kenod said:
I agree. Jesus confirmed the OT laws concerning sexual morality, although He made them more than just a matter of the body, but also of the heart and mind: lust is the same as the act of adultery.
Jesus confirmed the prohibition against sexual immorality in Matthew 15:16-20 and Mark 7:20-23
Mark 7 (NIV)
"What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean. "
The audience He was speaking to would have understood that homosexual acts were included as "sexual immorality". That is how the disciples and Paul interpreted His words.
Hmmm, you just caused me to realise something. Perhaps some of the audience did not understand, which might be why Jesus had to appeal first to the Jews, then the gentiles.
One group had the 613 Mizhvat (including the Ten commandments), that they followed. The other group would not have those laws, but only possibly the seven Noahidic laws. So understanding what sexual immorality was to the Jews, may not have been the same to the gentiles (it would not have been the same for the Romans and Greeks for example).
So the message that Jesus brought initially was for his people who already passed Laws 101, and were capable of going to the next level. With the Gentiles, Jesus would have to start from scratch (a task that would be carried out by His disciples).
If you notice, non Jew interaction Jesus had with individuals of "questionable" sexual morals, was never a condemning interaction. I can think of four right off the bat.
He was astounded with the faith of a Roman Centurian (a gentile), who was concerned with the well being of his favorite servant. Why the servant was favored is never developed. (because it wasn't part of the lesson we are to understand from this story, about faith). (Faith)
Next He was impressed with the open willingness of the woman at the well, to embrace the truth of God, and the excitedness she displayed at learning more (she wanted to know the God she was ignorantly praying to all her life. She was Samaritan, and though following the OT, did not understand what it meant, only that it was given by God to a people, and Samaritans too would follow that God). Through it all, Jesus never condemned her for living the way she had, that wasn't the focus of importance. Her openess to the Word of God, and the good news was. Her eyes and ears and heart were open, without reservation. (Hope)
Then there was the woman about to be stoned for soliciting. The moral here was that no one is perfect, so judge not. However I see something more in this story. The woman the "self righteous" men of the town were about to stone to death, was most assuredly put in the dire position of the prostitute by some of these very same men. I think Jesus was daring them to stone one for what they themselves were guilty of. "Condemn her, and you condemn yourself". (Mercy)
Finally the woman begging for her daughter's life. Jesus tells her flat out He isn't here for her kind (gentiles), but for the Jews. She knows her station in life, but shrewdly points out that even dogs get the scraps and left overs from the table, and are greatful for even just that. (In otherwords, she says "I'm not proud sir, I'll take what I can get and be glad for it"). She also displays a willingness to sacrifice (herself for her daughter's life). She has more than faith at this point. She knows to whom she is speaking with, the author of life. She has not lived well, and wishes her daughter to have a chance to get it right. She places the value of another, over her own worth.
(Love)
Four people of questionable moral character. Three of which brought it upon themselves, and the fourth who most likely had it forced upon her by others.
Three who had a strength and determination to reach out to God, despite their own fallibleness, and a fourth who had no strength left accepted her fate and was at the mercy of her peers.
Faith, Hope, Love and Mercy, where justice was deserved.
my thoughts
v/r
Q
