Friday, January 10-Matthew 5:33-42

33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'
-same pattern, a very common sense type of law. Oaths also seem to have been much more important back then. now-a-days no contract is that secure, but it just feels like oaths where an important thing to them.

34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.
-seems like they would make oaths against something in order to make it stronger. Doing this would make light of the object of the swearing. Or, it could possibly bind the person to strongly.

36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
-We really not in control of that much so to swear by things is not that wise.

37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
-Our words are very important to who we are. So when we break oaths its probably a bad thing against our character. Making oaths that we can't keep or against things that are worth a lot is probably prideful because we think we're greater than we really are.
-this simple advice is great wisdom so we don't get ourselves in a pickle.
-When it was talking about divorce just previously it makes this a very interesting thing. Marriage should be an unbreakable thing because it seems to be an oath against all kinds of things.
-Our words are our character.

38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'
-Next topic, more common sense type laws. This law is still a very active part of our society and our justice system. In some sense this seems so fundamental, how could Jesus raise the bar on something like this?

39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
-Of course, all these things go back to being salt and light. We could easily misconstrue this as saying to avoid justice, but it seems clear that the legal system is necessary. This passage isn't necessarily about how to setup our justice system, but how we are to affect the world around us by being witnesses.

40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
-This would be an amazing thing to do. It would heap burning coals on someones head, especially if you are in the right. If your in the wrong and doing these thing, well you are just a giant contradiction.

42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
-Here's what it seems to boil down to for this law/idea. Give and show love. Make that person wonder why you can give so freely. It's because we've been given a great gift so freely.