Weekly Playlist  |  January 8-14

Sermon on the Mount - Introduction

Jesus and the Torah

Reflect on the passage of Scripture below and then watch a few related resources. As you reflect, consider this question: What does righteousness mean to Jesus?

Read – Matthew 5:17-48

Consider While Reading

By the time Jesus began teaching, countless rabbis had already offered their interpretations of the Torah. But Jesus has his own interpretation, speaking with shocking personal authority.

Matthew 5:17-48

Righteousness and the Torah

6 min

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Righteousness and the Torah
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Don't suppose that I have come to do away with the Torah or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to fill them full.
Because truly I tell you, until the sky and the land pass on, not one dot or one squiggle will pass on from the Torah until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever undoes one of the least of these commands, and then they teach people to do this, that person will be called least in the kingdom of the skies.
And whoever does the commands, and then teaches people to do this, that person will be called great in the kingdom of the skies.
Because truly I tell you, unless your doing-what-is-right far surpasses the scribes and Pharisees, you won't be entering into the kingdom of the skies.
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, "You will not murder" and "Whoever murders will be guilty by the court."
And I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be guilty by the court;
and whoever calls his brother "good for nothing!" will be guilty by the Sanhedrin and whoever says "fool!" will be guilty of the fire of gehenna.
Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your offering there before the altar and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
Settle matters in a friendly way with your legal-opponent while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent doesn't hand you over to the court-judge,
and the court-judge to the officer, so that you are thrown into prison. Truly, I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid back the last coin.
You have heard that it was said, "You will not commit adultery.
And I say to you that anyone who goes on looking at a woman in order to cultivate lust for her, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes your downfall, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into gehenna.
If your right hand causes your downfall, cut it off and throw it from you. For it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go off into gehenna.
It has also been said, "Whoever sends away his wife, he must give her a certificate of divorce."
And I say to you that anyone who sends away his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, he makes her the victim of adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, "Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made."
And I tell you, do not swear an oath at all, not by the sky, because it is God's throne; not by the land, because it is his footstool; not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King.
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
But let your word be "yes, yes," or "no, no." Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
You have heard that it was said, "An eye in recompense for an eye, and a tooth in recompense for a tooth."
And I say to you, do not resist-in-kind an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
To the one who asks of you, give.
And the one who wants to borrow from you, don't turn away.
You have heard that it was said, "You will love your neighbor, and you will hate your enemy."
And I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be children of your Father who is in the skies.
For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the nations do the same?
Therefore, you are to be whole as your Father in the skies is whole.

Reflect

How could following each of Jesus' instructions that start with 'I say to you...' help us become whole or complete?

About This Translation
This reading uses a new translation from the BibleProject Scholar Team, which aims to bring fresh language to familiar words while using consistent English terms for Greek words used throughout this part of Scripture.

We'll be adding more translations here in the future, but in the meantime, you can find more translations now on the BibleProject app.
Watch – Visual Commentaries, Matthew 5:17-48: Righteousness and the Torah

Highlight

“The purpose of the Torah is to teach people God’s wisdom so they can become mature, whole people who spread God’s blessing to the world.”

Listen – How Jesus Interprets the Torah

Chapter from Sermon on the Mount E2

How Jesus Interprets the Torah

7 min

Now Playing
How Jesus Interprets the Torah
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Highlight

“Jesus is speaking into live issues happening in his time. But what's unique is he just says it on his own authority. And he wasn't trained in Jerusalem. He isn't part of the rabbi's guild. He's not a priest. He's just a guy cruising around Galilee from Nazareth, putting his own interpretation of Torah alongside the words of God.”

Invite your friends and family to meditate on the teachings of Jesus together.
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