The Jewish Annotated New Testament (190 page)

16:
Good works
, Matthew insists that faith be accompanied by action (see 25.32–46).

5.17
–20: Views concerning the Torah.

17:
Law
, Gk “nomos,” in LXX for Heb “torah.” Here the reference (accompanied by “the prophets,” Gk “prophētēs,”) is to the writings, the Torah and Nevi’im of the Tanakh (as opposed to the prophets themselves in v. 12).
Not to abolish
, Matthew upholds Torah. Some of Jesus’ followers believed that he abrogated Torah (cf. Rom 8.4; 13.8; Gal 5.4; Acts 6.14; Heb 8). The Rabbis believed that the Torah should not be altered at all; it was the heretics who dismissed much or all of the Torah laws (
b. Shabb
. 31a; 116a–b;
Ex. Rab
. 47.1).

18:
Mk 13.31.
Not one letter
, Gk “iota,” for Heb “yod,” the smallest letter (see translators’ note
a
on the next page).
Not one stroke of a letter
, rabbinic teachings do not allow a letter of Torah to be altered (
b. Sanh
. 90a;
y. Sanh
. 2.6;
Ex. Rab
. 6.1;
Lev. Rab
. 19.2). The “stroke” is the smallest part of a letter that differentiates it from another letter.

19:
Least of these commandments
, all Torah commandments to be followed, but some are weightier than others (Deut 22.6–7; cf. Jas 2.10;
m. Avot
2.1; 4.2;
m. Qidd
. 1.10;
b. Ned
. 39b;
b. Shabb
. 70b;
Avot de R. Natan
35).

20:
Exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees
, setting the bar high, as Pharisees were known as righteous.

5.21
–48: Antitheses.
The common term “antitheses” (lit., “oppositions”) for these six teachings is inaccurate; some teachings proclaim not antithesis, but intensification (comparable to “making a fence around the Torah”; see
m. Avot
1.1).

21:
You shall not murder
, Ex 20.13; Deut 5.17.
Whoever murders
…, perhaps paraphrasing Gen 9.6; Ex 21.12.
Judgment
, a sentence for murder could only be ordered by a Jewish court (Deut 16.18; 21.1–9. See
m. Sanh
. 1.4; 7.1;
b. Sanh
. 35a; 72a–b).

22:
Insult
, name-calling could be a legal offense (
m. B. Kamma
8.1;
m. Ketub
. 3.7; see also
b. B. Metz
. 58b).
Council
(Gk “sanhedrin”) refers to the Jewish high council in Jerusalem, or a local court (see 26.57;
m. Makk
. 1.10;
m. Sanh
. 1.6;
t. Sanh
. 1.7).
Hell
(Gk “Gehenna”), based on Heb “Gehinnom,” a valley south of Jerusalem associated with child sacrifice (2 Kings 23.10; Jer 7.31; 2 Chr 28.3; 33.6). Gehinnom later became associated with purgatory and/or hell, where the wicked, according to some traditions, are tortured after death (cf. 25.41; see also
b. Eruv
. 19a;
b. Pesah
. 54a;
m. Ed
. 2.9–10;
b. Rosh Ha-Shanah
17a;
t. Sanh
. 13.3; cf.
1 En
. 90.24;
2 Bar
. 59.10; 85.13;
Sib. Or
. 1.103; 2.292; 4.186; Rev 19.20; 20.14–15).

23–24:
At the altar
, Matthew presumes Jesus’ audience continued to participate in Temple sacrifice; perhaps also an allusion to Gen 4 (Cain and Abel).

24:
Be reconciled
, Jews were required to seek peace with their neighbors before reconciliation with God was possible (Prov 6.1–5; 16.7;
m. Avot
3.10;
m. Yoma
8.9;
Gen. Rab
. 93.1).

25–26:
(Lk 12.57–59), see Prov. 6.1–5.

27:
Adultery
, Ex 20.14; Lev 20.10; Deut 5.18.

28:
Lust
, Jewish sources show a deep disdain for this offense (e.g., Job 31.1,9; Sir 9.8; 23.35; 41.21;
b. Ber
. 16a;
Lev. Rab
. 23.12 [on the adulterous eye]; 11QSTemple 59.14).

29–30:
(Mk 9.43–48); Mt 18.8–9.
Cut it off
, Jewish sources linked the loss of limbs to martyrdom (e.g., 2 Macc 7.7–11; 4 Macc 10.20). The language here is hyperbolic.

31:
Certificate of divorce
(Heb “get”), see 19.9; Deut 24.1–4.

32:
Unchastity
(Gk “porneia”; see 19.3–9; cf. Mk 10.2–12; Lk 16.18; 1 Cor 7.11–13), encompasses more than adultery, e.g., marriages viewed by Leviticus (18.6–18) as incestuous. Jesus’ sexual ethics are stricter than found in most other branches of early Judaism, but see 11QTemple 57.17–19; CD 4.12–5.14;
m. Ned
. 11.12;
b. Sanh
. 22a.

33:
Swear falsely
, paraphrase of Ex 20.7; Lev 19.12; Num 30.3–15; Deut 5.11; 21.21–23.

34:
Do not swear at all
, see Eccl 5.4 and Jas 5.12. Some rabbis forbid certain oaths (
m. Sebu
. 4.13;
m. Ned
. 1.3;
m. Sanh
. 3.2), but Jesus goes farther.
Throne of God
, see 23.22; Heb 12.2; Rev 7.15; 22.1,2.

35:
Isa 66.1.

37:
See
b. B. Metz
. 49a;
Ruth Rab
. 7.6.

38:
An eye for an eye
, Ex 21.23–25; Lev 24.19–20; Deut 19.21; 11QTemple 61.10–12;
Jub
. 4.31–32;
L.A.B
. 44.10; Cf. Lk 6.27–36).
M. Bava Kamma
8 states that such injuries should be compensated financially.

39–40:
Cf. 1 Thess 5.15. Jesus will be slapped and have his cloak removed (26.67; 27.35).
Right cheek
, presumes a back-handed slap.
Turn the other
, respond with neither violence nor abjection (see also Lam 3.30).
Give your cloak
, most people owned only two garments; to strip naked would uncover the judiciary injustice.

41:
Second mile
, Roman soldiers could conscript locals to carry their gear for one mile; going the second is nonviolent resistance. Giving to charity was mandated in the Torah; interest was forbidden on loans as well (see Ex 22.25; Lev 25.36–37; Deut 15.7–11).

43:
Love your neighbor
, Lev 19.18.
Hate your enemy
, no biblical text records this saying but cf. 1QS 9.21.

44:
Love your enemies
, Jews were not to mistreat enemies. See Prov 24.17; 25.21; Josephus,
Ag. Ap
. 2.211.

45:
(Lk 6.35; 10.6; Jn 8.39).
Children of your Father
, see Jn 1.12; Rom 8.14–15; Gal 3.26–27; 4.5; Eph 1.5. Jewish sources also portray God in parental terms (2 Sam 7.14; Ps 82.6; 1 Chr 22.9–10;
b. Qidd
. 36a;
Ex. Rab
. 46.4).

46:
Tax collectors
, agents of Rome; for Matthew, those needing evangelization (9.10–11; 11.19; 18.17; 21.31–32).

48:
Cf. Lk 6.36; Rom 12.2; Col 3.13; 1 Jn 4.19.
Be perfect
(Gk “teleios”), the word in this sense appears in the NT only in Matthew’s Gospel (19.21) and the Letter of James (1.4; 3.2); it implies maturity or wisdom (19.21; cf. Lev 19.2; Deut 18.13 [and Targumic commentaries]; 1QS 1.8–9,13; 2.1–2; 8.9–10;
Midr. Tehillim
119:3; Lk 6.36 demands disciples be merciful). In Jewish tradition, Heb “tamim” (“complete, sound”; see Gen 6.9, where Noah is “blameless”) could indicate “completeness” with God, though not necessarily in a moral sense (e. g. Deut 18.13; 32.4).

6.1
–8: Piety. 1:
Piety
(Gk “dikaiosynē”), lit., “righteousness” (in LXX for Heb “tzedakah”); see 1.19n.; 3.15; 5.6, 10,20; 6.33; 9.13; 21.32; 25.37,46; cf. 1 Sam 16.7; Rom 2.28–9;
b. Meg
. 20a.
To be seen by them
, on practicing righteousness in private, see
b. Sukk
. 49b.
Y. Ber
. 4.6 and
y. Meg
. 3.1 mention prayer recited in streets and markets.
Reward
, see
m. Avot
1.3 (“Be not like servants who minister unto their master for the sake of receiving a reward …”).
Father in heaven
, see 5.45n.

2:
Alms,
Deut 14.28–29; 15.11; 19.24; Tob 4.7; 12.8; cf.
b. Git
. 11b; an increasingly valued practice in Hellenistic and rabbinic Judaism.
Trumpet
, Jews did not, contrary to popular Christian preaching, have trumpets announce donations.
Hypocrite
, originally a Gk term for “actor,” came to mean one who seeks public praise or is deceitful; Matthew uses it to refer to Jesus’ enemies, usually Pharisees (6.2,5,16; 7.5; 15.7; 22.18; 23 passim; see Hab 2.5; Prov 21.24;
Pss. Sol
. 4.1–6,20; 2 Macc 6.25; Josephus,
J.W
. 2.587;
m. Avot
1.3;
b. Sanh
. 103a). The polemic likely reflects religious rivalries in Matthew’s own time.
Synagogues
, see 4.23n.

4:
Alms may be done in secret
, the twelfth-century Jewish philosopher Maimonides advocated secret almsgiving as the second-highest of his eight levels of “tzedakah,” or charity. See also
b. Sukk
. 49b.

5
–6:
cf. Lk 18.10–14.
Whenever you pray
, traditional Jewish prayers are said three times daily: morning, late afternoon, and early evening (Dan 6.10; cf. Acts 3.1; 10.2–3,30;
Did
. 8.3;
m. Ber
. 4.1;
t. Ber
. 3.6;
b. Ber
. 26b;). Jesus is not forbidding public prayer but condemning those who seek attention by their manner of praying (cf. 23.5–7; Isa 26.20;
t. Ber
. 3.1). The exhortation to private prayer in v. 6, however, seems to indicate a preference for nonpublic piety, and not for such venues as congregational common prayer.