Today’s readings are an excerpt from Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, his rendition of the Sermon on the Mount. In it Jesus gives not a sage’s wisdom or arbitrary moral opinions but sets up the frame work of what I refer to as “Moral Physics”. The invisible spirit world, of which we are a part, as we are a body-soul composite is governed by rules that are as absolute as the rules of the material world. We understand that mass and gravity causes a ball to fall when dropped. We understand that for every action is there is an equal and opposite reaction. People typically throw their papers in the air and say morality is subjective and there is no way to be sure but luckily, God came as man to set that straight.
36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
We should be merciful or compassionate in some translations, the meaning is essentially the same. On a human level mercy is the act of lenience on those less fortunate than ourselves. Mercy is always extended from a stronger entity to a weaker one. Mercy is not is not an optional virtue because Jesus says God the Father is merciful. God cannot change so mercy is an intrinsic property of God’s love. We are to be merciful because He is and to be as merciful as He is. Think of the most sinful horrible human being you can imagine, God extends his mercy to that person. You have to be that merciful. By participating in this act of mercy we align ourselves with a property of God, we are divinised.
37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
Like Newton’s third Law we mentioned in the introduction,”For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. If you judge others you will be judged. Condemn and you will be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. This is a reality of the spiritual world. The intent of your heart reverberates in that unseen realm even if you do not see its reactions in the material world.
How should we understand judging and condemning though? Absolute literal interpretation without context would mean we couldn’t make any decisions at all. Luckily, since scripture does not contradict itself, other parts of the New Testament help us fill in the context. Jesus himself will command us to correct our brothers, the Church has the authority to judge sinners and excommunicate them “treat them like sinners and tax collectors”. Saint Paul tells us we will eventually judge angels. So Judgement outside of our authority is forbidden. A secular judge can absolute judge a criminals actions but cannot judge his soul, that is in God’s authority only. Within our own authority we can condemn things within its confines. Again, a judge has the authority to condemn a criminal to prison but cannot condemn his soul to Hell.
As a parent you have to judge the correct treatment of your children and when they misbehave, condemn them to certain punishments. The infraction that is forbidden by Jesus is judging and condemning outside of your own authority. Abusing your authority or trespassing this authority leads you to be judged and condemned most likely by the world itself as well as God the ultimate judge.
This equal and opposite reaction is not limited to negative notions like condemnation and judgement. It also applies to positive things like forgiveness. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. It can also be interpreted negatively, if you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. What you put out, you receive.
38 give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
Jesus now caps off these moral physics with their ultimate rule which allows us to perceive the invisible. What you give, will be given to you. Using imagery of liquid, what and how much you pour out will be given back. You get exactly what you deserve.
Leave a Reply