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We continue to encounter the strange dichotomy in the Lord’s words between public and private righteousness. How do we balance, Beware of practicing your piety before men, with, Let your light so shine before men? The two commands appear less than a chapter apart in the Sermon on the Mount, yet seem to instruct us in completely opposite directions.

Note that Jesus does not directly command Don’t be a hypocrite. Is the reason perhaps because, in truth, to a degree we cannot help being hypocrites. We are all sinners, and thus hypocrites, together. It is part of the human condition.

None of the Ten Commandments has been so diminished of its power by our modern culture more than honor to one’s parents. Independence is the god of our age. The cancer that has infected our time is not merely anti-family, as serious as that threat is. It goes far deeper.

After passing through Galilee and returning home to Capernaum, Jesus posed a very pointed question to the disciples: ”What were you discussing on the way?” Their response was that of a group of children caught red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar. Mark merely says, ”They were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest.” Jesus had nailed them, and they knew it.

Jesus does not even leave it at Rejoice when you are persecuted and Love and pray for your enemies. He goes further still. The three-tiered progression of response to ill-treatment in Luke 6 is incredible and completely impractical. The program Jesus outlines is impossible by any earthly standards.

As world changing as would be the influence of Christians taking the words seriously, Rejoice and be glad when you are reviled and persecuted (Matthew 5:11-12), Jesus goes on to elevate the relation between Christians and their adversaries to a shockingly ambitious level.

Biblical literalists more eager to find loopholes in the Commands than to obey them will be the first to point out that Jesus never specifically commanded kindness upon his disciples. We could find no better example of straining at a gnat to swallow a camel.

The Command, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, may also seem an illusive one. A moment’s reflection, however, reveals this as one of the most down-to-earth of all Jesus’ Commands.

Among the ”spiritual” Commands, few are so illusive as this. Jesus concludes his Do not be anxious about your life discussion of the birds of the air and lilies of the the field in Matthew 6 with the words: Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

One of the profound mysteries of the Christian Church is that human goodness has not comprised more focus in its theology. While it is true that greater good has been done throughout history by Christianity than any nation, movement, or creed, one is hard-pressed to find goodness at the center of any doctrinal teaching.

If we transplant Peter’s question and the Lord’s response from Matthew 18 into the sixth chapter where the theme of forgiveness emerges out of the Lord’s prayer, we would have a succinct teaching on prayer, forgiveness, and the reach of forgiveness.

We noted that forgiveness is one of the least understood components of Christian doctrine. Sadly, it is misunderstood by Christians and non-Christians alike.