Was Jesus Serious When He Told Us To Cut Off Our Hand?

Daily reading for January 6  is Matthew 5:27-48

I have chosen the opening portion of this scripture (Matthew 5: 27-30) which deals with adultery.

 

Commentary:

I wonder what the reaction would be if I were to read the opening lines of this passage ( Math, 5:27-30) to anyone on the street, or a group of college age students or to a media persona? I am convinced that for the most part I would be greeted with "you have got to be kidding?!"  After hearing the words of Jesus, many people would see this as old fashioned,  conservative thinking and for many, overly moralistic, judgmental nonsense. The college age student would be baffled and confused.  The media persona would be aghast at this notion that even thinking lustful thoughts causes one to sin and would question if there were not a more enlightened way of looking at this issue and a way out of this condemnation.

 

Why are we so taken aback by what Jesus says in Matthew  5:27-30? It is a strong and definitive statement. Yet, our human nature causes us  to  look for alternative thinking.  Jesus confronts us with everyday life's sinfulness. He seems to know our darkest thoughts, the very things we would like to hide from Him if he were sitting by our side. 

 

Each day, in so many ways, we are confronted with uninhibited sexuality, immoral behavior, temptations of substance abuse, gambling etc.  and all the ways we can participate with no limitations. How many times are we witnesses, in the course of a day, to everything from mere sexual innuendo in TV advertising , all the way to blatant portrayals in programming? Our culture accepts the industry of pornography allowing it to gross billions each year. The news media often contains situations where families, careers and individuals are destroyed by sexual improprieties, substance abuse, and hundreds of temptations. We are reminded through less serious news about people who have achieved fame but who appear to have absolutely no moral compass. Thus the behaviors of Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton or Snoop Dog victimize our children by a culture that has no heroes, no stand up guys or gals that exhibit a quality of character or moral fiber. 

 

There are some who would contend that the world is no more wicked then it was in Christ's time. That would be hard to measure. Human culture is full of sin. It is important to understand that the internet has changed everything that our   children were once protected from. NBC's Dateline has shined its light on something that we could never have imagined could walk into our homes. Because of internet chat rooms, a parents worst nightmare has bloomed with the development of  internet sexual predators.

 

Liberal organizations tell us that all of this is about the freedom of speech. Yet, each time a right to spread pornography is exercised, or questionable material is placed on TV, a parents right to keep their child innocent is shattered.

 

With each grain of innocence lost, the grains of cynicism grow. The roots of the unholy are molded and the cultural treasury is emptied of the noble, the valiant, the ethical, the honorable, the decent, the righteous, and the truth, to the point that we are no longer sure what these terms mean anymore. For a large segment of our youthful population these concepts are not even part of their thinking.

 

So what does Jesus tell us? In some of our Christian churches, this passage is avoided because it is seen as too confrontational and out of step with the times. Yes, indeed it is. It is out of step with what the secular humanists prevailing thinking is in a culture that seems to desire that immorality is no longer a relevant idea. We want decency but we want people to have freedom to be indecent. The problem is that there is no balance in this. We are always tipping the scales in one direction and Jesus knows this. So He tells us in this passage to wakeup to the understanding that you cannot be tolerant of evil or accepting of what is vile and still have morality. Purity does not come out of a cesspool. His words are clear-

" if your right 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 go into hell."

 

 It is interesting to note that even now, we are still  wondering if He really meant what He said? The foolishness of denial remains our enemy and Satan's friend.

 

 Jesus is showing us that we must confront the things  that lead us away from God, that we know instinctively and through scripture, God cannot condone. He does not leave us room for loopholes or excuses or "alternative thinking" that fits the times.  He does not make exceptions. Most important, He says this applies to all of us, to each one, no matter what sin we live with or how many.  He tells us that there is a way to come out of this cesspool of sin, that our culture wallows in day after day, and be washed clean. Christ is  the doorway out of the nightmare of sinfulness. He is the doorway to life. He is the light in the darkness of a lost and sinful world.

 

 Laurie Erdman      Faithwriter