May the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen

Meditation June 5 2020

Matthew 6

A reminder of the approach we are taking to the Sermon on the Mount. Some think it was not a single sermon but collection of the teachings of Jesus that Matthew gathered and presented as a sermon. The reasoning is that we find many of the same teachings scattered throughout the gospels and appearing at different times. That is true. But that proves nothing except that Jesus was consistent in His teaching. I think it is likely the Sermon on the Mount is a condensed version of the days teaching; however, I have found no reason other than the fact that what Jesus taught on the mount is consistent with what he taught at other times. There has to be better evidence than consistency to call into the question that which a writer of the Scripture presents as a historical event.

Secondly, I am convinced the Beatitudes are the heart of the sermon and the rest is a fleshing out and application of the beatitudes as they should be seen in the life of a believer. In the Beatitudes, Jesus lists the primary characteristics of a believer, notes that having been given these characteristics they and they alone are the salt and light for the world. He then affirms the law as no less applicable under grace than under the Mosaic dispensation. He didn’t come to do away with the law but to fulfill it and anyone who set aside one jot or tittle of the law will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. This is the crux of the sermon. The rest of the sermon as we have it is a detailing of the practical application of this in the life of a believer.

The rest of chapter five deals with the law as it applies to our relationships among men. Jesus clarifies the law and its intent apart from the law as they had learned it from the religious leaders; i.e., the law is to deal with matters of the heart and not merely outward behavior. Now in chapter he turns to explain the law as it applies to our religious duties. As our civic duties with regard to our relationship with men is governed by the law of God, so are our religious duties with regard to our relationship with God to be governed by the law. And as the case was with the second table of the law; i.e. that we love our neighbor as ourselves so it is with regard to that table of the law that says we should love the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul; that is, it is a matter of the heart and not simply outward display.

That, I think, is the structure of the sermon. So, we are now dealing with man’s religious duties. These, as Jesus gives them here are the three with which the people would have been familiar as they are the basic elements of worship as taught by the Pharisees; namely charity or almsgiving, fasting and prayer. We have dealt with prayer as done wrongly for show, to be seen, to appear righteous and holy or to feel that way as opposed to properly as one humble, poor in spirit and broken-hearted over sin recognizing and submitting himself to his sovereign Lord in gratitude. Jesus then gives us that which has been called the Lord’s prayer as an example of the way in which we should pray rather than in a lavish display of words designed more to be heard by men than by God.

Having corrected them on prayer, Jesus moves on to fasting. Our Lord does not command the use of any of the then accepted elements of religious life, fasting, alms-deeds, or prayer, all were already fully established in among the Jewish peoples. Under the Old Testament dispensation there had been but one fast required by the law and that was in connection with the day of atonement. The Pharisees had adder others and it was common for the more religious to fast twice a week. You may remember the Pharisee in his self-edifying prayer commended himself to God as one who fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12) Jesus does abolish or condemn this practice; rather He gives it at least tacit approval in saying “when you fast” and regulates it, teaches the proper use of the elements of worship.  Some of those elements have changed, e.g. fasting is no longer used as a regular element of worship, however, the teachings about these elements apply to all other elements of worship.

Thus, regarding fasting, Jesus says to His followers: 16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The Phairisees, having instituted numerous fasting not required in the law, had at the time of Jesus raised it the practice of fasting, primarily by their pompous display to a unprecedented and, frankly, unholy prominence. As noted, it wasn’t the fasting per se that Jesus condemned but the common practices that had risen around it. People when they were fasting, and none more ostentatiously than the Pharisees, they would mar their appearances so that it was obvious to everyone that they were fasting. They would go unwashed, put on long faces, replace their fine clothing with sack cloth even putting ashes on their heads so that when the ashes mixed with the contrived tears they managed, it was a spectacle to behold. So dramatic was the change that the word Jesus uses that is translated “disfigure” means to disappear. Disguised, as it were, beyond recognition they disappeared as normal persons, whatever their rank in society, in order that they might appear as someone entirely different; i.e. that they may appear as fasters. In short, they were but poor actors ‘strutting and fretting’. They wanted to be seen, to have others look and them as say ‘Oh, how holy.” For that it worked. But Jesus make It clear that is the whole of their reward. When they were recognized by men as fasting, “Truly is tell you, they have received their reward in full.”

I remember a man who would visit our church occasionally when I was a kid. His sister was the pianist and whenever he was in town visiting her, he would come to church with her. I have no reason to believe Mr. Wiggles was not a true believer. Like his sisters he was raised in a God-fearing Christian home and was not the sort of person who would have troubled himself to attend church just to please his sisters. But Mr. Wiggles was also a US ambassador to one of the European countries and had attained a display -I suppose useful if not necessary- suitable to his position as an ambassador. There was nothing so outrageously ostentatious as sackcloth and ashes on his head. In fact, his actions saying ‘I am here now’ were so subtle it would be difficult to say he did this and he did that; yet, they screamed so loudly ‘Look at me’ that even as 10-year-old kid I couldn’t miss them. It is that sort of thing Jesus is talking about; i.e., anything that draws attention to yourself whether sackcloth and ashes, the subtle pomp of an ambassador or the wearing of new finery or coifed hair, Jesus says go into the house of the Lord looking normal. It is the inward piety of the heart that matters; not the outward display of piety. Seek to be approved of God; not man. It is this, I think, and not some cultural code that Paul had in mind when he advocated for women having their heads covered and men having their heads uncovered. It was as a regulation to worshippers, men and women not to go into the house of the Lord in a manner to draw attention to themselves. 1 Timothy 2: 9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with honor and soundness of mind, not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” Thus, also men wearing head coverings. Pharisees, and other men wishing to appear as holy, who could afford them, wore elaborate head coverings. It was the male egos answer to the plaited hair, pins and ornaments of the women. Each one tried to ‘out shine’ the other and in doing so not only did worship take second place, but most of those of lesser means who could not afford these things we shamed. Jesus said, when you fast, i.e. when you are engaged in religious duties avoid drawing attention to yourself. If it means covering your head or getting ride of your fancy hat, then that is what you do. God’s people are poor in spirit, humble and meek not loud and boisterous in dress or manner of life. Thus, we are; thus, we should be. Jesus said, “if you have seen me; you have seen the Father (John 12). May we so strive to conduct ourselves in dress and behavior that those who have seen us can say in some kindred manner they have seen Christ. If such was our life, we might be surprised to near people actually asking a reason for the hope we have.