MATTHEW REFLECTION - Week 2

The passages we’ve read this week are perhaps the greatest collection of sayings and teachings attributed to Jesus that we have. We know these chapters as ‘The Sermon on the Mount’, but whilst it’s unlikely that this was delivered as one sermon (Jesus didn’t have the privilege of a Tony on PA recording his talks word for word, so this was probably a summation of things Jesus taught on different occasions or sayings which represent his ethos and core message), Matthew 5-7 forms a foundation for our understanding of Jesus’ central teachings. They reveal a huge amount about what Jesus was going around teaching on Earth. These teachings cover a broad range of topics and are rich with practical and moral guidance. Each day, we may have only read small chunks, but there was plenty to get our teeth into. So, here’s what I picked out as some key themes – let me know if you read things differently! 

We are God’s representatives on Earth. 

Shocking though it might be to go right past the much loved ‘Beatitudes’, Matt 5:13-16 offers two illustrations of what God wants our role to be in Their creation – we are to be active agents, Salt to the Earth and Light to the World. Both of these face challenges (Salt losing it’s taste or light being put under a bushel), but our identity remains in the calling of Jesus for us to be these things and our mission becomes to overcome the challenges.  

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes forget that it’s me that this is talking about and not Jesus. There are other descriptions in the bible of God being the light (Isaiah 9:2 for example), but here we’re told that we are the light of the world. How can we possibly live up to that mantle? Thankfully, these passages go on to explain. 

We must go above and beyond. 

The back end of Matthew 5 presents us with what are sometimes called ‘The Antitheses’, where Jesus repeats a framework as he’s making his points. He says “You have heard it said…” and then quotes part of the Jewish law, but continues with “but I say to you…” and then offers a new perspective. Jesus does not negate the law of Moses, but he tries to get to the heart of what the law is about, elaborating on the spirit of the law. Of course, don’t murder, but that law is intended to show that we need peace in our communities. Extending beyond the law of not murdering anyone, Jesus suggests that we shouldn’t even be angry at others – this threatens the peaceful coexistence that is intended for us.  

As a youth worker, I’m quite used to working with young people who want to do the bare minimum asked of them – just following the rules and doing explicitly what they are asked to do and not more. These young people annoy me. What their actions communicate is a willingness to oblige, but not a willingness to be changed in their thinking and feeling by their experiences and environment.  They demonstrate a lack of care for the systems they’re in. Jesus calls us to go above and beyond, to do more than the bare minimum laid out in the law and do the extra work to more clearly reflect God’s heart for Their people. This demonstrates that we care about God’s ways of doing things. Hopefully, most of us don’t struggle to keep the command not to murder – following this law doesn’t require much sacrifice on our part. But to not be angry at others? Now, that’s a more challenging instruction. 

We need to be exemplary. 

Another impact of these types of statements is that Jesus is holding his disciples to a different standard. ‘You have heard it said’ refers to in the Jewish law, the standard by which the Jews would be judged. ‘But I say to you’ then introduces a deeper level by which one can adhere to the law; a new level of obedience to God’s desires for us.  

Jesus makes clear to us today that sin is not about a specific act, it’s about our hearts! We aren’t judged, in this context, by what we’ve done, rather who we are – our motivations, our attitudes and our desires. 

If we are representatives of God on Earth, and we are being invited to go above and beyond what might reasonably be expected of us, then we must set an example of how to live as God intends us to. And we can’t just set the example in our actions, but we must first be transformed within (Romans 12:2) and let our renewed mind shape our lives that sets an example. 

Be humble. 

One key aspect of this exemplary living is humility. Matthew 6 gives several examples of what Jesus describes as hypocrisy – supposedly religious people who act in such a way that reveals that their motivations are selfish. They act in an overtly pious manner so that they can be seen to be better Jews. Maybe we can recognise some of this in our own behaviours?  

Jesus reminds us that those who act in such a way have had their rewards already. Those who are humble – and what Jesus describes sounds almost like secretive or private in their giving/praying/fasting – will be rewarded in Heaven. To be a follower of Jesus example and teaching, we need to check ourselves and ask some difficult questions, like ‘Am I doing this for Jesus or am I doing this for me?’. 

Above all else, we need to know Jesus. 

This, then, leads us to a familiar conclusion, but one of which it is good to be reminded. 

It’s all about Jesus. 

Today, we’ve read (or will read) Matthew 7:21-23, which should be a wake up call to all believers. We can be doing all the right things in Jesus’ name - prophesying, casting out demons, doing mighty works – but that still not be enough to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. This is because, as we’ve read, it isn’t about what we do, rather who we are! Jesus says that people can do all sorts of things but not know him. So knowing Jesus, then, must be our priority.  

To be the people who God wants us to be – God’s representatives, going above and beyond, setting an example especially through humility – we need to make knowing Jesus better the main thing. This is an ongoing process and can be our priority regardless of whether we are not Christians, have been for a short while or for a very long time!  

So this week coming, in response to this, don’t think about what you can do, but think about how you can get to know Jesus better, strengthening and deepening relationship with him. 

 And share you suggestions with others – that’s what Jesus did!