NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER FIVE

Part VI

We also find this subject concerning the fiery place of torment in another Jewish commentary: “The notion of ‘Paradise’ itself, of which people often speak, is derived from the Torah, being the exalted abode which was intended for Adam. Had he not been disobedient, he would have remained in it for ever. Similarly ‘Gēhinnōm’ was nothing but a well-known place near the Holy House, a trench in which the fire was never extinguished, because unclean bones, dead bodies and other impurities used to be burned there. The word is a compound Hebrew one”¹ We must remember that Jesus was speaking to a Jewish audience, and spoke to their understanding of Gehenna. According to Jewish tradition, “The fire of the Gehenna was created on the eve of the Sabbath”² As a matter of fact, they go on to say that “Seven things were created before the world was created, and these are: The Torah,³ repentance,⁴ the Garden of Eden,⁵ (which one Jewish commentator suggests this to be a great compliment to man, the first human being, and suggest that the world had been created anew in an improved version, in order to become fit for such an advanced creature of God to live in),⁶ Gehenna,⁷ the Throne of Glory and the Temple,⁸ and the name of the Messiah”⁹

When reading in Jewish literature and listening to the ancient rabbis when they talk about Gehenna, we see that they are trying to answer this question: “What will happen to bad people in the afterlife?” They found part of the answer when they considered Gehenna as a place of punishment for those who lead an immoral life. But they considered it somewhat like a Jewish purgatory, only they likened it to the Valley of Baca, which means the “Vale of tears.” And just like purgatory, the stay is not permanent. The Rabbis taught: “Wrongdoers of Israel who sin with their body and wrongdoers of the Gentiles who sin with their body go down to Gehinnom and are punished there for twelve months. After twelve months their body is consumed and their soul is burnt and the wind scatters them under the soles of the feet of the righteous as it says, And ye shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet¹⁰.”¹¹ In fact, tradition teachings taught earlier: “There are five things that endure for twelve months: The judgment of the generation of the Flood; of Job; of the Egyptians; of Gog and Magog; and the judgment of the unrighteous in Gehenna.”¹²

Many rabbis believed that at the very Gates of Gehenna a person could still repent and avoid punishment, although some disagreed like Rabbi Simeon ben Lakish. Says Rabbi Lakish: “even the empty-headed ones (Raca) have some good in them.”¹³ After being punished in Gehenna a soul was considered pure enough to enter the Garden of Eden. For the most part the Rabbis did not believe souls would be condemned to eternal punishment.

There is another story where some Rabbis were discussing the Romans in Galilee and how they made streets, built bridges, erected baths and market places. They praised those who supported them, exiled those who said nothing good about Sepphoris, and executed those who spoke against them. One of those was Rabbi Simeon. So he and his son went to hide themselves in the city of Beth Hamidrash, but ended up in a cave where they kept themselves alive on carob beans and well-water. When they finally emerged they said that Elijah had visited them and told them that the Emperor was dead and his decree had been annulled. So they came out of the cave and began to persecute those who did not oppose the Romans. That’s when a voice came from heaven and said, “Have you emerged to destroy My world: Return to your cave!. So they went back in the cave and stayed there twelve months. This led to the saying, “The punishment of the wicked in Gehenna is [limited to] twelve months.” Yet there were transgressions that the Rabbis felt did merit eternal damnation. These included: heresy, publicly shaming someone, committing adultery with a married woman and rejecting the words of the Torah. However, because the Rabbis also believed that one could repent at any time, the belief in eternal damnation was not a predominant one.”¹⁴

In an apocryphal scroll available in Jesus’ day there is an interesting portrait of this punishment by fire: “And behold they were all bound, I saw, and they all stood before Him. And the judgment was held first over the stars, and they were judged and found guilty, and went to the place of condemnation, and they were cast into an abyss, full of fire and flaming, and full of pillars of fire.”¹⁵ In other Jewish apocalyptic writings we find similar descriptions, such as “The mouth of Gehenna, and the station of vengeance have the likeness of future torment.”¹⁶

Many Christians skip over this verse here in Matthew because they don’t feel that it pertains to them in today’s society. If we read this admonition in light of one’s Christian conduct toward another, it becomes a clear warning to seek reconciliation not retribution when offended by a brother or sister in Christ. The warning of hell’s fire at the end is used here as a figure of speech. In other words, we can see the progression of increased warning with each accumulated level of anger. First, a person may be called on to explain, then taken to court, and finally reaping a harsh punishment that is likened to the fire of Gehenna, which means being thrown on a garbage heap and left to burn. Unfortunately today, these actions and words are used imperviously and without fear. But Jesus said what He said, and it’s best to heed His warning. Beside that, what respect do Christians garner when they act in such a negative fashion as Jesus describes here?

Verses 23-24: “So, what if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember that someone has something against you? Leave your gift there and go make peace with that person. Then come and offer your gift.”

Now our Lord moves on to the subject of reconciliation and forgiveness. Here He is speaking of the manner and custom of that day to take gifts, offerings, and sacrifices to the temple where they were placed on the altar in penance for sins committed and seeking to cover those sins so they would not be held against them later. Samuel had instructions on this: “Which pleases the LORD more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obeying his commands? It is better to obey the LORD than to offer sacrifices to Him. It is better to listen to Him than to offer the fat from rams.”¹⁷ In other words, if God has told us to be reconciled with our neighbor, family member or friend before we bring any sacrifice to Him, Jesus is saying it’s better to be obedient than obstinate. Isaiah also had strong words from the Lord: “When you raise your arms to pray to me, I will refuse to look at you. You will say more and more prayers, but I will refuse to listen because your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean. Stop doing the evil things I see you do. Stop doing wrong. Learn to do good. Treat people fairly. Punish those who hurt others. Speak up for the widows and orphans. Argue their cases for them in court.”¹⁸ Amos gives a similar word from the Lord.¹⁹

We could say that applying the balm of God’s forgiveness to a believer’s heart that is carrying around unforgiven words or actions, either against them or against someone, is like pouring water on a duck’s feathers. It just rolls off. So why waste it? God does not want to throw away something for which Jesus paid the highest price. No wonder Solomon adds this caution when making reconciliation with someone, “If you want to discuss your problems with your neighbor, go ahead and do it. But then don’t go around discussing what they told you in private. Whoever hears you doing this will lose all respect for you and will never trust you again.”²⁰ That’s why Jesus said, “go to them and make it right.” This concept was already part of Jewish thinking. In the Babylonian Talmud we read that if a person brings a trespass offering and returns the stolen item before the evidence is presented in court of their wrong doing that is the right thing to do, but if they bring their trespass offering before they confess and return the stolen items, that is not right thing to do.²¹

The great Jewish teacher Maimonides addresses this same issue: “The guilt offering should not be sacrificed until the thief returns the principal to its owner, or to the priests if it was a convert without heirs who was robbed. If the robber gave the owner the principal but not the additional 20% interest and had the guilt offering sacrificed, he is granted atonement, for the additional 20% interest does not prevent atonement from being granted. He is, however, obligated to give the owner the additional 20% interest after receiving atonement.”²² Jesus wants his followers to practice this same ethic of making things right with one’s fellowman before making things right with God. Not only can you come to God with a clean conscience, but it will eliminate the temptation of not reconciling with your fellowman because you’ve already reconciled with God. Solomon puts an interesting way: “My son, don’t make yourself responsible for the debts of others. Don’t make such deals with friends or strangers. If you do, your words will trap you. You will be under the power of other people, so you must go and free yourself. Beg them to free you from that debt. Don’t wait to rest or sleep. Escape from that trap like a deer running from a hunter. Free yourself like a bird flying from a trap.”²³ It would not be out of context to believe that Jesus also saw the problem of letting indebtedness become a source of manipulation on the part of the debtee to use on the debtor.

Unfortunately for many evangelical Christians today, they believe that the main reason they were called by the Holy Spirit out of darkness into the marvelous light of accepting Jesus the Christ as their Lord and Savior, is to go to church, participate in praise and worship, pay their tithes, read their Bible, have mandatory prayer sessions at home, and participate in church ministries. If that were true, then it would be best if God were to simply remove each new born again believer from the earth to heaven where they could worship Him for eternity without having to worry about everyday cares and problems here on earth. But here’s the truth: We were called to be His children so that with His help we could live our lives before others in such a significant manner full of love, compassion, care and strength that all our family and friends would want to be just like us. Why? Because they would be seeing Jesus in us. And what better example for the world to see than Jesus, the Son of God living in us.

1 Kitab al Khazari (Kuzari) by Judah Halevi (Part One)

2 Babylonian Talmud, op. cit., Seder Mo’ed, Masekhet Pesachim, folio 54a

3 Proverbs 8:22

4 Psalm 90:2

5 Genesis 2:8

6 Tzror Hamor, op. cit., Parshat Bereshith, loc, cit., p. 60

7 Isaiah 30:33

8 Jeremiah 17:12

9 Psalm 72:17

10 Malachi 3:21

11 Babylonian Talmud, op. cit., Seder Mo’ed, Masekhet Rosh HaShana, folio 17a

12 Jerusalem Talmud, op. cit., See Isaiah 66:23

13 Babylonian Talmud, Seder, Mo’ed, Masekhet Erubin, folio 19a

14 Ibid., Masekhet Shabbath, folio 33b

15 Book of Enoch 90:23-25

16 Apocalypse of Baruch 59:10

17 I Samuel 15:22

18 Isaiah 1:15-17

19 Amos 5:21-14

20 Proverbs 25:9

21 Babylonian Talmud, op. cit., Seder Nezikin, Masekhet Baba Kama, folio 63b and 108b

22 Moses Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, op. cit., Sefer Nezikim, Tractate Gezelah va’Avedah, Ch. 8, Halacha 13

23 Proverbs 6:1-5