We are examining the Sermon on the Mount, divided into 23 sections.
We are no longer dealing with the concept of Judaism practised at the time of Jesus the Messiah, but with a much deeper and more intimate principle. The reality Jesus the Messiah describes places people's thoughts and actions on the same level.
Adultery and divorce were clearly defined in the Jewish system of the time (John 8.1-11). Matthew takes up the sixth commandment here (Exodus 20.14). Jesus the Messiah reveals another view of adultery: even if the act is not committed, evil thoughts suffice to condemn the person.
At that time, two schools of thought existed on this subject: the one inspired by Hillel, which said that a man could divorce for any reason, and Shammai's more restrictive one, which said divorce was permitted only for a serious offence such as infidelity.
Jesus the Messiah's words emphasise the importance of our thoughts. These are not passing thoughts but a state in which the person indulges. God alone knows these thoughts (Psalms 94.11; 1 Kings 8.39; Romans 8.27). The passage involving the (John 4.23) also shows that our thoughts and motives matter above all, rather than merely our actions.
The verses in Matthew 5.29 and Matthew 5.30 may seem extreme, but Jesus the Messiah had a clear vision of God's kingdom and hell. He tries to make us understand the importance of our choices here below, which will determine our future. Interpreting these two verses is not an encouragement to mutilate oneself, but rather to address the offence's origin. Being blind or missing a hand does not mean a man no longer sins. It is the that needs to change. The eye and hand are also useful for working and doing good.
These verses use powerful to emphasise the importance of getting rid of anything that may lead us into sin, even if that involves great sacrifices. Jesus is not speaking literally of tearing out an eye or cutting off a hand or foot, but insists on the need for radical measures to avoid sin and preserve our spiritual integrity.
Mark 9.43-48 returns to this theme and places these words of Jesus the Messiah at another point, leading us to conclude that Jesus the Messiah repeated the same words several times. Mark 9.45 adds the foot to this list. Mark 10.1-12 returns to divorce while Jesus the Messiah is teaching in Judea on his way to Jerusalem (Mark 10.37), quoting the same words as Matthew.
We observe that Jesus the Messiah's assertions about divorce greatly upset some , who will try to catch the Teacher out during the episode of the adulterous woman (John 8.1-11). Through this preaching, Jesus the Messiah confronts people with radical choices, and those who refuse to change turn into judges.