Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 5: 20-26

Pharisees form a sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile (587-535 B.C). In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They strongly upheld the theocracy and their country’s cause, and possessed great influence with the common people. They were bitter enemies of Jesus and his cause.

Scribe is a man learned in the Mosaic Law and in the sacred writings and he is an interpreter, teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law and added to the Mosaic Law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion.

Jesus was against the external practices which were only for a show and he was against the teaching that led the poor people away from the religion and that was the reason that he said beware of the Scribes and the Pharisees. Instead he asked the people to go more into the internals of the law: reconciliation, brotherhood etc.

பரிசேயர் வெளி அடையாளங்களுக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுத்தனர். மறைநூல் அறிஞர் சட்டங்களின் விளக்கங்களில் மதத்தை மறந்தனர். இயேசு சட்டங்களின் உட்பொருளை உணர்ந்து வாழச்சொல்லுகிறார். உட்பொருள்: நல்லுறவு> உடன்பாடு> சகோதரத்துவம் போன்றவை.

GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 5:17-19

For Jesus and the disciples and the listeners ‘law and the prophets’ meant the book of the Old Testament. Old Testament was their rule of life and in fact the prophets in the Old Testament were the conscience of God to the people with regard to the covenant and the religion of the Old Testament. The rule which Jesus came to establish agreed with the Scriptures of the Old Testament.

Jesus affirms that he has not come to weaken the book of the law or the prophets. (He himself was considered one of the prophets by people). He affirms also the perpetuity of the Scriptures. The duty of the disciples is to preach and teach the scriptures with diligence. Preaching the Scriptures is the duty of the disciples in the kingdom and those who belong to the kingdom.

இயேசு போதிக்கும்போது ‘திருச்சட்டத்தையோ இறைவாக்குகளையோ” என்று சொல்லும்போது அவருடைய சீடர்களும் மக்களும் அவர் பழைய ஏற்பாட்டைப் பற்றி பேசுகிறார் என்று புரிந்துகொண்டார்கள். விவிலியப்பணியே இறையாட்சியில் பணி மேலும் அது நிரந்தரப்பணி> அது முழு அர்ப்பணிப்போடு செய்யவேண்டிய பணி (ஒரு சிற்றெழுத்தோ ஒரு புள்ளியோ ஒழியாது).