Jesse's apologetics answer - Catholic Style
QUESTION?
Can you explain Matthew 5:21 - 32?
ANSWER! (Jesse's answer in itlaics)
Matthew 5:21“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ Jesus reaffirms that murder is unlawful (Exodus 20:13; Deut 5:17)22* But I say to you, whoever is angry* with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa, a greek word that means ‘empty headed’, numskull’, ‘foolish’, ‘stupid’, ‘crazy’,will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Jesus introduces a new dimension to the law against murder, not only acts of murder but even personal anger and private slander constitute a violation of the new Testament. There are 3 degrees of faults and punishments. Degrees of personal guilt are illustrated by an escalating from 1. a local court verdict “judgment” to 2. the Jewish Sanhedrin “council” to 3. eternal punishment “hell.”St Augustine says that when anger blinds us it leads us, it can lead us to hell. 23Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Being reconciled in the New Testament involves going to the sacrament of confession 25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.q Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. Verse 25 & 26 alludes to the doctrine of purgatory, where a soul is purified by the fires of Gods love and will be released to heaven when the soul is made reparation and atoned for all its past forgiven sins.
Teaching About Adultery. 27* “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ Like the 10 commandments, Jesus forbids acts of adultery (Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18). Jesus even extends the prohibition to even personal lust and interior thoughts of impurity. Looking and thinking lustfully violates the New Testament even if the exterior act of adultery is not committed. The temptation towards lust is not a sin, it is giving consent to the temptation of lust which makes it a sin. 28 But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29* If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. This is not a literal statement, it is hyperbole, it is a figurative statement, not a literal command to self mutilation. Jesus uses alarming images to underscore the severity of sexual sin. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
Teaching About Divorce. 31* “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Divorce and remarriage were permitted under the Old Testament only because of Israels sinfulness and human weakness (Deut 24:1-4). In the New Testament, remarriage is adultery (Catechism 2382), except on the grounds of “unchastity.” This greek word “porneia” has 3 possible interpretations that harmonize with Catholic teaching on the indissolubility of marriage.
Patristic view: “porneia” has a broad range of meanings, it can be translated “adultery.” Thus, an adulterous situation may give cause for separation so long as the spouses do not embark upon a second marriage. This square with St Pauls teaching, that a separated couple has only two options, be reconciled to one another, or remain single (1 Cor 7:10-11).
Levitical law view: “porneia” can be interpreted as “unchastity” (as in Matt 19:9) which means in this instance that the marriage is invalid because the spouses are to closely related. Such unions ought to be severed because of the impediment posed by near blood relations. A divorce under these conditions does not separate a true marriage bond because a valid marriage never existed. It is equivalent to an annulment. The Old Testament background for this decision is Leviticus 18:6-18.
No Comment view: According to this position, Jesus sets aside Jewish debates over the grounds for divorce in the Old Testament because Jesus is revoking the Old Testament concession on divorce. Jesus refuses to comment on Deut 24:1, he is not clarifying or reaffirming Moses’ permission to divorce, he is abolishing it. Jesus restores marriage to its original purity as a lifelong union of love and fidelity. Greater still, Jesus elevates marriage, transforming it into a sacrament. Married couples are now called to be an image of Christ and his enduring love for the Church (Eph 5:21-33; Revelation 19:6-8).