Theorizing the ideal often is a wonderful adventure in speculation. Experiencing reality is often distressful. Bible class discussions focusing on the way Christians should treat Christians often center on relationships in an ideal congregation under ideal circumstances. In ideal godly relationships, (a) Christians are sensitive to each other and (b) Christians in troubled situations are responsibly apologetic.

Commonly, experiencing reality is distressful. If interviews were conducted with Christians who broke association with all other Christians, that group could share several reasons for their separation decision. Prominent among the reasons would be this: distressful disillusionment produced by irresponsible, uncaring Christians.

It is easy for Christians to respect each other when they agree and are kind. It is challenging for Christians to respect each other when they cause pain. The ideal: Christian association often eliminates pain. The reality: Christian association often causes pain.

Being a person of godly character and integrity is simple when we are surrounded and encouraged by Christians of godly character and integrity. Maintaining godly character and integrity is challenging when we are surrounded by people who do not share our commitment.

In Jesus' lifetime Jewish people generated a lot of turmoil among themselves. Pharisees and Sadducees had fundamental disagreements (see Acts 23:6-10). Rabbinical conclusions often disagreed in basic concepts of God's will. Jews who collected taxes for the Roman government were rejected as thieves and traitors. Jews considered sinners were ostracized from the religious community. Many Jews considered Samaritans as less than human.

One of Jesus' saddest commentaries on the internal struggles he observed among the Jewish people is found in Mark 6:30-34. Jesus intended to take the twelve by boat to a secluded place to rest. A large crowd arrived at the secluded area before Jesus arrived by boat. They hurriedly walked for miles around the shore. Though Jesus sought seclusion with the twelve to rest, when he saw the crowd he felt compassion for them. Why compassion rather than frustration? This was the explanation: "They were like sheep without a shepherd."

They were citizens of one of the most religious nations in their world. That nation possessed God's law, God's temple, God's priests, and God's scripture. The laws regulating every day life were religious laws. Synagogues met every Sabbath for study and prayer. Their national leadership did not separate politics and religion. Influences supposedly devoted to God's will saturated their society. Yet, masses of Jewish people had no direction for or focus in life. They were as aimless and purposeless as sheep without a shepherd. Such conditions do not produce godly character and integrity.

A person might conclude Israel's religious emphasis produced an environment of peaceful encouragement among those Jewish people. Yet, actual relationships in their environment frequently produced rejection and turmoil. Many in Israel felt abandoned and deserted. People of godly character do not abandon and desert struggling people.

The sermon Jesus shared in Matthew 5-7 addressed some of the internal realities among those Jewish people. In that sermon Jesus dealt with the problem of brotherly abuse among Israelites. An incorrect understanding of loving one's neighbor as one's self prevailed. Too many refused to allow God to determine his or her character and integrity. Others' lack of loving neighborliness must not produce unconcern for godly character and behavior. The man or woman who belongs to God chooses to be a person of godly character and integrity in spite of the behavior of others, not because of the behavior of others. Acts of ungodliness are not justified by failures in other people's behavior.

Jesus' definition of godly behavior for those devoted to godly character and integrity:

1. Read Matthew 5:11. Jesus gave this statement in the framework of the beatitudes. The beatitudes collectively form a description of the godly person.
   1. How should those insulted and persecuted for being Jesus' disciple regard such opposition? (A disciple was [is] one who follows a teacher. Among the religiously accepted in Israel, it was improper to allow Jesus to be one's teacher.)

   2. The statements of evil against the disciple should be false statements.

   3. The reason for those statements should be the person's relationship with whom?

   4. Explain your understanding of Matthew 5:11.

2. Read Matthew 5:22, 23.
   1. Any Jew who was angry with his fellow Jew would be guilty where?

   2. Any Jew who spoke with contempt to a fellow Jew would be guilty where?

   3. What would happen to a Jew who called a brother Jew a fool? What court was that?

   4. What was a Jew to do if he was in the process of preparing to worship and remembered his brother Jew had something against him?

   5. Explain your understanding of Matthew 5:22, 23.

3. Read Matthew 5:39,40. Remember the context: Jewish people's treatment of each other. To remind yourself of the depth of Jewish-Jewish relationships, read again Deuteronomy 15.
   1. What did Jesus say not to do? How did Paul echo this emphasis in Romans 12:17-21?

   2. If a brother Jew sued a Jew, what did Jesus say was the appropriate response?

4. Read Matthew 5:42 and contrast these two attitudes toward possessions. (Remember Deuteronomy 15.)
   1. "I earn/possess to care for myself and to use in any manner that pleases me."

   2. "I earn/possess to benefit God's people."

   3. What was a devout Jew's attitude toward Israelites?

Link to Teacher's Guide Lesson 6

Copyright © 2002
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

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