Tear It Out or Cut It Off and Throw It Far

Summary Notes

Tear It Out – Cut It Out – Throw It Far

Jesus said, that if your right eye or your right hand makes you stumble then physically removing that body part would be better than to keep it and to eventually suffer hell as a result. When He said this Jesus was speaking about stumbling morally into the temptation to commit adultery.   In later chapters He uses the same word picture regarding the corruption of minors.  Jesus used these intense word pictures to underscore the seriousness of both. 

Adultery is a Heart Issue

“You shall not commit adultery,” is from The Ten Commandments.  The eye and the hand refer to the senses of sight and touch in the context of adultery.  Jesus lowered the threshold for adultery from being a literal physical action to mere thought!  Because He said to the men in the crowd that even looking at a woman with lust for her is already committing adultery in his heart.

Do Not Mutilate Your Body

I do not think that Jesus was advocating that I should actually maim myself.  He was using a very graphic word picture to point out the seriousness of the problem.  If gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand would keep a person from committing offenses worthy of hell it would be a bargain exchange!  But it will not work because violating God’s Law starts in the heart and at that level no one is perfectly righteous.  James 2:10 states, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one {point,} he has become guilty of all.”  A better solution to keep from stumbling and following through with overwhelming temptations will be to remove the temptation or to remove myself from the temptation if either are possible. 

Ultimate Solution

While I am trying to keep this blog from being overtly religious, I will at times point out unavoidable and obvious religious implications.  This is one of those times. Adultery is a heart issue and only a change in heart will cure this malady.  Becoming a Christian means that I receive God’s forgiveness for the wrong I’ve committed.  Becoming a Christian also means that I receive God’s Spirit who is able to change my heart and help me to be resolute.  Please see the the Gospel Message page for more information.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes 

COMMAND 10 “…tear it out and throw it from you…”
COMMAND 11 “…cut it off and throw it from you…”

Mt 5:29-30; See also in different context Mt 18:8, 9 and Mk 9:43, 45, 47

RECIPIENT:   To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.   ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount: 

Mt 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’;  ²⁸but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mt 5:29-30: “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you: for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

RESULT:

After Jesus concluded the sermon, two chapters later:
Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
¹When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

“You shall not commit adultery,” is from The Ten Commandments found in Ex 20:14 and Dt 5:18.  Commands 10 and 11 are part of the same paragraph and refer to the senses of sight and touch in the context of adultery.  Adultery is the literal act of sexual intercourse with another person’s spouse.  Even with  today’s culture and values, most people have enough self control not to commit literal adultery.  Jesus’ command however, reduced the threshold for committing adultery (in God’s perspective) to the mere thought or intent of the heart!  In this light, pornography would fall under the category of adultery.

Jesus is not advocating that I maim myself in order to avoid hell.  He is graphically pointing out the seriousness of the problem.  If gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand would keep a person from hell it would be a bargain exchange!  But it will not work because there are an infinite number of ways to violate God’s Law and any one of them is serious enough.  James 2:10 states, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one {point,} he has become guilty of all.”  Perhaps a better solution will be to remove the temptation or to remove yourself from the temptation if either are possible.

While I am trying to keep this blog from being overtly religious, I will at times point out unavoidable and obvious religious implications.  This is one of those times.

Christian Perspective:  

Adultery is a heart issue and only a change in heart will cure this malady.  Becoming a Christian means that I receive God’s forgiveness for the wrong I’ve committed.  Becoming a Christian also means that I receive God’s Spirit who is able to change my heart and help me to be resolute.  Please see the the Gospel Message page for more information.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek words in Mt 5:29-30

(word: Strong’s #    Greek   pronunciation   — definition)  

stumble: G4624  σκανδαλίζω  skan-dal-id’-zō  —  to “scandalize”; to entrap or trip up

tear:  G1807  ἐξαιρέω  ex-ahee-reh’-ō  —  to tear out

cut:  G1581  ἐκκόπτω  ek-ko’p-tō  —  to cut out, cut off

throw:  G906  βάλλω  bal’-lō  —  to throw

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION:   I encourage you to make your own application

It may be impossible not to notice an attractive person when I see one.  However, my eyes do not need to linger on their form nor should my thoughts.   I can be strong and will remove my gaze; I will remember my vows and think about something more productive such as what I can do to make my spouse happy.

I think that for people who are already involved in an illicit relationship, Matthew 5:29-30 suggests that they act with immediacy to sever the offending relationship and with resolute finality remove themselves from that person.

RETURN TO COMMAND

 Below, please share your comments , question or perhaps your own application for this command

© 2018 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB