Tying Together Seemingly Separate Paragraphs in The Sermon on the Mount

Below is the way the ESV has chosen to form paragraphs from a section of scripture from the Sermon on the Mount. In order for you to see what thoughts I’m having about this section of scripture, I would ask that you read this section a few times before reading further.   

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Here’s the question … Are these paragraphs containing one great teaching after another? Or, are these ideas connected with a tight common theme?

The ESV paragraph divisions seems pretty logical as shown. But, as I was listening to this section of scripture in audio form, – listening to this section of scripture over and over again, relaxing, and thinking about the the the message, and looking for a flow of thought … it seems that this entire portion of scripture might be better placed into a single paragraph. There’s a wonderful connection that runs through this entire section of scripture. There are two reasons for considering that this may be the case:

(1) The content of the first paragraph and the last sentence are tightly connected. The last sentence seems to be saying the same thing as the first paragraph – just in a “recap” sort of way. Look at it again: Jesus said, Judge not, that you be not judged … for the way that you measure out the teachings of the law on others … either with a condemning attitude, or with an attitude of mercy … is the same way the commandments of God will be measured out on you ….. < does the content of the other paragraphs belong belong here with this one … this is the question > ….. So, whatever way you wish for others to treat you is the way that you should also treat them. This is the conclusion of the Law and the Prophets.

(2) Secondly, it’s not just the **content** of the last part that closely aligns with the content of the first paragraph, but, it’s also the **way** that The Golden Rule is introduced that connects it back to the first part:

• So … the Golden Rule
• Therefore … the Golden Rule

Now, if “The Golden Rule” was meant to go with the first paragraph about “Judging Others” … then perhaps the order got messed up during translation. Perhaps, “The Golden Rule” should be place before the other paragraphs about casting pearls before swine, and the asking, seeking, knocking advice … but I do not think so …

So, if the order is not messed up … if it’s correct, then perhaps all of the content of all three paragraphs really belong together. Perhaps all three paragraphs should be combined into a single paragraph. If this is the case, perhaps we should look for the connection in order to get the whole message. Perhaps there are three sub-points in a main message. I’m pondering this. Perhaps an outline might look something like this:

I. Instructions about RELATING TO OTHERS, and how that parallels our RELATING TO GOD.

 

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

 

a). Be careful not to condemn others with the law … showing disdain in areas where they fall short of God’s grace. If you do this, in like manner, you will be condemned in view of the commands of God … He will relate disdain towards you in areas where you fall short of God’s grace. To develop mercy is of key importance, we all need it equally before God. Playing tit for tat will get you in huge trouble fast. How you relate to others is how God will relate to you ( remember, blessed are the merciful … because they will obtain mercy ).

 

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

 

b). Be careful about sharing spiritually revealed truths with those that are not only unsaved, but are also greatly not interested. One reason that you do not want to do this is because it won’t really do them any good. They are dead to God and God is not working in them. Secondly, they will judge you as thinking that you are better than them, and will seek your harm. Use wisdom about what you share, who you share with, and how you share … don’t force things on people who are not interested … test the ability to share often, but be ready to back off if the Spirit is not moving in the life of a person with a hostile spirit. This is wisdom.

But, perhaps the main reason to not want to do this falls into the theme that’s running through these paragraphs: Judge not that you be not judged, treat people the way you want to be treated. So, in this second example, what spiritual truths do you share with those that are not spiritual. Follow the teachings that Jesus is giving here: treat them like you imagine you would want to be treated, given that there’s no foundation of spiritual interest. Do you want pure religious teachings applied to your life like course sandpaper rubbing you the wrong way? Remember that God lets people follow there own sinful stubbornness until they “come to their senses” … He’s the patient father … allowing his youngest rebellious child to leave … heartbroken, and hating it, but He allows this nonetheless. Cast not your pearls before swine … share with those that will receive, test the ability to share often, pray, watch for repentance hope, but also … let them alone until the day of visitation … treat them like you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes … you would want someone to be on your side, praying for you, and ready to share, but sharing when it would do some good and there was the possibility of you to receive … not running over you before that appointed time.

(BTW … this involves judgment mixed with wisdom, motivated by love … not the abstinence of judgment! You have to “judge” what a “dog” is, what a “pearl” is, what a “swine” is and what is “holy” anyway … So, this is confirmation that Jesus is not commanding us to “not judge” …. but rather … to “not condemn” someone based on failure to keep the laws of God).

 

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

 

c). Knowing what you know about this kind of spiritual decree that Jesus is showing us – that God is merciful and patient with us as we are merciful and patient with others … ( which is based on the degree to which we understand point (a) above ), and … understanding that you see your need for God to richly apply that mercy in your life … demonstrated by the way that you are striving to develop and practice applying that mercy to others … then, you will gain further confidence, you will build your faith …. and your vertical relationship with God will follow … even to the point of having confidence in your asking, seeking, finding circumstances before God.

Based on all that above, we can see that God Himself desires to treat us the way that He would want to be treated, if He were in our shoes. I know, I know … this is a very very bad way of stating the theme running through this third point. But, the point is, the theme is there: God wants to treat us kindly with good gifts … if we, being evil know how to give our children good gifts … Certainly God would want to give good gifts to us … since He is perfectly holy. If He wants us to have instructions of treating others the way we would want to be treated … certainly His character is acting the same. This again, gives confidence towards prayer and knowing the Goodness of God.

Thus … we are treating people the way we wish to be treated by God … and we are developing grace in our horizontal relationships and receiving grace in our vertical relationships.

I do not know how to explain the fact that I see this as increase in FAITH that results in outwardly exhibiting itself … not a works-based reward principle.

**** Yet I do understand that God is merciful with us many times when we are not merciful towards others ***** His GRACE is beyond our ability. But as we grow in Him, we start to act like Him from His Spirit within us!

🙂