THE HOLIEST Commentaries on St. Matthew
Tablet Eight
"Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison." (Matthew 5:25)
<1>Do not become involved in disputes and mundane things in life. Leave them to those who are drowned in Maya. Be satisfied with whatever you have with no attachment to them, so you can concentrate on higher things and progress in becoming great.
"Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." (Matthew 5:26)
<2>However, if you were accused of something, act in such a way that you would leave no doubt in others and your own mind of your honesty.
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:"
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)
<3>The goal is not, not to do adultery, but to reach a state of consciousness that even no desire to do adultery or lust is left.
"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
"And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." (Matthew 5:29-30)
<4>Whatever is an obstacle in your path to reach that state (Divinity, Pure Consciousness) where no desire is left to do sin, should be destroyed, no matter how dear it is to you (very much like the teaching of the Bhagavad-Gita).
"It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:"
"But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32)
<5>If husband and wife are soulmates, only they can be married as partners together. So if they divorce and she marries another person, they will be doing adultery because they are not true parts for each other. <6>Also couples and families are the base and blocks from which society is built. If these blocks are not strong, then the whole society will collapse. Even if married couples are not each other's true corresponding parts, still they can become a strong base for society with a little sacrifice.
"Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:"
"But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:"
"Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King."
"Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black."
"But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." (Matthew 5:33-37)
<7>The goal is to be(come) the truth itself, and a person in truth does not have to swear at all. To reach this state you should refrain from idle talk, because idle talk "cometh of evil."
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:"
"But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
"And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also."
"And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." (Matthew 5:38-41)
<8>Forgive those who do bad to you, and make your aggressor ashamed of his actions, by showing forgiveness and detachment.
<9>It should be kept in mind that the teachings of Christ are for individual progress and are related to the acts a person does to be(come) perfect to be(come) detached in overcoming the lower nature and an instrument to manifest His qualities. <10>However, there is another side of human life and that is the relationship of man with the society and external world. Therefore to complete these teachings of forgiveness, it should be taught: <11>Forgive whatever bad has been done to you, but forgive not bad done to society.
<12>That is why Prophet Muhammad taught that if someone smites you, smite him back, because his teaching is more social-oriented and Christ's teaching is individual-oriented.
"Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." (Matthew 5:42)
<13>Be helpful to others in need as much as you can. <14>Help others with knowledge, not from ignorance (helping the wrong person, or at the wrong time, or in the wrong place), or from passion (with expecting something in return).
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy."
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"
"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:43-45)
<15>In order to become like the Father (His son), you have to become indiscriminating in your love, as God giveth to both the good and the sinners. <16>Even if He punishes someone it is for that person's good so he might receive a lesson and progress further toward his goal. So be like Him and do all things with love toward the whole universe.
"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?"
"And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?" (Matthew 5:46-47)
<17>If you do not love everything, because everything is He, then it shows that you still have your separated ego as "I" and only love those who love "I," and hate those who hate "I." Is not this the way with all those who have a false separated ego? <18>But in order to be different and perfect, look upon all things as God and as being manifested from God. Love all things because they are God. So in this, look at all things as God looks. Even when you punish a person, do it for the sake of correction but not from hate.
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
<19>That is exactly what the goal of the life is, to be(come) perfect as the Father, to be(come) Divine, Pure Consciousness, the Law. <20>The goal is to reach this point. It is not to try to follow a set of rules, regulations, and Commandments, but to be(come) those Commandments. <21>It does not mean that the Laws and Commandments are destroyed by these teachings, but the true way is shown how to implement them by purification of one's existence (physically, mentally, and spiritually), or to reach that purity of the Father. Then you become the same as the Father. God is the Law so you also become the Law, or perfect. Until you reach there, any Commandments, Laws, or teachings are only words, however they show the way. <22>When you do reach there, then you do the Laws and follow the Commandments without even thinking about them.
<23>So, "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."