Fresh Studies in Matthew: Matthew 5:33-48

Matthew 5:33-37  One’s personal credibility should be so strong that oaths in personal matters are never necessary.  An oath, or swearing, calls down a curse or malady if one lies or breaks the proise.  It should be needed, and it definitely should not bring into it or any of his creation.  If one has to swear, it means you’re not to be trusted.

Verses 38-48 are radical for that and every time.  If someone does you wrong, extend all the more grace.  The bishop in Les Miserables is the parable of this principle.  We today encourage people to stop extending grace at a certain point due to the emotional toll it can create.  Maybe we are ore concerned about the motional toll than the other’s soul.  Of course, I don’t think Jesus is talking about addicts and abusers here, which are the sins of our age.  This is about enemies, not family members with abuse issues (substance or otherwise) who steal your credit cards for drugs.  This is about the roman government, really.  It is the strategy of “heaping coals of fire,” although that implies a punishment and shame and this involves greater grace, as God would give, who sends rain on everyone, the deserving and undeserving.