Sunday Dive

Episode 019: Would you have followed Christ? (Mass Readings for Feb. 23, 2020)

Episode Summary

Our Gospel picks up in the section of the Sermon on the Mount called the Six Antitheses. Jesus addresses “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” as well as the command to love your neighbor but hate your enemy. We’ll dive deep into the Old Testament context for these sayings and discuss how Jesus’ elevation of the law renders Levitical cleanliness laws unnecessary. We’ll also take at look at how the Catechism defines the New Law and what one 21st century Jewish scholar named Jacob Neusner has to say about Jesus’ famous sermon.

Episode Notes

Bibliography/Resources

• The Catechism of the Catholic Church
• The Gospel of Matthew (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series)
• A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament
• Archaeology Study Bible (Crossway)
• A Rabbi Talks With Jesus by Jacob Neusner
• Verbum Bible Software - https://verbum.com/

References

• "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Ex 21:24; Lev 24:20; Dt 19:21)
• "If a man slapped his fellow, he gives him 200 zuz; if with the back of his hand, 400 zuz." (Mishnah, Baba Qamma 8.6)
• The Old Testament forbade someone from keeping one's cloak overnight (cf. Ex 22:29; Dt 24:9)
• Ez 36:26 - "A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you..."
• CCC 1966, 1968: "The New Law is the grace of the Holy Spirit"