism has always stressed the importance of praying in Hebrew. A traditional Hassidic story speaks glowingly of the prayer of an uneducated Jew who wanted to pray but did not speak Hebrew. The man began to recite the only Hebrew he knew – the alphabet. He recited it over and over again, until a rabbi asked him what he was doing. The man told the rabbi, “The Holy One, Blessed is He, knows what is in my heart. I will give Him the letters, and He can put the words together.”⁵⁵²

A wonderful definition of the attitude toward t’fillah is that it is a way of serving ADONAI. It is called the service of the heart (Tractate Taanit 2b). The Lord’s warning, however, is against those who would pray in a hypocritical manner. He said: And when you pray . . . not if you pray, but when you pray . . . do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full (Mattityahu 6:5). Prayer should not be an opportunity to show off your oratory skills, the Pharisees prayed in public so everyone could see how “spiritual” they were. Jesus says to pray in secret.

Instead of making a public spectacle of your prayers, Yeshua offers a much better alternative: But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen (Matthew 6:6a). But, the Father being unseen does not mean He is not present when we pray in public, or with our families or other small groups of believers. He is very much present whenever and wherever His children call on Him. True prayer is always intimate – even in public. Even if the whole world hears what we say, there is an intimacy and focus on God that is unaffected. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. Then God’s shalom, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua (Philippians 4:5b-7).

Then your Father, sees what is done in secret (Matthew 6:6b). This concept reflects the understanding in the TaNaKh that nothing is hidden from Him (Deuteronomy 29:29; Psalm 90:8, 139; Jeremiah 23:24). ADONAI sees what is done in secret, in the sense that He never betrays a confidence. Many things we share with the Lord in our private prayer garden are for Him and Him alone. Confidences we share even with our dearest loved ones or closest friends may sometimes be betrayed. But, we can be sure our secrets with Ha’Shem will be safe forever, and that one believer praying in secret with a pure heart has the full attention of the Father.

Not only that, when your prayer is sincere, our Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:6c). The most important secret He sees is not the words we say but the thoughts we have in our heart. When we genuinely have an audience of One, we will have the reward only He can give. The Holy Spirit gives us no idea in this verse as to what ADONAI’s reward will be. The important truth is that He will faithfully bless those who come to Him in sincerity. Without question, God will reward you.⁵⁵³

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Mattityahu 6:7). Do not turn prayer into vain repetition like babbling pagans. To this day, Jews do not practice extemporaneous prayer, but use prayer books instead. Rabbi Shim’on said, “. . . When you pray, do not make your prayer fixed [repetitive, mechanical], but [appeal for] mercy and supplication before the Omnipresent, blessed be He” (Avot 2:13). And the Gemara says, “When you address the Holy One, blessed be He, let your words be few” (B’rakhot 61a).⁵⁵⁴ Again, repetition, in itself, is not necessarily a problem. Many of the Psalms, which are the foundation of the Jewish prayer book, have repetitious themes. Yeshua Himself prayed in the garden of Gethsemane three times that the cup of death be removed from Him (Matthew 26:39:44). The problem is not with repetitive prayers, but, with meaningless babbling, thinking the pagan mantra will lead to a response from God.⁵⁵⁵

Jesus commands us: Do not be like them. There is no need for that kind of prayer because your Father knows what you need before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8). He wants us to ask Him, He wants to hear us, He wants to communicate with us more than we could ever want to commune with Him – because His love for us is so much greater than our love for Him. Prayer is God’s way of giving us the opportunity to demonstrate His power and love in our lives.⁵⁵⁶ The prophet Isaiah wrote about the LORD saying: Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear (Isaiah 65:24). We can turn to Him in our time of need.

In the small Texas town of Mt. Vernon, Drummond’s Bar began construction on a new building to increase their business. The local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening with petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up until the week before opening when lightning struck the bar and burned it to the ground. The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was ultimately responsible for the demise of the building, either through direct or indirect means. The church passionately denied all responsibility or any connection whatsoever to the building’s demise in its reply to the court. As the case made its way into the court system, the judge looked over the paperwork. At the hearing he commented, “I don’t know how I’m going to decide this case. But, it appears that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that doesn’t.” Nevertheless, despite our human failings, prayer changes things.⁵⁵⁷

Then we are given a beautiful example of prayer known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” because the Lord Jesus taught it, but could more accurately be described as “The Disciples Prayer.” How ironic it is that some groups have used this model prayer in the very way that Messiah warns against – vain repetition! It is not meant to be a magical mantra, but rather, a model for how to pray.⁵⁵⁸

This, then, is how you should pray (Mattityahu 6:9a). All of its components may be found in the Judaism of Messiah’s day, and is revered for its beauty and economy of words. This, then, is a model when we pray. It shows us the vital themes and principles desired for effective worship:

1. Our Father in heaven or Avinu sh’baShammayim (Matthew 6:9b), opens many Hebrew prayers. The concept of ADONAI being a loving Father is not a new concept in Judaism. Isra’el was called His firstborn son in Exodus 4:22, and Isaiah proclaimed to his generation: You are our Father (Isaiah 63:16). In addition, numerous prayers in the Siddur also address God as Avinu. So our prayer should be addressed to the Father, through the ministry of the Son, by the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Ephesians 2:18). Our Father, the God of Isra’el, is still to be the focus of our prayers. The next two lines in Matthew recall the first portion of the synagogue prayer known as the Kaddish.

2. Hallowed be Your name (Mattityahu 6:9c). When reciting the well-known Kaddish in the synagogue, the leader begins with these words, “May His great name be magnified and sanctified” or yitgadal v’yitadash. An entire tractate of the Talmud deals with the details of how to offer up prayers and blessings (Tractate Berakhot). The common formula continues today: Barukh Atah, ADONAI (Blessed are You, LORD), reminding us to bless Ha’Shem before other prayers are offered. To honor God’s name is to honor Him. The Egyptians had many gods by many different names. Moses wanted to know His name so the Jewish people would know exactly who sent him to them (see my commentary on Exodus, to see link click At – I AM Has Sent Me To You). ADONAI called Himself  I AM, a name describing His eternal power and unchangeable character. His name is like His signature guarantee of His promises. In a world where values, morals, and laws change constantly, we can find stability and security in our unchanging God. The LORD who appeared to Moshe is the same God who can live in us today. Hebrews 13:8 says: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Because Ha’Shem’s nature is stable and trustworthy, we are free to follow and enjoy Him rather than spending our time trying to figure Him out.

3. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Jesus instructs His disciples to focus on the coming messianic Kingdom. We are to pray that this same Kingdom will be established on earth during our lifetime. Continuing the Great Kaddish, the leader continues and says, “. . . in the world that He will create anew, when He will raise the dead, and give them eternal life, will rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and establish His Temple in the middle of it; and will uproot all pagan worship from the earth, and restore the worship of the true God.”⁵⁵⁹ The liturgy of the Torah service also elaborates on this and quotes First Chronicles 29:11-12 when it says, “The Kingdom is Yours, ADONAI.” All true believers desire for God’s messianic Kingdom to come to this earth because that means that Yeshua will have returned. When He rules and reigns from Jerusalem (see my commentary on Isaiah Jg – In Righteousness You Will Be Established, Terror Will Be Far Removed), His desire will be done on earth as it currently is in heaven.

4. Give us today our daily bread (Mattityahu 6:11). While it is essential for us to pray for the bigger picture of the messianic Kingdom, Christ also reminds us that the Father is also concerned about our daily needs. This reminds us that for forty years YHVH took care of the practical needs of His children. The manna, for example, was edible only on the very day it was given. The Israelites learned to thank the LORD for their daily bread without worrying too much about the future. When we pray before a meal, we need to be reminded that we are not blessing the food, but are blessing God for providing our food!

5. Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us (Matthew 6:12 CJB). Christ’s prayer gives us a strong reason to seek forgiveness. Since we too have forgiven those who have wronged us, we can ask for the same kind of forgiveness. Sometimes it is necessary to forgive in order to be forgiven; sometimes it is necessary to forgive because we are already forgiven, and sometimes it is necessary to forgive as we are in the process of being forgiven by others.⁵⁶⁰ These principles of giving and receiving forgiveness are common in Judaism.

Each Shabbat, those who love the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob recite the sixth blessing of the Amidah, the Standing Prayer, which is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy. It asks for forgiveness for all sins and praises God as being a God of forgiveness. This prayer, among others, is found in the Siddur for messianic Jews (2009).⁵⁶¹ As traditional Judaism’s central prayer, the Amidah is often designated simply as tefila, “prayer” in rabbinic literature.

The concept of forgiveness is the central theme of the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Avinu Malkeinu prayer calls on us to forgive others as well as receiving forgiveness. We must remember that forgiveness is more than merely forgetting the things we have done wrong, or the fact that we have been wronged. The perfect example is Yeshua’s actions towards us. He does not forget our sins, but chooses not to dwell on them once we are adopted into His family (see Bw – What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith). In the same way, as His child, our forgiveness of others cannot be conditional. This is demonstrated in a special ceremony that takes place on Rosh Hashanah (the first day of the Jewish New Year). Traditional Jews go down to a lake or the ocean and throw breadcrumbs or stones into it. This ceremony is called Tashlikh, or you will throw, based on Micah 7:19 CJB, where the prophet says: You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea. If God has buried our sins in the depths of the sea, we would do well to let them stay there and not go fishing!⁵⁶²

The LORD forgives us instantly (Isaiah 55:7; First John 1:9). So, how long should I feel guilty? Not very long! He forgives me repeatedly (Nehemiah 9:17; Hebrews 7:25). ADONAI forgives me freely (Romans 3:23-24; Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a gift. I can’t pay for it. God forgives me completely (Colossians 1:14, 2:13-14; Romans 3:25; Matthew 26:28). Psalm 51:1-19 was King David’s written confession to Ha’Shem after an especially sinful episode in his life. David was truly sorry for his adultery with Bathsheba and for murdering her husband Uriah to cover it up (Second Samuel 11:1-27). He knew that his actions had hurt many people. But, because David repented of those sins, ADONAI mercifully forgave him. No sin, except the rejection of God the Holy Spirit Himself for salvation, is too great to be forgiven! Do you feel that you could never come close to the LORD because you have done something terrible? He can and will forgive you of any sin.

6. And lead us not into temptation (Matthew 6:13a). There is no definite article before the word temptation. Even though the article is not necessary in a prepositional phrase to make the noun definite, its omission here is significant. This indicates that this term is used in a more general sense to refer to inward seductions.⁵⁶³ Jesus said: In this world you will have trouble (Yochanan 16:33b), and there are many twists and turns. There is no doubt that we will be tested, yet it is appropriate for us to pray that the Father would not lead us into hard testing (the Greek for temptation can also mean testing). ADONAI does not tempt anyone into sin (James 1:13). That would be entirely contrary to His nature. And our will power is overrated. Our sin nature will take us further than we want to go and cost us more than we want to pay. Yet, we are told to pray that we might not endure hard testing no matter what the source.

The prayer spoken of by Jesus transcended any that Jewish rabbi ever conceived. Forgive us what we have done wrong, and lead us not into temptation find no real counterparts in the prayers of the rabbis. In the Temple, the people never responded to the prayers with an “Amen,” but always with this blessing, “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His Kingdom for ever!” The rabbis teach that it was traced all the way back to the patriarch Jacob on his deathbed. In regard to the Kingdom, whatever the rabbis understood by it, the feeling was so strong that it was said by them: Any prayer that makes no mention of the Kingdom, is not a prayer at all.⁵⁶⁴

7. But keep us safe from the Evil One (Mattityahu 6:13b CJB). Besides our own flesh, Yeshua mentions another source of tempting, which is the Evil One or the devil, who is alive and well, seeking to devour any suspecting soul (Job 1:6-7; Zechariah 3:1; First Peter 5:8). In the midst of this great spiritual battle for our souls, this part of the prayer reminds us to pray that the LORD would keep us safe. The Father has not left us as orphans to fend for ourselves, but has provided powerful spiritual armor for our protection. As we walk through this life, the battle rages all around us. As a result, we must keep on the helmet of salvation, wear the breastplate of righteousness, and wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). There is no doubt that this battle is intense; however, we are promised victory because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (First John 4:4 CJB).

The oldest and most reliable manuscripts do not include the words, “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever,” so I have not included them here. The plural phrasing . . . give us . . . forgive us . . . lead us . . . keep us . . . is characteristically Jewish, focusing on the group rather than the isolated individual.⁵⁶⁵ What kind of protection does He offer us? King David said: ADONAI is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2). The LORD’s protection of His people is limitless and can take many forms. He characterized God’s care with five military words. Ha’Shem is like (1) a rock that can’t be moved by any who would harm us; (2) a fortress or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow us; (3) a shield that comes between us so that no one can destroy us; (4) a horn of salvation, or a symbol of might and power; and (5) a stronghold high above our enemies. If you need protection, look to Yeshua Ha’Meshiach.

In addition, the Lord’s protection is certain. Luke wrote: And everyone will hate you because you are Mine and are called by My name. But not a hair on your head will perish! For if you stand firm, you will win your souls (Luke 21:17-19 TLB). Jesus warned that in the coming persecutions, their family members and friends would betray His followers. Believers of every age have had to face this possibility. It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh will stay with us. He will comfort us, protect our souls, and give us the words we need. This assurance can give us the courage and hope to stand firm for Messiah no matter how difficult the situation.

This lesson on prayer ends with a reminder that follows the teaching of forgiveness in Matthew 6:12. This is Ha’Shem’s own commentary on our appeal to Him for forgiveness. This importance of this added insight is greater than before. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you puts the principle in a positive light. Believers should forgive just as they have received forgiveness from Him (Ephesians 1:7; First John 2:1-2). I am not discounting that this is easy to say and hard to do. However, when the heart is overflowing with such a forgiving spirit, your heavenly Father will also forgive you (Mattityahu 6:14). The Talmud teaches that he who is [non-judgmental] toward others’ faults will be mercifully dealt with by the Supreme Judge. Those who love the Lord cannot know His forgiveness apart from truly forgiving others.

Bitterness is its own prison. A floor of muddy anger stills the feet. The stench of betrayal fills the air and stings the eyes. A cloud of self-pity blocks the view of any escape. Step in and look at the prisoners. Victims are chained to the walls. Victims of betrayal. Victims of abuse. The dungeon, deep and dark, is beckoning you to enter. You’ve experienced enough hurt. You can choose, to chain yourself to your hurt, or you can choose to put away hurts before they become hates. How does God deal with your bitter heart? He reminds you that what you have is more important than what you don’t have. You have your relationship with ADONAI. No one can take that.⁵⁶⁶

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not hurl your sins away (Matthew 6:15), because the Greek word for forgive (aphiemi) literally means to hurl or toss away. This states the truth of the previous verse in a negative way for emphasis. The sin of an unforgiving root of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15) in the ground of your heart only forfeits blessing and invites judgment. To desire forgiveness from ADONAI, and yet deny it to others is the abuse of mercy.⁵⁶⁷ And judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

The story is told in Isra’el of a father and his teenage son who had a very strained relationship. As a result, the son ran away from home. After a time, the father began a journey in search of his rebellious son. Finally, in Yerushalayim, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in the newspaper. The ad read: “Dear Aaron, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon. All is forgiven. I love you. Your father.” The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office a thousand “Aarons” showed up. They were all seeking forgiveness and love from their fathers.

James tells us: You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives (James 4:2b-3a). God has His part, and we have our part in our prayer life. Our part is to ask persistently, and His part is to give according to His will. Even if we do not receive what we have been praying for, it helps to build our faith. At that point we must have the faith to trust in Him, and believe that He knows what is best for us, even though it is counterintuitive to what we think is best. We must have faith that prayer changes things. In other words, if we don’t pray – some things just will not change! And if you pray regularly, you will learn how to express yourself in prayer.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7).

Grant to us, Almighty God, the peace of God that passes all understanding, that we, amid the storms and troubles of this life, may rest in You, knowing that all things are within You. We are not only beneath your eye but under Your care, governed by your will and guarded by Your love. With a quiet heart may we see the storms of life, the cloud and the thick darkness, ever rejoicing to know that the darkness and the light are both alike to You. Guide, guard, and govern us to the end, that none of us may fail to gain eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
By Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894.

When You Give to the Needy,
Do Not Do It to be Honored by Others
Matthew 6: 1-4

When you give to the needy, do not do it to be honored by others DIG: How had the Pharisees and the Torah-teachers given? How did they corrupt the discipline of giving to the needy? Why and where did the Israelites give? What were the shofars or trumpets? What did the rabbis teach about giving to the needy?

REFLECT: What spiritual disciplines do you value? In what way could they be misused to impress others? When have you given in to that temptation? Why? As you look over the seven principles of biblical giving, which one do you have the best grasp of? Which one do you need to work on the most? What does the Holy Spirit say the result of our appropriate giving to the needy with the right motives will be?

In His seventh example of true righteousness, our Lord teaches how humility in giving differed from that of the Pharisees and the Torah-teachers. Since much of Yeshua’s interpretation of the Torah deals with the need for righteousness, it is fitting that He now addresses specific acts of charity. The Hebrew concept of tzedakah, or charitable giving (often seen as a moral obligation), is so important to Judaism that the rabbis teach that alms obtain the world to come, or, in other words, they believe that giving to the needy will guarantee your salvation (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 4.1).

During the High Holy Days, Jews seek repentance, prayer and charity to avert any judgment. The rabbis often discussed different options for fulfilling this commandment. In fact, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1200 AD), one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages, compiled a list of ten levels of charitable giving, ranging from helping one’s own family to making an anonymous contribution to a community fund. The rabbis teach that every Jew is to fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah, with even the poor donating to a cause (Rambam Mishnah Torah, Gifts to the Poor).⁵⁴⁸

Many of the Pharisees and Torah-teachers attracted a lot of attention to themselves when they gave alms in the Court of the Women.  This inner area of the Temple compound was not named because only women could go there. Certainly, it was the common place for worship for all. According to Jewish tradition, the women stood on a raised gallery along three sides of the court. It covered a space of about 200 feet square. All around ran a simple porch 60 feet square, and within it, along the wall were positioned thirteen offering boxes (shopharoth) called the Treasury. These chests were called shofars or trumpets in the Talmud because they were narrow at the top and wide at the bottom and resembled a ram’s horn (Tractate Shekalim 6.1).

Each trumpet was specifically marked. Eight were the receipt of what was legally due by worshipers, the other five, however, were strictly for voluntary gifts for the needy.

When a Pharisee was going to give a major donation, he would do it with such fanfare that everyone could see what a large amount of money he had put into the Temple treasury for the needy. Instead of going up reverently and dropping his coins in the appropriate shofar, he would parade up with much fanfare and pray long and loud (making sure everyone saw and heard him) before depositing his money. Quite a spectacle.

Charity is obviously a very positive action, yet Jesus urges His listeners to look deeply into their motive for giving. Be careful not to parade your acts of tzedakah in front of people in order to be seen by them (Matthew 6:1a)! One winter night composer Johann Sebastian Bach was scheduled to debut a new composition. He arrived at the church expecting it to be full. Instead, he learned that no one had come. No one. However, without missing a beat, Bach told his musicians that they would still perform as planned. They took their seats, Bach raised his baton, and soon the church was filled with magnificent music.

It made me think. Would I write if God were my only audience? Would I have the same energy and devotion? How would my writing be any different?

New writers are often advised to visualize one person they are writing to as a means of staying focused. I do this when I write my commentaries. I visualize a person sitting in front of their computer in the middle of nowhere with no Bible. I answer the questions I think they would ask me and try to help them find the Lord or help in their walk with Him.

I doubt that David, son of Jesse, whose psalms we turn to for comfort and encouragement, had “readers” in mind. The only audience he had in mind was ADONAI.

Whatever our tzedakah are, we should keep in mind that they’re really between God and us. Whether or not anyone else sees does not matter. We serve an audience of One.⁵⁴⁹

Christ said that if you parade your acts of tzedakah in front of people in order to be seen by them . . . you will have no reward from your Father in heaven (Matthew 6:1b). Those people’s only reward will be the recognition and applause from the hypocrites and the ignorant. The LORD does not reward those who only seek to please hypocrites, because they rob Him of His glory. It is important to point out that Messiah’s use of Father here, has the same meaning as in Matthew 5:16 as Israel’s Father (Isaiah 63:16), not in the New Covenant sense of personal relationship by salvation (Mattityahu 6:9). The reference to ADONAI’s living in heaven separates the eternal character of divine reward from the temporary, shallow praise that hypocrites receive from others.

Yeshua warns against flaunting our giving in public. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets. Our Lord does not introduce this teaching with if  but when, indicating it is something that He expects us to do. To give to the needy refers to actual giving, not good intentions or warm feelings of pity that never flesh itself out to something substantive. Good intentions don’t fill a child’s empty stomach. When done in the right spirit it’s not only advisable but also obligatory for believers.

But, pharisaic Judaism had carried giving to the needy to ridiculous extremes. In the Jewish apocryphal books we read: It is better to give to charity than to lay up gold. For charity will save a man from death; it will expiate (compensate for) any sin (Tobit 12:8). And in addition: As water will quench a flaming fire, so charity will atone (pay for) for sin (The Wisdom of Sirach 3:30). As a result, many Israelites felt that salvation was much easier for the rich, because they could buy their way into heaven by giving to the needy. The same unbiblical approach can be seen in traditional Roman Catholic dogma. Pope Leo the Great declared, “By prayer we seek to appease God, by fasting we extinguish the lust of the flesh, and by giving to the needy we pay for our sins.”

Again the Lord uses hyperbole in His description. Some have mistakenly portrayed this scene as the Pharisees using literal “trumpets” to announce their charitable giving. On the contrary, there is no evidence from history or archaeology that a literal trumpet or other instrument was used by Jews to announce their giving in the Court of the Women. This is merely a figure of speech used by Yeshua to describe the attention in the synagogues and in the streets that many wealthy hypocrites, not just Pharisees and Torah-teachers, purposely attracted to themselves when they presented their alms.

As the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. When He said: Don’t announce it with trumpets, He meant, “Don’t make a big deal about it.” Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full (Matthew 6:2). This reward in full is a technical expression used at the completion of a commercial transaction, and carried the idea of something being paid in full. Nothing more was owed and would be paid. Those who give for the purpose of impressing others with their generosity and spirituality will receive no other reward from God. He owes them nothing.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. This was possibly a proverbial expression that simply meant doing a normal activity with no special effort. The right hand was considered the primary hand of action, and in a regular day’s work the right hand would do many things that would not involve the left hand. The point here is that giving to the needy should be a normal activity for believers, done with no special effort and done as discreetly as possible so that your giving may be in secret (Mt 6:3-4a). There was a special chamber within the Treasury in the Court of the Women that was called “the chamber of the silent.” There, devout people could give their money in secret, afterwards used for educating children and assistance for the needy. But “the chamber of the silent” was also for those needy who were embarrassed that they needed assistance and they could also go there to get help in secret.⁵⁵⁰

This has often been interpreted to mean that all acts of tzedakah are to be done in absolute secrecy. Believers, however, are not supposed to put their light under a bowl. Instead we put it on its stand, and it will give light to everyone in the house (Matthew 5:15). The TaNaKh describes giving as part of the LORD’s cycle of blessing. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed (Proverbs 11:25). As we give, Ha’Shem blesses, and when He blesses us we give again out of what He has given. You are to observe the festival of Shavu’ot for ADONAI your God with a voluntary offering, which you are to give in accordance with the degree to which ADONAI your God has prospered you (Deuteronomy 16:10 CJB). We are to give freely out of what the LORD has given freely. The cycle applies not only to material giving but also to every form of giving that is done sincerely to honor YHVH and to meet a need. The way of God’s people has always been the way of giving. To guide us, the Bible teaches seven principles of scriptural giving.

First, giving from the heart is investing with God. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use it, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:38). Paul reiterated Christ’s words when he wrote to the believers at Corinth, saying: Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (Second Corinthians 9:6).

Second, genuine giving is to be sacrificial. David refused to give to ADONAI that which cost him nothing. He insisted on paying for the threshing floor on which to build an altar to the LORD (Second Samuel 24:18-24). Generosity is not measured by the size of the gift itself, but, by its size in comparison to what is possessed. The widow who put two very small copper coins into the treasury gave more than all the others who gave large sums because they all gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on (Mark 12:42-44; Luke 21:2-4).

Third, responsibility for giving has no relationship to how much the person has. People who are not generous when they are poor will not be generous when they are rich. They might give a larger amount, but they will not give a larger proportion. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much (Luke 16:10). It is especially important to teach younger children to give generously to ADONAI with whatever small amounts of money they receive, because the attitudes and patterns they set as children are likely to carry over into adulthood. God doesn’t need your money, but, He wants your heart.

Fourth, material giving correlates to spiritual blessing. To those who are not faithful with mundane things such as money and other possessions, Messiah will not entrust things that are of far greater value. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own (Lk 16:11-12).

Fifth, giving is to be personally determined. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (Second Corinthians 9:7). Righteous giving is done from a righteous and generous heart, not from legalistic percentages of quotas. The Macedonian believers gave abundantly out of their deep financial poverty because spiritually they were rich in love (Second Corinthians 8:1-2). The Philippian believers gave out of the spontaneous generosity of their hearts, not because they felt compelled to do so (Philippians 4:15-18).

Sixth, we are to give in response to need. The early Messianic community in Jerusalem gave their resources without hesitation. Many of their fellow believers had become destitute when they trusted in Meshiach and were ostracized from their families and lost employment because of their faith. Years later Paul collected money from the Galatian churches to help meet the great needs that continued to exist among the righteous of the TaNaKh in Yerushalayim and that had been intensified by famine.

There have always been charlatans who manufacture needs and play on the sympathy of others. And there have always been professional beggars, who are able to work but would rather not. A believer in Yeshua has no responsibility to support such people and should take reasonable care to determine if and when real need exists before giving money. Believers with the gift of discernment are especially helpful in this regard. The one who is unwilling to work, Rabbi Sha’ul said: shall not eat (Second Thessalonians 3:10). Encouraging laziness weakens the character of the one who is lazy and also wastes God’s money.

Seventh, giving demonstrates love, not man made commandments. The New Covenant contains no commands for specified amounts or percentages of giving. We need to support those who feed us spiritually (Mt 10:5-11; Luke 9:1-5; 1 Tim 5:17-18), but, after that the percentage we give will be determined by the love of our own hearts and the needs of others. Under grace, believers are free from the demands of the Torah.

All of these seven principles in scriptural giving point to the obligation to give generously because we are investing in the Lord’s work, because we are willing to sacrifice for Him who sacrificed Himself for us, because it has no bearing on how much we have, because we want spiritual riches more than financial riches, because we have personally determined to give, because we want to meet as much need as we can, and because our love compels us to give. As in every area of our righteousness, the key is the heart, the inner attitude that should motivate what we say and do.

Ha’Shem does not need our gifts, because He is entirely self-sufficient. The need is on our part. Rabbi Sha’ul to the messianic congregation at Philippi: I am not seeking the gift; rather, I am looking for what will increase the credit of balance in your spiritual account (Phil 4:17 CJB). When we give to the needy . . . then our Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward us (Mt 6:4b). The principle is this: if we remember, God will forget; but we forget, God will remember. Our purpose should be to meet every need we are able to meet and leave the bookkeeping to ADONAI, realizing that we have only done what was our duty (Lk 17:10).

The urge to misbehave and the desire to be anonymous always visit me together. Like partners making a sales call, they do their best to convince me that I can afford to do something wrong because I won’t have to pay.

Human nature tells us to use the cover of anonymity to avoid taking the blame for the bad things we do. God, however, tells us something else. He wants us to use anonymity to avoid taking the blame for the good that we do. Why is that the urge to remain anonymous seldom accompanies my desire to do good?

Yeshua says do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. In other words, within the body of Christ our deeds of charity should be done without calling attention to ourselves. This does not mean, however, that ADONAI wants good deeds to remain hidden; it just means that they should be done in a way that makes a good name for God, not ourselves.

When we volunteer our services, use our spiritual gifts, tithe, or make donations to churches, messianic synagogues and organizations that do good deeds in the name of the Master, we receive something much greater than honor from our peers. We receive rewards from the LORD, and He receives glory from others. So, we should live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us (First Peter 2:12).⁵⁵¹

What True Righteousness Looks Like
Matthew 6: 1-18

Chapter 5 of Yeshua’s great Sermon on the Mount dealt with the values and precepts of His Kingdom. He now turns the attention of His disciples to more practical applications of these values. Although many of these topics were of vital importance in first-century Judaism, they continue to be important to the modern-day believer in Messiah.⁵⁴⁷

You Have Heard That It Was Said: Love Your Neighbor
Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 6:27-30, 32-36

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor” DIG: Only the first part of the quote in Matthew 5:43 is from the TaNaKh. What does this show about the common use of Scripture at that time? In that context, what does the type of love Jesus calls for involve? How do the themes in Matthew 5:21-48 illustrate what Jesus meant by Matthew 5:19-20? What standard does the LORD expect from us? How can we attain it?

REFLECT: Although these standards are not a new commandment that we must attain before ADONAI will accept us as His children, what do they suggest as the direction in which God wants us to grow after we have experienced salvation? Which of these inner qualities do you want to cultivate right now? How will your life be different as Ha’Shem helps you to put this quality into action?

In Christ’s sixth example of true righteousness, He contrasts ADONAI’s kind of love with that of the Pharisees and the Torah-teachers. Nowhere did their humanistic, self-centered system of religion differ more from the LORD’s divine standards than in the matter of love. Nowhere had YHVH’s standard been so corrupted as in the way the self-righteous Pharisees and Torah-teachers viewed themselves in relation to others. Nowhere was it more evident that they lacked the humility, mourning over their own sin, meekness, yearning for true righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, and peacemaking spirit that are to belong to the children of God.⁵³⁹

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy” (Matthew 5:43). Love your neighbor is clearly the essential summary of the Torah, even if the word neighbor was normally applied only to fellow Jews. Some passages did call for compassionate treatment of a personal Jewish enemy (Exodus 23:4-5; Proverbs 24:17, 25:21), as well as a welcoming attitude to friendly foreigners (Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:19), but, the attitude toward the foreign enemies is usually expressed by the judgment against neighboring peoples in Deuteronomy 23:3-6 and illustrated by the book of Joshua, the violent nationalistic invective of Psalm 137:7-9. While in Psalm 139:21-22 the writer commends himself for hating God’s enemies, nowhere does the TaNaKh teach that you should hate your enemy. It’s one thing to defend the honor and glory of ADONAI by seeking to defeat those who hate Him, but, quite another to hate people personally as our own enemies. Such a teaching came from the misinterpretations of those who teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines of YHVH (see Isaiah 29:13, cited by Yeshua in Mattityahu 15:9).

Jesus saw neighbors in unlikely places. When an expert in the Torah asked Him to define the neighbor we are to love, the Lord drew a big circle. He told the parable of a merciful Samaritan to show that a neighbor is the friend, stranger, or enemy who needs help (to see link click Gw – The Parable of the Good Samaritan).

We are to share the Lord’s own balance of love and justice. God loved Adam, but He cursed him. God loved Cain, but He punished him. God loved Sodom and Gomorrah, but He destroyed them. God loved Isra’el, but He allowed her to be conquered and sent into exile and set her aside for a time. The Pharisees and Torah-teachers had no such balance. They had no love for justice, but only for vengeance. They had no love for their enemies – only for themselves.⁵⁴⁰ For Jesus, the love of neighbor was broadly inclusive, as seen below.

The paradoxical values of the kingdom of Heaven reach their climax in what is virtually an oxymoron because an enemy is by definition not loved. Nevertheless, Yeshua tells us: Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, which makes no sense in a world characterized by conflict and self-interest (Matthew 5:44a; Luke 6:27-28a).⁵⁴¹ Love isn’t easy. Not for you. Not for me. Not even for Jesus. Want proof? Listen to His frustration: You unbelieving generation, how long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you (Mark 9:19)?

How long must I put up with you? Long enough to be called crazy by My family and a liar by My neighbors. Long enough to be run out of town and My Temple . . .

How long? Until the rooster crows and the sweat stings and the mallet rings and a hillside of demons smirk at a dying God.

How long? Long enough for every sin to soak into My sinless soul that heaven will turn away in horror until My swollen lips pronounce the final transaction: Paid in full.

How long? Until it kills Me.⁵⁴²

For the Lord, however, emphasizing the need to love your enemies elevated the commandment to another level. This would apply to both Jews and Gentiles, even the ones you hated. Seems impossible doesn’t it. Well, in our flesh it is impossible. That’s the point. Such love requires a new heart and Spirit within us in order to let the love of God shine through to others. If we pray for those who persecute or mistreat us (Mattityahu 5:44b; Luke 6:28a), it will go a long way toward giving us a tender heart and a new perspective on our enemies. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the pastor who suffered and was eventually killed in Nazi Germany, wrote this about Jesus’ teaching here, “This is the supreme demand. Through the medium of prayer we go to our enemy, stand beside his side, and plead for him to God.”

Then Jesus plays His strongest ethical card; to love those who do not love you is not as an example of proverbial wisdom, but is a reflection of the character of ADONAI Himself. This prepares the way for the final breath-taking summary in Matthew 5:48. Pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:45a). To love our enemies and to pray for our persecutors demonstrates that we have been adopted into the family of God. The aorist tense of may be (Greek: genesthe) points to a once-and-for-all established fact. ADONAI Himself is love, and the greatest evidence that we are children of the Father is our love. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35). God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (First John 4:16b). Loving as God loves does not make us children of God, but, gives testimony that we already are His children. When we reflect God’s nature it proves that we currently possess His nature and have been born again (see Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith).

Those who are God’s children should show impartial love and care similar to what God shows. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45b). Those blessings are given without respect to merit or deserving. ADONAI’s divine love and concern in some forms benefit everyone, even those who rebel against Him or deny His existence. The eyes of all are looking to You; You give them their food at the right time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:15-16 CJB). There is no good thing – physical, intellectual, emotional, moral, spiritual, or of any other kind – that anyone possesses or experiences that does not come from the hand of God. If the LORD does that for everyone, His children should reflect that same generosity.⁵⁴³

At this point Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us four examples about how the command to love your enemies should be carried out. First, if someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. What is being referred to involves insult more than injury. If someone takes your outer [coat], do not withhold your [shirt] from them (Luke 6:29 also see Dl – You Have Heard It Was Said: An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth).

Second, give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back (Luke 6:30). It is best to understand this as an overstatement for effect, for we do find an exception in Second Thessalonians 3:6-13. Nonetheless, the use of overstatement in this command serves to heighten its importance, and this issue will come up again in Luke 6:34-35 below.

Third, when it comes right down to it, we are all equal before our heavenly Father. But, if there was one thing the Pharisees and Torah-teachers were certain of, it was that they were superior to everyone else. But, Jesus said: If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even tax collectors (see Cp – The Calling of Matthew) and sinners love those who love them (Mattityahu 5:46; Luke 6:32). We have a higher calling in Yeshua. In fact, it is so high that it is ultimately beyond our ability. Our faith is not merely a religious philosophy or a system of morals to try to follow. In the final analysis, it is about allowing the Messiah and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to give us new life.

Fourth, and if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even Gentiles do that (Matthew 5:47; Luke 6:33). Jesus said that the love of the Pharisees and Torah-teachers was no better than those whom they despised above all. “Your righteousness,” He declared, “is no better than the Gentiles!” The only way we can be as perfect as ADONAI is to receive the righteousness of Yeshua through faith, which makes us perfect as we stand before the Father. So, the more we study Messiah’s interpretation of the Torah in the Sermon on the Mount, the more we should realize our desperate need for God’s help. Blessed be Ha’Shem who has provided the way of redemption through His Son, Yeshua Ha’Meshiach.⁵⁴⁴

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full (Luke 6:34). The three previous commands are all present tense imperatives and emphasize the need for the believer to continually love (Luke 6:32), do good (Luke 6:33), and lend (Luke 6:34). Just as ADONAI has been gracious to believers while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), so we are to give freely in return.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great (Luke 6:35a). There is no idea of merit in this statement, for even after perfect obedience and service to God, believers will only be able to say: We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty (Luke 17:10). It is pure grace that causes God to reward His servants; but reward there will be, and this is not uncommon in the B’rit Chadashah (Mattityahu 6:1-6, 18, 10:41-42; Mark 9:41; Luke 6:35, 12:33, 18:22; First Cor 3:14). And you will [show yourselves to] be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35b). ADONAI is kind, and His character is revealed by the fact that before salvation, the believer, while ungrateful and wicked, has been the recipient of His mercy.

Therefore, be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Leviticus 19:2; Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36; Psalm 145:8-9). The sum of all that Yeshua teaches in the Sermon on the Mount – in fact, the sum of all He teaches in the Bible – is embodied in those words. The disciple’s lifestyle is to be different from other people in that it doesn’t draw its inspiration from the norms of society but from the character of God. Keeping the Oral Law meant nothing (see Ei – The Oral Law). Jesus demanded a different approach, not living by external rules of conduct, but looking behind those laws to the mind of Ha’Shem. The wording of this summary recalls the repeated formula of the Torah: You are to be holy, for I, ADONAI your God, AM holy (Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:26). The children of God are to reflect His character at all times, in all ages.⁵⁴⁵

In 1915 Pastor William Barton started to publish a series of articles. Using the archaic language of an ancient storyteller, he wrote his parables under the pen name of Safed the Sage. And for the next fifteen years he shared the wisdom of Safed and his enduring spouse Keturah. It was a genre he enjoyed. By the early 1920s, Safed was said to have a following of at least three million. Turning an ordinary event into an illustration of a spiritual truth was always a keynote of Barton’s ministry.

Now it came to pass in one of my journeys that I lodged with a Friend who in former years did Preach, but now had Retired, and liveth in a goodly Little City wherein is a College, and where in former years he Preached. And he hath bought for himself a House, situated where two streets cross, and he liveth Happily and Quietly and Usefully. Even so may the Lord grant me Grace and Cash wherewith to live when I come to his time of life.

Now, the boys of the city pass his home on their way to School, and many of them turn the Corner there; and having learned from a certain teacher called Euclid, who theories no man disputeth because few Understand Them, that the Square of the Hypotenuse is equal to the Square upon the other two side, and having some doubt about it, they create an Hypotenuse across the Lawn of my friend, in order to find if it be not true that the Hypotenuse is shorter than the way around the Corner.

Now the Neighbors of my Friend spake unto him, saying: Those Infernal Boys will Ruin thy Lawn. Go to, Make a Stumbling Block in their Path, and make it of Barb Wire, that they entangle themselves therein and be pricked with the Goads, and cease to ruin thy Yard.

So my Friend built a Stumbling Block and placed it in their Path, but of Barb Wire builded he not. He built it of stone, and filled it in with earth, and he dug it, and dunged it, and therein he planted flowers.

And the boys thereafter kept to the walk, and they looked at the flowers and admired them, and they spake: Lo, the Good Man hath planted a Flower Bed in his Lawn; now Shall we Keep on the Walk lest we injure it; and to walk around it were more Bother than to Keep in the Great Highway.

And the boys never suspected that it was for their sake he planted the Flowers, nor that the Flowers were planted to Beautify the Bunker.

Now, when I beheld this, I said to my soul: Behold, my Friend is not only a person of kind heart, but also a Man of Great Wisdom. How easily he might have wakened the resentment of the Youthful Soul, whereas he hath gladdened the heart of the neighborhood, saved his Lawn and kept the good will of the Boys.

Then I thought of the many Stumbling Blocks which good folk have erected in the Path of the Sinful, and how often they have become futile, for I have beheld Youth Vaulting happily over the Barbed Wire, and landing with Heels deep in the turf on the farther side.

And I said to my soul: Whenever it is necessary to erect a hurdle across the path of the wicked or the thoughtless, I will seek out a Flower and plant thereon. And the same shall be reckoned unto me for Righteousness as well as practical Good Sense.⁵⁴⁶

You Have Heard That It Was Said:
An Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth
Matthew 5: 38-42

You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” DIG: What was the original intent of an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth? How was this commandment perverted? What qualities ought to replace those desires for revenge? When did Yeshua resist evil? Who should take care of personal revenge? Is Jesus teaching that believers should resist criminal actions against them?

REFLECT: Does turning the other cheek mean not standing up for yourself? What does it mean? What does handing over your coat represent? What purpose does going the extra mile for unbelievers serve? What does give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you mean? When is true righteousness put to the ultimate test? How can we live holy lives?

In the Nazarene’s fifth example of true righteousness in contrast with that of the Pharisees and the Torah-Teachers, He teaches about not seeking revenge. Jesus uses hyperbole (exaggeration) to emphasize the attitude we should have toward those who either threaten or need something from us. This was an important lesson for the disciples of His day, and it’s equally important for us today.

The Pharisees interpreted the Torah literally to mean it allowed retaliation and equal retribution (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21). So, Messiah began His teaching with the words: You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” At first glance, many people think this teaching is unbelievably harsh by modern standards. In the ancient world, however, an eye for an eye would have been extremely merciful (Matthew 5:38). The pagans at that time (and many today) believed that vengeance was an appropriate response to an injustice. In some cultures today, if you catch someone stealing from you – you cut off their hand. Now that’s harsh! But, the TaNaKh speaks of giving just compensation without disproportionate revenge. In fact, this verse limits revenge. The punishment needed to fit the crime (see my commentary on Exodus, to see link click Ea – A Life for a Life, an Eye for an Eye, Wound for Wound and Bruise for Bruise). But, the Pharisees twisted this commandment to sanction their personal vengeance. Paul would later write: Vengeance is Mine says ADONAI, I will repay (Romans 12:19). By taking revenge the Pharisees violated the righteousness of the commandment.

When we really look at the details of this commandment, its clear that to literally achieve equal compensation is very hard. The Talmud debates some of these challenges by noting the differences between two people and even their two eyes. A common interpretation, therefore, was that monetary compensation was a universal solution. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth meant a payment of money. The Torah declares: You are to apply the same standard of judgment to the foreigner as to the citizen, because I Am ADONAI (Lev 24:22). That means, a law that shall be the same for all of you (Tractate Bava Kama 83b). What Matthew records here is Jesus’ affirming the Torah’s emphasis on withholding personal revenge.⁵³⁶

Many have misunderstood the Master’s teaching when He said: But I tell you, do not resist an evil person (Matthew 5:39a). Here Jesus refutes pharisaic Judaism’s misinterpretation and forbids retaliation in personal relationships. Christ is not saying, as many have said, that He forbids taking a stand against evil, and it should simply be allowed to run its course. Yeshua and His talmidim continually opposed evil at every turn. In fact, the Lord resisted the evil of turning His Father’s house into a market by making a whip out of cords, and driving all the Sadducees from the Temple courts, scattered the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables (John 2:15-17). Not only that, but we are to resist the devil (James 4:7; First Peter 5:9), and all the evil that he stands for and inspires (Mt 6:13; Romans 12:9; First Thess 5:22; Second Timothy 4:18). Both Messiah and Rabbi Sha’ul raised objections to unjust and unlawful treatment (John 18:22-23; Acts 16:37). Other Scriptures call for believers to protect life and uphold justice (Proverbs 24:11-12; Amos 5:15, 24).

However, the civil government is God’s servant for your good, Paul says. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4). Peter commands: For the sake of the Lord, submit yourselves to every human authority – whether to the emperor as being supreme, or to governors as being sent by him to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do what is good (First Peter 2:13-14). So there is a larger principle looming when it comes to personal revenge. Justice must be done, but it must be left in the hands of God or the authorities ordained by God.

If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also (Matthew 5:39b). This is not intended to turn us into wimps who are abused by the bullies of the world. Jesus is no wimp. The point here is that even if we are wronged, we have liberty in Christ and do not have to demand equal compensation. At the same time, however, it would be sinful if we let some gross injustice go unchallenged. As the Torah says: Don’t stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake (Leviticus 19:16b). In fact, Yeshua Himself did not always turn the other cheek. When Annas the high priest questioned Him around 4:00 am on the morning of His crucifixion, one of the officials nearby slapped Him in the face. “Is this the way You answer the high priest?” he demanded. If I said something wrong, Jesus replied, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike Me (see Li – Annas Questions Jesus)? The command to turn the other cheek calls for an attitude that refuses to return the insult or wrong done.

The character of the LORD demands holiness (Mt 5:48) and justice. But, far too often people demand their own personal rights at the expense of others. We need to ask ourselves, “Do I really need to push this, or would it be better for all involved if I dropped it?” Likewise, if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well (Mt 5:40). In the context of His original hearers, the coat would have been the outer garment complete with the tassels on the corners (Numbers 15:38). In ancient times, including the first century, the tallit was a coat or robe that men normally wore. After clothes stopped being made with tassels on the corners, Judaism created the modern tallit (prayer shawl) so that the command of Moshe could be carried out. Since the outer garment was also an important means of protection from the elements, it was important not to take it from a brother overnight (Deut 24:13). Offering your coat to one who demands your shirt reflects a willingness to settle a dispute in a way that brings peace and reconciliation.

So these verses test us as we are given an opportunity to demonstrate our love for our neighbor. And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two miles (Mattityahu 5:41 CJB). Even if a pagan Roman soldier demanded you to carry his pack for one mile (as he could legally do under the Roman occupation), you could choose to demonstrate your relationship to ADONAI by carrying it an extra mile, by cheerfully doing more than was required.

The heart of God is for His people to be a sharing and generous reflection of the Father. Therefore, the general principle is give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you (Mattityahu 5:42). The implication is that the person who asks has a genuine need. We might not even be asked, but might recognize the need ahead of time. We are not required to carry out every foolish, selfish request made to us. Sometimes giving people what they want, but do not need, does more harm than good. Yeshua is not talking about a begrudging consent to a plea for help, but a willing, generous desire to help others.

Jesus’ teaching true righteousness rather than revenge was – and still is – difficult to accept. This is one of those “easier-said-than-done” messages. It is only by the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh that we can follow this teaching. But, we are still human and can still fail. We can still say no to God and make it stick. Sometimes this teaching runs counter to all that we, as fallen men and women, have in our hearts concerning how to relate to others. When someone rapes your twelve-year old daughter and she has a very difficult time trusting anyone ever again. When a drunk driver kills your spouse. When you’re fired from your job months away from qualifying for your retirement pension because of petty jealousy. It is then that the words of Yeshua are put to the ultimate test. When we are hurt, whether verbally or physically, we feel justified in seeking revenge. This is not easy, and the bigger the hurt the harder it is.

But, as we are conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; Second Corinthians 3:18), He calls us to have the spirit of Abraham when he gave the best of his land to Lot; to have the spirit of Joseph when he embraced and kissed the brothers who had so terribly wronged him; the spirit of David who would not take advantage of the opportunity to kill Saul, who was trying to kill him; the spirit of Elijah to feed the enemy Assyrian army; the spirit that led Stephen to pray for those who were stoning him to death.⁵³⁷

Jesus concluded by saying: be perfect, just as our Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48). His message demonstrated God’s righteous standard, for He Himself truly is the standard of righteousness. If we are to be righteous we must be as YHVH is, perfect, that is, mature (Greek: teleioi) or holy. Murder, lust, hate, deception and retaliation obviously do not characterize our Father. He has not lowered His standard to accommodate our weakness; instead, He upholds His standard of absolute holiness. Though this perfect standard can never be met perfectly by us, when we trust in God, His holiness can be reproduced in our lives.

Lord Jesus, I believe that through your cross you drew all people to Yourself. Help me to forgive, rather than condemn; to love, rather than criticize; to care beyond what I think is expected of me. In this way, I will grow in my love for You and for others.⁵³⁸

You Have Heard That It Was Said: Do Not Break Your Oath
Matthew 5: 33-37

You have heard that it was said, “Do not break your oath” DIG: Did Jesus say that oaths were evil? How do you imagine the teaching in the TaNaKh about oaths was being misapplied to avoid taking responsibility? Why are oaths a poor substitute for integrity? Does this passage prevent believers from taking an oath in a trial or court of law?

REFLECT: How do you think your friends see your integrity? Your spouse? Your children? Your relatives? Your co-workers? Your neighbors? When people look at you and talk about you, do they say you are a truth-teller? Or are they wary of you because they cannot trust that you will do what you say you’re going to do? If that is true about you, what steps can you take to change that?

In His fourth example contrasting the true righteousness of the Torah with pharisaic Judaism, the Master teaches us to have integrity in our promises at all times. Once again, Jesus teaches about a common theme in first-century Judaism. The use of one’s word in an oath or a vow was taken quite seriously. In the Torah, your word was your bond. If you took an oath, it was absolutely mandatory that you keep it. But, the Oral Law (to see link click Ei – The Oral Law) gave all kinds of ways to break an oath. Two tractates of the Talmud address a multitude of details and interpretations regarding oaths (Tractates Shavuot and Nedarim). It is some of these rabbinic interpretations that Yeshua is addressing when He said: You have heard that our fathers were told, “Do not break your oath,” and “Keep your vows to ADONAI” (Matthew 5:33 CJB; Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21).

God provided for making oaths in His name (Leviticus 19:12) and many righteous of the TaNaKh, both before and after the giving of the Torah, followed that practice. Abraham confirmed his promises to the king of Sodom (Genesis 14:22-24) and to Abimelech (Genesis 21:23-24) with oaths in the name of ADONAI. He also made his servant Eliezer swear by ADONAI, God of heaven and God of the earth that he would not take a wife for Isaac from among the pagan Canaanites around them but from relatives in Abraham’s homeland of Mesopotamia (Genesis 24:1-4, 10 CJB). Isaac did the same thing (Genesis 26:31). Jacob and his father-in-law, make an oath when they made a covenant together at Mizpah (Genesis 31:44-53). David and Jonathan made an oath together regarding the house of David (First Samuel 20:16). David himself swore to ADONAI, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Ya’akov (Psalm 132:2 CJB). All those great men of YHVH, and many others, made oaths and covenants calling on the LORD as a witness to their truthfulness (see Genesis 47:31, 50:25; Joshua 9:15; Judges 21:5; Ruth 1:16-18; Second Samuel 15:21; Second Chronicles 15:14-15).

A clear description of an oath is given in the book of Hebrews: People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and put an end to all argument (Hebrews 6:16 also see 6:13-14). The name of something or someone greater than the person making the oath was called upon to give greater believability to what was said. Any oath calling on ADONAI invites Him to witness the honesty of what is said or to avenge if it’s a lie. So the oath supposedly was to be taken as the absolute truth.

Messiah addressed a popular abuse of oaths in His day. To protect the sanctity of the divine name against unintentional oath taking, common Jewish practice introduced kinnuyim, or substituting objects to swear by. However some unscrupulous people apparently thought it was harmless to deceive others if they swore by something like their right hand. Others took all oaths more seriously, but specifically warned against using the name of the LORD. Their belief was that if the oath was broken or not fulfilled, ADONAI’s name would be blasphemed. At that time the rabbis had to actually judge which oaths were actually binding as allusions to God’s name. The further removed the oath was from the actual name of God, the less danger they faced for violating it. But Jesus taught: Do not swear an oath at all (Matthew 5:34a).⁵³²

The general principle that His disciples should not take oaths is now illustrated by a series of examples of specific oaths that are inappropriate. To avoid swearing an oath by God’s name people swore by heaven and earth, Jerusalem and the Temple. The Talmud gives an example in which a vow is firmly upheld if it is made under the authority “of Jerusalem, for Jerusalem, by Jerusalem . . . of the Temple, for the Temple, by the Temple” (Tractate Nedarim 1). Jesus’ point is that ADONAI is the Creator and LORD of everything that exists; heaven is God’s (Isaiah 66:1-2), the earth is God’s (Isaiah 66:1-2), Jerusalem is God’s (Psalm 48:2; Matthew 5:34-35), the Temple is God’s (Habakkuk 2:20) and even the hairs on your head are God’s. Therefore, Jesus commanded: Do not swear by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black (Matthew 5:34b-36). Therefore, it is wicked and sinful to use anything of God’s, whether His name or any part of His creation, as a witness to anything that is dishonest, deceitful or insincere. Every lie is against God, and every false oath dishonors His name.⁵³³

Even though this practice of having some kind of extra reinforcement was acceptable in the first-century Judaism, the implication was that their original word was not good enough. Instead of being an indication of integrity, it became a mark of deceit. Instead of inspiring confidence, it promoted skepticism.

Our Lord Himself came under an oath (Matthew 26:63-64), as did Rabbi Sha’ul with the Nazarite vow (Acts 18:18). But, the Meshiach is making it clear that there should be no need for such reinforcements if our word is spoken with integrity. He taught: Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No” be “No,” anything beyond this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37). The truth has no degrees; a half-truth is a whole lie. The LORD has never had any standard other than absolute truthfulness. Consequently, the Word of God says that the child of God, under all circumstances, should be trustworthy.

If we begin to feel comfortable with our dishonesty, we can easily deceive ourselves as well as others. We may never see the patterns of sin in our lives that are blocking God’s love and our growth in holiness. We can never deceive God; however, who is able to look into our hearts and know what lies there. Honesty is the lifeblood of our relationship with Him.

Our honesty and consistent faithfulness to biblical standards can be a powerful witness to a world that is skeptical and ready to find hypocrisy among those who profess to be believers. When we call ourselves followers of Christ, we say, in effect, that we will follow the standards that He established. We can bear witness to the gospel with more than words; our lifestyles and our actions reveal to the world the true depth of our faith.⁵³⁵ Saint Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.”

Lord Jesus, I want to be Your witness to an unbelieving world. Please cleanse me of the sin that causes my inconsistencies. Wash me with Your blood so that I may be more faithful to you and a more credible witness to others. Send Your Holy Spirit to give me the strength and desire to live out my calling as one of  Your Holy ones.

It Has Been Said: Do Not Divorce
Matthew 5:31-32 and Luke 16:18

It has been said, “Do not divorce” DIG: What did Jesus say were biblical grounds for divorce? Some rabbis allowed divorce for nearly any reason a husband wanted it? What was their casual attitude towards divorce promoting? How were they misusing Moses’ allowance for divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1)? What inner quality is Yeshua seeking instead? Does the Lord command divorce as a result of adultery? What other reason is there for legitimate divorce? Is divorce the unforgivable sin? Does divorce cause a person to lose their salvation? What are the consequences of divorce in this life and the next?

REFLECT: If you are divorced for biblical reasons, should you feel guilty? If you are divorced for unbiblical reasons, what can you do now? Are there any guarantees that you won’t be divorced even if you are both believers? Why? What steps can you take to give yourself the best chance possible of never being divorced?

The disintegration of the family is an epidemic that is causing social chaos around the world. There are several contributing factors which include mothers of young children working outside the home, frequent family moves, the invasion of electronic devices, lack of moral leadership in society and a lack of communication in the home. But, by far the free fall of the family is due to divorce. There is no doubt about it – the family is under attack. The harmful effects of divorce on children, parents, grandparents, and on the family and society as a whole would be more than enough reason to be concerned about the problem. But, the ultimate tragedy of divorce is that it violates God’s Word.

In Messiah’s third example of true righteousness, He teaches about divorce and how the Torah differed from pharisaic Judaism. There were two reasons for divorce in the TaNaKh: social incompatibility (Deuteronomy 24:1), and religious incompatibility (Ezra and Nehemiah). Adultery was not grounds for divorce because it was grounds for execution by stoning. So, the pharisaic Judaism believed that Moses permitted a husband to divorce his wife if he protected her from being stoned to death by writing out a divorce document in the presence of witnesses, signing it, and giving it to her (Tractate Gittin 1:1-3, 7:2).

Since marriage has always been a cherished covenant in Judaism, the rabbis had much to say about maintaining a blessed relationship. So important was this document that an entire tractate of the Talmud deals with various interpretations and details of issuing what is called a get. Among some of the particulars, the document must be written and signed before witnesses. Likewise, the get will be approved by the Beit-Din, or a Jewish religious or civil court of law, literally translated as house of judgment, only after a delay of some time. This is due to the hope that there still may be some possibility of restoring the marriage (Tractate Gittin 9:3). In Deuteronomy 24:1, the document is called a sefer kritut (certificate of divorce), which literally means a scroll of cutting off. Divorce is likened to cutting off a limb. It is so tragic that it was stated that even the altar of the Temple sheds tears at the news of a divorce (Tractate Sanhedrin 22a).

ADONAI’s primary purpose here was not to give an excuse for divorce but to show the potential evil of it. Moses wrote: Suppose a man marries a woman and consummates the marriage but later finds her displeasing, because he has found her offensive, ervant devar (unclean thing or nakedness) in some respect. He writes her a divorce document, gives it to her and sends her away from his house. She leaves his house, goes and becomes another man’s wife; but the second husband dislikes her and writes her a get, gives it to her and sends her away from his house, or the second husband whom she married dies (Deut 24:1-3 CJB).

God’s intention was not to provide a way out of the marriage, but to prevent divorce. These first three verses are a series of conditional clauses that culminate in the prohibition of a man ever remarrying a woman who he had divorced if she married someone else and is separated from the second husband either by divorce or death. In such a case her first husband, who sent her away, may not take her [back] again as his wife, because she is now defiled (more literally, disqualified). It would be detestable to ADONAI, and you are not to bring about sin in the Land ADONAI your God is giving you as your inheritance (Deuteronomy 24:4 CJB). Because her first divorce had no sufficient grounds, her second marriage would be adulterous. Even if her second husband died, she could not go back to her first, because she was defiled because of the adultery brought about by her second marriage – which is the main point of the passage. Therefore, Moses said that the divorce for indecency or promiscuity created an adulterous situation.

Far from encouraging divorce, most references in the TaNaKh put restrictions on it. For example, the Torah says that a husband who falsely accuses his bride of not being a virgin that the leaders of that town are to take the man, punish him, and fine him two-and-a-half pounds of silver shekels, which they will give to the girl’s father, because he has publicly defamed a virgin of Isra’el. She will remain his wife, and he is forbidden from divorcing her as long as he lives (Deuteronomy 22:14 and 19 CJB). In the same chapter we read: If a man comes upon a girl who is a virgin, but who is not engaged, and he grabs her and has sexual relations with her, and they are caught in the act, then the man who had intercourse with her must give to the girl’s father one-and-a-quarter pounds of silver shekels, and she will become his wife, because he humiliated her; the man may not divorce her as long as he lives (Deuteronomy 22:28-29).

In God’s eyes, even the granting of a divorce document did not in itself make a divorce legitimate. Far from approving divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1-4 is a strong warning against it. The passage suggests, perhaps assumes, that a divorce on proper grounds, accompanied by a divorce document, was permitted. It does not offer a divine provision for divorce, but rather shows that divorce often leads to adultery. Even on the grounds of adultery, divorce was tolerated in the Torah only as a gracious alternative to the capital punishment of stoning that adultery justly deserved (Leviticus 20:10-14). But, pharisaic Judaism had turned what YHVH had provided as reluctant permission into a legal right.⁵²⁹

During the time of Christ, all the Pharisees agreed that Deuteronomy 24:1-4 permitted divorce, that only the husband could initiate it, and that remarriage was assumed. The essential part of a Jewish bill of divorce was when the husband said to his wife, “You are free to marry any man. And this shall be to you from me, a book of divorcement, and a letter of release and a writ of dismissal; to go to be married to whichever man you want. You are a free woman” (Mishna, Gittin 9:3). But, they disagreed on the grounds of divorce.

There were two schools of thought. Some liberal rabbis like Hillel held to a wide range of interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1, ervant devar, or for any other reason (Tractate Gittin 9:10). Hillel believed that if a wife deliberately burned her husband’s food, a get would be permitted. Other rabbis like Akiva believed that if a husband found a woman that he thought was better looking, divorce was acceptable. However, conservative rabbis like Shammai took the narrow interpretation that the phrase ervant devar was strictly limited to sexual immorality on the part of the wife, the literal implication of the term.

It has been said by Moses to the Israelites in the desert: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a divorce document (Matthew 5:31). The ease with which divorce could be obtained, and its frequency, can be seen from the question the Pharisees asked the Messiah during the training of His apostles (to see link click Ij – Is It Lawful for a Man to Divorce His Wife?). For we know that it included every kind of bad behavior, such as going about with loose hair, spinning in the street, commonly talking with men, treating her husband’s parents badly in his presence, speaking to her husband so loudly that the neighbors could hear her in the house next door (Chethub. 7.6), a general bad reputation, or the discovery of fraud before marriage. On the other hand, a wife could insist on being divorced if her husband were a leper, or affected with polypus, or engaged in a disagreeable or dirty trade, such as a tanner or coppersmith. One of the cases in which divorce was obligatory was, if either party had become heretical, or disavowed their faith in Judaism. But even so, there were at least checks to the danger of general lawlessness, such as the obligation of paying to a wife her portion, and the need for a divorce document, without which no divorce was legal, and had to be worded a certain way, handed to the woman herself, in the presence of two witnesses.⁵³⁰

But Jesus gave no more approval of divorce than Moses did when He said: I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality (Greek: porneia, where we get the word pornography), and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery (Mattityahu 5:32; Luke 16:18). Yeshua affirms exactly what Moses taught in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, that unjustified divorce inevitably leads to adultery. It was as if the Meshiach was saying to the self-righteous Pharisees and Torah-teachers, “You consider yourselves to be great teachers and keepers of the Torah, but by allowing no-fault divorce you have caused the great stain of adultery to pollute Isra’el. By lowering the holy standards of ADONAI to meet your own lusts, you have led many people into sin and judgment.”

Adultery was another reality that God never intended, and, up to the time of Christ, it was the only thing that could break the bond of marriage because the guilty party would be stoned to death (Leviticus 20:10). But here, Messiah specifically mentions divorce being permissible on the grounds of adultery (Mt 5:32, 19:9). Why did God allow divorce to replace stoning? The answer could possibly be that Isra’el was so immoral that she didn’t have the willpower to carry out the death penalty. When all was said and done, ADONAI, Himself chose not to enforce it (see Gq – The Woman Caught in the Act of Adultery). Apart from the death penalty, divorce became the divine alternative tolerated only because of the hardness of the human heart as Jesus states in Matthew 19:8: Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard.

But, it is also important to understand that God does not command divorce, even in the case of adultery. Otherwise He would have given His divorce document to Isra’el (see my commentary on Jeremiah At – Unfaithful Isra’el), long before He did. A legitimate divorce document was allowable for adultery, but, it was never commanded or required. It was a last resort – only to be used when the unrepentant immorality had exhausted the patience of the innocent spouse, and the guilty one refused to be restored. Although God hates divorce (Mal 2:16), He acknowledges that there are times when it does not result in adultery. The innocent party who has made every effort to maintain the marriage is free to remarry if his or her spouse insists on continued adultery. It’s very noble to wait and try to work things out, or to go to counseling. But, when you know that your spouse is in the bed of another, waiting is like bleeding to death. It’s slow and painful.

Later in First Corinthians, Rabbi Sha’ul added one more legitimate reason for divorce and subsequent remarriage. He said: To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him (First Corinthians 7:12-13). After giving the reason for that instruction, he adds: But if the unbeliever wants to leave, let it be so. The brother or sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace (First Corinthians 7:15). The Greek word translated leave (chorizo) was often used for divorce. Consequently, if an unbelieving spouse deserts or divorces a believer, the believer is no longer bound and is free to remarry.⁵³¹

I would like to conclude with a word to those who are already divorced. God has revealed Himself and His will through His Son and through His Word. When we follow His biblical principles about divorce (whether we are aware of them or not) our lives will go smoother than if we didn’t follow them; and when we violate His biblical principles (whether we are aware of them or not) our lives will be bumpier than if we had followed them. That’s the way that our universe is set up, and it doesn’t matter if you believe it or not. It’s inescapable. Take for example, a man who doesn’t believe in gravity. If you take him up to 10,000 feet and toss him out of the plane without a parachute, it doesn’t matter if he believes in gravity or not – he is still going to hit the ground. So it is with biblical principles and divorce.

However, let me say that divorce is not the unforgivable sin. Rejection of the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin because once you reject the wooing of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, you have rejected Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and your sins cannot be forgiven, thus being the unforgivable sin. Sin is sin is sin, and you need to ask for forgiveness: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (First John 1:8-9). This is not cheap grace. Just because you have been forgiven, doesn’t mean that you’re pardoned from the consequences of your sin. Does that mean believers who knew the biblical standard and went ahead and divorced anyway will lose their salvation? By no means (see Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). Nevertheless, it does mean that they will suffer loss of peace in this world and reward in the next (see my commentary on Revelation Cc – For We Must All Appear Before the Judgment Seat of Christ).

Let me give you an example. After David committed adultery with Bathsheba, killed her husband Uriah, and then married her (Second Samuel 11:1-27), his life fell apart. Amnon, David’s son, raped his half-sister Tamar. Several years later Absalom, David’s son and Tamar’s full brother, murdered Amnon. Not satisfied with that, Absalom led a revolt against his father to replace him as king. Betrayed by his son, David actually had to flee Jerusalem. Finally troops loyal to the king killed Absalom and David mourned bitterly. After returning to Jerusalem, Sheba rebelled against David. Then there was a famine for three years. After that there was war against the Philistines. Even though David was still king and a man after God’s own heart, the prophet Nathan came to him and prophesied that the sword would never depart from [his] house for the rest of his life (Second Samuel 12:10). What a mess. Needless to say, David paid an extremely heavy price for his adultery.

You Have Heard That It Was Said: Do Not Commit Adultery
Matthew 5: 27-30

You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery” DIG: What is at the heart of this issue? What is it that Yeshua is trying to show? Why did Jesus have to address the situation of adultery, when the Ten Commandments had already dealt with it? What if you accidentally see something tempting? What can you do beforehand? What is the Lord’s point in using such exaggerated language?

REFLECT: How has the change in culture affected your marriage? What things are accepted today that would have never been accepted in the past? Is this teaching for men only? Why the cultural change? What is lacking? What can you do to safeguard yourself and your marriage? How can you teach your children about this vital message in an appropriate way? How do you control your thought life?

Jesus continues to unmask the self-righteous externalism typified by the Pharisees and the Torah-teachers by showing that only the internal righteousness of the Torah is acceptable to ADONAI. Without internal righteousness, the outward life makes no difference. God’s divine evaluation takes place in the heart. He judges the source and origin of sin, not its outward manifestation, or lack there of. As [a person] thinks within himself, so he is (Proverbs 23:7), and so he is judged by God (First Samuel 16:7).

In His second example of true righteousness, Jesus teaches about adultery and sexual sin in general, and how the Torah differed from pharisaic Judaism. As with the example relating to the sin of murder, this illustration begins with a quote from the Ten Commandments. In Matthew 5:27 the Lord said: You have heard that it was said in the Torah: You shall not commit adultery (I strongly suggest that you read my commentary on Exodus, to see link click Dq – You Shall Not Commit Adultery). Once again, the rabbis took the plain language of what Moses wrote and came up with their own various interpretations. The sanctity of marriage in the Scriptures is obviously of great importance (Genesis 2:24; Proverbs 18:22; Hebrews 13:4). It is called a covenant (Hebrew brit) between a man and a woman and adultery is an attack on this holy covenant; as a result, Jesus didn’t waste any time addressing the issue early in His ministry.

The solution to sexual impurity cannot be external because the cause is not external. Adultery starts with a decision of the heart, and without biblical grounds for a divorce (see Ij – Is It Lawful for a Man to Divorce His Wife?), it actually leads a person into more adultery. Job said: If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at her door; then let my wife grind for another man, and let others keel on her. For that would be a heinous act, a criminal offense (Job 31:9-11). Job knew that physical infidelity is first of all a matter of the heart (James 1:13-15), and that lusting is just as sinful in the eyes of God as the act of adultery.

Yeshua is not talking about an unexpected or unavoidable exposure to sexual temptation. Your eyes see what they see. You can’t do anything about that. But, once you see something provocative, you don’t have to take that second look. It’s the second look that will get you in trouble. King David was not at fault for seeing Bathsheba bathing. He could not have helped noticing her, because she was in plain view as he walked on the palace roof. His sin was taking that second look, dwelling on the sight, and in willingly giving in to the temptation. He could have looked away and occupied his mind in other ways. The fact that he had her brought to his chambers and committed adultery with her showed the immoral desire that already existed in his heart (Second Samuel 11:1-4).

Just as the adulterous heart plans to expose itself to lust-satisfying situations, the godly heart plans to avoid them whenever possible and flee from them when unavoidable. When Joseph was enticed by Potiphar’s wife, she caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house (Genesis 39:11-12). Just as the adulterous heart ponders itself in advance, so the godly heart protects itself in advance. Job said: I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman . . . if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled, then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted (Job 31:1, 7-8).⁵²⁶

In His classic style, then, Messiah brings out the deep, inward intention of the Torah when He said: But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman [a man] lustfully has already committed adultery with her [him] in his [her] heart (Matthew 5:27-28). When a man sees a beautiful woman or visa versa, his eyes see what they see. That first look cannot be helped, but, that second look is a decision. When anyone, man or woman, takes that second look, the righteousness of the commandment has already been broken by the internal lust. During the first century, the supposed penalty for adultery was stoning, even though the Jewish death penalty was rarely carried out. In fact, if a court (and judges were lifetime appointees) handed down even one death penalty conviction in the lifetime appointment of its members, it was called a “hanging court.” If it were to hand down two convictions, it was immediately disbanded and all judges were thrown out and replaced for being too “bloodthirsty.”

The Torah, however, portrayed adultery as one of the most despicable and heinous of sins, punishable by the Jewish capital punishment of being stoned to death (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). The Torah sentenced death by stoning for touching Mount Sinai while God was giving Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19:12-13), for an ox goring someone to death (Exodus 21:28), for breaking the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36), for a girl not crying out when being raped (Deuteronomy 22:24), for offering one’s child to the god Molech by fire (Leviticus 20:2-5), for having a “familiar spirit” or being a “wizard” (Leviticus 20:27), for cursing God (Leviticus 24:10-16), for engaging in idolatry (Deuteronomy 17:2-7) or seducing others to do so (Deuteronomy 13:1-11), for rebellion against one’s parents (Deuteronomy 21:18-21), for woman lying to a man about her virginity when married (Deuteronomy 22:13-21), and for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman engaged to another man (both should be stoned, Deuteronomy 22:23-24).

But, by the time Yeshua was born, there were virtually no capital trials. The practice had, for all practical purposes, already been abandoned. But, even in theory, a person could not be stoned to death until the act was committed (see Gq – The Woman Caught in the Act of Adultery). So, many of the Jews were actually committing adultery in their hearts but didn’t feel any need to repent because they hadn’t actually committed the act. Jesus forcefully addressed that situation when He said: 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. And, similarly, 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 (Mt 5:29-30). This is classic hyperbole, or exaggeration used for emphasis, often used in rabbinic teaching. Plucking out your eye or cutting off your hand doesn’t have any effect on your sin because sin is a matter of the heart. Nevertheless, Christ clearly emphasized the seriousness of breaking the covenant and the vows that one had promised.

Within the four Gospels there are numerous examples of exaggeration from Yeshua. At times the exaggeration is hyperbole in the sense that what is commanded or portrayed is either literally impossible or inconceivable. At other times the exaggeration is more of an overstatement, but, a literal fulfillment would be contrary to the intention of Jesus.

That the sayings of the right eye and right hand are examples of overstatement (exaggeration which is literally possible) rather than hyperbole (exaggeration which is literally impossible) is evident from the tragic fact that in the history of the Church these words have on occasion been literally carried out! Yet, certainly the Chief  Shepherd did not intend to actually do these horrendous acts, for the removal of the right eye does not prohibit the left eye from continuing to look lustfully. Indeed, even the removal of both eyes cannot prohibit lust. Such self-mutilation was not practiced by those who heard Jesus, for they knew that the language He used was meant to effect change and impress upon them the need to repent rather than to describe literally how repentance was to be carried out. On the other hand, the commands to repent in Luke 13:3 and 5 are understood to be as literal commands, for Jesus continually preached: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Mattityahu 4:17).⁵²⁷ An unbelieving society may say otherwise, but so-called “sexual liberation” is actually sexual slavery – slavery to our own lusts.⁵²⁸

You Have Heard That It Was Said: Do Not Murder
Matthew 5: 21-26

You have heard that it was said, “Do not murder” DIG: What did pharisaic Judaism do to the Torah? Why? How is Jesus seen as a “new Moses” here? What new standard of right and wrong is Messiah creating? How does He link anger and murder? Why? Why did the Pharisees think they were righteous? How does our Savior’s statements underscore the seriousness of harboring and acting on inappropriate anger? What inner attitudes does He stress here?

REFLECT: How do you feel about being held to a high, holy, perfect standard? How can you possibly meet that standard? What kind of news is that? When have you had to postpone partaking of the challah on Shabbat because a brother or sister had something against you, and you had to first go and be reconciled to them? Did you feel better for having done so? Why? Why not? What external things about your faith make you feel good? What is the difference between feeling good about some external observance and thinking that it makes you righteous?

As the perfect interpreter of the Torah, Yeshua now addresses several moral issues confronting the people living in biblical times as well as today. Of course the written Torah is set forever as the Word of God. But, the process of deriving practical application from the Torah is called “the walk,” meaning halakhah. Yeshua now gives His interpretation on various halakhic perspectives of His day.⁵²¹

What we see next in the Sermon on the Mount are sixteen examples of Yeshua’s interpretation of true righteousness in contrast with pharisaic Judaism, which had perverted God’s original intent of the Torah. They had taken something that was righteous and holy and perverted it into something that could justify their sin and wickedness. They took something that was intentionally impossible to achieve (keeping the 613 commandments), and distorted it into something they could do to appear righteous (to see link click Ei – The Oral Law). In this section Christ chooses several commandments from the Torah and makes a contrast between the Pharisaic interpretation of righteousness and His interpretation of righteousness. The contrast between external compliance and internal motivation is seen throughout. Yeshua was looking at the heart.

In His first example of true righteousness, Messiah shattered the illusion of self-righteousness. Like most people throughout history, the Pharisees and the Torah-teachers thought that if there was any sin that they were clearly not guilty of – it was murder. Whatever else they may have done, at least they had never committed murder. Yeshua starts His teaching with this: You have heard that it was said to the people long ago through Moses My servant: You shall not murder (I strongly suggest that you read my commentary on Exodus Dp – You Shall Not Murder), and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment (Mattityahu 5:21). Yet, when we look closer at the words of Jesus we can see that He was not merely commenting on the written Torah, but also the tradition of the elders (Mt 15:2; Mk 7;5), or the Oral Law. The Pharisees said that people were not guilty of murder until they actually murdered someone. They reduced this commandment to something merely external. As long as you weren’t killing people, you were innocent of any wrongdoing. The difference throughout is between the letter of the commandment and the spirit of the commandment.

But, the Master struck at the heart of the issue when He said: But I tell you that anyone who is even angry with a brother or sister (The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in Matthew 5:23) will be subject to judgment. Jesus said that righteousness could be broken even before the act is committed. It was not enough to merely fulfill the mitzvah of not murdering, but we are called to a higher standard of not even being angry with a brother or sister. The principles of the Kingdom go beyond external obedience to the motivations and thoughts of the heart.

Of course the act of murder has its seeds in ungodly attitudes. Animosity precedes action. One’s language can, and often does, reveal attitudes of the heart. Then Jesus continued His teaching when He said: Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, “You good-for-nothing” will be brought before the Sanhedrin (see Lg – The Great Sanhedrin). And anyone who says, “You fool,” incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of the valley of Hinnom (Matthew 5:23 CJB)! The former term (Hebrew reyk) of  “you good-for-nothing” is used in Talmudic literature as an insult meaning vacant or empty-headed. The latter, “you fool” (Hebrew eyvil) has the stronger meaning of evil. So, the righteousness of this command was already broken internally.⁵²²

The valley of Hinnom (a personal name) is located both then and now just south of the Old City of Jerusalem. Rubbish fires were always burning there; hence its use as a metaphor for hell, with its burning fire of punishment for the unrighteous, as taught in Isaiah 66:24. Elsewhere in the TaNaKh, Deuteronomy 32:22 talks about a burning hell; Second Samuel 22:6, Psalm 18:5 and Psalm 116:3 show that hell is a sorrowful place; Psalm 9:17 says that the wicked go to hell; and Job 26:6 shows that hell is a place of destruction. The Hebrew word in all these verses is sh’ol. It usually corresponds to the Greek word hades. Thus, hell is not unique to the B’rit Chadashah.⁵²³

Undoubtedly, Jesus’ statements underscore the seriousness of harboring and acting on inappropriate anger. Therefore, the Messiah does not leave His hearers without a couple of concrete examples of inappropriate anger. First, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. As long as there is internal sin, outward acts of worship are not acceptable to God. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift (Mattityahu 5:23-24). The Mishnah says that Yom-Kippur (the Day of Atonement) atones for a person’s transgressions against God, but it does not atone for his transgressions against his fellow man until he appeases him (Yoma 8:9). As important as offerings to the LORD are, the true spirit behind such a sacrifice requires the person make peace with an offended brother or sister. Only after shalom is restored can the sacrifice then be offered.

Secondly, the same principle applies if you happen to be the object of a lawsuit. The Galilean Rabbi’s directive is to 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. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny (Matthew 5:25-26). Since the price of ungodly anger is so high, it is to everyone’s advantage to seek a peaceful resolution with any offended parties.

In the fullest sense, of course, because no one ever fully has right attitudes towards others, no worship is acceptable. Thus everything the Rabbi teaches in this passage, as in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, is to show the absolute perfect standard of God’s righteousness and the absolutely impossible task of our meeting that standard in our own power apart from the Lord. Christ shatters our self-righteousness in order to drive us to His imputed righteousness (meaning that all of Messiah’s righteousness that has been transferred to our spiritual account), which alone is acceptable to ADONAI.⁵²⁴

Heavenly Father, through the work of the Holy Spirit, give me the ability to see the angers and resentments I hold toward others. Help me to look across the years to recall the people I have not forgiven, especially my relatives. I ask for the desire and courage to seek reconciliation. Melt my pride and help me to delay no longer. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.⁵²⁵

The Fulfillment of the Torah
Matthew 5:17-20 and Luke 16:17

Believers in the New Covenant should also love the Torah. At the festival of Shavu’ot about three thousand were saved (Acts 2:41). And, about thirty years later tens of thousands of believers were still zealous for the Torah (Acts 21:20 CJB). As a result, the Torah is not merely for the righteous of the TaNaKh, but for all believers. Rabbi Sha’ul teaches us that the Torah is holy (Romans 7:12), perfect, and gives freedom, provided one uses it in the way the Torah itself intends (First Timothy 1:8; James 1:25 CJB).

Messiah is the model disciple, the perfect Son who fulfilled all righteousness by completely obeying the Father’s will (Matthew 4:4 and 10). That same obedience should characterize believers today. Obedience to ADONAI was to be a priority in the life of a disciple (Matthew 6:33), and complete devotion to God the Father was the goal (Matthew 5:48). As a result, this same righteousness and faithfulness to God the Father and His commandments are seen here in the words of Christ. Matthew 5:17-20 not only speaks to the true nature of the Torah, but also its relationship to Ha’Meshiach.

Yeshua confirmed His Torah observance when He said: Do not think I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish, but to complete (Mt 5:17). These words must be understood in their context. Yeshua is still alive today and the Torah is still in effect, not for salvation – but for godly living. The Dispensation of the Torah did not end with Messiah’s coming, it ended with His death. Until He died, all 613 commandments were obligatory. In the context of pharisaic Judaism (which this sermon was given), the point Jesus was making is that while the Pharisees had destroyed the Torah by their reinterpretation of it with the Oral Law (see Ei – The Oral Law), His purpose in coming was to fulfill the Torah alone as it was written.

These verses give us the critical clarification of Yeshua’s interpretation of the Torah. No doubt, the strong message of His early ministry would cause some to question His ultimate objective. He already perceived that some, especially the rabbis, were seeing His message as a theological threat to Judaism, or even the TaNaKh itself. Consequently, as the Messiah reveals His interpretation of the Torah, He feels the need to clarify His position in regard to the earlier revelations given to Isra’el.⁵¹⁸

By His own words, Jesus did not come to bring a new teaching or new Torah to His people. Unfortunately, some Christian theologies and theologians have tended to devalue the Torah. In light of these verses, I am sure that grieves the heart of God. Although it must be used in the proper way, once we understand that the Lord did not come to abolish the Torah, but to complete it, then our view of the Torah becomes even more beautiful when we find the completion of the picture in the Messiah.

As if to emphasize the importance of this teaching, Yeshua elaborates even further. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah – not until everything that must happen has happened (Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17 CJB). The yud is the smallest letter in the Hebrew Alef-Bet, and the stroke refers to the tiny artistic marks on the tops of Hebrew letters. In Hebrew, the difference of a stroke (Hebrew tag) can change the whole meaning of a word, as in the case of a daletor a resh in Deuteronomy 6:4 for example. By saying this, Jesus reminded His listeners that neither the smallest letter nor the tiniest part of a letter of the Torah would ever be done away with. Even the smallest, seemingly insignificant of the 613 commandments must be kept for perfect righteousness (not salvation). He could not have emphasized His regard for the Torah in stronger terms.⁵¹⁹

The rabbis teach that when ADONAI gave the Torah to Isra’el, He inserted both positive and negative commandments and gave commands, saying: The king must not acquire a great number of horses for himself. . . neither shall he take many wives or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17:16-17). But Solomon arose and studied the reason for God’s decree, and said, “Why did ADONAI command this? Well, I will acquire great number of horses, take many wives, and still my heart will not be led astray. Because God granted him a wise and discerning heart (First Kings 3:12), Solomon thought that he could marry as many wives as he wanted.

At that time the yud, the first letter of the Hebrew phrase yarbeh (that means the king must not take too many wives), went up on high and prostrated itself before ADONAI and said, “Master of the Universe! Have you not said that no letter shall ever be abolished from the Torah? Behold, Solomon has now arisen and abolished one. Who knows? Today one, tomorrow another, until the whole Torah will be nullified.” And God responded by saying, “Solomon and a thousand like him will pass away, but the smallest letter will not be cancelled from you.”

Thus, it is interesting to see that Messiah agreed with this teaching, and as believers, we should strive to obey God and all of His commands. For as Christ said: If you love Me, you will obey what I command (John 14:15).

He goes on to uphold the relevance of the Torah by warning that whoever disobeys the least of the commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:19 CJB). The concept of heavier and lighter commandments is a common theme in the rabbinic understanding of the Torah. For example, a lighter commandment would be freeing a mother bird in nature, whereas a heavier commandment would be to honor one’s parents (Tractate Kiddushin 61b).

Since the Jewish people were asking, “Is Pharisaic righteousness sufficient for entering the Kingdom?” the single most important statement in the Sermon on the Mount is when Jesus said: For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:20 CJB). Here the term far greater can best be translated as far exceeds. Like a river overflowing its banks, it is something that far exceeds the norm. In this context, Jesus is teaching us that the righteousness that He requires is one of genuine holiness, which far exceeds the hypocritical standards of the Pharisees and Sadducees of His day, and the world in general.⁵²⁰

This was their dagger in the heart. They thought to themselves, “How can I do that? I can’t!” The point was – they weren’t supposed to be able to do it on their own. That is why Rabbi Sha’ul tells us that the Torah functioned as a custodian until the Messiah came, so that we might be declared righteous on the ground of trusting and being faithful. But now that the time for this trusting faithfulness has come, we are no longer under a custodian (Galatians 3:24 CJB). When the Jews saw that perfect righteousness was humanly impossible, they should have turned to Jesus, who offered grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8). But, the Pharisees had pulled God’s high, perfect standard down into the gutter with the Oral Law, to make it something they thought they could do! They made God’s impossible standard very achievable, and in the process, eliminated the need for the Savior of sinners.

In fact, not only does ADONAI require genuine holiness, He requires perfect righteousness. To be qualified for God’s Kingdom we must be as holy as the King Himself. But of course, this is a standard we can never obtain by our own efforts. We are spiritually dead in our sinfulness (Romans 3:23). But, as Rabbi Sha’ul would say: He delivered us . . . not on the ground of any righteous deeds we have done, but on the ground of His own mercy (Titus 3:5 CJB). When we trust/have faith/believe in Him, all His righteousness is imputed, or transferred to our spiritual bank account. What Christ is saying here in this passage, is that the Torah is not abolished in this process – but completed. The true path of the true believer is demonstrated through obedience to ADONAI and His commands, not for salvation, but as a blueprint for living (see the commentary on Exodus Dh – Moses and the Torah).

During the Torah procession in messianic synagogues today, believers in Messiah kiss their bibles and then touch the Torah as it passes by. They believe that the Torah points us to the Meshiach, and represents the holiness and purity of God. This custom is taken from the Psalms, where Ruach ha-Kodesh instructs us to kiss the Son (Psalm 2:12).

Thus, Christ, as the perfect expression of obedience to God the Father, did not come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets, but instead, He completes our understanding of the Torah by calling us to live lives in obedience to His commandments. We can appreciate the special place of the Torah as a guide, while relying on the blood of Christ for our spiritual salvation. Ultimately, Yeshua is the only hope for Jew or Gentile alike.

You are the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World
Matthew 5: 13-16

You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world DIG: What are the two primary purposes of salt? How are the beatitudes (see Db –Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven) related to Yeshua’s words about salt and light? How are believers to influence society?

REFLECT: How effective is the “salt” in your life? Do you keep your “salt” in a shaker or shake it around? Based on the beatitudes, is “the light” of your life shining like a 300 watt bulb? A 100 watt? A night light? A match stick? Why? What actions are you taking to allow your light to shine so brightly? How can Yeshua enable you to “shine” brighter?

In these four verses Jesus summarizes the function of believers in the world. Reduced to one word, that function is influence. Whoever lives according to the righteousness of the Torah, in contrast with pharisaic righteousness, will function in the world as salt and light. How we live our lives, either consciously or unconsciously, influences other people for better or worse. The world has no other way of knowing Messiah apart from the testimony of believers. Rabbi Sha’ul said we should reveal the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ in every place. For we are a fragrance of the Messiah among those who are perishing, to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life (2 Cor 2:14-16 NASB).

The figures of salt and light emphasize different characteristics of influence, but their basic purpose is the same. The world needs salt because it is corrupt and it needs light because it is dark. Evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves (Second Timothy 3:13). The world cannot do anything but get worse, because it has no inherent goodness to build on, no inherent moral or spiritual life in which it can grow. Year after year, decade after decade, century after century, the system of evil accumulates a deeper and more perverse darkness.

Humanity is infected with the deadly virus of sin, which has no cure apart from ADONAI. Yet unlike their attitude toward physical diseases, most people do not want their sin cured. They love their decadence and they hate the Lord’s righteousness. They grab onto the steering wheel of their lives and refuse to let go. They love their own way and hate God’s.

But, the congregations of God cannot accept the world’s self-centeredness, immorality, amorality and materialism. We are called to minister to the world while still remaining separate from its allure. Unfortunately today many are influenced more by the world than the world is influenced by us. The you in both verses is emphatic and plural. It’s the whole body, Jew and Gentile, that’s called to be the world’s salt and light. Each grain of salt has its limited influence, but, it is only as the congregations of God are scattered in the world that change will come. One ray of light by itself is of little value, but, when joined with other rays a great light can be seen.

Are stresses being rather than doing. Messiah is stating a fact here, not giving a request or command. Salt and light represent what believers are. The only question, as Yeshua goes on to say, is whether or not we are tasteful salt and compelling light. The very fact that we are children of King Messiah makes us His salt to retard corruption and His light to reveal the truth. One function is negative, while the other is positive. One is silent, one is verbal. By the indirect influence of the way we live we retard corruption, and by the direct influence of what we say we exhibit light.

Both salt and light have to be different from that which they are to influence. The Savior of Sinners has changed us from being part of the problem to being part of the solution; from being part of the corrupted world to being salt that can help preserve it.

Christ is the source of our light. He is the true light, which gives light to everyone entering the world . . . while I AM the light of the world, I AM in the world (John 1:9, 9:5). But, now that He has left the world, His light comes to the world through those whom He has enlightened. We should, therefore, reflect the light of Messiah. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves (Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13).⁵¹² Believers who understand and attain true righteousness through Christ become two things:

1. You are the salt of the earth. Salt in the ancient world was vitally important, so much so that the Talmud states that “the world cannot exist without salt” (Tractate Soferim 15.8). Salt was an important commodity for trade, as seen in the covenant of salt in Torah (Numbers 18:19). Our modern saying of someone “being worth their salt” calls us back to the days when salt was traded with great value. What is the Lord saying when He refers to us as the salt of the earth? Well, salt has two primary purposes – it flavors and it preserves.

First, those who attain true righteousness are the ones who flavor life, and make it worth living in this world. They are the ones who give encouragement, blessing and mercy in spite of what the world around them says. This is often described in terms of the fellowship among believers. It makes the righteous life worth living.

Secondly, the ones who attain this righteousness are the ones who preserve the earth as well. In this context, Jesus was dealing with the Jewish nation under the Torah because it was still in effect. A preservative was a common teaching in the TaNaKh for the believing remnant of Isra’el. Unless the LORD of heaven’s angelic armies had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:9). The ones who attain the kind of righteousness the Torah demanded was the believing remnant, or the survivors. From the beginning of Jewish history until the present time, the survivors are the ones who exhibit this kind of righteousness. Therefore, they preserve the nation as a whole. Many times in the TaNaKh the prophets say that the reason God did not destroy the entire nation of Isra’el for its sinfulness was because of the believing remnant within the nation. In that way the survivors are the salt of the earth, in that they preserve the existence of the nation of Isra’el.

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? Much of the salt in Palestine, such as that found on the shores of the Dead Sea, is contaminated with gypsum and other minerals that at best, make it taste flat, and at worst, make it taste disgusting. When a batch of such contaminated salt was discovered, it was thrown out. It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot (Mattityahu 5:13). People would be careful not to throw it on a garden or field, because it would kill whatever was planted. It didn’t become unsalty, but contamination caused it to lose its effectiveness as salt. Consequently, it would be thrown onto a path or road, where it would gradually be ground into the dirt and disappear.⁵¹³ Yeshua warns us that we can lose our effectiveness in the world around us if we lose close contact with Him. We are to be like kosher salt that preserves society and draws out impurities.

2. You are the light of the world. The lampstand in the Tabernacle (see my commentary on Exodus, to see link click Fn – The Lampstand in the Sanctuary: Christ, the Light of the World), was to be a constant reminder that God’s light was to be seen in Isra’el. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). In fact, this town built on a hill is most likely a reference to a common practice in the Second Temple period. It was customary to announce the start of the New Moon festival (Rosh Chodesh), by igniting a fire on strategic mountaintops around Isra’el. Since the new moon needed to be verified by a rabbinic court in Jerusalem, the fires were set to quickly announce to the countryside that the festival had officially begun. Because Yeshua spoke these words in Galilee, it is likely that He was pointing to the mountain city of Safed (Tzfat), designated as one of the places where such fires were to be built (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 2.4).⁵¹⁴

The believing remnant of Jews, those who attain the righteousness of ADONAI, are also to be the light of the world in that they provide spiritual light. They were to point the way out of spiritual darkness. This calling was actually nothing new in the understanding of Isra’el. Isaiah the prophet long ago reminded his generation that they were to be a light for revelation to the Gentiles, so His salvation could be spread to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 42:6,49:6 and 51:4 CJB; Luke 2:32).

Yet, as Yeshua clarifies here, what good is the light if you cover it with a bowl? Like salt, light can also become useless. A hidden light is still light, but, it is useless light. Yeshua said: Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house (Matthew 5:15). There was always light for anyone in the household who had to get up or find their way home during the night.

This light is provided by means of believers. To see good deeds by us is to see Messiah in us. A person who is in pitch darkness and suddenly sees a light far away will naturally be drawn toward that light. In the same way, let your light shine before others. Why is that done? That they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Mattityahu 5:16). How is that done?

Be faithful to your spouse.

Be the one at the office who refuses to cheat.

Be the neighbor who acts neighborly.

Be the employee who does the work and doesn’t complain.

Pay your bills.

Do your part and enjoy life.

Don’t say one thing and do another.

People are watching the way we act more than they are listening to what we say.⁵¹⁵

It is important to understand that good deeds have never saved anyone, but those who are saved will show evidence of their salvation by means of these good deeds (James 2:18-26). When unbelievers see these good deeds and respond to the light given off by them, they will naturally come to the Light and become believers also, joining the believing remnant. They will end up glorifying their Father in heaven. So, those who attain the righteousness that the Torah demanded are supposed to show it and not put it under a bowl. The means of showing it are by good deeds. Again, good deeds are never the means of salvation; they are the evidence of salvation.⁵¹⁶

Dear heavenly Father, forgive me for the times that I have not taken a stand for righteousness sake, and forgive me for the times that I have responded in the flesh. Enable me to speak the truth in love and to be the salt and light that You have called me to be. I renounce the lies of Satan that my testimony and commitment to truth will have no value or will not count for eternity. I announce that my life is significant in Christ, that I have been called to be salt and light and that what I say and do in the power of the Holy Spirit will have eternal consequences. I now commit myself to be a part of the building crew. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen.⁵¹⁷

But Woe To You Who Are Rich
Luke 6: 24-26

But woe to you who are rich DIG: How would you define each warning Luke gives here? How does this passage define the kingdom of God? Is being rich an evil thing? What is ironic about having the main focus of your life seeking self-satisfaction and the good life now? What does Yeshua warn about seeking an earthly reputation?

REFLECT: What kind of a woe would you add to counteract the values in the media that we see today? Who are you really trying to please? A rich friend? Your boss? A relative? An employee? Or God?

Those who attained true righteousness live in accordance with an absolute divine standard. The Pharisees, on the other hand, failed to live by the absolute standard of the Torah. For example, they did not recognize their need for repentance since they felt themselves to be fully righteous. They submitted only to their own authority. They did not exercise mercy to those who truly needed it. They were only concerned with the external elements of religion. They caused strife and disagreement, and were guilty of persecuting true believers. While happiness and blessedness characterized those who attained the kind of righteousness the Torah demanded, woe to those who failed. Jesus declared four woes.

1. But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort (6:24). Those who fail to gain true righteousness seek wealth because materialism is their focus. They don’t’ seek a relationship with God, they seek wealth. We need to keep our tastes simple. The Lord has much to say about the godless rich in the Scripture. So money, in and of itself, is not the problem here. You can be rich and be a godly person. But, as Paul wrote to Timothy: The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith they pierced themselves with many griefs (First Timothy 6:10).

2. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry (6:25a). Those who fail to gain true righteousness seek self-satisfaction. They demand that their own needs be met, not the needs of others. Mary had already announced this earlier (Luke 1:53). This is an example of synecdoche in which a part of the judgment upon the well fed, namely hunger, serves as a metaphor for the whole of the judgment that will come upon them.⁵⁰⁹

3. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep (6:25b). Those who fail to gain true righteousness seek the good life now, with no thought about tomorrow. The present temporary state of happiness, laughter and gluttony of the arrogant rich will one day end and will be followed by an eternal state of mourning and weeping. As they say, “You can’t take it with you.”

4. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets (6:26). Those who fail to gain true righteousness seek an earthly reputation. They strive to please people, rather than pleasing God. When everyone praises someone, he or she best beware, for those prophets in the TaNaKh who received universal praise were in fact false prophets (Is 30:9-11; Jer 5:31, 23:16-22; Mic 2:11).

In the end, all of these things will fail. They may attain these things in this life, but it will be temporary and they will also fail to attain them in the Kingdom of God (see my commentary on Revelation, to see link click Fh – The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom) and the Eternal State (see my commentary on Revelation Fq – The Eternal State). The Pharisees saw no need for righteousness beyond their own. They saw no need for repentance or submission. They were concerned with their external demands. Causing discord among fellow Jews, they persecuted them merely because they could. Excluding God from the calculation, they thought they were the ones in control.⁵¹⁰

In 1915 Pastor William Barton started to publish a series of articles. Using the archaic language of an ancient storyteller, he wrote his parables under the pen name of Safed the Sage. And for the next fifteen years he shared the wisdom of Safed and his enduring spouse Keturah. It was a genre he enjoyed. By the early 1920s, Safed was said to have a following of at least three million. Turning an ordinary event into an illustration of a spiritual truth was always a keynote of Barton’s ministry.

There was a day when Keturah called unto me to come to Lunch. And I came in and sat down over against her.

And she said, Give thanks to God.

And I inquired of her, saying, What for?

And she asked of me, saying, Have you no faith?

And I said, I have faith, and that is very nearly all. For I see nothing that I might eat, except thee three and a half pounds of Honey.

And she said, I should think that either one of us might justify thee in giving thanks.

And I said, It is even so, and I will do it. For thou and the pound of Honey are about the Same Size and there are other qualities possessed in Common by the two of you.

And Keturah said, Be brief with thy nonsense, and ask God’s blessing on the food. For though it be an act of faith, yet shall thy faith bear fruit if thou delay not until the residue of the luncheon burn.

So we bowed our heads, and we gave thanks unto God for each other, and for our Home, and for our Children and for our Friends, and for the Food that I had faith to believe was coming. Then went Keturah to the Kitchen, and she returned with a Wonderful Corn Cake.

Now the color of it was the color of Pure Gold refined in the fire. And the Odor of it was a Sweet Smell. And the appearance thereof was enough to make the mouth of someone with a bad stomach water.

And she cut the Golden Corn Cake, and gave unto me a Great Square of it, an Acre or less in Area. And I cut it in twain with a Knife, and laid the two halves upon my Plate, and spread it over with Butter, and then I laid honey upon the top.

And when I had eaten it all, then did I pass back my plate, and Keturah gave unto me another Acre of less. And that also I did eat. Now there was a time in our early married life when Keturah was wont to say, Take heed that thou eat not too much of food such as this. But she saith that no longer.

And I ate, until I desired no longer.

And I said, Keturah, there is less of the Honey, but thou art the same. And I said something further to her about the Honey and Herself, but that is not for Publication. Only this I thought, how good it is for a man to have Food and plenty of it, and to have it rich and sweet and wholesome, and to have a Home that is sweet and companionable, and to have an Appetite and a Job.

Now I have read that George Washington ate plentifully of Corn Cake and Honey; and I marvel not that he was great.

Beloved, see to it that thou keep thy tastes Simple and Normal, and that thou love thine own Home. For the age in which we live hath great need of these very elementary lessons in the science of Right Living.⁵¹¹

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
for Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-23

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs in the Kingdom of Heaven DIG: What is the most important aspect to the background of the sermon to you? What are the two categories of happiness that are seen in these verses? The first four are characteristics of those who have attained true righteousness in relationship with whom? What are the next five characteristic of?

REFLECT: Do I recognize my need for YHVH and know I don’t have to earn His love? Can I let others know when I am hurting and share the grief of others without embarrassment? Have I given ADONAI the steering wheel of my life so I don’t have to “win” all the time? Do I long for God’s perspective in my decision-making? Can I be with someone who is hurting and lonely and come alongside them in their pain? Can I be completely open and honest with the LORD and others, transparent because I have nothing to hide? Do I deal with feelings of anger and disagreement immediately, not letting them fester? Do I encourage those around me to work out their differences without hurting anyone? Am I willing to “take the heat” and stand alone for what is right? Can I take criticism without feeling self-pity or self-righteousness?

To establish the background to this sermon, there are four things that should be noted. First, it took place after intense interest in Jesus was stirred up. By that time, He had traveled all over Isra’el proclaiming that He was the Messiah and backing His claims up with many miracles. Second, this sermon also took place after the twelve apostles were chosen. Third, it came after several conflicts with the Pharisees over the Oral Law (to see link click Ei – The Oral Law), and fourth, this was a period of Jewish history when the Jewish people were looking for redemption (see my commentary on Exodus Bz – Redemption). It was a time when Isra’el suffered greatly under Roman oppression. The people were looking for some type of messianic redemption, primarily, a national redemption from Roman persecution. They were looking for the Messiah to come and establish His Kingdom and throw off the Roman yoke. According to the prophets of the TaNaKh, righteousness was the means of entering the Kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ interpretation of the standard of righteousness that the Torah demanded, in contrast with the Pharisaic interpretation of righteousness. Thus, this section deals with the characteristics of true righteousness.⁵⁰¹

The Greek word translated blessed means happy. This section is often called the beatitudes (Latin for blessed), which can be traced back to an earlier Jewish concept. The word blessed would sound familiar to any Jew who had been brought up studying the TaNaKh. The Hebrew word ashrey is common throughout the Psalms and the siddur or prayer book. The root word (Hebrew: asher) would more accurately mean happy, but, not in some superficial temporal sense, but in the most fulfilling reality of doing the will of ADONAI. Some of the specific beatitudes do not seem good in themselves; yet if a person fulfills God’s will in these ways, there is a blessing and even a sense of happiness that the world cannot offer.⁵⁰²

Therefore, happy are the ones who attain true righteousness. We can see this in two ways, in our relationship with God and with others. First, there are four characteristics of those who have attained true righteousness in relationship with God. Looking at His disciples, He said:

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:20). While Matthew says: Blessed are the poor in spirit, Luke says: Blessed are you who are poor. In the first century the term poor referred to economic status, but, it was also used metaphorically to refer to a spiritual attitude. Psalm 40:17 states: But I am poor and needy; may Adonai think of me. You are my helper and rescuer; my God, don’t delay (also see Psalm 86:1 and 109:22 where David used the same terms to describe himself)! These are not economic terms because King David was not poor, so the term should be understood metaphorically. Poor, therefore, could be and is used in the TaNaKh to describe a spiritual state of being humble.⁵⁰³ Poor in spirit is the opposite of pride. When we have a right relationship with God we have no righteousness of our own. Therefore, one who is poor in spirit is completely dependent on the righteousness of God. This is the place to start when we interpret the Torah. Searching for Messiah’s Kingdom means that we must humbly realize our need for Him. Those who look upon themselves as thus impoverished will enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4). Regrettably, Isra’el has had a long history of mourning, as she has endured many trials and attacks by her enemies. The crowds on that mountain could easily relate to the concept expressed in the Hebrew term aval, which is a common response to the tragedies of life. The promise of Yeshua here is similar to that of the prophet Isaiah, who promised Isra’el the oil of gladness instead of mourning (Isaiah 61:3 CJB). To mourn in this context, however, means to be sensitive to sin. Those who are sensitive to sin will naturally confess their sins to God and be mournful over those sins. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh (Luke 6:21). One of the Talmudic titles given to the Messiah is the name nachem, which means comforter, as this would be an important ministry of King Messiah (Tractate Sanhedrin 98b). In Yeshua’s later teaching, we are told that another Comforter will come to us as well – the Spirit of Truth, who will live within all believers (John 14:15-17).⁵⁰⁴

3. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Land (Matthew 5:5 CJB). To be meek does not mean to be a cowardly doormat; rather, it means to have a quiet confidence in God, in recognition of, and in submission to, His authority. The Hebrew word anav implies power under control. People like this are not pushy or self-centered, but purposely limit their own power and rights. Those who have this quality and live a life of submission to God’s authority will one day exercise authority when they inherit the Land. This phrase implies both a physical inheritance of the land of Isra’el as promised to the Jewish people, and a spiritual inheritance of eternal life in the messianic Kingdom for all believers.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6). To be righteous means to live in accordance with an absolute divine standard. To those hearing Christ’s words, the standard was the Torah. Those who hunger for the things of God will be filled. The Talmudic tradition mentions with delight the coming Kingdom of Messiah. One much anticipated highlight will be the banquet of Messiah that is said to take place in the restored garden of Eden. As the Meshiach gathers His redeemed people together, a cup of wine is blessed that has been aged from the days of Creation. King David himself is said to have the honor of singing the blessing (Patai, pages 238-239). But, as great as the physical banquet might be, here Yeshua emphasizes the greater blessing of having our spiritual hunger completely satisfied in the messianic Kingdom.⁵⁰⁵

Second, there are five attributes of those who have attained true righteousness in relationship with others.

1. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7). Mercy means that you don’t get something you deserve. We all deserve eternal punishment for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but God demonstrates His own [mercy] for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Therefore, Jesus teaches that those who will enter into the kingdom of Messiah must have this attribute that beautifully reflects the character of ADONAI Himself. We will be shown mercy from the LORD as we show that same kind of mercy to those around us. Without a doubt those who understand the mercy of Yeshua, who removed judgment from us (see Bw – What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith), will be slow to judge others.

2. Now the requirements get even tougher: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). Being pure in heart seems impossible for us to obtain. We all fall short of the perfect standard as reflected in the Torah (see Dg –The Completion of the Torah). In fact, only the Meshiach Himself attained it! So, even with our best intentions, our actions and thoughts do not come close to fulfilling the requirements of a righteous God. Although we should continue to be conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), this blessing clearly convicts us that we need God’s help. It is only when His righteousness is credited to our account (see doctrine of imputation in Fr – Jesus the Bread of Life, John 6:63) that we can even have the hope of enjoying the Kingdom to come. In other words, Jesus Christ not only came to teach us about Ha’Shem but to actually pay the price of redemption (see my commentary on Exodus Bz – Redemption) to bring us into the promised messianic Kingdom.

3. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). Aside from God Himself, shalom, or peace is a concept that is perhaps the most revered among Jewish people. The Hebrew term shalom is very different from the Greek concept of peace. The Greeks used that term to describe the absence of conflict. When a war stopped there was “peace.” In the Jewish culture, however, the term is much broader and deeper. Not only does it describe the absence of conflict, but also a state of completeness, fulfillment, and positive blessing. It should come as no surprise that those who seek shalom will be called children of God. So, what does peacemaking look like? Peacemakers are those who turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39), go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41), and love their enemies while praying for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:43-44). Why should we do this? Because God is a peacemaker, and when we make peace we are called children of God. Peacemaking is a family thing.⁵⁰⁶

4. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:1) To live righteously means to live in accordance with an absolute divine standard. Those who truly love God will live consistently with His standard, which will result in a love for one’s neighbor. Indeed, the Torah demanded that one must first love God totally, and then love one’s neighbor as oneself. Jesus Himself taught that these are the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:36-40). However, Yeshua exhorts His disciples to prepare to be persecuted as they pursue righteousness. The reality is that the world’s system is not seeking the righteousness of God. It uses situational ethics, not a righteous standard, and the darkness hates the light. True believers in Messiah can expect persecution from the world that neither seeks nor understands God.

5. While it is not always easy, Messiah gives the assurance that the kingdom of Heaven is ours. He even goes into detail, saying: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me (Matthew 5:11). The Adversary and the world just hate the absolute standards and righteousness of the Messiah and His children. Yet, it is for this very reason we are told to rejoice and be glad, because our great reward is in heaven. We can also take comfort in the reality that they persecuted the prophets who were before you in the same way (Matthew 5:12). Therefore, blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets (Luke 6:22-23). The fifth blessing is for those who strive to live a life of righteousness in the face of persecution. Happy are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. If Yeshua was persecuted by those who were threatened by the Gospel, can those who identify with Him expect any less?

Up to this point everything has been directly related to the Dispensation of the Torah (see my commentary on Exodus Da –The Dispensation of the Torah), but, here He adds one further step in light of Christ’s coming. We must acknowledge Him as King Messiah, this will produce persecution, but also great reward in the Kingdom.⁵⁰⁷

In 1915 Pastor William Barton started to publish a series of articles. Using the archaic language of an ancient storyteller, he wrote his parables under the pen name of Safed the Sage. And for the next fifteen years he shared the wisdom of Safed and his enduring spouse Keturah. It was a genre he enjoyed. By the early 1920s, Safed was said to have a following of at least three million. Turning an ordinary event into an illustration of a spiritual truth was always a keynote of Barton’s ministry.

Now it came to pass that I journeyed to a far away country called California. And there I found a friend, a citizen of that country, and he had an automobile, and he took me on swift journeys to show me Orange Groves and Grape Fruit Orchards, and Vineyards, and many trees whereon grew prunes.

And it came to pass that I heard often a town called Corona, and always this was said of it: Corona, Home of the Lemon.

Now on a day we passed through Corona, and the day was warm and dusty, and I spoke to my friends:

Behold, this is Corona, the Home of the Lemon. Let us tarry, I pray thee, for lemons are concocted and a cunning drink that maketh glad the heart and doth not intoxicate.

So we rode through the street, and we came to a place where it was written: Ice Cream, Soda Water, Sundaes and All Kinds of Soft Drinks.

And we alighted from the chariot, and went in, and behold, a man in a White Apron.

And I was about to speak to him, but my friend spoke: Be thou silent, and keep thy money in thine own pocket; I am paying for this.

And I kept silent willingly, for those are pleasant words to hear.

Then spoke my friend to the man in the white apron: Hasten thee, lad, and prepare for us four good, ice-cold lemonades, and make them Good, and make them Speedily.

And the man in the White Apron heard him as one who understood not what he said.

Then spoke my friend again: This friend of mine is from Chicago, and these other friends are from Boston, and they think they know what good lemonade is; but I want them to have a drink of lemonade that is Lemonade. Hasten thee, and prepare it for them.

Then spoke the man in the White Apron: We have no Lemonade.

And the man from California grew red in the face, and he said: What? No lemonade in Corona, the home of the lemon?

And the man in the White Apron answered, We have Soda Water, Root Beer, Ginger Ale, Ice Cream, but no lemonade.

Then spoke my friend: Hasten now to the grocery store, and buy a half-dozen good lemons, and quickly make us lemonade.

And the man in the White Apron hastened, and returned, and said: There isn’t a lemon in town. They ship them all to Chicago and Boston.

And when I heard this I meditated, and I said: I have suffered for lack of good Fish at the Seashore, and Fresh Eggs in the Country, when both were abundant in Town, and now I behold that the place to buy good Lemonade is where they do not raise Lemons.

And as I meditated, I remembered that in many other things the shoemaker’s family goeth unshod. Yes, this shall be to me as a Parable, lest having preached to others I should become a Castaway.

So I resolved that with all my exportation of the Gospel, I would keep some of it for Home Consumption.⁵⁰⁸

The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5:3-16 and Luke 6:17-19

This section is generally referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. The problem with that title is that it merely captures the geographical location of where the event took place. It says nothing about the content. It is less than two thousand words long. Yet there is great power in its brevity. It may be the most important sermon in history.⁵⁰⁰

By this time there had been rising interest in Jesus’ messianic claims both inside and outside the land of Isra’el. It was a period of Jewish history when the Jewish people were looking for the messianic redemption. From the knowledge of the prophets of the TaNaKh, they knew that righteousness was the way into the Kingdom. There is no reason to expect B’rit Chadashah ethics to differ from TaNaKh ethics, since YHVH does not change. In the preceding four centuries, the Pharisees had developed and offered a form of righteousness that taught that all of Isra’el would have a share in the Kingdom age to come. It was a very broad road (Mt 7:13-14). They said that anyone who was born a Jew would inherit the kingdom of God. Only those who were faithful would have positions of authority in the Kingdom, but all Jews would enter into it. So the Pharisees claimed to offer Jews righteousness and a share in the Kingdom. But it was still a very broad road.

Then Jesus came along and challenged that very foundation. He taught that one must experience a new birth by accepting Yeshua as the Messiah to qualify for the Kingdom of God. Therefore, conflicts began to occur between the Lord and pharisaic Judaism. The question the common people were asking was this: Is pharisaic Judaism sufficient to enter the Kingdom of God? If not, what kind of righteousness is necessary?

When Yeshua said: For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mattityahu 5:20 CJB), He rejected pharisaic Judaism in two ways. First, the Galilean Rabbi rejected it as having a sufficient righteousness to enter the Kingdom; and secondly, He rejected pharisaic Judaism as having the right interpretation of true righteousness in the Torah.

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5:1-2 and Luke 6:17-19

As a unit, the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ interpretation of the true righteousness of the Torah in contrast with pharisaic Judaism. It clarified that the Torah did not merely require external conformity, but that it required both internal and external righteousness. So it clearly states the righteousness of ADONAI as demanded in the Torah. It is important to understand that the Dispensation of the Torah (see my commentary on Exodus, to see link click Da – The Dispensation of the Torah) did not end with the coming of the Messiah, it ended with the death of the Messiah. As long as Jesus was alive, all 613 commandments of the Torah had to be kept perfectly.

Conversely, as a unit, the Sermon on the Mount is not a constitution of the future Kingdom: If that were true, we would be required to keep all 613 commandments of the Torah. With the exception of its climax in Dw – The Narrow and Wide Gates, it is not a way of salvation: High moral standards will not get you into the kingdom of Heaven. Salvation is not on the basis of works; however, it is a moral code for those already saved. As a unit, it was not to serve as an ethical standard for believers during this Dispensation of Grace. Individually, it does say some things that become ethics for believers later on. But, if it were an ethical standard we would be obligated to keep all 613 commandments. Men couldn’t shave, you wouldn’t be able to wear clothes of mixed threads, and men couldn’t round off their beards, etc.⁴⁹⁸

Now when Jesus saw the crowds He went up on a mountainside, found a level place and sat down, which was the position of a rabbi-teacher in the first-century (Tractate Berachot 27b). Many had become true disciples as they chose to learn at the feet of their Rabbi from Galilee. The context here reminds us of the first giving of the Torah on another mountain – Mount Sinai.

Although Yeshua was speaking before a great multitude of people on the mountainside, His teaching about kingdom life was primarily for His disciples, for those who believed in Him. The Lord’s concern was for all of the people, and in hearing His teaching on the righteousness of the Kingdom many of them may have been drawn to faith. But, the principles He taught applied only to believers, for those principles are impossible to follow apart from the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. A large crowd of His disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 5:1; Luke 6:17), who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. The mention of the great number of people points to the popularity of Jesus’ ministry at that time. The righteousness that Christ talked about and that of pharisaic Judaism was obviously much different. And aside from the healing aspect of His ministry, many people were thirsty for the internal righteousness that was obviously different from the external formality espoused by their religious leaders in Yerushalayim.

Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and all the people tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all (Luke 6:18-19). Literally thousands of people were healed that day. There were no healing lines, no slapping of this one and patting of that one, not having people fall backwards and forwards. Those people whom Messiah healed did not have to do anything. Our Lord would even heal them at a distance. And the healings performed by Yeshua were genuine, and we have doctor Luke’s witness here to prove it. I don’t believe in faith healers, but I do believe in faith healing. Take your problem to the Great Physician. He is the best Doctor you can consult (and He doesn’t send you a bill).

He opened His mouth and began to teach them (Matthew 5:2 NASB). Matthew’s speaking of Jesus opening His mouth as He began to teach them was not a superfluous statement of the obvious, but was a common colloquialism used to introduce a message that was especially solemn and important. It was also used to indicate intimate, heartfelt testimony and therefore implied that Messiah’s sermon was both authoritative and intimate; it was of the utmost importance and was delivered with the utmost concern.⁴⁹⁹

These are the Names of the Twelve Apostles
Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16

It is at this point of His public ministry that Jesus chose the apostolic group of twelve out of the many disciples who were following Him. In this commentary I will make a distinction between apostles and disciples. The twelve will be called apostles or talmidim (Hebrew), and the others would come to believe in Him will be called disciples. While it is true that all the apostles were also disciples it is not true that all disciples were apostles.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came He called His apostles or talmidim (plural) to Him and chose twelve of them that they might be with Him all the time. A talmid (singular) is merely a learner, committed to following a specific rabbi and learning from him. He designated them as apostles, or sent ones who have the authority of the sender, and sent them out to preach, and to have authority to drive out demons. Jesus did not put His supernatural power into the hands of the Twelve to be exercised by them. He delegated to them the authority to drive out demons in the sense that the talmidim would speak the word declaring the driving out, and then God’s power would drive them out. Thus, He chose twelve special disciples to be His apostles; He chose twelve Jewish men to be sent out with His authority (Mark 3:13-15; Luke 6:12-13).

As John MacArthur details in his book Twelve Ordinary Men, one of the facts that stands out in the lives of all twelve apostles is how ordinary and unrefined they were when Jesus met them. All twelve, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, were from Galilee. That whole region was predominantly rural, consisting of small towns and villages. Its people were not elite. They were not known for their education. They were commonest of the common. They were fishermen and farmers. Such were the talmidim as well. Messiah deliberately passed over those who were aristocratic and influential and chose men mostly from the dregs of society.⁴⁷⁹

It is important to note that the apostles never prayed to Mary, nor, so far as the biblical record goes, did they show her any special honor. Peter, Paul, John and James do not mention her name even once in the letters that they wrote to the congregations of God. John took care of her until she died (John 19:25-27), but, does not mention her in any of his three epistles or in the book of Revelation.⁴⁸⁰

For each of the talmidim we will look at three areas. First, there will be an introduction; second, we will look at the death of the apostles; and third we will look at the legacy of each apostle. These are the twelve He appointed (Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:12-16):

1. Introduction to Simon (whom He named Kefa), is listed first, and was the leader of the apostles. Jesus gave him an additional name to the one he already had (John 1:42). A fisherman by trade, he was called Shim’on in Hebrew, Peter in Greek and Cephas in Aramaic, meaning the Rock. His full name at birth was Simon Bar-Jonah (Matthew 16:17), meaning Simon, son of Jonah (John 21:15-17). We know nothing of his parents. Simon was a very common name with seven Simons listed in the Gospels alone. The name is descriptive of a rock-like man, dependable, immovable, equal to the emergencies and crises that confronted him. He would certainly live up to his name by being a rock in the early Messianic movement. Simon Peter had a wife. We know this because in Luke 4:38 Jesus healed his mother-in-law, and Paul in First Corinthians 9:5 said that Peter took her on his apostolic mission.

Death: We know that Jesus told Simon that he would die a martyr (John21:18-19). But, Scripture doesn’t record his death. All the records of the early Church indicate that Peter was crucified in Rome. Eusebius cites the testimony of Clement, who says that before Peter was crucified he was forced to watch the crucifixion of his own wife. As he watched her being led to her death, Clement says, Peter called to her by name, saying, “Remember the Lord.” When it was Peter’s turn to die, he pleaded to be crucified upside down because he wasn’t worthy to die as his Lord had died. And thus he was nailed to the cross with his head pointed down.

Legacy: Peter’s life could be summed up in the final words of his second letter: Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Second Peter 3:18). This is exactly what Simon Peter did, that is why he became the Rock, the great leader of the early congregations of God.⁴⁸¹

2. Introduction to Andrew the brother of Peter. Although they were brothers, they had totally different leadership styles. But, just as Peter was perfectly suited for his calling, Andrew was perfectly suited for his. Andrew, a name of Greek origin though in use among the Jews, comes from aner a Greek word for man. The first among the twelve to be called, but of the four in the inner circle Andrew was the least conspicuous. Scripture doesn’t tell us a lot about him, but we do know he checked his ego at the door. He is the very picture of all those who use their spiritual gifts quietly behind the scenes, not only while people are watching, as if you merely want to please them. But as bond-slaves of Christ, who have a deep desire to do what God wants them to do (Ephesians 6:6). He was one of those rare people who was willing to take second place and did not mind being hidden as long as the work was being done.

Death: Church history doesn’t record what happened to Andrew after the Feast of Weeks in Acts 2. Tradition says he took the gospel north. Eusebius, the ancient Church historian, says Andrew went as far as Scythia (that’s why Andrew is the patron saint of Russia). He was ultimately crucified in Achaia, which is in southern Greece, near Athens. One account says he led the wife of a provincial Roman governor to Christ, and that infuriated her husband. He demanded that his wife recant her devotion to Jesus Christ and she refused. So, the governor had Andrew crucified. He was bound to a cross instead of nailing him, in order to prolong his suffering (tradition says it was a saltire, or an X shaped cross). By most accounts he hung on the cross for two days and preached to his persecutors until he died.

Legacy: Andrew shows us that in the effective ministry it’s often the little things that count – the individual people, the behind-the-scene gifts, and the inconspicuous service. God delights to use such things, because God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him (First Corinthians 1:27-29).⁴⁸²

3. Introduction to James (a very Anglicized version of Ya’akov) son of Zebedee and his younger brother John, to them Jesus gave the name Boanerges, in addition to the one they already had. Their new name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder,” was evidently justified by their zeal and impulsive nature (Luke 9:54). Sometimes known as James the greater, he is the least familiar to us of Messiah’s closest inner circle. The biblical account is practically devoid of any explicit details about his life. But, if there’s a keyword that describes James it is passion. From what little we know about him, it is obvious that he was a man of intense fervor.

Death: James is the only apostle whose death is recorded in Scripture. It was around this time that King Herod began arresting and persecuting certain members of the Messianic community, and he had Ya’akov, Yochanan’s brother, put to death by the sword (Acts 12:1-2 CJB). In other words, he was beheaded in Yerushalayim. History records that James’ testimony bore fruit right up until the moment of his execution. Eusebius, the early church historian, passes on an account of James’ death that came from Clement of Alexandria. Clement says that the one who led Ya’akov to the judgment seat, when he heard him witnessing, was moved, and confessed that he was himself a believer. They were both, therefore, led away together; and on the way he begged James to forgive him. And Ya’akov, after considering a little, said, “Peace be with you,” and kissed him. And thus they were both beheaded together.

Legacy: James is the prototype of the passionate, zealous, front-runner that is dynamic, strong and ambitious. Ultimately his passions were tempered by sensitivity and grace. Somewhere along the line he had learned to control his anger, harness his tongue, redirect his zeal, and eliminate his thirst for revenge. Consequently, the Lord used him to do wonderful work in the Messianic community. Such lessons are sometimes hard for a man of James’ passion to learn. Such zeal must always be tempered with love. But, if it is surrendered to the control of the Ruach ha-Kodesh and blended with patience and longsuffering, such zeal can be a marvelous instrument in the hands of God. The legacy of James offers clear proof of that.⁴⁸³

4. Introduction to John, the younger brother of James, whose mother was Salome and his father Zebedee. Yeshua gave them the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder,” which was evidently justified by their zeal and impulsive nature (Luke 9:54). John played a major role in the early Church. He was a member of Christ’s most intimate inner circle, but he was by no means the dominant member of that group. He was the human author of the fourth Gospel, three other letters, as well as the book of Revelation. Yochanan is known as the apostle of love. But, it was a quality he learned from Messiah, not something that came naturally to him. In his younger years, he was just as rugged, zealous and explosive as his elder brother James. John is the only one of the apostles who witnessed the crucifixion (Yochanan 19:25-27). Virtually all reliable sources in early church history attest to the fact that Yochanan became the pastor of the church that the apostle Paul founded at Ephesus.

Death: John was the only apostle who lived to an old age. When John’s brother James became the church’s first martyr, John bore the loss in a more personal way than the others. As each of the other apostles was martyred one by one, he suffered the grief and pain of additional loss. They were his friends and companions. Soon, he alone was left. In some ways, that may have been the most painful suffering of all. From Ephesus, during the great persecution under the Roman Emperor Domitian, John was banished to a prison community on Patmos, one of the small Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean Sea off the west coast of modern Turkey. He lived in a cave there and received and recorded the apocalyptic visions described in the book of Revelation. Eventually released, John died around 98 AD. The church father Jerome says in his commentary on Galatians that the aged apostle was so frail in his final days at Ephesus that he had to be carried into the church. One phrase was constantly on his lips: My little children, love one another (First John 3:18). Asked why he always said this, he replied, “It is the Lord’s command, and if this alone be done, it is enough.”

Legacy: In fact, John’s theology is best described as a theology of love. He taught that God is a God of love, that God loved His one-and-only Son, that God loved the world, that Christ loves God, that Christ loved His apostles, and that Christ’s talmidim loved Him, that everyone should love Christ, that we should love one another, and that love fulfills the Torah. Love was a critical part of every element of John’s teaching, and thus, his legacy.⁴⁸⁴

Thus, the fishermen of Galilee – Peter, Andrew, James and John – became fishers of men and women, boys and girls on a tremendous scale, gathering souls into the kingdom of God. In a sense, they are still casting their nets into the sea of the world by their testimony in the Scriptures. They are still bringing multitudes of people to Messiah. Although they were common men, theirs was an uncommon calling.⁴⁸⁵

5. Introduction to Philip, which is a Greek name, meaning lover of horses. Perhaps Philip came from a family of Hellenistic Jews (Acts 6:1). He must also have had a Jewish name, however, because all twelve talmidim were Jewish. But, if he did have a Jewish name it is never given, so we just know him as Philip. Like Andrew and Peter, Philip was from the town of Bethsaida (John 1:44). The ease with which Philip responded when Yeshua said to him: Follow Me (John 1:43), demonstrated that he knew the TaNaKh. He was ready. He was expectant. His heart was prepared, and he received the Meshiach gladly. But, sometimes his logical thinking got in the way of his faith in other matters. At the feeding of the 5,000 when Jesus said to Philip: Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? Philip answered Him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for all of them to eat (Mark 6:37b; John 6:5-7)! The limitless supernatural power of Christ had completely escaped his thinking. Philip needed to learn to set aside his materialistic, pragmatic, common-sense concerns and learn to lay hold of the supernatural potential of faith.⁴⁸⁶ In other words, He needed to think outside the spiritual box.

Death: Tradition tells us that Philip was greatly used in the spread of the early messianic movement and was among the first of the apostles to suffer martyrdom. He died after being hung upside-down with iron hooks through his ankles by the proconsul of Hierapolis, in Phrygia (Asia Minor), eight years after the martyrdom of James.⁴⁸⁷

Legacy: Philip obviously overcame the human tendencies that so often hampered his faith. Therefore, he stands with the other apostles and believers of all ages as proof that we don’t have to be perfect to advance the kingdom of God. Sometimes our halo slips, as did Philip’s. But, he changed and so can we! Before his death, multitudes came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior under his preaching.

6. Introduction to Nathanael, who also went by the name Bartholomew in all four lists of the Twelve (including Acts 1:13). In the gospel of John he is always called Nathanael. Bartholomew is a Hebrew surname meaning son of Tolmai, or Bar-Tolmai, a Hebrew transliteration of the name Ptolemy given to several Egyptian kings after the Alexandrian conquests that brought Isra’el under Egyptian rule and influence for many decades. Thus, it should not be surprising that a Jew would have an Egyptian name. The synoptic gospels and the book of Acts contain no details about Nathanael’s background, character or personality. John’s gospel features him in only two passages, in John 1, where his call is recorded, and in Yochanan 21:2, where he is named as one of those who returned to Galilee and went fishing with Peter after Jesus’ resurrection and before His ascension.

Although he held some early prejudice against those from Nazareth (John 1:46); fortunately, his prejudice was not as powerful as his seeking heart. The most important aspect of Nathanael’s character was expressed from the lips of Yeshua when He said: Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit (John 1:47). This spoke volumes about Nathanael’s character. He was pure-hearted from the beginning. Certainly, he was human. He had sinful faults. His mind was tainted with a degree of prejudice. But, his heart was not poisoned by deceit. He was no hypocrite. His love for God, and His desire to see the Messiah, were genuine. His heart was sincere without guile.

Death: That’s all we know about Nathanael from Scripture. Early church records suggest that he ministered in Persia and India and took the gospel as far as Armenia. He was flayed alive.⁴⁸⁸

Legacy: What we do know is that Nathanael was faithful to the end because he was faithful from the start. Everything he experienced with Messiah and whatever he experienced after the birth of the Messianic community in Acts 2 ultimately only made his faith stronger. And Nathanael, like the other talmidim, stands as proof that ADONAI can take the most common people, from the most insignificant places, and use them for His glory.⁴⁸⁹

7. Introduction to Thomas, in the Hebrew and Didymus in the Greek, which means the twin. It seems he had a twin brother or sister, but this twin is never identified in the Bible. Like Nathanael, Thomas is mentioned only once in each of the three synoptic gospels. In each case, he is simply named with the other talmidim. No details about him are given in the Synoptics, so we learn everything we know about his character from the book of John. Thomas was a pessimist. Like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, he anticipated the worst all the time. When Christ was headed back to Jerusalem to heal Lazarus, Thomas could see nothing but disaster ahead. He was convinced Jesus was headed straight for a stoning at the hands of the Pharisees. But, if that’s what the Lord was determined to do, Thomas was grimly determined to die with Him and said: Let us also go, that we may die with Him (Yochanan 11:16). It seems that pessimism, rather than a lack of faith, was his only sin. Thomas obviously had a deep devotion to Christ that could not be dampened even by his own pessimism.

When Thomas was told that the Lord had risen after His crucifixion, he was pessimistic about it and wanted to see it for himself. Remember, the other apostles did not believe in the resurrection until they also saw Jesus (Mark 16:10-11). When Messiah appeared and showed the skeptic His scars, Thomas made one of the greatest statements to ever come from the lips of the talmidim: My Lord and my God (John 20:28)! Suddenly, Thomas’ melancholy, comfortless, negative, moody tendencies were forever washed away by the appearance of Christ. A short time later at the Feast of Weeks, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered for ministry. He, like the other apostles, took the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Death: The strongest traditions say he was run through with a spear at Coromandel in the East Indies – a fitting form of martyrdom for one whose faith came of age when he saw the spear mark in his Master’s side and for one who longed to be reunited with his Lord.

Legacy: There is a considerable amount of ancient testimony that suggests Thomas carried the Gospel as far as India. There is to this day a small hill near the airport in Chennai (Madras), India, where Thomas is said to have been buried. There are churches in south India whose roots are traceable to the beginning of the Church Age, and tradition says they were founded under the ministry of Thomas.⁴⁹⁰

8. Introduction to Matthew, or his Hebrew name Levi is very paradoxical. Levi that means the gift of God, and because he was a hated tax collector, he must have had a difficult time convincing other Jews of that fact! In all likelihood, none of the twelve was more notorious than Mattityahu. What caused him to drop everything and follow Yeshua? Whatever his tortured soul may have experienced because of his profession, down deep inside he was a Jew who knew and loved the Scriptures. He was spiritually hungry and the draw of Jesus was irresistible. We know that he knew the TaNaKh very well because he quotes it ninety-nine times in his Gospel. That’s more than Mark, Luke and John combined. After being saved, he became a man of quiet humility who loved the outcasts and opposed religious hypocrisy – a man of great faith and complete surrender to the lordship of Christ. He stands as a vivid reminder that the Lord often chooses the most despicable people of this world, redeems them, gives them new hearts, and uses them in remarkable ways.

Death: We know that Mattityahu wrote his gospel with a Jewish audience in mind. Traditions say he ministered to the Jews both in Isra’el and abroad for many years before suffering martyrdom by being slain with a sword at a distant country of Ethiopia.⁴⁹¹ Therefore, this man who walked away from a lucrative career without ever giving it a second thought remained willing to give his all for Yeshua Messiah to the very end.

Legacy: Forgiveness is the thread that runs through Matthew 9 after the account of his conversion. Of course, even as a tax collector, Mattityahu knew his sin, his greed, and his betrayal of his own people. He knew he was guilty of graft, extortion, oppression, and abuse. But, when Yeshua said to him: Follow Me, Matthew knew there was inherent in that command a promise of forgiveness. And that is why he got up from his tax collecting booth without hesitation and devoted the rest of his life to serving the Messiah.⁴⁹²

9. Introduction to James son of Alphaeus, sometimes known as James the younger. Except for Judas Iscariot, the last four apostles are virtually silent in the Gospel narratives. Little is known about any of them, except the fact that they were chosen as apostles. We don’t see much of their heroism in the Gospel records, they are portrayed as ordinary men. When they do come to the foreground, they often exhibited doubt, disbelief or confusion. But, things changed after the resurrection. Suddenly we begin to see them acting differently. They are strong and courageous. They perform miracles. They preach with newfound boldness. But, even then, the biblical record is sparse. Primarily we hear about Peter, John and Rabbi Sha’ul who became known as Paul after his conversion on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-19). The rest of them went on into obscurity. But, they were all chosen for a reason.

The only thing the Bible tells us about this man is his name. If he ever wrote anything, it is lost to history. If he ever asked Jesus any questions or did anything to stand out from the group, Scripture does not record it. He never attained any degree of fame or notoriety. He was not the kind of person who stood out. He was utterly obscure.There is, however, an interesting possibility about his lineage when we compare Mark 15:40 with John 19:25. Both verses mention two other Marys who were standing by the cross of Yeshua with Mary the Lord’s mother. Mark 15:40 mentions Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph. John 19:25 names Jesus’ mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas standing near the cross. It is possible, perhaps even likely, that Jesus’ mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary the mother of James the younger were the same person. Clopas may have been another name for Alphaeus, or James’ mother might have remarried after his father died. That would have made James the younger Jesus’ cousin.

Death: Some of the earliest legends about him confuse him with James the brother of the Lord. There is some evidence that James the younger took the gospel to Syria and Persia. Accounts of his death differ. Some say he was stoned; others say he was beaten to death; still others say he was crucified like his Lord. But, two things are certain. One, he was martyred, and two, his name will be inscribed on one of the gates of the heavenly City (see my commentary on Revelation, to see link click Fu – The New Jerusalem had a Great, High Wall with Twelve Gates).

Legacy: Most of the talmidim more or less disappear from the biblical scene within a few years after the Feast of Weeks. In no case does the Bible give us a full biography. That’s because the Scripture always keeps the focus on the Lord and the power of His Word, not the men who were the instruments of that power. Those men were filled with the Ruach and they preached the Word. That is all we really need to know. The vessel is not the issue; the Master is. But, heaven will reveal the full truth of who they were and what they were like. In the meantime, it is enough for us to know that they were chosen by the KING of kings, empowered by the Spirit, and used by God to carry the gospel to the world of their day.⁴⁹³

10. Introduction to Judas son of James. The name Judas in and of itself is a fine name. It means the LORD leads. But, because of the treachery of Judas Iscariot, the name, like Adolf Hitler, will forever bear a negative connotation. John calls him Judas (not Iscariot). Martin Luther called him der fromme Judas, that is, the good Judas. Judas son of James actually had three names. The church father Jerome referred to him as Trinomious, or the man with three names. In Matthew 10:3 he is called Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus. Judas was probably the name given to him at birth. Lebbaeus and Thaddaeus were essentially nicknames. Thaddaeus means breast child and Lebbaeus literally means heart child. Both names suggest a tender heart.

The B’rit Chadashah records only one incident involving Judas Lebbaeus Thaddaeus. It was in the Upper Room on the night in which Messiah was betrayed, and He said: Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love them and show Myself to them. Then John adds: Then Judas (not Iscariot) said: But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world (John 14:21-22)? Here we see Judas’ tenderhearted humility. He didn’t say anything brash, bold or overconfident. He didn’t rebuke the Lord like Peter once did. His question was full of gentleness, meekness and without any sense of pride. He just couldn’t believe the Master would show Himself to the twelve and not to the whole world. The Chief Shepherd gave him an answer as tender as the question. Jesus replied: Anyone who loves Me will obey My teachings. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make Our home with them (John 14:23). This was a pious, believing talmid.

Most of the early tradition regarding Lebbaeus Thaddaeus suggests that a few years after the Feast of Weeks (Acts 2), he took the Gospel north, to Edessa, a royal city in Mesopotamia, in what would be Turkey today. There are numerous accounts of how he healed the king of Edessa, a man named Abgar. In the fourth century, Eusebius the Church historian said the archives at Edessa, since destroyed, contained records full of Thaddaeus’ visit and healing of Abgar.

Death: The traditional apostolic symbol of Judas Lebbaeus Thaddaeus is a club, because tradition tells us that he was clubbed to death for his faith.

Legacy: Thus the tenderhearted soul followed his Lord faithfully to the end. His testimony was as powerful and far-reaching as that of the better-known and more outspoken apostles. He, like them, is proof of how God uses ordinary people in remarkable ways.⁴⁹⁴

11. Introduction to Simon who was called the Zealot (Luke 6:15). In Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:18, he is called Simon the Cananaean. This is not in reference to the land of Canaan or the village of Cana. It comes from the Hebrew root qanna, which means to be zealous. Apparently, Simon had been a member of Jewish nationalists known as the Zealots. The fact that he bore the title all his life many also suggest that he had a fiery, zealous temperament. But, that term in Jesus’ day signified a well-known and widely feared outlaw political force. They were red-hot patriots, ready to die in an instant for their beliefs.

The Zealots were not a religious sect, but a group of Jewish nationalists, the Jewish Liberation Front of their day, who advocated the violent overthrow of the Roman occupiers. This gives us some insight into the messianic agenda of Yeshua, as He purposely chose one of His apostles who was violently opposed to Rome, as well as a Roman sympathizer (Matthew), who was employed by the occupying forces! Simon belonged to them (Acts 1:13). Barabbas is called one of those among the rebels who had committed murder in the insurrection (Mark 15:7; Acts 3:14), a notorious prisoner (Matthew 27:16) and a lestes, or a bandit (John 18:40). The two men crucified on either side of Jesus were called bandits (Mark 15:27). Barabbas may have been a zealot. Josephus portrays the revolutionaries as “brigands,” endeavoring to marginalize them from the mainstream Jewish population. These brigands were popular with the common people because they preyed upon the wealthy establishment of Isra’el and created havoc for the Roman government. Although some Pharisees may have opposed their violence, Zealots, while distinct from the Pharisees, seem to have carried out the same ideology, albeit in a more militant manner.

Death: He died as violently as he once lived by being sawn in half. This man who was once willing to kill or be killed for a political ideal within the confines of Judah found a more fruitful cause for which to give his life – proclaiming salvation for sinners from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev 5:9b).⁴⁹⁵

Legacy: It is amazing that Yeshua would select a man like Simon to be an apostle. But, he was a man of fierce loyalties, amazing passion, courage and zeal. He believed in the truth and embraced the Meshiach as Lord and Savior. Several early sources say that after the destruction of Jerusalem, Simon took the Gospel north and preached in the British Isles.⁴⁹⁶

12. Introduction to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him (Mark 3:19). Judas means the LORD leads, and indicates that when he was born his parents must have had great hopes for him to be led by God. The irony of the name is that no person was ever more clearly led by Satan than was Judas. Y’hudah from K’roit means a man of the town K’riot. Reference is made to his native town that is given in Joshua 15:24 as one of the outer most cities of Judah some twenty miles south of Yerushalayim. Judas was ordinary in every way, just like the other talmidim. Under his outer garment of white, Judas wore a leather apron with two huge pockets, and in these he maintained the treasury. He might have also carried a small box under his arm. It’s significant that when Christ predicted one of them would betray Him, no one pointed the finger of suspicion at Judas (Matthew 26:22-23). He was so expert in his hypocrisy that no one seemed to distrust him. But, Jesus knew his evil heart from the beginning (John 6:64).

Death: See Lm – Judas Hanged Himself.

Legacy: Judas is the most notorious and universally scorned of all the apostles. He will forever be known as the traitor. His name appears last in every biblical list of the talmidim, except in Acts 1, where it doesn’t appear at all. Every time Judas is mentioned in Scripture, we also find a notation about his being a traitor. He is the most colossal failure in all of human history. He betrayed the perfect, sinless, holy Son of God for a few silver coins. His dark story is a painful example of the depths to which the human heart is capable of sinking. He spent three-and-a-half years with Christ, but for all that time his heart only grew hard and hateful.⁴⁹⁷