NOTES for Mat 5:17-30

Jesus teaches “as one who has authority,” decisively moving sin from the realm of deeds into the realm of thoughts. For us, this is extremely difficult: we can still exercise some control over our actions, but our thoughts... It is like being told “not to think about a white monkey” (do you remember the old tale in which every wish could be fulfilled in a certain situation, provided that at the crucial moment one did not think about a white monkey?). Yet we can avoid thinking about a white monkey—if only we think about someone else! We can avoid sinning in our thoughts if we think about Someone sinless, who is righteous and true. And when do we think about someone constantly? When we love that person—that is the whole secret.