Matthew 5:21-37

The teachings contained in this passage are, for my money, as difficult to preach as any lectionary text. Not only is each teaching difficult in its own right, but each has also been used (and in some Christian communities continues to be used) to sanction or excuse abusive behavior. Numerous recent reports have detailed how criminal child and domestic abuse has been hidden and perpetuated in certain church communities through a twisted application of “come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court,” turning a teaching about forgiveness into a pretext for avoiding bad PR by dealing with abuse “in house.” Men have blamed undisciplined eyes (and worse) on women’s beauty. Women have been guilted into staying in dangerous, toxic relationships.

So the…