Matthew, Part 2.

For those of you who didn’t know, this is my second entry about the book of Matthew. I read the whole thing front to back and I’m reflecting on the things I noticed about Matthew’s style and composition, as well as the events of Jesus’ life portrayed in his gospel.

Anyhow.

I love all the things that Jesus had to say from the top of the mountain he preaches from.

I’m sure a lot of you do too, obviously.

But seriously.

The last entry I wrote is about how Jesus is truly the interpreter of the law, not its destroyer.

Another thing that I think Matthew paid close attention to about Jesus is the poetry and beauty of his message that he had to share.

Yes, his whole life was perfect, he was powerful, and he performed miracles and healed the broken and sacrificed himself for our sins… These are all true, and they’re all important things about the nature of Christ, but I think that what Matthew must have been truly bewildered by about Jesus, as is especially evident in chapters 5, 6, and 7, is the perfect and beautiful nature of what he has to share with us.

Usually when I think about Jesus’ teaching, I admit, I think of RULES. I think of things Jesus wants us to do because we’re Christians and he expects it out of us. Listen to your parents. Respect other people. Smile when you go to church and give your money to the homeless and volunteer at your local Goodwill. But go ahead and read Matthew chapters 5-7. That’s what Jesus really did come here to say. That’s what he continues to say to us. And that’s how he lived.

“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” – 5:46

“If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” – 6:14

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” – 7:3

Jesus didn’t present his message like a list of rules. He didn’t present a threatening message. He’s presenting a divine and beautiful way of life, the true way to prosper. No more live sacrifices, no more making your own path to heaven. This is not only a window into how we should live; it’s the very walk of the holy and blameless Son of Man.

And even later in his ministry, Jesus continues the same approach.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.”
Jesus’ message is a divine challenge. The reward for cooperating isn’t that he’ll love you, it isn’t that he’ll forgive your sins, and it isn’t even that you’ll get into heaven.

When Jesus confronts people, he challenges them. He doesn’t command them. And I don’t know about you, but I feel like I want to respond to the challenge. Not for the reward on the other end, but because I know his message is blameless.