• Deuteronomy 30: 15-20

Robert Alter writes that in this thirtieth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy, “the mythological and heroic era [which valued secret, esoteric knowledge from another world]…is at an end, for God’s word, inscribed in a book, has become the property of every person.” (The Five Books of Moses, p. 1029)  The moral reality of the universe is now directly accessible to the imagination of individual human beings through a text.  And, following it is literally the difference between “life and prosperity,” or of “death and adversity.”   Faithfulness to the Lord’s “commandments, decrees, and ordinances” result in a good life for all; any alternatives lead to chaos and destruction.  “…I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.”  Now, “Choose life….”

• OR Sirach 15: 15-20

The second century B.C. wisdom writer, Jesus ben Sirach, paraphrases Deuteronomy (30: 15-19) and Jeremiah (21:8) and expands on the realization that each human being makes her or his own choices in life.  “If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choices.”  But understand, this choice is like a choice between “fire and water,”  “life and death.”  The Lord “sees” our choices, but does not “command” them.

• Psalm 119: 1-8

The longest psalm (and also the longest chapter in the Hebrew Bible; 176 lines of poetry!) begins with its central premise: “Happy… are those who walk in the Lord’s teaching.”

• I Corinthians 3: 1-9

Paul attributes factionalism in the church to “human inclinations,” and then writes that the church should see itself as “God’s servants,”  and adds two more images– “God’s field, God’s building.”

• Matthew 5: 21-37

Matthew’s text digs deeper into Jesus’ understanding of God’s expectations of us; it is not just the letter of the Law nor the behavior that others can see that matters to God, it is not just the “big” violations, it is the daily hurt we cause to one another.  Our motivations bear scrutiny.  So for one thing, it is not just murder that is “liable to judgment,” but mundane “anger with a brother or sister” or just an “insult” that also requires accountability.  A clear conscience with other should precede presenting any gifts to God.  Stay out of the courts with any grievance with others.  It is not just adultery that is to be avoided, but adultery “in the heart” as well.  Divorce may be lawful, but it is to be avoided.  Although swearing oaths may be the normal way to aver one’s integrity, the new teaching is “let your word be a simple, credible ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’.”

Biblical morality shatters every human definition of goodness.  It is a “supramorality” or a “hypermorality,” to use Paul Ricoeur’s language.  It goes deep into the human psyche, especially in Matthew’s text.  It is not just our public actions, but our deepest motives, moods, attitudes and emotions that come under scrutiny.  So, where does all this “supra” and “hyper” take us?  It can, and has over human history, led to many kinds of puritianisms, (which as H.L. Mencken observed usually focuses severe judgment on the behavior others than one’s own!).  It can also lead to lead to psychological anxieties and even violent acting-out in the name of religions.  But, it can also lead to “supra” or “hyper” gracefulness.

Paul Ricoeur writes about the unique, intended effect of biblical texts:

“Parables, paradoxes, hyperboles, and extreme commandments all disorient only in order to reoreint us.  But what is reoreinted in us?  And in what direction?  I would say what is reoriented in us by these extreme sayings is less our will than our imaginations.  Our will is our capacity to follow without hesitation the once-known law, to obey without resistance the once-known law.  Our imagination is the power to open us to new possibilities, to discover another way of seeing, or acceding to a new way in receiving the instruction of the exception.”  “And what directions do these sayings of Jesus imprint upon our ethical imagination?”  “It is this giving more that appears to me to constitute the point of these extreme commands.”  (Figuring the Sacred, p. 281)

Because the sayings of Jesus, especially in Matthew’s text, go well beyond any ‘code’ of ethics into a ‘psychology’ of ethics, they stimulate our “imaginations” so we go deeper into all that motivates us.  We are taken to a new place that urges us to examine the impact of even our most mundane actions on ourselves and and others, leaving us with the profound realization that without some gracefulness in our lives– grace from those we offend or hurt and some grace given to those who offend or hurt us, and some grace for ourselves– we will cause even more pain and hurt than we otherwise would.  Therefore, we are to know God’s “commandments” backwards and forwards because they are the beginning place for the further development of our humanity.  But we are to go even further in our imaginations; seeking not just the letter, but the spirit of God’s laws.

We can never extricate ourselves from our humanity, but we can be more humane!