Friday 15th March
Read Matthew 5:27-30
“‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (NIVUK)
Jesus moves from the sixth commandment to the seventh. And the same pattern emerges. The teachers of the law had sought to satisfy this commandment by narrowing its scope down so far that merely not committing actual adultery was all it referred to, consequently broadening out permitted sexual activity considerably.
However, just as Jesus widened the scope of the murder injunction to include even insulting or degrading words, He widens the adultery law to capture the purity of one’s thoughts. To repurpose a familiar phrase, if actions speak louder than words, then thoughts scream louder than actions. The constant exhortation to set one’s heart on things above, heavenly, kingdom things, makes more sense in light of Jesus’ constant call to reform our thoughts and be thankful.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9) (NIVUK)
