Explain these verses in Matthew

[HotRhymez]

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.


DUDE!!! this verse creeps me out..are we really supposed to pluck out our eyes and chop off our hands literally every time we sin?

 

[e8514]

This verse does not mean to liteally do this action. The Lord is trying to keep us away from sin. If do watch certain things on TV that would cause sin-then quit watching these things. Cut yourself off from them. If certain things you would do with your hands cause you to sin-seperate yourself from that.


I really think he is trying to get us to seperate ourselves from things that would cause us to sin. Good question.

God Bless you.

 

[renaistre]

I agree with e8514, but I think an other possible way to understand these verses is that IF our eye or hand could keep us from Christ (when really it is our minds that cause us to sin), we should get rid of it. In other words he is telling us just how important it is for us to follow him.

 

[fishstix]

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.


DUDE!!! this verse creeps me out..are we really supposed to pluck out our eyes and chop off our hands literally every time we sin?

The Bible uses figures of speech to make points and help people to understand things. Not everything is meant to be taken literally.

 

[reformedthinker]

Ditto, I agree its not literal. Because don't some blind man (who lost their sight) still lust? Still have memories of lust? Can't you steal without phyiscally taken something away? But sometimes our convictions does cause us to make radical changes. For those living in sin, God sometimes makes them "amputate" that relationship. He makes them move out, instead of marriage.

 

[dasielady]

Here is what my Bible (the NIV Quest Study Bible) says in the margin in regards to that verse, Matthew 5:28-29....
"Why arent there more one eyed Christians?...... Jesus was using hyperbole to get his listeners' attention. Sin is deadly serious, and radical measures are required to dradicate it. Persistant or recurring sin jeopardizes spiritual life much like gangrene threatens physical health"

In my humble opinion, I think that what was meant here is that if your hand causes you to sin... it is better to cut off your hand and not sin, than to keep your hand and continue to sin. An example would be,.. if you can never say no to a non-christian friend who wants you to go smoke pot, then better to not hang out with them at all, than to let them lead you astray. Or, if you are extremely vain because you have beautiful hair, it is better to cut/dye/tie back your hair, than to let it cause vanity in you. Its just stuff like that,... making the point that it is better to go without than to sin... in my interpretation.

 

[rogsr]

Example: If drinking causes you to sin then stop drinking, because it is better to live without drinking then to perish because of it.

Example: If something causes you to sin then stop doing it, because it is better to live without it then to perish because of it.

Get it?

 

[HotRhymez]

Yeah I get it now...but I got another question, how do we know if we are supposed to take a verse literally or not?

 

[rogsr]

Use your brain, it's there for a reason. When Jesus uses exageration in the Gospels in his lessons it is always obvious. I think he uses exageration to get our attention. And cleary it works, because you are here right? Also, don't forget that Jesus was a pretty reasonable dude. He ate with hookers and traitors, and "broke" the sabbath law just to teach that it was established for our benefit. He grabs our attention and engages us always. Jesus was definately not a make-you-feel-like-a-dog kind of teacher. His conviction was and is always followed directly by Divine understanding. That is why I love Jesus so much, he was a real person. He wasn't just a religious person, looking through the lense of religious doctrine, he looked into men's hearts, he looks into our hearts today. Look at what he says through that scope and you won't get too mixed up, and if you do you know where you can go.

Peace-

 

[Johnnz]

Jesus was being ironic. He was using a well know logical device - reductio ad absurdum - reducing an arguement to its logical but absurd conclusion.

Throughput the section in the gospel Jesus is contrasting the inner nature (true values) of the Kingdom of God with the standards of righteousness proscribed by teh religious leaders of the day. The religious leaders lived by a strict set of laws that had grown up over centuries as rabbi's had tried to codify what obedience to God meant, especially in relation to the Mosaic law. In Jesus' day many religious leaders were more concerned about outward appearances that inward holiness and purity.

So, Jesus challenges the religious leaders. What is was saying, in effect was "If your holiness was merely a matter of external compliance with a set of laws, why don't you leaders show how sincere you really are by cutting off your hands and taking out your eyes? Then, you could not possibly commit sin!"

What Jesus said about looking at a woman and lusting was in the same vein. Outwardly, the religious leaders could appear sexually pure, but God was more interested in what was going on inside.

John
NZ

 

[e8514]

Johnz,


Great post. God Bless

 

[reformedthinker]

romans 12:1-21 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,


The Scriptures and the Holy Spirit is there to expound on the Truth for you. Always pray before you begin to read the Bible for God to open your heart and eyes to the Truth.

Yeah I get it now...but I got another question, how do we know if we are supposed to take a verse literally or not?