Lawrence DeMetrius

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Letter of Apostle Matthew – The Gospel
An Intimate Review
Pt 4
By Lawrence DeMetrius

Matthew 5:27-30
Inward Purity

In this passage, Christ Jesus addresses ADULTERY. He discloses where the desire to commit it comes from and how to avoid it. Desire to perform forbidden acts derive from one’s FLESH or CARNAL NATURE, which is always weak and vulnerable to sin.

*adultery Gk #3431 moicheuo (moy-khoo-o) it is the act of sexual intercourse between a married person and someone who is not their spouse

According to the Hebrew Bible, The Tanakh and The Old Testament of the Christian Bible, ADULTERY is the seventh of ten forbidden practices that Yahweh worshipers are not to engage in. In this passage, it involves sexual relations between a married woman and a man who is not her legal husband. In ancient times, both parties engaged were guilty and sentenced to death. However, in ancient times, sexual intercourse with an unmarried woman was not considered ADULTERY, even if the man was married. This idea is consistent with polygyny and polyandry, wherein a woman could be legally married to more than one man. The suggested reasoning for these rules was to ensure that a child's PATERNITY was never in doubt. ADULTERY is viewed differently in many cultures and religions. Per the definition, history and cultural idea regarding it, the weightier fault of this crime fell on men who desired or had sex with another man’s wife. In Christ’s perspective, a man who just LOOKS upon another man’s wife, and LUSTS after her sexually in his heart, is already guilty of the crime.

*looketh Gk #991 blepo (blep-o) it means to look at

*lust Gk #1937 epithumeo (ep-ee-thoo-meh-o) it means to set the heart upon, and long for something rightly or wrongly

*heart Gk #2588 kardia (kar-dee-ah) it is the heart, figurative of one’s thoughts, feelings, mind and middle

Per Prophet Samuel, Yahweh always considers the disposition of one’s HEART when assessing their true character and intent. [Mt 15:18, 19; I Sam 16:7; Pro 20:27] Jesus Christ then teaches that when one’s right eye or hand offend, they are to be plucked out, cut off and cast from them. In His perspective, it is better for one to do this, than to let their entire body perish in hell fire. The idea that one’s good and evil members are one with their whole self, indicate that one does possess a SIN-FLAWED NATURE. It is that part of every mortal that does not and cannot be subject to divine rule. [Rm 8:5-8; 7:23-25] All mortals, regenerated or not, have and will suffer this nature until they transition to immortality. [Phil 3:19] This is why the wise realistically acknowledge it, and that everyone falls short of glory due to GOD because of it. [Rm 3:23; 7:14-25; I Jn 1:8-10; Rev 3:8] There are over 100 definitions of the word, TAKE. As denoted in this passage, it is reflective of the part of one’s whole that receives, nurtures and births forth. It is the mental matrix that births the seed or substance it receives, be it good or evil. It is understood that the regenerate soul is set on birthing forth fruit of righteousness, while the CARNAL MIND is set on birthing forth fruit of unrighteousness. The desire and deeds of the CARNAL NATURE is what must be constantly mortified. [Gal 6:7-9; Rm 6] Failure to do so will invoke the reward of eternal death. [St Jn 3:19, 36; Rm 6:23]

Matthew 5:31, 32
Divorce

Per ancient history, the primary victim of divorcement was the woman, who was served divorce papers from the man who initially received her as his wife. In ancient Hebrew culture, men were permitted to serve divorce papers to their wife, if she was found guilty of sexual indiscretion. [Deut 24:1-4] notes that it was permissible for a divorced woman to become another man’s wife. However, if the latter husband found the woman to be defiled due to sexual indiscretion, he could also serve her divorce papers and send her out of his house. The first husband would not be able to take her back as wife, even if the latter husband died. Therefore, Christ’s statement per [St Mt 5:31, 32], was in line with what was practiced in the ancient times.
Christ advised that whoever PUTS AWAY his WIFE, saving for the cause of FORNICATION, causes her to commit ADULTERY. He then said that whoever marries the divorced woman commits ADULTERY. It is important to understanding what MARRIAGE and DIVORCE is in Yahweh’s perspective, and why FORNICATION and ADULTERY are such serious offenses.

*put away Gk #630 apoluo (ap-ol-oo-o) it means to…
1. fully free, which is to…
a. make free, set at liberty, release from bondage, imprisonment, or restraint
b. exempt or deliver from
c. relieve or rid of
d. disengage and clear of or from

2. release, which is to…
a. let go and free from confinement, bondage or obligation
b. give up, relinquish or surrender a right or claim

3. dismiss, which is to…
a. bid or allow a person to go
b. give permission or request to depart
c. discharge or remove, as from office or service
d. discard, reject, put off, aside and away

4. let die, which is to…
a. cease to live, undergo the complete and permanent cessation of all vital functions and become dead
b. cease to exist or function
c. lose force, strength or active qualities
d. be no longer subject and become indifferent

5. pardon, which is to release a person from liability for an offense

6. divorce (verb), is to…
a. separate by divorce
b. break the marriage contract between oneself and one's spouse by divorce to separate and cut off
7. divorce (noun) is…
a. a judicial declaration that dissolves a marriage in whole or in part, especially one that releases the marriage partners from all matrimonial obligations
b. any formal separation of husband and wife according to established custom
c. total separation and disunion

Again, per this passage, it is the man who PUTS AWAY his WIFE. Christ clarifies that the only valid reason for doing this is the sexual indiscretion of FORNICATION.

*wife Gk #1135 gune (goo-nay) it is a woman, an adult female person, and the female human as distinguished from a man and specifically a wife, which is a married woman

*wife Hb #802 nashiym (naw-sheem) it is a woman [Gen 2:24]

*wife Hb #1166 [Gen 20:3] ba’al (bah-al) it means to be master, have dominion over, be husband and married to a wife; BA’AL (bah-al) Hb #1167 it is a master, husband and owner

*fornication Gk #4202 porneia (por-ni-ah) it is harlotry, adultery, incest and figurative of idolatry

*marry Gk #1060 gameo (gam-eh-o) it means to wed, marry another person in a formal ceremony, unite a couple in marriage or wedlock, bind by close or lasting ties, attach firmly and blend together or unite inseparably

Matthew 5:33-37
Oaths and Profanity

Jesus Christ continues His teaching on SPEAKING. He instructs His disciples to not SWEAR at all. It is not necessary to SWEAR an OATH to Yahweh to solicit HIS favor. What does invoke HIS favor is keeping COMMUNICATION simple and honest. One’s NAY should be NAY and their YEA, YEA.

*swear Gk #3660 omnuo (om-noo-o) it means to…
1. swear, which is to…
a. declare, affirm or attest, by swearing by a deity or some sacred object
b. affirm, assert or say with solemn earnestness
c. testify or state on oath
d. take an oath, as in order to give solemnity or force to a declaration or promise
e. bind by an oath

2. declare an oath, which is to clearly make known or state, officially announce or proclaim and state emphatically

*oaths Gk #3727 horkos (hor-kos) it is a limit i.e., a sacred restraint, which is…

1. a limit as the final, utmost or furthest boundary and point as to extent, amount, continuance and procedure

2. a restraint as an act or means for holding back, controlling or checking

3. sacred which means…
a. consecrated, devoted and dedicated to a deity or some religious purpose
b. holy or entitled to veneration or religious respect by association with divinity or divine things
c. pertaining to or connected with religion as opposed to secular or profane
d. reverently dedicated to some person, purpose or object

*communication Gk #3056 logos (lo-gos) it is…
1. something said including the thought
2. a topic, subject or discourse
3. reasoning of the mental faculty or motive
4. a computation, which is a making sense of a thing
5. the Divine Expression such as Christ the Word

*nay Gk #3756 ouch (ookh) it is the absolute negative, no or not

*yea Gk #3483 nai (nahee) it means yes and is the primary particle of strong affirmation

Per Jesus Christ any other quality of COMMUNICATION is EVIL.

*evil Gk #4190 poneros (pon-ay-ros) it means hurtful or evil in effect or influence

Regarding such COMMUNICATION King Solomon writes,

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore, LET THY WORDS BE FEW.
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
[Eccl 5:1-7]

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