Jesus deals largely with three of the Ten Commandments in the Sermon on the Mount: (1) the Sixth Command (“You shall not murder”), (2) the Seventh Command (“You shall not commit adultery”) and, implicitly, (3) the Third Command (“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God”). Inheriting the kingdom comes by being justified by faith in Jesus’ blood and upholding the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus taught that we murder not merely by physically taking another person’s life by anger, hatred and accusing another. This teaching internalized the Sixth Command (Matt.5:21ff). When Jesus later said we must love our enemy and pray for them (Matt.5:43f) it was extending his teaching of the Sixth Command. It came to this: total forgiveness toward those who have hurt us, letting them off the hook and pray for them to be blessed. It was astonishing teaching. And yet it is the say we come into our inheritance in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus internalized the Seventh Command when he said that to look at a woman “lustfully” – or causing her to lust – is to commit adultery. Therefore we commit adultery not merely by the physical act but by lusting and causing a woman to lust by physical touch or flattery. No one had ever taught this! It is the way you and I are to live, that there be not even a “hint” of sexual impurity (Eph.5:3). It was to be a purity not only of outward behavior but in the heart, which referred back to purity of heart in the Beatitudes (Matt.5:8).
Some have not understood that Jesus’ telling us not to “swear” was his exposition of the Third Command. There are those who misuse God’s Name and don’t realize it. I refer not merely to cursing with God’s name but to seemingly innocent practices as saying, “The Lord told me this”. Why bring in the Lord’s Name? Jesus said not to swear at all – whether by God’s throne or his footstool (Matt.5:33-37) but to say what you mean and man what you say without bringing in God’s Name. What would be the purpose of bringing in God’s Name: partly to make sure people believe we are telling the truth (an oath is weightier) and partly to make ourselves look good. If, for example, I want you truly to believe I am telling the truth I say “I swear to you by the living God”, I may succeed in getting you to believe me; but I have misused God’s Name at the same time. Jesus said not to swear at all – appealing to any authority but your simple statement of truth. As for my saying “God told me”, I have no right to do this! You will say, “But what if he did tell you?” I reply: I don’t have to bring in his Name. It is only to make me look good – not Him. Many people misuse God’s Name this way.
RT
Read more on in depth analysis in RT’s book.