You're familiar with the command to the ancients, "Do not murder." I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder... You know the next commandment pretty well too, "Don't go to bed with another's spouse." But don't think you've preserved you virture just by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think no one notices--they can corrupt also. The Message
Monitoring and controlling your behavior can be pretty difficult. Just look at the Old Testament. You get the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law of Moses in the Torah, and most of the rest of the OT is about how the people couldn't keep the covenantal behavioral requirements. The prophets tried to set the people on the right course, but it didn't always work, so the people were exiled to Babylon as a consequence of their unrighteousness.
Obedience is difficult. We get it. We're human, after all.
But now in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is not only calling for right behavior. He is telling us our thoughts need to be pure. Why can't I have my consciousness? Isn't this going a bit far? Can't Jesus let me have my anger? I won't get out of control and strike someone. Can't Jesus let me have my lust? I'll keep appropriate boundaries.
Historically, this teaching from Jesus has been interpreted two ways. First, some have thought that Jesus was the first great cognitive psychologist, showing us that our thoughts are important. They determine how we will experience the world. It is crucial that we are aware of our thought life and seek to bring it into submission to our will, and of course, the will of God.
Augustine, if I remember correctly, thought that Jesus was pushing this obedience thing to the extreme to show that none of us can live a righteous life and therefore are dependent on the grace of God because of our sin. Remember, the scribes and Pharisees prided themselves, according to the Gospels anyway, on their perfect behavior in accordance with the Law. When Jesus says that even our thought life must be perfect, he renders even the most righteous among us as needy.
What do you think? How's your thought life?
I don't think it's about how well I control my thoughts so perfectly that God will be pleased with me. I think it's all about my inner transformation. Jesus is telling me what needs to happen so that I can love my neighbors as myself and love God.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad grace is involved 'cause otherwise I'm scr#*#@!. Was I clear with that?
ReplyDeleteI see thoughts as a progress report on how I'm doing towards seeing others as children of God. If I'm willing to think violently towards someone or objectify another, I know I still need to contemplate on the quality of those thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI think a part of this is about letting go of some of that "stuff" in our thoughts we have inside of us that keeps us from seeing God in others who we don't think measures up to our expectations. This "stuff" does not even have to be prejudices we have about people who are different from us. It can also be expectations and dreams we have about loved ones who are not measuring up, as well.
ReplyDelete