Leviticus 19: 1,2, 9-18; First Corinthians 3: 10,11, 16-23; Matthew 5: 38-48
Leviticus: “..you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
Leviticus (Vayikra: a manual of religious guidance for priests and worshippers). Composed and compiled from many sources and times around 500 BC according to scholars. It is note worthy; this lesson is the only reading from Leviticus in our lectionary; there must be some important things to think on! The text is broken, in the first and second verses we find God telling Moses to tell the people of Israel that I am holy and you must be holy too! The skipped over verses (3-8) instruct about honoring parents, keeping the Sabbath, discard idol worship, and make your sacrifice acceptable. The instructions in verses 9 to 18 include:
Leave the odds and ends in the field of harvest and the un-ripened grapes to feed the poor and alien.
In your dealings with others do not steal, deal falsely, lie, swear falsely, or profane the name of God.
Don’t defraud your neighbor, keep back wages from the day laborer, revile the deaf or place stumbling blocks before the blind.
In judgment situations, do not defer to the great or wealthy or be unjust to the poor; be fair in your judgments. Do not slander or profit from the blood of neighbor.
Do Love your neighbor as yourself.
In the context of these times, a neighbor would include close kin, members of your tribe, perhaps the gentile that were living close by. It would exclude the foreigner and stranger. Stay tuned, because in the Gospel, the definition of neighbor is radically changed. These passages are from the portion of Leviticus that the scholars refer to as Holiness instructions; providing good moral and ethical foundations.
Back in Ephesus, Paul, continues his letter to correct poor behavior in the Corinthian church. Paul uses the analogy of builders (himself, Apollos, Cephas) to explain, that a builder must build on a solid foundation for a great and lasting creation. In our case the firm foundation is provided by Jesus! God built a temple in you in which the Holy Spirit dwells. Do not be foolish in seeking worldly wisdom that leads you away from God. “You belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God.”
The Sermon on the Mount continues from last week. Matthew compiled Jesus’ most poignant and in some ways disturbing hot statements on living the Christian walk for this section of his Gospel. Matthew introduces each statement with, “You have heard it said”, followed by the law or instruction, and Jesus comment, “But I say to you” and Jesus ‘amplification on this instruction. The first of these is an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth (Lex Talionis). Put in today’s justice codes, the idea is barbaric. In the time of Jesus, blood feuds or clan warfare (Hatfields & McCoys) was the name of the game. If you were a McCoy and were injured by a Hatfield, woe is the Hatfield clan because it was common to kill or maim many for the injury. The justice code of Hammurabi (2242 to 2285 BC was an early attempt to bring about justice and eliminate the clan warfare. Exodus 21, Leviticus 24: 19, 20, and Deuteronomy 19: 21 copy the Code of Hammurabi and include element of mercy. Only a Judge can render a decision and he could reduce the scope of the retribution, hence the reduction of blood feuds and limits on vengeance.
Jesus tells the gathered multitude, don’t think you can Lex Talionis and be of God’s Kingdom. Turn the other cheek; give away your cloak (a very important garment). If you are impressed by the Roman authorities to carry goods (aggareuein) for a mile, do it for two miles (with a smile). A Christian does not stand on legal rights; do your duty out of love for your neighbor. Beg & Borrow follows Jewish Law (Deuteronomy 15: 7-11); it is a privilege and an obligation to give to the needy. It is a gift to God. William Barkley noted that pursuant to giving, “that it is better to help a score of fraudulent beggars than risk turning away one man in need.”
The Love issue comes in and gives us a shock. As noted in Leviticus, Love of Neighbor had a limited expression; neighbor was essentially someone you knew. Here Jesus is unequivocal that the Love should be expressed and flow to friend and enemy- this is the foundation of Christian Action. Using the Greek divisions of love, it is the Agape form of that allows us to love the stranger, the foreigner, and even my enemy. Agape means to love with benevolence, goodwill, and invincibility. This action of Love of those that are not caring for us and may be an enemy may be called, “Tough Love.” It is not easy and it requires Christ in your life to make it happen. In some manner, pray for those that hate you and it becomes possible to see them in a different light. At the end of this passage, Jesus calls us out, “be perfect, therefore as your Heavily Father is perfect.” Love can make it a possibility. Forgive as God forgives and love as God Loves (William Barkley) The evolution of Love from Leviticus to the Sermon on the Mont is a great journey and in the end, it is Love that makes us Holy.
Submitted by Walt Jaap
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