Reflection on Jun13th 2019
Substituting the Law
Substituting the Law
2 Corinthians 3:4-11; Psalm 99:5-9; Matthew 5:17-19
Link to Readings
Yesterday we listened to two statements from Jesus and Paul which look contradictory. While Paul proclaimed it is not the letter of the law which makes us competent in doing the work of God, Jesus made a statement saying who ever tries to change even a stroke of a letter of the law will be called least in the kingdom. Although the two statements looks like contradictions, the truth is both were saying the same thing.
What Paul said was that only following the law does not empower us but makes us guilty. What Jesus, on the other hand, told was that he came not to abolish the law but to make it complete. By saying that he was going to make the law complete, Jesus emphasized that the law was not complete.
In today’s Gospel reading Jesus explains it furthermore. He said though the law prohibits murder, avoiding murder is not enough to escape the judgement. Jesus said, Insulting, cursing, condemning our brothers and sisters and being angry with any of them too makes us liable to judgement. Therefore, he completed the law which prohibits murder with forgiveness which would keep us away from judgement. This was the same thing that Jesus did by substituting the ten commandments with the beatitudes - completing the law.
Let us not be satisfied just by avoiding bad, but start to do good out of love and forgiveness.
Link to Readings
Yesterday we listened to two statements from Jesus and Paul which look contradictory. While Paul proclaimed it is not the letter of the law which makes us competent in doing the work of God, Jesus made a statement saying who ever tries to change even a stroke of a letter of the law will be called least in the kingdom. Although the two statements looks like contradictions, the truth is both were saying the same thing.
What Paul said was that only following the law does not empower us but makes us guilty. What Jesus, on the other hand, told was that he came not to abolish the law but to make it complete. By saying that he was going to make the law complete, Jesus emphasized that the law was not complete.
In today’s Gospel reading Jesus explains it furthermore. He said though the law prohibits murder, avoiding murder is not enough to escape the judgement. Jesus said, Insulting, cursing, condemning our brothers and sisters and being angry with any of them too makes us liable to judgement. Therefore, he completed the law which prohibits murder with forgiveness which would keep us away from judgement. This was the same thing that Jesus did by substituting the ten commandments with the beatitudes - completing the law.
Let us not be satisfied just by avoiding bad, but start to do good out of love and forgiveness.