O. T. VI (A): Sir 15:15-20, I Cor 2:6-10, Mt 5:17-3

Today’s readings challenge us to choose freely and wisely to observe the laws given by a loving and caring God. The first reading, exhorts “If you choose, you can keep the commandments . . . before you are life and death, whichever you choose shall be given you.”  God revealed His laws through Moses and the prophets in the Old Testament and through His own Son, Jesus, in the New Testament. For the Israelites, the Torah was not a set of laws but the instruction or teaching intended to promote the holiness and wholeness of each believer. It was the revealed will of a caring God for the people with whom He had made His covenant.  

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says that he did not come to destroy the Torah but to bring it to perfection by bringing out its inner meaning because he is the ultimate Self-revelation of God the Law-Giver. Jesus also explains the real meaning of three Mosaic laws concerning murder, adultery and false oaths.

 Jesus came to establish a new Kingdom. Hence he had promulgated a new law. A new law for a new Kingdom. Neither the Jews who had been used to the rabbinic interpretation of the Mosaic Law, nor the Rabbis who interpreted the Mosaic Law could grasp the meaning of Jesus interpretation. They thought that Jesus was abolishing all the existing laws. In this context, Jesus declared that he had not come to abolish the Law but to complete it (Mt 5:17). Jesus taught them that the Kingdom of God would be guided by a single law, “The law of love.” Hence, Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments into two, “Love the Lord, your God with all your heart 

     ….Love your neighbour as yourself.”(Deut 6:5. Mt 22:38-39).

Jesus demanded a higher standard of conduct from the citizens of his Kingdom.

“If your virtue goes no deeper Than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, You will never get into the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20)

The contemporary Society of Jesus followed the principle of “an eye for an eye” and “a tooth for a tooth.” But in the new Kingdom that law was abolished and a new law was promulgated. “Show the right cheek to the one who strikes on the left.” It seemed impractical for the contemporaries of Jesus.

The demand of Jesus from the citizens of His Kingdom is a step higher than the normal standards. If anger is met with anger, treachery with treachery, falsehood with falsehood, there will not be any place for such people in the new kingdom.

This demand Jesus placed on his followers with great authority. All the Prophets spoke in the name of God. They announced, “Thus says the Lord….” The Rabbis taught in the name of the written word of God. “Thus it is written….” But Jesus taught in His own authority. “I say to you…” Everyone was amazed but no one dared to question the authority of Jesus, because his words radiated unchallengeable authority and wisdom.

By the world’s standards a man is a good man, if he never does a forbidden thing. The modern civilization has diluted it further. A man is not guilty until it is proved. The world judges a man from his deeds. But Jesus went one more step further. He judges a man from his thoughts. Jesus taught that thoughts are as important as deeds. By Jesus’ standards a man is not a good man until he never even desires to do a forbidden thing. Goodness proceeds from within not just from actions. As disciples of Jesus let’s ask his grace to purge our intentions, conscience and desires and accept his law of love to be citizens in his kingdom.