Articles
“Caveats & Exceptions”
“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48
Jesus made astonishing claims and gave challenging commands. For example, the Sermon on the Mount is perhaps his most well-known but least understood teaching. It is certainly the least obeyed. In his sermon, our Lord sets forth the ethic of the kingdom he came to establish. It is his own description of what he wants his people to be and to do. The sermon is a call to be different than the rest of the world. He said, “Do not be like them,” echoing God’s commands to ancient Israel to be “holy” (Lev. 18:1-4; Ex. 19:4-6).
Jesus was creating a Christian counter-culture through which God and his power could be known to the world. His disciples’ righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees and scribes, both in ethical behavior and in religious devotion. Their love was to be greater and their ambition nobler than the pagans. They were to be “perfect, as [their] heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48). In each paragraph, Jesus draws a strong contrast between those who live under God’s rule (“the kingdom of heaven”) and those who do not.
Sadly, when expounding such teaching we tend to water it down by focusing on caveats. “Yes,” we say, “Jesus said we are to be perfect but of course none of us are perfect.” That is true but could Jesus still mean exactly what he said? Could he mean that we are to aspire to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, specifically as it pertains to our love for all people including our enemies? (5:43-48)
When we explain everything a passage doesn’t mean we may miss the whole point of what it does mean. When we provide stipulations in the name of ‘clarifying’ a teaching we may strip it of its power. When we highlight the exceptions we often miss the rule.
Jesus teaches us to love our enemy. “Yes, but…” we respond. There are no exceptions to the law of love! Are all the stipulations we attach to the Lord’s commands just an attempt to dodge our responsibility to obey them? Jesus teaches us that marriage is for life. “Yes, but,” we respond, “he also provided the exception clause for divorce.” Perhaps if we spent the same time learning the rule as we do the exception we would have happier, healthier marriages.
Jesus usually doesn’t waste time giving caveats and exceptions. He gives the rule, the kingdom ideal, and expects his disciples to respect and trust him enough to strive for it. Whenever we attempt to restrict Christ’s commands and extend Christ’s permissions we are rejecting God’s rule and acting like the Pharisees and scribes.
Restricting God’s commands — Some will do this to make the commands more attainable. Jesus’ contemporaries restricted the Law’s prohibition against murder and adultery to the act alone, while Jesus shows the intent of the Law included prohibiting angry thoughts, insulting words, and lustful stares. (Mt. 5:21-30) Do we restrict our Lord’s commands to lessen their demands on us?
Extending God’s permissions — The Pharisees and scribes widened the permission of retribution beyond the law courts to include personal revenge, while Jesus upholds the intent of the Law by saying all revenge in personal relationships should be avoided. (Mt. 5:38-42) Do we extend permissions to fit our behavior?
This all comes down to whether we respect Jesus as King or not. If we want to do things our way, we will continue to obscure God’s commands and lower the standard to make it easier for us and others to follow. But the one who has come under the loving, liberating authority of Christ will learn, accept, and try their best to follow his word, despite its uncomfortable implications and difficult demands it puts on their life. They will recognize Christ’s domain extends beyond one’s actions to his words, and beyond one’s words to his thoughts and the intentions of his heart.
