Week 18 - Dealing with Marriage

Christianity is filled with the struggle to adjust the idea of marriage with the reality of living in a sinful world. That struggle makes this very short passage to be one of the most difficult and controversial sections in the Sermon on the Mount.

One of the goals of this study has been to really try and understand the culture and people to whom Jesus is speaking. Therefore, it is important to note that, marriage, and subsequently divorce, in the ancient world had tones and aspects that are dramatically different than in the modern world. Thus when we study the biblical texts that deal with these issues, then much caution needs to be exercised in applying the concepts. This passage is unquestionably addressing marriage as it was understood in the first century Jewish world. While, timeless truths emerge from these texts as objectives and expectations of God upon His people for all times, a one-to-one transfer of the surface meanings of the texts is impossible and leads to twisted, false understandings.

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Week 17 - Dealing with Lust

As our study continues in the "parting of the Yoke," we see Jesus address the sexual norms of his society and how the 7th commandment had been misinterpreted and misapplied.
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Week 16 - Dealing with Anger

As previous lessons have covered the “You have heard it said…but I say unto you…” has been interpreted to imply that whatever Jesus is going to teach is different from his predecessors. However, we know now this is a common rabbinical language to issue a binding or loosing of a text. This study we are going to be look at the binding Jesus places on his followers in regard to murder and anger and discover how this teaching moves us up toward the peak of piety.
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