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The (Applied) Word Of The Lord

(Matthew 5:17-48)

Introduction: Thus far in our study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we have looked at the Beatitudes in verses 3 thru 12, and the lessons that Jesus taught concerning the Will of the believer. We looked at verses 13 thru 16 at an analogy that Jesus used involving Salt and Light. And it was through this comparison that Jesus taught believers about their Witness.

Today we’re focusing upon verses 17 thru 48, and what Jesus taught believers about His Word. This section is summarized in six areas where the Lord Jesus refers to Ancient Tradition by saying something like, “it has been said.” But then He reveals Applicable Truth by saying, “But I say unto you.”

(Matthew 5:21-22) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: {22} But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

(Matthew 5:27-28) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: {28} But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

(Matthew 5:31-32) It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: {32} But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

(Matthew 5:33-34) Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: {34} But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

(Matthew 5:38-39) Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: {39} But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

(Matthew 5:43-44) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. {44} But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

In an article entitled “Speaking From My Holy Of Holies,” John Ortberg shared the following story in the Spring 2007 issue of Leadership Journal…

A good friend from the Pentecostal tradition, in which people will often stand up and speak very authoritatively to the congregation, told me a glorious story. According to my friend, a man once stood up and declared, “Thus saith the Lord: Even as I was with Abraham when he led the children of Israel through the wilderness, so I will be with you.” Then he sat down. His wife nudged him and whispered something. He quickly stood back up and said, “Thus saith the Lord: I was mistaken. It was Moses.”

The message this morning is all about “Thus saith the Lord.” It is His Word and how it applies to us.

1. In An Introductory Way, Let Me Mention Biblical Authority

Back in the 1980’s, Southern Baptists were in a battle for the Bible. Theological liberalism had crept into the seminaries and pulpits of Southern Baptist churches all over the country. And conservatives like Adrian Rogers, and Charles Stanley, and Jerry Vines, and W. A. Criswell were fighting for Biblical Inerrancy.

In his message to the Pastors’ Conference at the Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas, Texas on June 10, 1985, Dr. W. A. Criswell preached a sermon entitled “Whether We Live Or Die,” in which he said, “United in prayer, preaching, witnessing, working, not around the higher-critical denial of Scripture, but around the infallible Word of God in Christ Jesus, we cannot fail. If we join hands with the blessed Savior, and deliver the message of the inerrant Word of God, God will rise to meet us.”

The liberals hated it, and the conservatives loved it. But this was a turning point for Southern Baptists who were fighting over Biblical Authority.

Charles Spurgeon faced a similar time of theological liberalism in his day and rose up in a fight that came to be called “The Downgrade Controversy.” Spurgeon said about the Word of God…

I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much.

2. In An Introductory Way, Let Me Mention Biblical Acclamation

In “The Christian Index” that came out this past week, there was a letter to the editor from Johnny L. Wilson of Tyrone, GA who wrote…

When we moved to Georgia, we were looking for a church where we would be fed by expository and exegetical preaching from the Bible. We couldn’t find a Baptist church where this was the norm. A friend of mine in Oregon asked his pastor why he didn’t ever preach through a book from the Bible or exegete a complete text. His pastor answered with, “You can’t grow a church with that kind of preaching.” This wasn’t a “liberal” pastor, either. He believes that only the King James Version is authoritative. He just doesn’t bother being “restricted” by preaching from the text. … How ironic that the very denomination that experienced such upheaval in attempting to affirm the infallibility of the Bible now spends the bulk of its time ignoring the very book God’s Holy Spirit took such efforts to inspire, preserve, and make accessible to us.

(Published June 21, 2007)

3. In An Introductory Way, Let Me Mention Biblical Aptitude

I’ve read quite a bit this past week about the problem of Biblical Illiteracy and Biblical Ignorance.

a. I Read Quite A Bit About The Instances Of Biblical Illiteracy

The October 18, 1991 issue of “Our Daily Bread” shared this little story…

A pastor asked a class of Sunday School children, “Who broke down the wall of Jericho?” A boy answered, “Not me, sir!” Upset, the pastor asked the teacher, “Is this typical?” She replied, “I believe this boy is honest, and I really don’t think he did it.” The pastor went to the head deacon. “I’ve known the boy and the teacher for years,” said the deacon, “and neither of them would do such a thing.” Aghast, the pastor went to the Christian Education Board. “Pastor,” said the chairman, “let’s not make an issue of this. Let’s just pay for the damage and charge it to the upkeep.”

In the August 9, 1999 issue of “Christianity Today,” Gary M. Burge in his article “The Greatest Story Never Read” wrote…

Jay Leno knew he had the perfect comedy routine. Roving through the audience of his late-night talk show, Leno asked people how much they knew about the Bible. “Name one of the Ten Commandments,” he asked. A hand went up: “God helps those who help themselves?” Leno went on: “Name one of the apostles.” No answer. But when he asked his audience to name the four Beatles, the names “George, Paul, John, and Ringo” flew from the crowd.

Last year (Burge said) I was listening to a speech on the radio given by a candidate for governor in Nevada. He wanted to propose a new tax on the gambling industry but did not want to give the impression that he was against Nevada’s most powerful and lucrative industry. Appealing to biblical authority, he announced: “I want to be like King David in the Bible. He didn’t kill Goliath, he just hurt him a little.”

Stephen Prothero is chairman of the religion department at Boston University and the author of the recent bestselling book “Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know—and Doesn’t.” In the March 14, 2007 issue of the Los Angeles Times, Prothero wrote in an Opinion piece…

In a religious literacy quiz I have administered to undergraduates for the last two years, students tell me that Moses was blinded on the road to Damascus and that Paul led the Israelites on their exodus out of Egypt. We live in the land of biblical idiots

To the question “Can you name the first and last books of the Bible?” An older man answered, “First Testament … and I think second one.” They think “Moses” gave the Sermon on the Mount.

(From the November 27, 1999 issue of The Dallas Morning News)

“Eight percent of American teens,” for example, “believe that Moses is one of the twelve Apostles.”

(From the article “Bible Illiteracy in America” by David Gelernter from the May 23, 2005 issue of “The Weekly Standard”)

Al Mohler, the president of Southern Seminary, writing about “The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy” said…

Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples. According to data from the Barna Research Group, 60 percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. “No wonder people break the Ten Commandments all the time. They don’t know what they are,” said George Barna, president of the firm. … A Barna poll indicated that at least 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. Another survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that over 50 percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife. A considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham. We are in big trouble.

“Biblical knowledge among professing Christians has become abysmal. … Is the Bible the least read best seller of all times?”

(Dr. David R. Reagan of Lamb & Lion Ministries in an article entitled The Plague of Biblical Illiteracy)

b. I Read Quite A Bit About The Impact Of Biblical Illiteracy

One blogger wrote…

Far too many evangelical seminaries produce graduates who fill church pulpits preaching piety and experience over doctrine and theology, which in turn produces church members who “love Jesus” but … don’t KNOW Him

(From the June 18, 2007 “Thoughts & Actions” blog by Will Shin – )

In an article on Biblical Illiteracy, Ibrahim B. Syed, the President of the Islamic Research Foundation International, said…

What are the consequences of being a Biblically illiterate society? Dr. Vinson Synan, Dean of Regent University’s School of Divinity says: “You can see the results everywhere, the breakdown of homes, divorces, the permissiveness of sex, homosexuality, AIDS, all of these things are consequences of not knowing the word of God.” He calls Biblical illiteracy the “ultimate disaster” for a nation, even greater than AIDS or atomic war. “Because if people lived Biblical lifestyles, they would not have AIDS, if people followed the Scriptures there would be no nuclear war, so most of our problems are from unbiblical behavior.”

In one interview, Woodrow Kroll of Back To The Bible said…

“When I was growing up, we blamed Bible illiteracy on King James,” the ministry spokesman says. “Well, now we have 35 or so modern translation Bibles. We’re dumber now than we were back then. One of the things we’ve already learned from our survey is this—there is a direct correlation between how much time a person spends in the Word and how easy they believe it is to understand.”

Christians who do not read God’s Word are stagnant in their spiritual walk, Kroll contends. “In the area of morality, we rob ourselves of a moral position if we don’t know the Word of God,” he says. “I think we also rob ourselves of the ability to move on toward spiritual maturity. We get stuck in spiritual infancy, and that’s a clear detriment that comes from not reading the Bible.”

(From a March 2, 2007 article by Allie Martin of interviewing Woodrow Kroll of Back To The Bible)

Woodrow Kroll also said…

Because people in the pews don’t know their Bibles very well, and because the pastor feels constrained to preach so as not to offend the mixed multitude attending church on Sunday morning, born-again adults are beginning to formulate some beliefs and practices that are anything but biblical.

And this really brings us to the purpose of the message today. You see…

We need to proclaim Biblical Authority

And We need to practice Biblical Acclamation

And We need to pursue Biblical Aptitude

But I believe the point of Jesus’ teaching in our text today is Biblical Application.

You see, the people in Jesus’ day were hearing the Word, but they were not heading the Word. Some of the people were learning the Word, but many were not living the Word. Perhaps they were memorizing scripture, but they were not manifesting scriptural principles. Some of them thought that the Word was important, but they were not internalizing the Word.

I want to say this morning that it is imperative that we have deacons, and ministry leaders, and Sunday school teachers, and Awana workers, and Vacation Bible School workers who have a desire to know what the Bible says about how things ought to be done in the church; what the Bible says about church government, and church procedures; and what the Bible says about character and conduct in life. And it is imperative that we have people who are serving in the church and worshipping in the church who not only know what the Bible says, but they are willing to do what the Bible says.

As Mark Twain said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”

James said…

(James 1:21-25) Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. {22} But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. {23} For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: {24} For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. {25} But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

I’m going to stand before God one day and give an account to Him for how I have preached His Word, and each of you will stand before a Holy God and give an account for how you have received His Word. And as Jesus said in Luke 12:48, “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.”

Somebody said that men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them.

Gipsy Smith told of a man who said he had received no inspiration from the Bible although he had “gone through it several times.” “Let it go through you once,” replied Smith, “then you will tell a different story!”

Jesus is teaching us that it is not enough that the message has been received in our hearing. It must be received in our hearts.

(Matthew 5:17-18) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. {18} For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

[One jot] The word “jot,” or yod, is the name of … the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet.

[One tittle] The word used here, in the Greek, means literally a little horn, then a point, an extremity. Several of the Hebrew letters were written with small points or apices (as in the Hebrew letter, shin or the Hebrew letter, sin), which serve to distinguish one letter from another. To change a small point of one letter, therefore, might vary the meaning of a word, and destroy the sense. The name “little horn” was given to these points probably from the manner in which they were written, resembling a little horn. (From Barnes’ Notes)

His purpose was not the Annihilation of the Old Testament but the Application of the Old Testament

(Matthew 5:18-20) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. {19} Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. {20} For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

He Mentions The Permanence Of God’s Law vs. 18

He Mentions The Practice Of God’s Law vs. 19 “whosoever shall do”

He Mentions The Proclamation Of God’s Law vs. 19 “and teach them”

He Mentions The Permeation Of God’s Law vs. 20

John MacArthur wrote…

The righteousness God requires of His kingdom citizens far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. The term surpasses is used of a river overflowing its banks, emphasizing that which is far in excess of the normal. The Lord requires genuine righteousness, real holiness that far exceeds anything human and that exists only in the redeemed heart. The psalmist wrote, “The King’s daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is interwoven with gold” (Ps. 45:13). When the inside is beautiful, outward beauty is appropriate; but without inner beauty, outward adornment is pretense and sham.

The essence of what He has just said in verses 17-20 is (1) that His teaching stands firmly in agreement with every truth, even every word, of the Old Testament’ and (2) that the Jewish religious traditions did not.

Consider this contrasting idea…

(Psalms 45:13) The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.

(Matthew 23:27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

But I say unto you – Jesus thus assumes a tone of superiority over the Mosaic regulations and proves it in each of the six examples. He goes further than the Law into the very heart. (From Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament)

It is more than just the Ancient Word; it is the Applied Word.

The ancients (them of old time) refers to the rabbis and scribes of old who had devised the many traditions with which Judaism had become encumbered and which had virtually replaced the authority of the Scriptures. In the first two illustrations the ancient teachings to which Jesus refers are traditional interpretations of scriptural commands.

(John MacArthur)

[By them of old time] This might be translated to the ancients, referring to Moses and the prophets. But it is more probable that Jesus here refers to the interpreters of the law and the prophets. He did not set himself against the law of Moses, but against the false and pernicious interpretations of the law prevalent in his time. (From Barnes’ Notes)

I. His Word Applies To My Conscience

(Matthew 5:21-30)

A. Christ Is Forbidding Violent Anger

1. Jesus Mentioned Murderous Actions

(Matthew 5:21) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

(Exodus 20:13) Thou shalt not kill.

[The judgment] This was the tribunal that had cognizance of cases of murder, etc. It was a court that sat in each city or town, and consisted commonly of seven members. It was the lowest court among the Jews, and from it an appeal might be taken to the Sanhedrin. (From Barnes’ Notes)

2. Jesus Mentioned Malevolent Attitudes

(Matthew 5:22) But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

angry – Greek 3710. orgizo; to provoke or enrage, i.e. (pass) become exasperated:--be angry (wroth).

without a cause – Greek 1500. eike; idly, i.e. without reason (or effect):--without a cause, (in) vain (-ly.)

What he condemns here is anger without a cause; that is, unjustly, rashly, hastily, where no offence has been given or intended. In that case it is evil; and it is a violation of the sixth commandment, because “he that hateth his brother, is a murderer,” 1 John 3:15. He has a feeling which would lead him to commit murder, if it were fully acted out.

(From Barnes’ Notes)

(1 John 3:15) Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

[Shall be in danger of the judgment] Shall be liable to the judgment. That is, to have the matter brought before a senate, composed of twenty-three magistrates, whose business it was to judge in cases of murder and other capital crimes. It punished criminals by strangling or beheading; but Dr. Lightfoot supposes the judgment of God to be intended.

(From Adam Clarke’s Commentary)

“Raca” is probably an Aramaic word meaning “Empty,” a frequent word for contempt. “Raca” expresses contempt for a man’s head = you stupid! “Thou fool” expresses contempt for his heart and character = you scoundrel.

(From Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament)

Raca – [Greek rhaka] O empty one, i.e. thou worthless (as a term of utter vilification – slander, defamation)

The word translated “council” is in the original Sanhedrin, and there can be no doubt that the Saviour refers to the Jewish tribunal of that name.

(From Barnes’ Notes)

fool – Greek 3474. moros; (Like “moron”)dull or stupid (as if shut up), i.e. heedless, blockhead, absurd: --fool.

B. Christ Is Forbidding Virtual Adultery

1. He Presented The Principle Of The Law

(Matthew 5:27) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Cf. (Exodus 20:14) Thou shalt not commit adultery.

2. He Presented The Prohibition Of Lust

(Matthew 5:28) But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

looketh – Greek 991. blepo; to look at (lit. or fig.):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.

lust after – Greek 1937. epithumeo; to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise):--covet, desire, would fain.

The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart!

A popular proverb goes, “Sow a thought and reap an act. Sow an act and reap a habit. Sow a habit and reap a character. Sow a character and reap a destiny.” That process perfectly illustrates Jesus’ main thrust in this passage: No matter where it ends, sin always begins when an evil thought is sown in the mind and heart. (John MacArthur)

(In verses 29 and 30) Obviously Jesus is speaking figuratively of those things, physical or otherwise, that cause us to be tempted or make us more susceptible to temptation. In Jewish culture, the right eye and right hand represented a person’s best and most precious faculties. The right eye represented one’s best vision, and the right hand one’s best skills. Jesus’ point is that we should be willing to give up whatever is necessary, even the most cherished things we possess, if doing that will help protect us from evil. Nothing is so valuable as to be worth preserving at the expense of righteousness. This strong message is obviously not to be interpreted in a wooden, literal way so that the Lord appears to be advocating mutilation. Mutilation will not cleanse the heart. The intent of these words is simply to call for dramatic severing of the sinful impulses in us which push us to evil action

(John MacArthur)

II. His Word Applies To My Commitments

(Matthew 5:31-37)

A. Christ Says Not To Violate Our Love Commitments

1. Consider The Divorce Provision In This Matter

(Matthew 5:31) It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

(Deuteronomy 24:1-4) When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. {2} And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. {3} And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; {4} Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

2. Consider The Divine Principle In This Matter

(Matthew 5:32) But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

a. The Bible Talks About The Adultery That Leads To Divorce Matthew 19:3-11

b. The Bible Talks About The Abandonment That Leads To Divorce 1 Corinthians 7:10-15

Marriage is a mystery, and so is remarriage. This issue is debatable, but there are at least three situations where God grants permission to remarry: the case of the unrepentant, immoral partner (Matthew 19:7–9); the case of desertion by an unbelieving mate (1 Corinthians 7); and the case of marital failure prior to salvation (2 Corinthians 5:16–17).

(Chuck Swindoll)

B. Christ Says Not To Violate Our Legal Commitments

(That is – to commit perjury.)

1. A Sworn Word Is Dangerous

(Matthew 5:33) Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

Cf. (Leviticus 19:12) And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

(Deuteronomy 23:21) When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

(Deuteronomy 23:23) That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

(To “forswear”) means to perjure oneself, to swear falsely, to make false vows. (John MacArthur)

[Perform unto the Lord thine oaths] The morality of the Jews on this point was truly execrable: they maintained, that a man might swear with his lips, and annul it in the same moment in his heart.

(From Adam Clarke’s Commentary)

2. A Sure Word Is Desired

(Matthew 5:34-37) But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: {35} Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. {36} Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. {37} But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Do not pledge against things that are bigger than you are. My word is my bond. Let your very character be your confirmation.

III. His Word Applies To My Community

(Matthew 5:38-48)

A. To The Antagonists In My Community

1. Jesus Refers To The Vengeance That Had Been Practiced

(Matthew 5:38) Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

This quotation is taken directly from the Old Testament (Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21) and reflects the principle of lex talionis, one of the most ancient law codes. Simply put, it required that punishment exactly match the crime.

(John MacArthur)

The problem was that this principle was being enacted not as a form of governmental justice, but personally as a form of vengeance.

2. Jesus Refers To The Virtue That Should Be Practiced

(Matthew 5:39-42) But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. {40} And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. {41} And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. {42} Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

B. To The Adversaries In My Community

1. The Tradition Was That You Should Exclusively Love Those Who Are Worthy

(Matthew 5:43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

As in each of the five preceding illustrations, Jesus repeats the essence of the contemporary traditional teaching, in this case the teaching about love. Love, said the ancients, was to be reserved for those you get along with. Enemies were to be hated. Satan’s perversions of God’s revelation almost always touch on the truth at some point. A little truth makes deception more believable and acceptable. The rabbis and scribes had kept a part of God’s truth about love.

(John MacArthur)

2. The Truth Is That You Should Even Love Those Who Are Wicked

(Matthew 5:44-47) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; {45} That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. {46} For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? {47} And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Conclusion:

One of the first songs that I learned as a child was…

The B-I-B-L-E,

Yes, that’s the book for me;

I stand alone on the word of God,

The B-I-B-L-E.

Somebody came up with another verse…

The B-I-B-L-E

Yes that’s the book for me

I read and pray, trust and obey

The B-I-B-L-E.

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