Sometimes I’ve heard people speak about Jesus that he turned
the truth upside down. But quite honestly I think “truth” was already upside
down, and Jesus came and turned it aright (Jn 8.32; 14.6), showing everyone what truth was all about; except most could not handle the truth (most of us prefer a version much more palatable to our own tastes). He “fixed” the
broken truths people had come to know and accept.
For example, in what we call the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
addressed the Pharisees’ and scribes’ traditions against what God had commanded — “For I tell you,
unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5.20).
In Matthew 5.21-48 Jesus speaks against their
self-righteousness by addressing about different things the people had come to
learn and accept that were not entirely
true. Murder is wrong, but being angry without cause is the root to murder and
is equally wrong. Adultery is wrong, but lusting after someone with the intent
to commit sexual immorality is equally wrong. Yes, we are to love our neighbors,
but we’re also to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect and love our
enemies (Rom 5.6-8). And if we are honest with ourselves then we’d admit how difficult that really is.
The heart is the heart of the matter (Mk 7.21-23). “For with
the heart a person believes” (Rom 10.10).
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