6th
SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
1Corinthians 2:6-10
Matthew 5:17-37
“I have not come to remove
but to fulfill them."
Today's gospel is still part of the Matthean version of the sermon of the mount. After teaching about Christian responsibility using the metaphors of salt and light, Jesus now proceeds to explaining how he comes to prefect the Law. By perfection, Christ does not mean putting into effect every prescription of the Law. Rather, he raises that law into a higher level, giving it a new and definitive form and character: But by doing so, Christ practically sets a new standard of morality inspired by the spirit of the gospel.
1. "For I tell you if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” --- If there is any kind of people Jesus so abhors, it is the Pharisee and the so called experts of the Law. Why? Because these people are fond of turning things upside down. They take and make big things small and small things big. (Thus, incur Christian ethics, we list a kind of conscience that directly corresponds to this attitude and call it “pharisaical conscience.”) In the pretext of fulfilling the Law, they become so meticulous even unto the meanest thing. As a result, they become slaves to the external requisites and observances of the Law. To be fair, some of them may have been honest enough to render what is due to the law. But because of the so many prescriptions, they still end up with the same thing: so concern with the external demands of it. This reflects their religion and religiosity, their ethics and morality. Theirs is a religion and a morality of the outside!
2. Jesus offers an alternative ethics. His is an
internal morality and a religion that is founded from within. After all,
nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile him, but only that
which comes out from within (cf Mk
Murder is no murder unless one kills and the other
gets killed. This has been the context and understanding of the fifth commandment.
And even today, this remains as the objective basis of any court case and/or of
any moral, evaluation. For it is so absurd
to accuse and convict anybody without a "fact," i.e., external acts
of murder. But this "fact is just what Jesus is more concerned about. To
him, not only external acts of murder constitute an offense against the fifth
commandment. Even anger with revengeful designs becomes murder and thus is
subject to the scale of divine
justice.
This applies too, to harsh words and abusive language, calling somebody a fool or a renegade. Of course, this abusive language must be understood according to the meaning of those times. A fool is equated to an atheist (cf Ps 14:1; 53:1). Such language not only degrades a person, but insults a believing Jew to its highest degree so that it somehow “kills” (murders) his social and religious standing in the community.
The same line of thinking runs through to the sixth
and ninth commandments. Not only the factual sexual relations constitute
adultery, but even mere lustful looking makes adultery in one's heart. Much
more, divorce is raised to the level of adultery. And the reason behind seems to
be situational. Look. "Everyone who divorces his wife. …makes her an adulteress.” This seems
to suggest that even though the wife may be good, adultery still becomes the
necessary consequence because of
this given situation.
A closer look, therefore, reveals that what Christ wants to enlarge in meaning are the concepts themselves. External acts are not the exclusive constitutive of morality, but even and more so the internal ones. Murder is murder not just because somebody is murdered by someone, but also because someone intends to murder somebody regardless if that somebody really gets murdered by someone. Adultery is adultery not just because somebody gets sexually related with a married someone, but also because of somebody’s 'intention to. In this case, adultery is completed even before the act itself. This Jesus calls adultery in the heart. Perhaps inspired by this, the philosopher Kant believes that everything begins and ends in the will (heart).
3. The morality of Christ certainly surpasses any human standard. Its imperatives seem so difficult to meet. But this is just the message. Jesus wants to impart. This is why he goes as far as advising to tear out one’s eye or cut down one's hand if they may just cause eternal disaster to the owner. But it is not because of these stern warnings nor of the consequent severe penalties that Christ wants his teachings heard and followed. His intention is more of teaching men anew – if not bringing them back to - the original and purest meaning of ethics and religion.
In a sophisticated society where the wayfarer is either pulled into the extreme observance of the law or left to the laxity of his conscience, man must realize that ethics and religion are the true vehicles by which he may encounter the source of life and the author of human conduct. Christ wants a kind of ethics where conscience is truly a handmaid of law. He wants a religion where external observances are concrete expressions of man’s inner search, for meaning. Discrepancy between intention and act is hypocrisy. And to Christ, hypocrisy is an enemy of ethics and religion. An altar offering and a misgiving in one’s heart are incompatible. Divine reconciliation presupposes human reconciliation. To be at peace with God means to be at peace with our fellow men. Truly human is truly divine.
4. Taking oath these days is accepted - and even at
times demanded – both in religious and secular societies. It is, therefore, absurd
and ridiculous to read this particular passage in its literal face value. The sense
Jesus wants to teach simply follows the general line of thought that governs
the whole sermon. Meaning, man must take his word by heart. And this is just one
yet a: significant example of the new ethics. Christ must have observed that,
even during his time (and perhaps more so now), people said one thing but did another.
It must be for this reason that at one time, he admonished his listeners to
follow what the Pharisees said but what they did (cf 23:
1-3). In other words, oath taking must not be another fashion show or a mere
lip service, but an outward sign of inward faithfulness and sincerity. How
right and smart was