Matthew shared how Jesus began to preach saying, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, and He called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be His followers. As Jesus' fame spread throughout Galilee, many others were gathered unto Him. Matthew continued by sharing how Jesus taught concerning the “beatitudes” of the “Kingdom of Heaven”, and He said His disciples were the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” and if their “righteousness” did not “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” they would, “in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus continued with the example, “You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ... whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, you fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has ought against you: Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. Verily I say unto you, You shall by no means come out from there, till you have paid the uttermost farthing.” Jesus continued with another example as He said, “You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-eight of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery” where we read:
But
I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her
has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
The verse reads, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her ...” Matthew began with the word, “but” which means “moreover and” “I say” which means “Jesus utters, declares and proclaims” “that whosoever” or “whatever person whether male or female or anyone” “looks on” which means “observes, perceives, considers, contemplates, weighs carefully and examines” “a woman” or “a female of any age whether virgin, married or widowed” “to lust after” which means “desires, covets, longs for and seeks things forbidden with” “her” or “a female of any age whether virgin, married or widowed”. Jesus continued His thoughts concerning “adultery” as He referred to a person who “lusts” after a “woman”.
The verse goes on to say, “... has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthew continued with the words, “has committed adultery“ or “has debauched and had unlawful intercourse” “with her already” which means “with the woman even now and at this time” “in his heart” which refers to “the center and seat of the spiritual live where the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes and endeavors”. Jesus declared a person to be guilty of “adultery” within their “heart and soul” if they “looked upon a woman to lust after her”.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how “adultery”, like “murder” is a matter of the “heart”. Whenever a person “passionately desires” another person in a sexual way, that person is guilty of the sin of “adultery”. This is the “spirit of the law”, and not just the outward manifestation of it. God sent His Son Jesus to the world to save people from their “heart” “sin, guilt and shame”, and only when people recognize the “spirit” of these “sins” will they recognize their need for a “Savior”.
Next time Jesus tells His disciples, “if your right eye offend you, pluck it out”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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