Matthew - Week 13

Purpose for Purity 

READ 

Matthew 5:27-28 

27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” 

God is not opposed to sex; He is the one who created it. He approves the sexual relationship in marriage between a man and a woman (see Hebrews 13:4). God wants purity in thought and life, however, so these are warnings about bad thoughts that lead to sinful acts. For those who think they can be right with God by keeping the Sermon on the Mount, this is one verse that would prove otherwise for most men. Recognizing that a woman is beautiful, however, does not necessarily mean the person is lusting after her.  

REFLECT 

Do these verses help you to see that the wrong kind of desires in a person’s heart are what lead to an act dishonoring God? 

RESPOND 

Read Exodus 20:14 to see the Old Testament command about adultery. Then read James 1:13-14 to see that sin is the result of evil desires. 

Better Than Hell 

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Matthew 5:29-30 

29 “So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, 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 hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, 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 be thrown into hell.” 

These verses reveal it is better to lose a member of the body that participates in sin than to have the entire body thrown into hell. Doing away with a member of the body, however, would not necessarily take away lust in the heart. This passage does not teach self-mutilation. These statements of Jesus reveal how strongly He believes that what is in the heart can lead one into evil acts.  

REFLECT 

Have these verses that record the words of Jesus helped you to see the importance of pure thoughts that will result in pure actions? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a fellow believer about keeping one’s thought life pure. Read Philippians 4:8-9 to see what believers should think about. Talk also about what habits need to be changed in order to think more wholesome thoughts, such as what one watches and reads that can stimulate the mind to evil thinking.  

Divorce 

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Matthew 5:31-32 

31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.” 

The Jewish religious leaders had different views about divorce. Some thought a husband could divorce his wife for any reason; others thought it had to be only for a serious offense. Jesus stressed the permanence of the marriage relationship and more is recorded about what He said in Matthew 19. Divorce and remarriage regulations are debated today. The overseers in the local church should think and pray about this issue and devise a policy that is open to the public so no individual leader is blamed for the position taken. 

REFLECT 

What have you observed among your loved ones about the consequences of divorce? 

RESPOND 

Marriage was designed by God Himself and He desired it to be a permanent union. With this in mind, read Matthew 19:5-7 and Ephesians 5:31-33.  

Broken Vows 

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Matthew 5:33-35 

33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.’ 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King.” 

Jesus instructed people not to make any vows by citing objects to impress others with intended honesty. From the words of Jesus, it seems people should be suspicious of anyone trying to cite other things to indicate their honesty. If they were being honest, why should they have to do this? 

REFLECT 

Have you been guilty in the past of saying such things as, “I swear on a stack of Bibles”? 

RESPOND 

Talk about this with a friend you want to help in this regard. Read James 5:12 to add to the verses in Matthew that record the words of Jesus. 

Yes or No 

READ 

Matthew 5:36-37 

36 “Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” 

Jesus emphasized that simply saying “Yes” or “No” is all that is needed rather than taking an oath based on anything else. This assumes the person has a life of integrity and has no reason for citing other objects to emphasize his honesty. Jesus said, “Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” Here “the evil one” refers to Satan who is the “evil one.” This is the same construction found in Matthew 6:13 that requests of God, “rescue us from the evil one.” 

REFLECT 

Have you thought about this when you pray what is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer”? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a fellow Christ-follower about practicing Jesus’ words in your daily life.