Bible Study by Elias Aslaksen

Bible Study by Elias Aslaksen
Held Last Autumn in Hønefoss

Matthew 5:17-48. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” V. 17. The usual thinking is that in the old covenant God was such a strict God who gave commandments that the people could not keep; but when Jesus came, He became such a kind God who said that everything is alright. This is how people think—not openly, but subconsciously. However, Jesus says that He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it. Therefore He has not at all come to take something away, but rather to add even more. God gave the law to man so that they should learn to understand that they could not do His will. Jesus did not just come with laws that were a thousand times more stringent than the Law; He also came with power that enabled souls to fulfill them. However, it was not just the Law that was to be fulfilled, but also the Prophets. And what the prophets have written is heart-rending; also the work that is to be accomplished in us is heart-rending. Nevertheless, it must be fulfilled, for it is written, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” V. 6. With what? With righteousness. The person who is experiencing natural hunger doesn’t go around asking what is for lunch, he just asks for food. Now the fact is that there are many people who say they hunger and thirst for righteousness, but they want to have it on certain conditions. Such people only sniff at righteousness, and then they leave one day. But the person who hungers and thirsts for righteousness whether it takes him to the North Pole or to the South Pole, whether it would make him black or white, who says: “Give me righteousness at any cost!”—he will be filled. God will not break His covenant with us if we have thus surrendered to Him. It is possible that we may go away, but He never does that. Then His righteousness will be fulfilled in us irrespective of what our state might be. Then we have a reason to hope. Then it is His business to save us if only we remain with Him.

“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” V. 20. The righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees was an outward righteousness. They were righteous before people. For example, they paid their debts and their subscriptions. Those who are not even righteous outwardly, not only do they not enter into the kingdom of heaven, they don’t even get as far as knocking on the gate; they are far, far away. There is a difference between these two groups. It can be said about the person who possesses an outward righteousness that he is near to the kingdom of God. But you have to possess the righteousness that God acknowledges in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven. God has to be able to say that we are righteous. Thus it was God who said about Job that he was blameless and upright.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and, whoever murders will be in danger of judgment.” Vs. 21-26. Murder is the consequence of anger. The person who is angry is driven by the same stuff as the person who murders. First anger, then evil words, then blows, then murder. The substance of all these is the same. The difference is in their strength; it is a matter of degree. The fact that the person who is angry does not kill someone is best for him, because if he does kill someone, he risks being put in prison. As far as God is concerned, anger without a cause is the same as murder.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Vs. 27-28. Jesus came with a righteousness that penetrates our mind, our words, and our actions. For those of old it was good enough when they abstained from committing adultery—what people called adultery. However, Jesus Christ penetrates into heart and mind—that is where He judges. He says that every time a man looks at a woman to lust for her, he has already committed adultery with her. Or every time a woman looks at a man and thinks the same in her heart, she has already committed adultery. People don’t know about it. Only two know about it—God and I.

“If your right eye causes you to be tempted, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Vs. 29-30. When Jesus used such strong expressions as “plucking out your eye” and “cutting off your hand,” He meant it. If I am so weak that I fall when I am tempted—not fall and rise again, but fall away from God and give up—it is better that I remove what tempts me—pluck out the eye or cut off the hand. It happens that some people, when it is necessary, are patient and let others pluck out the eye, but here Jesus says that we shall pluck it out when we are tempted.

“Furthermore, it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except adultery causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” Vs. 31-32.

In the old covenant when a man was tired of his wife and wanted to have another, he could get rid of her by giving her a certificate of divorce. He couldn’t leave her just like that. There had to be order in the matter; he had to give her a certificate of divorce. However, after Jesus came there is only one case for which divorce is permitted, and that is because of adultery. However, divorced person is not permitted to marry again before the other person is dead.

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all. . . . But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Vs. 31-37. It is easy an easy matter to keep yourself from swearing falsely. Besides, we shall be truthful in all our conduct so that we do not need to resort to such means as swearing in order to be believed. If someone asks me whether something is true, then I answer, “Yes, it is true.” If the other person asks one more time, “Is it really true,” I answer “Yes” once more.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” V. 38. In days of old, if someone hit another person so that he lost his eye, the victim had the right to take out the first person’s eye. If it was the left eye, he had to take the other person’s left eye. He did not have the right to take the other person’s right eye. Or if he knocked out the other person’s tooth, the other person had the right to knock out a tooth of the first person. He couldn’t knock out two teeth, only one. There had to be righteousness.

“But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” V. 39. This is what all Christians do, not so-called Christians, but real Christians.

“If anyone wants to sue you and take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” Vs. 40-41. I don’t have to give my cloak to everyone who wants to have my coat, but only to the one who wants to sue me because he thinks he is entitled to it. Neither shall I go with just anyone because he wants to be accompanied, but only if he compels me to do it, then I shall go the second mile with him.

“Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” V. 42. This word has caused and still causes many difficulties. This does not mean that I shall give to every rascal who comes along and asks me to give him everything I possess to test me because I am a Christian. Jesus wants to get at my self-life. When someone asks, the precondition is need, and then I shall give without first calculating that I have enough for myself, what I shall have tomorrow and next year, and when I become old, or when I am sick. I shall give what I have until the last penny. This is also how I must act if someone wants to borrow from me.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Vs. 43-44. It is not difficult to love your enemy, and it is especially blessed to do good to him. It is like when a dog gets a particularly good bone, then he is especially glad for it. It is written about joy in the Holy Spirit, making melodies with grace in our hearts to the Lord. So there are also melodies in God’s kingdom. And if anyone is so fortunate as to have an enemy, he can make up melodies for him and be only good to him—send him gifts and then go away and hide himself. There are certain things that cause a special kind of joy, and this is one of them.

“That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” V. 45.

“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” V. 48.