IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 947

ON LOVE; PART DXXXVI

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GoodWill IS Love in Action

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“The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).

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“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40).

In the last essay we discussed our ideas concerning the Master’s words on oaths from the Sermon on the Mount. From our King James Version, we have always seen the gist of His saying as that men were told not to swear an oath among themselves but to use the Name of God in their vows and this IS how we presented this in regard to the normal everyday vows that men make and we included in this the marriage vows. In this we added our thoughts regarding the Master’s speaking on this just after His speaking on the breaking of the marriage vows by divorce. For us this ALL made sense based on our reading the Master’s words that:

“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5:33-37).

However, in looking at other translations of this we find a different understanding which IS that the Master IS saying that which the Old Testament commandment is saying but in a more or less double fashion. This however IS not how the ideas of the law are worded and we should note here that in the previous saying the Master DID actually disagree with Moses thoughts on divorce. The law from Leviticus, when combined with the previous verse, tells us: “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:11-12). It IS in the light of this combined saying that we see this as we do and regardless of which ideas are right insofar as interpreting the Master’s words, this combination is a Truth. The end result IS the same, that a man should not make a vow falsely and in making such vows in the Lord’s name, one should accomplish them; and in this is the Master’s view of the problem whatsoever way that one can interpret them. Men CAN NOT predict the future and therefore they DO NOT KNOW that their vows will be accomplished regardless of who they are made to. Hence the directive NOT to swear any oaths but to let one’s word stand and this is likely intended to include any implied words of agreement.

Again we find that the Master’s words here include the idea of Love as we read above in the Great Commandments and that they include the precepts of the Golden Rule as well; in one’s affirmation that he will do a thing or act in a certain way there IS the reality of NOW and of the intent to do such; in this the Golden Rule can most easily apply as we would NOT want another to lie to us and therefore we DO NOT lie to them. We should remember here that many of these ancillary laws that are expounded by Moses nearly 3500 years ago are such that they deal with the man in that day and his proclivities and that the Master takes many of Moses words and clarifies them for that present generation and hence the ideas on anger versus killing, adultery and lustful thoughts, and here about oaths that, while they were once commonplace and likely necessary, are now frowned upon because men DO NOT and often CAN NOT fulfill them. And there are many such ideas throughout the gospels; among these are some that we have recently discussed including the diminishing of the dietary rules through the Master’s assertion that it matters not what goes into the body and the rules on sacrifice which the Master reminds us are already changed by the prophets. Here the teaching is that one’s word should stand as one’s Truth regardless of to whom that word IS addressed.

The next group of sayings is in some ways connected to these ideas on swearing oaths. In some cases it IS difficult to understand the mindset of the man in the day Moses gave these primary rules and it is yet more difficult to see what the Jewish doctrines and traditions had done to them over the nearly 1500 years before the Advent of the Christ. Here, while the Master’s next words are a bit easier to understand, they are nonetheless not seen in their Truth and, while we can see that they offer a strong Truth to the aspirant and guidance for the race of men that understands only the surface value, we CAN see as well that they are largely ignored by religion and common law. The Master says:

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39).

Here is a radical change to the Law and again we should see that the construct of the words of Moses was meet for the men in his day and we should note that this was intended to be done by the law which was brutal and abrupt but likely necessary in those times. We should remember as well that these words above, the Great Commandments are also offered in the same context as this apparent brutality and we can perhaps see the idea that the law of Love is the intended way of man but that KNOWING the difficulty in keeping these words, the many other laws are offered. It IS the Master’s intent however to change this and to say that if one does harm to the man who understands this new view and the nature of the law, that this person WILL NOT retaliate. However, these words ARE NOT parabolic, they are clear and in this clarity those who purport to follow the Lord should accept them and follow them. In the difficulty of accomplishing this, some of the doctrinal rational has limited this to personal revenge and some have laid the idea of retribution off to the magistrate who may take such revenge instead. This idea continues to this day and this IS intended to protect one’s interests for a more peaceful society but the additional reality for the individual remains. Here however there is NO retribution, NO self-defense so to speak, and we should see that this infers more than just physical harm as becomes clearer as the Master proceeds. This idea to turn the other cheek is based as well in the reality of Love and of the Golden rule and also based in the idea that we should understand our brother and his motivations as for the most part they are the same as our own.

In many parts of the world there IS still punishment accorded to offenders that IS much the same as an eye for an eye but in the more ‘civilized’ societies the greater idea is incarceration; there IS however little True justice in the world today. This message IS to ALL but the greater message here is to us as aspirants and to disciples who understand the temporal nature of Life in this world, the permanency of the Life of the Soul and that reality that our premature demise here in any given Lifetime is but a temporary inconvenience….a most difficult thing to understand. Hence the reality of “resist not evil” and the need to understand that the smiting on the cheek IS but an example. Commentary on this idea tells us:

• But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; This is not to be understood of any sort of evil, not of the evil of sin, of bad actions, and false doctrines, which are to be opposed; nor of the evil one, Satan, who is to be resisted; but of an evil man, an injurious one, who has done us an injury. We must not render evil for evil, or repay him in the same way; see (James 5:6). Not but that a man may lawfully defend himself, and endeavour to secure himself from injuries; and may appear to the civil magistrate for redress of grievances; but he is not to make use of private revenge. As if a man should pluck out one of his eyes, he must not in revenge pluck out one of his; or should he strike out one of his teeth, he must not use him in the same manner; but patiently bear the affront, or seek for satisfaction in another way ⁸. Here John Gill sees this differently than we do as we can see in his words here and this IS likely the view of many who at least understand that personal retribution is forbidden.
  
• But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn to him the other also–Our Lord’s own meek, yet dignified bearing, when smitten rudely on the cheek ( John 18:22 John 18:23 ), and not literally presenting the other, is the best comment on these words. It is the preparedness, after one indignity, not to invite but to submit meekly to another, without retaliation, which this strong language is meant to convey ⁸. In these words from the Commentary Critical of the Whole Bible there is a better sense for the Master’s meaning, that this IS as strong statement that IS shown to us in the Master’s own actions; His example.
• Matthew Henry in the concise version of his Commentary on the Whole Bible says: The plain instruction is, Suffer any injury that can be borne, for the sake of peace, committing your concerns to the Lord’s keeping. And the sum of all is, that Christians must avoid disputing and striving. If any say, Flesh and blood cannot pass by such an affront, let them remember, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and those who act upon right principles will have most peace and comfort ⁸. 

While Mr. Gill does not seem to get the Master’s intent, these other two commentaries DO but this IS not generally reflected in the behavior of the Christian world nor in the behavior of much of the church through the centuries. We should of course see these things corporately as well as individually when the theme allows and while this IS a difficult thing to do, we DO have His example and we DO have a basic understanding of the idea of meekness as the Master portrays it; that it is the ability to refrain from an action that one IS capable of doing to alleviate one’s own stress but which will harm the other party. In this we should see thoughts and attitudes and not actions alone. And this theme carries through to the next saying by the Master where we should see that not only IS it one’s physical body for which evil should be resisted by one’s possessions as well; we read:

 “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain” (Matthew 5:40-41).

In this we should take the idea that if one IS liable or not that he should not fight but should give more than is required of him and the Truth of this is in the idea that whatsoever that one has as possessions is unnecessary and contrary to the reality of discipleship. Here is the beginning of the Master’s telling us that the things of the world are worthless from a spiritual perspective. Again a difficult idea to accomplish but these ARE nonetheless the Master’s words. These last two ideas are similarly framed in Luke’s Gospel where we read: “And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also” (Luke 6:29). Based upon this from Luke, John Gill takes away the idea of the court and the law saying: And if any man will sue thee at the law; Or “will contend with thee”, or as the Syriac renders it, (Kme Nwdnd), “will strive”, or “litigate with thee”; not contest the matter, or try the cause in an open court of judicature, a sense our version inclines to; but will wrangle and quarrel in a private way, in order to take away thy coat, by force and violence, let him have thy cloak also; do not forbid, or hinder him from taking it ⁸. Here, rather than choose a version for a course of action, both should be chosen and this saying should be seen as the private quarrel and the court as well; we should always see the Master’s words in the broadest possible way.

Here in this saying there is much said about the relationship of the coat to the cloak and the value of each but this IS NOT the intent of the Master when viewed from the perspective of the totality of His words here. The intent is as we have said, to give; not cloak with coat as these are but examples but rather in the view that if one sues for, or takes as Luke presents this, whatsoever one may have, the attitude should be to say ‘take this also’ or even ‘take it all’. And while these ideas do not make much sense in the view of the average man in the world, for us, for the aspirant, the reality of forsaking should come to mind….that we must give it ALL up for discipleship. But this is hidden in the Master’s words to those whose focus IS upon the things of the world and their value in the world; men CAN NOT see how it is that these things can be willingly be given up. There is no measure given here to what a man may have and again, seeing Jesus’ words in the broadest possible way, this should not matter. If a man has one coat and one cloak and someone takes his coat by any means, the Master’s words are to give the cloak as well; this should be no different with money, cars, or shoes, the idea is that what one has matters not, give the rest away as well. This same idea comes through in the idea of going the extra mile; this has naught to do with distance but with this same example of giving more that asked or even more that what is forced; this IS the nature of the disciple.

There is no easy way to accommodate the Master’s words in this beginning part of the Sermon as they are contrary to the vision of men in the world and this IS likely the whole point of the Master’s words; the ways of the world MUST give way to the ways of God. In ALL these things so far the killing and the anger, the  adultery, divorce, using oaths and resisting evil to the degree where one gives even what IS NOT asked for, we should see the contrary nature of Truth and of Love…how that these are contrary to the way of the man in the world. We should note here as well that in the Master’s words the crescendo IS increasing, the force of His Truths become ever more clear as we move next into giving and Love. This fifth chapter ends with these words which we will treat together:

“Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:42-48).

We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.

Aspect of God	Potency	Aspect of Man	In Relation to the Great Invocation	In relation to the Christ
GOD, The Father	Will or Power	Spirit or Life	Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN	Life
Son, The Christ	Love and Wisdom	Soul or Christ Within	Heart of God	Truth
Holy Spirit	Light or Activity	Life Within	Mind of God	Way

Note on the Quote of the Day

This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.

We repeat here a Quote of the Day that we spent much time with over the course of our essays. In this affirmation we find the Truth of discipleship as we have been ever been expressing and here we can relate our themes of the last few days; “take no thought” for the things of the world and that we approach the Kingdom and discipleship in the nature of the little child, in humbleness, meekness, unashamed in any way and unassuming. The message that this imparts for us today IS that it IS the Soul that is at work in the world of men as it expresses to some degree the purpose, power and the will through Life in this world. These words are from a meditation offered to his students by our Tibetan brother and in which we find greater understanding of the message of the Master. This IS Truly the way of the disciple.

My Soul has purpose, power and will; these three are needed on the Way of Liberation.
My Soul must foster love among the sons of men; this is its major purpose.
I, therefore, will to love and tread the Way of Love. All that hinders and obstructs the showing of the Light must disappear before the purposes of the Soul.
My will is one with the great Will of God;. that Holy Will requires that all men serve. And unto the purposes of the Plan I lend my little will.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!

• ⁸ Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com