Matthew 5, discovering
intention to perfectly pursue necessary goodness
Updated on
6/9/2025: self-righteousness invites judgement. Also, 6/13/25 re Wolterstorff. Also, 11/23/25 after I dropped out of UBC and Nomads’
class.
Guide:
CJB emphasis in bold (CJB online), text I emphasize
in green; NIV in magenta; footnotes to CJB in superscript sky blue; Nomads*
discussion in yellow; and my comments in gray. I may use endnotes to cite outside literature or
extensive comment.
*Participative
Sunday-school-class at UBC led by Ken Tipton. My continually improved statement
about Genesis 1:26-28 is at the end of this post.
Word search, CJB:
1.
Blessed
(9)
2.
You (81),
. . . are (5)
3.
“You have
heard”
a. ‘Do
not murder,’
b. ‘Do
not commit adultery.
c. ‘Do
not break your oath,’ and ‘Keep your vows to Adonai.
d. Eye
for eye and tooth for tooth.
e.
‘Love your neighbor
Chief concerns and possible insights:
1. Herein seems evidence that Genesis 1’s
creation by God transitions to an
alternative story of the Lord God at
Genesis 2:4. The competition continues throughout the Old Testament and becomes
redemption for life versus death in the New Testament. Pivotal evidence is
shared in the attached jpg screen shots from http://hebrewoldtestament.com/ .
2. With 2000 years’ added discovery and 10000
years with grammar, we may and can reject any bad advice the ancient writer
offers, such as neither appreciating
no-harm non-believers nor annihilating
evils such as Jihadists.
a. Perhaps “the kingdom of The God” is here
and now – in each generation
3. Yeshua’s process for reconciliation of
civic/civil dispute is enhanced in V23-26.
4. Yeshua’s affirmation of Genesis 1:26-28 is
evident, especially in V48.
5. The “eye for eye” references derive from 3700
year old Babylonian law code, not 5500 year old Sumerian law codes.
6. Writer-biases are exposed in both CJB and
NIV.
7. Judeo-Christianity reports controversies
from The God to competitive Lord Gods.
Working considerations:
1. V3 “poor in spirit” means humble to The God.
2. V5 “meek” means quiet, or mild. CJB has “land”
rather than NIV’s “earth”.
8.
V6
What is “righteousness”? I prefer “goodness”.
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdcIkbAMWKA Dr. Nicholas Wolterstorff
argues that interpreters should be advocating justice or “to righteousness” in
humility to The God.
b. The Messianic Jews responsible for CJB
also missed Wolterstorff’s debate.
9. V9 NIV objects to CJB’s “sons of God”.
10. V11 breaks from encouragement to judgement
against dissidents.
11. V17 But beware dissidents against the law
a. V20 elites are hypocrites.
b. V20 pursue righteousness or goodness or
justice.
c. Consider some improvements on the law (mitzvot, V19)
i.
V22 contempt
condemns the angry person.
ii.
V23 self-righteousness
invites judgement.
iii.
V24
pursue reconciliation, as in Matthew 18:15-17
1. Matthew 18:18 affirms Genesis 1:26-28.
iv.
V28
adultery is out of the question is Matthew 19:5-6
1. Note: the Council of Jerusalem concluded
gentile believers avoid idolatry, blood-borne
pathogens, and fornication
2. Moses’ law had 613
commandments (mitzvot)
v.
V37
practicing necessary is sufficient
vi.
V39
Jihadist teach us we must annihilate evil people, e.g., in order to give rebels
opportunity to reform.
vii.
V40
history informs us that “eye for eye” increases disability and dependency and
is therefore not practicable – economical.
viii.
V45 Appreciate
that The God sustains erroneous citizens, granting them the opportunity to reform
-- collaborate with The God.
1. It’s a matter of appreciating that reasonable
errors are accommodated
2. Habitual error begs ruin.
12. V18 modern Jews informed that conditions
for their Messiah have not yet happened.
13. V48 Instructed by Yeshua to be perfect, we
may realize it is possible and pursue our unique perfection from the
moment of personal intention. Update on
3/28/2025; Yeshua may be commenting on Deuteronomy 18:13.
5:1 Seeing the crowds, Yeshua walked up the
hill. After he sat down, his talmidim disciples came to him, 2 and he began to speak. This is
what he taught them:
3 “How
blessed are the poor in spirit!
[not proud or despairing
not meek]
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 “How
blessed are those who mourn! for they will be comforted.
5 “How
blessed are the meek!
for they will inherit the Land earth! Psalm 37:11, “But the meek will inherit
the land
and delight themselves in
abundant peace.”
6 “How
blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness!
for they will be filled.
7 “How blessed are those who show mercy!
for they will be shown mercy.
8 “How
blessed are the pure in heart!
for they will see God.
9 “How
blessed are those who make peace!
for they will be called sons of God children of God.
10 “How
blessed are those who are persecuted because they pursue righteousness! [This ends general goodness,
perhaps to groom the apostles among disciples, and clears the way to competitive
believers. This seems good start for a study of what “image of God” might mean.] for the Kingdom of
Heaven is theirs. [Relating
to John 1:1, Ken expressed that Nomads were hearing from “the Word”.]
11 “How blessed you are when people insult you and
persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! [A segue into divisive attitude
– “vicious lies” seems overboard. It seems a quid pro quo based on Matthews’s
opinion.] 12 Rejoice, be glad, because your
reward in heaven is great — they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. [Yeshua’s goodness may
have visited people Matthew calls “prophets”. Matthew may not have known them
all, for example, Agathon, quoted by Plato 460 years before Yeshua was born.
Agathon’s speech, in “Symposium” seems worthy of a SS lesson. It also reminds
me that “Before Abraham was born I am” extends both backward and forward and to
both Sarah and Hagar. The person who sincerely
considers and shares with willing contemporaries mutual pursuit of goodness,
can trust Yeshua-reliability.]
13 “You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes
tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything
except being thrown out for people to trample on. [If you allow aggressive people to oppress you, you
cannot share Yeshua’s influence. No one who has discovered goodness that
motivates good behavior can be discouraged by produ writers like Matthew.]
14 “You are light for the world. A town built on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Likewise, when people
light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so
that it shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the
same way, let your light shine before people, [Never fear civic integrity: I write
blogs to not subjugate myself to “scholarship” and other licensure
stonewalling. Obviously, I find it rewarding to claim that independence. And
there’s no such thing as religious integrity, because it is founded in mystery.], so that they may see the good
things you do and praise your Father in heaven. [These salt and light metaphors continue the divisive
attitude. Ken’s “but” is coming. In V.11, it seems your light should shine because of Yeshua.
In reverting to “the Father” is Matthew bemused about who Yeshua is? Does he
cite the Father to try to avoid persecution because of Yeshua?] [To the serenely-confident
civic-student, goodness overcomes the mysteries accumulated in past pursuits of
comprehension, and discovery should be mutually shared.]
17 “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or
the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 18 Yes
indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as
a yud [work]
or a stroke will pass from the Torah — not until everything that must happen has happened.
[Modern Jews hold that not
everything required for a Messiah has happened.] 19 So
whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot commands and teaches
others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever
obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 For
I tell you that unless your righteousness
is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P’rushim,
you will certainly not enter the
Kingdom of Heaven! [What
is righteousness and how does a person learn it? The catalogue that follows is
insufficient.
If Jews believe keeping the law merits heaven, this paragraph seems anti-Semitic.
If it is, civic-citizens ought to be cautious about judging citizens who do not
appreciate the practical Yeshua --- the Yeshua discernable by living people.] [For example, in Matthew 19:3-8 Jesus corrected Moses’
law about divorce.]
21 “You have heard that our fathers were
told, ‘Do not murder,’ Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17 and
that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. 22 But
I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother or sister will be
subject to judgment;
that whoever calls his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before
the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, ‘Fool!’ incurs the penalty of
burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom! Hell 23 So if you are
offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against
you, 24 leave your gift where it is by the
altar, and go, make peace be reconciled with your brother. Then come
back and offer your gift. [I am suspicious of altar instructions, because
elsewhere Yeshua advocates building character rather than materialism. And
philanthropy is a way of re-distributing U.S. taxation without legislative
oversight; I oppose it. Matthew 6:21 applies to churches as well as to
citizens: “For where your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.” Churches are rent-seekers who skim from “caring for the
poor”.]25 If someone sues you, come to terms with him
quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to
the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in
jail! 26 Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly
not get out until you have paid the last penny. [These verses, 22-26, about settling dispute continues
explanation of Yeshua’s process in Matthew 18:15-17); private notice and
resolution; if not resolved, invite a second person to get involved; if not,
take it public; if not, forget that brother. Nomads like the process and
consider it difficult. Conflict resolution is not easy. Civic and civil order
are to be appreciated.]
27 “You have heard that our fathers were
told, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18 28 But I tell
you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her [My opinion as that intention is
the key here. Just as not appreciating a rose is erroneous, not appreciating a
woman is wrong. President Jimmy Carter did not understand this, and I perceive
his wife forgave his offense.] has already committed adultery with her
in his heart. 29 If your right eye makes you sin,
gouge it out and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you
than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom. 30 And
if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you
should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom. [Suggesting self-disabling is
from the writer, not Yeshua’s civic influence. The practical Yeshua
is more realistic than Matthew’s seeming adolescence. What’s at stake is
objectification of women for sexual fantasy. An authentic man perceives every
woman a potential crowd, with up to 400 eggs to produce during her fertile
years. By no imagination would he engage the crowd for sexual satisfaction.]
31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife
must give her a get.’ Deuteronomy 24:1, “Suppose a
man marries a woman and consummates the marriage but later finds her
displeasing, because he has found her offensive in some respect. He writes her
a divorce document, gives it to her and sends her away from his house.” The footnote reveals CJB infidelity
to OT scripture. 32 But I tell you that anyone
who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication for sexual immortality,
makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits
adultery. [This is less
motivating than Yeshua’s affirmation of Genesis 1:26-28 in Matthew 19:5-6. And
it’s
not that simple. If a spouse’s conduct is ruining the children’s future; the
offenders hears the complaint without expressing consideration, remorse,
repentance, and reform; then resumes the practice, the responsible spouse must
take civil action.]
33 “Again, you have heard
that our fathers were told, ‘Do not break your oath,’ and ‘Keep
your vows to Adonai. the Lord’ Leviticus 19:12, “Do not swear by my name falsely, which would be
profaning the name of your God; I am Adonai.” Number 30:3 (2), “when a man makes a
vow to Adonai or
formally obligates himself by swearing an oath, he is not to break his word but
is to do everything he said he would do.” Deuteronomy 23:22, “When you make a
vow to Adonai your
God, you are not to delay in fulfilling it, for Adonai your God will
certainly demand it of you, and your failure to do so will be your sin. “ [Why
are most U.S. Presidents so arrogant? I think it’s because Christians
accommodate religious arrogance. I don’t think Yeshua-practitioners would
accommodate presidential oaths.]
34 But I tell you not to swear at all — not ‘by heaven,’
because it is God’s throne; 35 not
‘by the earth,’ because it is his footstool;
Isaiah 66:1 “Heaven is my throne,” says Adonai, “and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house could you build
for me? What sort of place could you devise for my rest? Didn’t I
myself make all these things? This is how they all came to be,” says Adonai., and not ‘by
Yerushalayim,’ because it is the city of the Great King. Psalm
48:3, beautiful in its elevation, the joy of all the earth, Mount
Tziyon, in the far north, the city of the great king. [I
doubt Yeshua spoke “city of the Great King”. Matthew projects Yeshua onto an
Old Testament phrase.] 36 And
don’t swear by your head, because you can’t make a single hair white or
black. 37 Just let your ‘Yes’ be a simple ‘Yes,’
and your ‘No’ a simple ‘No’; anything more than this has its origin in evil. [Nomads: if you neglect the
ought, the error is inevitable despite your claims.]
38 “You have heard that our fathers were
told, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ Exodus
21:24, ”eye
for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” Leviticus 24:20, “break for break, eye for eye, tooth for tooth —
whatever injury he has caused the other person is to be rendered to him in
return. (Maftir)” Deuteronomy 19:21, “Show no pity: life for life, eye for
eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” [Does anyone trust Matthew on this
report? For example, the moment I realize a person is heavily under narcotics,
I leave the scene.] 39 But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you
wrong do not resist an
evil person. On the contrary, if
someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek
too! 40 If someone wants to sue you for your shirt,
let him have your coat as well! 41 And if a soldier
forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! 42 When
someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow
something from you, lend it to him. [The laws of physics deny this advice. Zoroastrianism featured 2
personal principles. First, goodness begets goodness. Second, choose goodness
rather than evil. Today, there are less than 200,000 Zoroastrians -- in India,
Iran, and in N. America. The violence of Jihad informs us that a civic people
may and can reform dissidents and rebels and must annihilate evils. A wayward citizen
needs the chance to reform and therefore must be protected from Jihadists.]
43 “You
have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Love your neighbor Leviticus
19:18, ” Don’t take
vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your
neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai.” — and hate your enemy.’ 44 But
I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 Then
you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike,
and he sends rain to the
righteous and the unrighteous alike. 46 What reward [The writer is suggesting quid
pro quo thinking. Yeshua simply influences necessary goodness.] do you
get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do
that! 47 And if you are friendly only to your
friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do
that! [“Love” is
overplayed. Appreciation is more effective.] 48 Therefore,
be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. [As Ken suggests, I think Yeshua meant it. A
person can pursue perfection, once they intend to.] [Update on 3/28/2025: Deuteronomy
18:13, “You must
be wholehearted with Adonai your God.” (CJB) and “You must be
blameless before the Lord your God.” (NIV)] [This may be the
most difficult message attributed to Yeshua. Here’s my take on it.
Human beings face necessity& justice: shared
subjectivity to physics& progeny with potential to practice, facilitate,
and encourage perfect choices --- mimic the practical Yeshua. Enemies and
persecutors are fellow-citizens encouraged to reform. However, evil, which
Matthew did not address, must be eradicated.
Love is often inappropriate, e.g., when it is not
wanted by the other party. Appreciation is a better goal, dependents seeking to
reform are appreciable, and evil cannot be appreciated. Mutual appreciation is
a can& may, but love is not practicable without appreciation& fidelity.
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s opinion is that “Jesus” was
a man who asserted that a human-being can perfect their unique person. Read
“Divinity School Address”, 1838. Emerson’s encouragement to “virtue” or
civic-integrity has been repressed, now for 184 years, by churches that
otherwise praise Emerson.
Further, V48 seems a refrain of Genesis 1:28’s,
provide order& prosperity in the image of God. This is evidence for a
possible Yeshua message, “Before Abraham was born I am”. Yeshua may be the
author of Genesis 1 and its God. I don’t think so but don’t know
the-ineluctable-truth. Ineluctable means “not to be avoided, changed, or
resisted” altogether, merriam-webster. com.
The above concerns can& may appeal to most
people’s experiences& observations. However, the person who hopes the Bible they believe is the infallible
word of the entity that judges the consequences of human choice will find a way
to castigate the civically-concerned fellow-citizen along with his/her opinion,
just as Emerson was banned from Harvard for 30 years. And surely R. E. Lee in
1856 understood Frederic Douglass’s 1852 statement, “There is not a man beneath the canopy of heaven, that
does not know that slavery is wrong for him”. We know the
fierceness of Bible belief from 2,000 years of divergent chaos, especially in
the USA, where Christianity’s European kings, after 15th century
papal bulls, traded with African kings who captured national neighbors as property
for sale. No nation may discern the evil Christianity has wrought more than the
USA. The practical Yeshua can& may inspire most people to reform.
I agree that Yeshua meant it, if he suggested that human-beings can& may perfect themselves.]
