“Do not think that I have come to abolish qthe Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but rto fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, suntil heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 tTherefore whoever relaxes uone of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least vin the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great vin the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceedswthat of the scribes and Pharisees, you xwill never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
21 y“You have heard that it was said to those of old, z‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable ato judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that beveryone who is angry with his brother3 will be liable ato judgment; whoever insults4 his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to cthe hell5 of fire. 23 dSo if eyou are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 fCome to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, gyou will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
With the opening statement, Jesus called the people who were there on the mount and his disciples - blessed - blessed are those who are poor in spirit...
With a separation and a deprivation from an access to God, Jesus offered these people an access to God - for theirs is the kingdom of God.
But after the blessings or the beatitudes - Jesus said that the laws will be kept and unless you do more than what the religious leader did, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ???????
Why????
Jesus is saying - there is no way that the works of the religious leader can bring you to the kingdom. This is not the way to live your lives. The law of Mosses and that God hate sins cannot be taken likely.
Jesus went on to explained that issue of murder. Have you murdered someone accordingly to the law? If the answer is no - you did follow the law and so are the religious leader. But this is not what a disciple living Jesus is looking for.
Jesus went on to say about what anger has to do with murder. It is the deep root issue - the depth of our hearts and thoughts - that Jesus want the way the disciple to live. If you are angry, go and make peace, but Jesus went on to say that if you know that your brother is angry with you, go and make peace.
In addition, Jesus is also saying - we have our limitations - we cannot do it - but with Christ and for the sake of Christ we change and can change our intend. Therefore Christ and Jesus is the change agent. It is not the laws that make a person good, it is not about the do and dont, but a change heart that wants to change.
I am not perfect. Unless I came as one with a poverty in the spirit and recognize that I need Christ to be my change agent, there is no way I will be good by the amount of services I rendered, the goods that I do, the amount of words I read and understand.
I pray and come with a spiritual hunger and acknowledged the imperfectness in me. Humble me for the things I can do but empty me so that I know that all that I can and all that I have belongs to Christ.
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