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You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48, ESV).
Jesus had a way of saying things that befuddled believers and theologians from the moment He said them.
Can you imagine what the original apostles thought when Jesus told them to be perfect?
- Peter: “I can do this; I already have the keys to the Kingdom.”
- Thomas: “I doubt anyone can be perfect.”
- James and John: “We’ll call down fire from heaven on anyone who says we aren’t perfect.”
- Judas: “What craziness is this teaching?”
Yet, that’s what Jesus told the apostles, and it’s also what He says to us today. What does it mean?
There are two Greek words in the original language that help our understanding.
First, the word translated as “perfect” can also be translated as “complete” or “fulfilled its purpose.” Second, the word “be” — a very common word in the New Testament but used in this verse in a relational manner.
Further explanation is needed. Please read slowly and with consideration. . .
In Matthew 5:48, we find the Father called “perfect” for the first time. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, and 7) contrasts the Law with the new Kingdom of Jesus. In the Law, righteousness or perfection could only be achieved by rigid adherence to the Law. Now Jesus says something radically different — we are to be perfect as the Father is perfect!
In other words — perfection comes from a relationship with the Father and not from religious and law-keeping activities.
HHHHMMMHHM. Please take a moment and consider what I’ve just written. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship! We are motivated to become “perfect” by loving the Father and not by fear of judgment and adherence to the Law.
HHHHMMMHHM. This is the first time in the entire archive of Interruptions that I’ve used “HHHHMMMHM” twice in an Interruption. Why am I being so bold or annoying? We need to understand Matthew 5:48 because it’s the point of Christianity.
Christianity is a relationship with God and not a mere religion of good works!
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
When your child attempted to sing as a four-year-old, did you comment with a white lie — “That was really good”? In my seminary class on beginning Greek, whenever my professor asked me to read the original Greek, he would say afterward, “Great job.”
But to be honest, I think he was stifling laughter!
Jesus isn’t giving an overly positive statement like “really good” or “great job” — He was teaching that we should love God so much that we begin to desire, more than anything else, to become like our Father.
Jesus also taught us. . .
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).
Amen! Let’s be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect!