Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - June, 2005

Bible Study - Commentaries
Matthew Chapter 5: 25-37 

from Kaniyamparmabil Achen, the Great Teacher of Malankara

Verse 25-26: “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”


So many of the matters are reconcilable. But if it is prolonged without reconciling, then problems, divisions, counters, legal issues, etc. occur in the society and in the family. How graceful is it to admit the fault to our brother and if he is at fault, convince him lovingly of his fault, than prosecute him by a judge. 

This is a principle that we should practice in our daily life. But we should remember the same principle for eternal life. Unless we reconcile in this world, the eternal Judge will punish us. There is a conflict between spirit and flesh. We should end this conflict while we live in this world. In short make peace in proper time. 

Teaching about Adultery 

Matthew 5: 27-28: “Do not commit adultery”

Jewish law prescribes death for this breaking this Law (Exodus 20:14; Duet 5:18; Levites 20:10). This sin encompasses both uncleanness and dishonesty. 

But it is not only the sinful acts that matters, but even the thought that leads into matter. A lustful look is equivalent to the act. The eyes and hands are two agents of the sin. Eyes and thought are two servants of the sin. The Rabbis taught that one who looks with lust wills sinful thoughts. There are so many mediums now that will boost the incense thoughts available in the world. They are the same as looking at a woman with lust. 

Verse 5: 29-30 “If your right eye causes you to sin. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off…”

There are devotees who literally followed this. Eye attracts one to sin, and hand enacts the sinful thoughts. 

And both eyes and hands are very useful for human. But it should not lead us into sin. We avoid and reject anything that leads us into sin however valuable they are to us. Stay away from anything that we know that will reject heaven and fetch hell. Whenever we decide ‘No’ on certain things, at the same time our mind tempt us with a ‘Yes’. There are two things we can do to counter this problem: 1) Spend time thinking and studying about noble things 2) Get involved in Christian works. 

Always remember that the start of sin in this world was eyes (Gen 3:6). Apostle John says “For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:6).

Teaching about Divorce 

Verse 5: 31-32 “It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery” 

How did the Jews in our Lord’s time regard marriage and divorce? They in general were against divorce (Malachi 2:16). But in practice, the marriage relation was treated as trivial. A woman was considered as an object of man. Beyond that, her role was insignificant. She was not permitted to divorce her husband no matter the reason. But a husband could divorce his wife by giving a certificate of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1). 

Let us remember what our Lord said, “ Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning” (Mat 19:7-8). If one gives the certificate of divorce witnessed by two persons, then the wife is divorced. There were two schools of thought among the Jews regarding divorce. They were Hillel and Shammai. The Hillel school thought that one can issue a certificate of divorce if: 1) the food she cooked is not good enough 2) she talks to another man 3) she walks in public without head cloth 4) or she is rebellious. The Shammai held that one should not issue a certificate of divorce except for adultery. During our Lord’s time, man could divorce his wife for trivial reasons. More explanation on this is in Chapter 19.

Teaching about Oaths

Verse 5: 33-37 “You shall not swear falsely …Do not swear at all. 37But let your ‘Yes' be ‘Yes,' and your ‘No,' ‘No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” [Also refer Mat 23:22]

The Jews were so particular that they should tell only truth. The Rabbis taught that the existence of world is on justice, truth, and peace. They regarded one who changes his word like an idolater. David also said the same in Psalm 15. There was a difference between oath and swearing. At that time, Jews used to swear by God’s name (in Lord’s name) to show that something is true. (Even now this is the case amongst us, like saying ‘Lord’, ‘Jesus’, ‘God promise’ ‘Oh God’, etc.). They held that any swear in the name of God should never be changed, but other swears could be changed if necessary. But our Lord taught two things 1) There is no need for swearing; the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ of His followers has the same purpose and meaning as swearing and is as solid. 2) Do swear, like Jews were doing, not only on Lord God, but also on heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and one’s own head because they all belong to God.

Heaven – God’s throne; Earth – God’s footrest; ( Isaiah 66:1) Jerusalem is God’s city. Our head – God’s creation. So swearing by any of these is same as swearing by God. Because nothing is unrelated to God. A Christian should not have dual personalities, one in church and another at home. A ‘Yes’ by a Christ follower is 1,000 times rock solid than a swear by unbeliever. A devotee sees every act (spiritual or worldly ) as Godly. He does not have a spiritual life and worldly life of his own. 

“For whatever is more than these are from the evil one”

This is not about more explanation beyond ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. But it is about the word of a believer. In order to show its solidity a swear in not needed. In his wicked world, a poor character of an unbeliever causes a swear.