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Matthew 5:21-48 – God’s Hedge Around the Law
Jewish tradition through Oral Law built hedges around the Law of Moses to protect both it and the people from breaking it. This was called the Mishna and resulted in more law. The Pharisees were the misguided protectors and enforcers of the Law.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts “You have heard” with “But I say to you.” Forgotten by the protectors is that God had already built within the Law His own hedge. That hedge is the loving heart. Anger to Murder (5:21-26), Lust to Adultery (5:27-30), Hardheartedness to Divorce (5:31-32), Deception to Oath Breaking (5:33-37); Vengeance to Returning Evil (5:38-42). All of these are forms of Hate (5:43-48) and all arise from the heart. God built His hedge around the Law – Love and be like God (5:48).
This God-given hedge protects more than just the loving heart. It protects the hearts of spiritual oppressors and those spiritually oppressed by their own hearts. Since the Pharisees built this hedge not only to protect the law, but to protect people from breaking it, God’s loving hedge does the same on a higher level. Within the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ teaches us unexpected reactions to evil, to being hurt, and to hurting. These righteous reactions not only protect ourselves, but protect those sinning against us. By going the extra mile, by turning the other cheek, by not needlessly divorcing, we are trying to protect others from greater harm not just from ourselves, but from their own selves. Our unworldly reactions will hopefully be the salt and light that they need to see their own sinfulness and turn with a spirit of poverty to mourn and seek love and not hate, to seek to be perfect like God.
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