January 6-January 13, 2008

A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Carol Copeland
Omaha, Nebraska

If you have read the Bible many times or if you have never read the Bible at all, my goal is to challenge you to read this passage, Matthew 5-9, with a new perspective. We certainly live in an age of having the ability to see things from a different perspective don’t we? We have so many different types of media and communication tools that allow us to view our lives at a very detailed level or to stand back and take a global view of the world or of ourselves as an individual. We can inquire to find out much about ourselves--the number of pennies in our bank accounts to taking a personality test on-line to ‘Googling’ our street address and have a satellite image zoom in on our home. There is equal opportunity to learn many facts or much fiction about our earthly world too. So, as you begin to read this passage, I would challenge you to read it by stepping back and seeing what Jesus had to say on the whole in these 5 chapters, Matthew 5-9.

1.First, don’t begin with Chapter 5 and verse 1. Go to chapter 7, verse 12 and that will be the beginning point for your reading.

In everything, do to others what you would have them to do you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

2. Now that you have read this verse, is it familiar? Do you remember your mom or perhaps a teacher or a friend quoting these words to you in the past? What was the motivation for them to say those words to you? Had you done something to offend them OR were they merely defending themselves against what they have perceived as an injustice? After you think about that for a moment, then look back at the verse and answer this question: Who spoke these words? It was Jesus. Why was it Jesus spoke these words? The answer to this question will be found through your reading of these 5 chapters along with the thoughts I have prepared for you to review.

3. A few facts to find in the previous chapters—
1. Jesus has been heralded as ‘coming’
2. Jesus has been born physically and spiritually, Jesus has been baptized.
3. Jesus has begun his preaching ministry
4. Jesus has experienced temptation
5. Jesus has found followers, the first disciples—2 brothers—James, son of Zebedee and John
6. Jesus has fully begun his ministry

4. Now read chapters 5-7:11

*Jesus begins to address the audience on the mountainside, 5:1 with ‘qualifying’ statements. Qualifying by stating the requirement (“IF”) and (“THEN”)giving the outcome, such an example would be, verse 3:

IF you are poor in spirit, THEN the kingdom of heaven will be yours.
IF you mourn, THEN you will be comforted.
IF you are meek, THEN you will inherit the earth.
Et cetra, et cetra.

Re-write all of the beatitudes using the “IF”, “then” format.

**Then Jesus makes a small summary of how the characteristics of the beatitudes transforms lives into the very basis of life, salt and light. From here he begins to illustrate to his Jewish audience what it really means to be righteous in comparison to the Old Law. Read 5:17 – 6:18. Write down the places where 5 times Jesus uses the phrase “heard that it was said” and the 2 places where “who sees what is done in secret” are noted in this passage. Jesus is comparing the Old Law to His new teachings of what it means to be righteous before God. If you have studied the Bible very often you will know that some of these verses are used for proof texts for specific subjects, such as the definition and ‘theological-correctness’ of adultery and divorce, as an example. The focus of my thoughts are to remind you that Jesus is making a comparison with the thinking of living under the Mosaic Law versus living with freedom from boundaries of the law that was yet to come. He is beginning to prepare hearts and not just the mind for “What is the proper way to treat your fellow man?” He is preparing them for the expanse of the law from the tangible to the intangible concept.

***Next Jesus reminds his audience of the futility of working/saving/storing/hoarding the things of earth that are for naught. We know that none of today’s life will follow us into eternity, no, not one possession. From there Jesus tells us not to worry about all of those things because our Father will take care of us just as He does the birds of the air. And oh, by the way, if you decide that you do want to worry about these earthly possessions and the responsibility of having them OR NOT having them, it would serve you well to not judge your circumstances with those of another person’s. The best you can do is to have a relationship with Jesus and if you need something, just “ASK, SEEK & KNOCK”.

5. With the thoughts above we are come to chapter 7:12, the original premise of this reading.
In everything, do to others what you would have them to do you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Realizing that Jesus is addressing a Jewish audience, thinking about the previous verses in chapters 5-6 on a more summarized level rather than digesting them on a word by word, verse by verse level, does this not make you have a different context for the familiar admonition that Jesus states in verse 12? Viewing and reading this verse and realizing that Jesus spoke these words changes the focus or interpretation traditionally given to this passage. Do you think the admonition given by Jesus is because he had already experienced the frailty and inequities of the human experience? Or do you think this admonition was strictly given to encourage the audience to “be nice to each other”?

6. The next words that follow verse 12 to the end of the chapter 7 are Jesus’ final points to the listener. He has already told them what righteousness should be about with the Law in relation to their hearts. Have the listeners figured that out? Jesus tells them that this mindset has a narrow path to follow and warns too in versus 15-27 that there will be those who want to rob you of a successful journey on that path. Lastly, in verse 24, Jesus confirms for the listener just like a coach for a team---if you will just listen to me and follow my instructions you will not fail. It is here that Jesus uses the illustration of the wise and foolish builders of the houses.

Read chapters 7:28 – 9:38

Of course we know from reading 7:28 that the address in chapter 5, commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount, is over and that people are amazed at what Jesus has taught on the hillside. So then, how does chapter 8 and chapter 9 relate to these words?

Jesus is met with several instances of physical frailty that believers are willing to now ‘test’ with Him after they heard him speak.

 The man with leprosy – a social reject
 The centurion asking for his servant to be healed—illustrates ‘authority and servitude’; ‘master and slave’; ‘socially elite and socially common’
 Peter’s mother-in-law healed – a woman, probably not highly regarded in society, is healed by Jesus
 Many who were demon possessed – humans who would not have had a place in society are all brought to Him and healed.
 Healing of the 2 demon possessed men—the healing of these 2 men who were overtaken by forces out of their control are rescued by Jesus who then drives the demons into the animals that Jewish people would have regarded as fairly worthless—PIGS.
 Healing of the paralytic man – after the healing of the 2 demon possessed men, word spread rapidly about what Jesus did and could do and so this man was brought to Jesus because of his belief/faith that Jesus could heal him.
 A dead girl and a sick woman—a ruler, a person of high social standing, has come for help from Jesus because his daughter has died; a woman, who would have been declared ‘unclean’ due to her 12 years of bleeding, as an individual of faith she comes for healing.
 2 blind men and a demon-possessed dumb man—these 3 individual are brought to Jesus for healing because they have heard of His power but they demonstrate their faith through the yielding of the heart to this man they have heard amazing things about.

Why? Because verse 17b tells us this was to fulfill the words of the prophet Isaiah. It illustrates that in caring for the physically infirmed and socially rejected of the society that Jesus is living what he has just preached on the hillside---Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You.

The last call for this section of Matthew is chapter 9:9-38. Jesus has finished the ‘illustrative healings’—proving that not only can HE heal
those in need but that there is no discrimination as to who He would heal. Would this have been a problem for those who had listened to him at the Sermon on the Mount beginning in chapter 5? Jesus pressed on with His ministry and encountered crowds of “harassed and helpless” people who ‘like sheep without a shepherd” needed help. It is at this point that Jesus’ ministry expands beyond Himself and he enlists the help of the first 12 apostles to spread the word He was teaching.

In conclusion, I hope that these words have led you to read this passage as a whole rather than parts. Just as it challenges us daily to not live our lives compartmentalized in comparison to our professed belief and walk with Jesus Christ, reading Matthew 5-9 in the context of it is Jesus himself challenging “how would YOU like to be treated” has let you see clearly His message to live by faith with an open heart.

[Carol Copeland is a 1974 graduate of Oklahoma Christian University with degrees in Biology and Medical Technology. She's spent more than 30 years in the medical laboratory field combined with healthcare revenue cycle analysis. Carol and her husband, Rick, have been married for 33 years. Rick and Carol lived in Oklahoma City after graduating from college, then moved to St. Louis in 1977. The Copelands moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 1985, and are avid Cornhusker fans. They are members of the Southwest Church of Christ where Carol has led the Women's Ministry for several years. Rick and Carol have two daughters Courtney Copeland Corman and Abby Copeland Burt and a little daschund, Gracie.]