Wednesday after the Second Sunday after The Festival of the Epiphany of our Lord
Posted on January 22, 2020 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 5:27-48 (NKJV)
5:27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Devotion
Jesus is delivering a summation of some of God’s Commandments, the likes of which reveal how impossible it is for any man to say that he has never broken them. The mirror of God’s Law unavoidably reflects brightly when it reveals that breaking His Commandments can occur simply within one’s imagination—without action—coming from one’s heart.
Jesus knows that God’s Commandments have been, are being, and will be taught by sinners. Because of fallen, self-centered flesh, different slants on God’s Commandments come about—sometimes as if they are only civil laws. Jesus wants His disciples to have a clear, beyond-worldly understanding that goes to the heart of His believers. Thus, Jesus frequently states: “You have heard that it was said to those of old… But I say to you…” Jesus is not contradicting or correcting Moses. Jesus came to fulfill the very Law that was given by Moses. Rather, Jesus is making sure that God’s Law is not just a civil law for a civil court, but applied to the heart of every human.
As God’s Law reveals the depravity of our hearts, it is those brought to recognize their sins and confess them who can stare at Christ the crucified and further confess, “His sacrifice (His fully atoning merits, His making full satisfaction) was for me; in His wounds is my peace!”
We pray: Almighty and Everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
