Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: MARK 8:11-13

Jesus has been working many miracles. The whole nation is talking about it. People are gathering around him in great crowds. The Pharisees are worried about it. They wanted to put an end to this following. And the people who saw him as a miracle worker began to believe him to be a prophet and some even considered him as the son of God. So they came to challenge him.

The Pharisees have seen many false prophets and many false leaders who have taken the people away from them for a period of time. They wanted to verify this man as well. Was he also one of such false teacher? They asked him for a sign. Jesus refused to give them instead he moved away from them. Already when he was tempted by the Devil (Luke 4: 12) he had said: You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Now the same message is given to men.

பரிசேயர்கள் இயேசுவை சோதித்தார்கள். அடையாளங்கள் கேட்டார்கள். அவர்கள் யேசுவையும் மற்ற போலி இறைவாக்கினர்கள் போல் கருதி அவரிடம் அடையாளங்கள் எதிர்பார்த்தார்கள். இயேசு கடவுளின் வல்லமையினால் புதுமைகள் செய்தார் கடவுளிடம் மன்றாடி புதுமைகளை பெற்றுத்தந்தார் (யோவான் 11: 41). அவர் கடவுளை சோதிக்க விரும்பவில்லை அவர் வழியாக மற்றவர்கள் கடவுளை சோதிப்பதையும் விரும்பவில்லை. (லூக்கா 4:12)

GOSPEL READING: Mt 5:17-37

Jesus says that he has come to fulfil the law and the prophets. But the Pharisees consider him to be a man who breaks the law. He broke the Sabbath laws; he and his disciples broke the law of purification and fasting etc. How could Jesus say that he has come to fulfil the law? He also warns the followers to be vigilant about the practices of the Pharisees and the scribes. So who fulfilled the law Jesus or the Pharisees?

Jesus clearly explains this by saying it is not the external practices that matters (though at the end it will come to that) rather it is the attitude of the person towards the law and the practice of it. He gives examples for this. It is not the killing or committing adultery or divorce or taking an oath that is bad (though they will in the end). But the anger that slowly turns one to be a murderer and the lustful look that leads one to sin etc are to be considered seriously.

Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one. This is a strong statement from the mouth of Jesus. By saying this Jesus tells his listeners to mean what they say. Any statements of compromise or hazy statements should not be found among his followers. His followers are asked to be clear about not letting the evil one to play between what they say and what they mean.

சீடர்களின் வாழ்க்கை எப்படிப்பட்டதாக இருக்கவேண்டும் என்று அழகாக இயேசு கூறுகிறார்: ‘ஆம்’ என்றால் ‘ஆம்’ எனவும் ‘இல்லை’ என்றால் ‘இல்லை’ எனவும் சொல்லுங்கள். இதைவிட மிகுதியாகச் சொல்வது எதுவும் தீயோனிடத்திலிருந்து வருகிறது. தீயோனின் செயல்களுக்கு இடம் கொடுக்ககூடாது. தீயோன்தான் சீடர்களின் செயல்களுக்கும் சொல்களுக்கும் இடையே தவறுசெய்ய தூண்டுகிறான்.