The Kingdom Movement

A Literary & Pastoral Study Guide to the Gospel of Matthew

The Inspiration of Matthew,

by Caravaggio

On the King's Errand

Devotional Reflections on Matthew's Gospel

Heart Transformation for Purity - Taking Action:  Mt.5:27 – 32

^5:27 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; ²⁸ but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. ³¹ It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; ³² but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

          So what does it mean to take Jesus seriously as people who struggle with lust?  Although Jesus’ speech is hyperbolic in v.28 – 30, we need to deal quickly and ruthlessly with the ‘right eye’ or ‘right hand’ or whatever part of us through which lust affects us.  Men:  Temptation comes through the eye.  It was somewhat common for men who struggle with lust to blame women for dressing provocatively.  Now, there is some warrant for a concern about clothes in Proverbs 7:10, for example, where a woman’s clothing matches her fidelity and honor.  But in our culture of blame-passing, it is easy for men today to simply blame women for dressing skimpily, thus passing the blame.  Jesus firmly plants the ultimate responsibility with us.  Men, while acknowledging that modesty could be more helpful, what responsibility must we as men take nevertheless?  How can we immediately give our thoughts to Jesus, rather than curtain off private thoughts?  Women:  Although temptation could also come through the eye, as it does with men, it often happens through the ear.  Women tend to become emotionally and romantically attached to a man by the words he says to her:  what he shares about his life, the interest he takes in hers, the questions he asks, the gratitude that he shows towards her, and most significantly, what promises he seems to make about making her the center of his life.  Rather than reducing a man down to an object, a woman tends to hyper-personalize him.  Women, while acknowledging that men can be manipulative and flirtatious, or don’t always know what they’re doing (good at intimacy, bad at commitment), what does it mean to relate faithfully with Jesus while relating to men? 

What does it mean to take Jesus seriously as people who are also agents of temptation?  Men, healthy friendships with women are very important, but sometimes we create emotional intimacy with women when we don’t know the consequences of that on them, and sometimes we create that intimacy just to serve our own egos.  How can we be more holy in what we’re doing?  When do we know if we’re really ready to be dating?  Women, since temptation for men happens mostly through the eye, how should that factor in?  Though the New Testament emphasizes modest dress (1 Tim.2:8 – 9, 1 Pet.3:3 – 4), our culture says, ‘Sex appeal is simply a way to play the game.’  How do we faithfully follow Jesus in a culture where people think using sexual suggestion is okay?