This passage from Matthew discusses Jesus expanding on the commandments from the Old Testament. Jesus says that anger and insults can be just as sinful as murder, and that lustful thoughts are akin to adultery. He also addresses divorce and vows, taking a stricter view than previous teachings. The document provides commentary analyzing the cultural context of Jesus' teachings and how they can apply to modern understandings of relationships, shame, and grace.

1. Matthew 5:21-37
If you only
knew the
power of the
dark side

3. Gratitude
For what are you grateful?

4. ‘You have heard that it was said to those of
ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and
“whoever murders shall be liable to
judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry
with a brother or sister, you will be liable to
judgement; and if you insult a brother or
sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you
say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of
fire. So when you are offering your gift at the
altar, if you remember that your brother or

5. sister has something against you, leave your gift
there before the altar and go; first be reconciled
to your brother or sister, and then come and offer
your gift. Come to terms quickly with your
accuser while you are on the way to court with
him, or your accuser may hand you over to the
judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be
thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never
get out until you have paid the last penny.

6. ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not
commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone
who looks at a woman with lust has already
committed adultery with her in his heart. If your
right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw
it away; it is better for you to lose one of your
members than for your whole body to be thrown
into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to
lose one of your members than for your whole.

7. body to go into hell.
‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let
him give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to
you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on
the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit
adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman
commits adultery.
‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those
of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but
carry out the vows you have made to the

8. Lord.” But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either
by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the
earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it
is the city of the great King. And do not swear by
your head, for you cannot make one hair white or
black. Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”;
anything more than this comes from the evil one.

9. What Does it
Say?
• Emotional reaction
• What’s the setting?
• Who are the characters?
• How would you summarize it?
• What happened before/after?
• What scriptural references do you
pick up?

10. Anger
• Jesus gets angry
• This sort of text has been
used to keep women and
minorities in their place
• Anger is morally neutral
• It’s what you do with it that
matters
• Don’t be consumed by hate
and resentment

11. Adultery
• Sexual feelings are not bad -
It’s what you do with them
• The Greek means “in order to”
lust
• Harbouring of the feelings is
the problem
• Has been used to control
women’s clothing (to stop from
tempting men)
• Don’t objectify people

12. Divorce
• Context: change from polygyny
• Divorce became more common, inc. for
trifling reasons
• Note the vulnerability of a divorced woman
in the context
• Context: adultery immediately dissolved a
marriage, thus divorce must happen
• Priority of relationship, but we also see that
divorce can sometimes be the most creative
way forward

13. What Does it Mean?

14. The Moral Principle?
• Do unto others as you would have them
do unto you
• Kant’s principle of treating people as
ends in themselves, not means to ends
• Buber’s I-Thou relationship
• And so on.

15. “However, the people to whom I minister often have chronic
feelings of unworthiness and a massive fear of rejection
because they believe themselves to be basically
unacceptable in some fundamental yet indefinable sense….
Many of us are wounded so that we believe ourselves
incapable of enjoying mutually nurturing and sustaining
relationships. We live in fear of exposure that will lead to
rejection and isolation.”
A Gospel that Overcomes Shame Andrea Campanale (in
The Pioneer Gift)

16. Guilt vs. Shame
• Guilt is to do with specific
actions
• “Guilt is experienced when
we become aware of doing
something that is morally
wrong or has distressing
consequences for ourselves
or others”
• Shame is more existential
• “shame is the feeling that I
am deeply flawed as a person
and must not let anyone see.
This is because when we fail
to live up to the internalized
ideal of ourselves, there is a
loss of face or humiliation.”

17. Sin
• as opposed to “sins”
• Is alienation from self and
others
• Perhaps we could think about
“original brokenness”?
• Includes both sin and shame

18. What
Does It
Mean
for Me?

19. Job vs Jonah
• Job
• “blameless and upright, one who
feared God and turned away from
evil”
• Terrible undeserved suffering
came upon him
• Possible way of understanding:
the transformative possibilities of
suffering
• Jonah
• Disobeyed a direct instruction
from God
• Chucked overboard and
swallowed by a fish
• Obeys God with very bad grace
• God still uses him to lead the
people of Nineveh to repentance

20. Grace
• “Where sin
abounds, grace
abounds even
more.” Rom 5:20
• God can use even
our worst for God’s
purposes.
• Jonah gets to be a
prophet

21. Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

22. Go out into the world in the power of the Spirit;
in all things, at all times, remember that Christ
is with you; make your life your worship to the
praise and glory of God.
Amen.
And the blessing of God, the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit be amongst us and remain
with us ever more. Amen

24. References
• William Loader Epiphany 6: 16 February Matthew 5:21-
37
http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MtEpiphany6.ht
m
• Fran Barber and Robyn Whitaker
• By The Well - https://bythewell.com.au/a113-epiphany-6-
matthew-521-37-with-bill-loader/
• Cathy Ross, Jonny Baker The Pioneer Gift Hymns
Ancient & Modern Ltd. Kindle Edition