Dave's Diary

Daily Reading: Matthew 5:27-30

Jesus started this radical, in-your-face teaching with the words, “You have heard that it was said …” Throughout Matthew 5, these words indicate that Jesus was taking on the rabbinical oral traditions that had grown up around the Law of Moses. Often, Jesus targeted the fact that they had added something to, or subtracted something from, the Law of Moses by their teaching. In this instance, however, the rabbis had made the mistake of going no further than merely restating the commandment regarding the outward behaviour of sexual sin, and they had failed to recognise that “the heart is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus would later declare: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts – murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person.” (Matthew 15:19-20) Jesus was intent on helping us to cut off sin long before it took on outward expression.

Merely focussing on outward sexual behaviour and telling people what not to do is inadequate, so Jesus addresses our inner life. Jesus is after changed hearts, not just changed behaviours. He is clear that adulterous behaviour begins in a heart that gives in to the control of lustful thoughts. As Don Carson wrote, “All sin, not the least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Therefore what feeds the imagination is of maximum importance in the pursuit of kingdom righteousness.”

In this passage, Jesus is not literally calling for self-mutilation. He is making a point figuratively, using hyperbole, and is calling for a radical pursuit of sexual holiness, where one is so deeply committed to loving and pleasing the Lord with one’s body that one would go to great lengths to avoid feeding one’s heart and imagination in a way that leads to sexual temptation. Jesus understood that our sexuality has unique power for good when used within God’s prescribed boundaries, but also unique power for harm when used outside those boundaries. The consequences of unholy sexuality can be hellishly painful and destructive for us and others. This is why, out of love for us all, Jesus teaches (through a hyperbolic illustration) that we should take radical measures to avoid even the temptation to indulge our sexual desires in unholy ways. Clearly, sexual expression was not a minor issue which Jesus left to personal choice or preference.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the precious gift of sex which, when used according to Your plan, has power to both create and express the beautiful union, in body, mind and spirit between a husband and wife, which you intend for them. I pray for the grace to guard my heart and mind from any dangerous spiral of thoughts and imaginings that would lead my affections away from Your perfect plan, and to dedicate myself to the pursuit of holiness in this and every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.