Breaking the Word

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.  Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. (Mt 5, 23-26)

Jesus offers two specific and practical commands. Be reconciled; make friends. So simple and yet so difficult and costly.

Reconciliation means climbing down from the high pedestal on which one has placed himself, abandoning one’s position of superiority over the person one is angry with etc. Climbing down from pedestal is important because it make one truly human. Humans do not live on pedestal. Humans are on their feet on the ground that is on the level ground that is on a level with everyone. So reconciliation is being on level with everyone else.

This reconciliation takes precedence over worship. Being on level with everyone is better than worship. It is similar to “What I desire is love and not sacrifices” (Hos 6, 6).

The second command is to make friends. Laws, rules, courts etc will only serve to prove one against the other. They will show that one is better or right over against the other. Also, except in friendship, all the other relationships do not show equality. Only in friendship the persons are equal and relate equally.

Jesus is proposing reconciliation and friendship as solution. Both reconciliation and friendship make the partners equal and keep them on level grounds.

We are all equal in the sight of God and that is what we should be and that is the solution. 

If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.  "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. (Mt 7,11-12)

Jesus is introducing the Father who gives, and gives good gifts only. And He gives to those who ask him.

The same Jesus tells us that the Father knows what one needs and He gives even without asking for it. (Mt 6, 25ff.) But seek first the kingdom of God. Here, Jesus tells his followers to seek the kingdom and not to worry about the wants and needs. Kingdom should take precedence.

Jesus speaks of the Father who gives to his children whatever they ask.  So treat God as a Father. Tell him how things are with you. Ask, search and knock and he will not let you down. This is prayer and this is the underlying message of the Sermon on the Mount.

Relationship with God should be that of a Father and a child. And this is expressed in asking for good things and they are granted by the Father.

Next verse speaks about the relationship between one another. Do to one another what one wants done to him. This again, would be doing good to one another.

We are all children of a Father who is good and gives good things and so we as children of the same Father do good things to one another.