Is Jesus' Commandment in Matthew 5 v29 and 30 literal?

Answer 1

It's symbolic language for this point-If something stands in your way of having divine favor, get rid of it, no matter how important or close it is to us. This is because the only way to achieve salvation is by means of Jehovah God, the one who gives divine favor. (Isaiah 43:11)

(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)

Answer 2

This command is not literal although Jesus clearly wants the subject to be taken seriously.It is not literal because the human body of believers is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and is to be cared for, protected from intentional damage, kept clean etc, and also because God does not approve of suicide or self-mutilation which this would entail.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." [1 Corinthians 6:19-20]

Christ did not come to do away with Old Testament laws, (all of which they could not keep to the letter), but to fulfill them completely by keeping even their very intent:_

Mat 5:17-19 KJV Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. [v. 18] For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. [v. 19] Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

John MacArthur, in "The MacArthur Study Bible", says in his Notes on p.1369 for verse 29:- "Jesus was not advocating self-mutilation (for this would not in fact cure lust, which is actually a problem of the heart). He was using this graphic hyperbole to demonstrate the seriousness of sins of lust and desire. The point is that it would be 'better' (v.30) to lose a member of one's own body than to bear the eternal consequences of the guilt from such a sin.. Sin must be dealt with drastically because of its deadly effects."

5:29 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.

5:30 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.

After reading Matthew, I came to the conclusion that the above verses attributed to Jesus are literal. This is also confirmed in Matthew 18:8; Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. To understand any verse read a few verses on either side so it is not read in isolation or taken out of context ; (NB cults rely on people not doing this):- Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoeverlooketh on a woman to hath lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in hisheart.

Mat 5:29 And [this is a 'connective' ie linking the thoughts in the previous verse with this one] 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.

Mat 5:30 And [another connective] 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.

This section from verse 27 to 30 is all about adultery and how it starts with lustful thoughts . It's a bit like stealing: chopping off a person's hand may stop them from being ableto steal, but it doesn't stop someone wanting to steal.

What is most certainly literal is what is the central point of the teaching contained in the relevant verses.

1. There is a literal hell into which people are literally placed.

2. The torment in hell is a matter of great seriousness and thus everything must be done to avoid it.

3. People in Jesus' day (to whom the teaching was addressed) had no problem believing in a literal hell, but they did have a problem in their belief in truth and so Jesus had to point them to the seriousness of hell and their need to seek Him as the was, the truth and the life.

4. It is false to want to take the idea of self-mutilation literally but then ignore the main point of the verses which is the warning about hell.

5. The truth is, people want to do anything but face the awful truth about themselves, that they may be hell-bound. This truth is what Jesus was wanting to impress upon His hearers in the most graphic way possible. To focus on the illustration but ignore the central teaching is dangerous indeed, apart from being false interpretation.

Summary:

Jesus wanted His hearers to take hell seriously and we need to do the same and not get caught up in false side-issues. What seems to be misunderstood by the Questioner & possibly some participant's Answers is that Jesus was not making a commandment, but much the way Dr. John MacArthur noted in the earlier reference; Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount was teaching about the seriousness of obeying God in living a pure life. "He was using this graphic hyperbole to demonstrate the seriousness of sins of lust and desire,"not advocating self-mutilation (for this would not in fact cure lust, which is actually a problem of the heart)." So, it is hyperbole used to make the hearer think about the serious consequences of his disobedience, just as is found in Mark 9:42-50, where Jesus is warning against offending a young child in steering him away from belief in Him. Jesus was heightening awareness of the danger of continuing sinful actions, leading to the eternal fires of Hell, yet giving opportunity for the individual to repent of his sinful ways.

The challenge is for a sinful individual: Will this sinful person pluck out his eye or cut off his limb, when he is bent towards his lust & disobedience? It is like a vault door slamming upon his wayward heart, to make him regain sensitivity to do the right thing. God in His mercy, "is not willing that any should perish (in Hell), but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.

Answer 3

The commandment in Matthew 5:29-30 where Jesus speaks about cutting off one's hand or foot if it causes you to sin is seen by many as an exaggerated illustration to emphasize the seriousness of avoiding sin. It is not meant to be taken literally, but rather to convey the importance of removing anything that leads one to sin in order to maintain spiritual purity.