How does Leviticus 20:10 connect with Jesus' teachings on adultery in Matthew 5:27-28? Leviticus 20:10—The Clear Old Covenant Standard “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—if he commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.’” • A literal civil statute for Israel: adultery warranted capital punishment to protect covenant purity (cf. Deuteronomy 22:22). • The law reveals God’s holiness and shows sin’s seriousness; death is the just consequence for violating the marriage covenant. Matthew 5:27-28—Jesus Intensifies the Same Standard “‘You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’” • Jesus quotes the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14) then presses it inward. • Lustful intention equals the act in God’s sight—He weighs motives and desires (1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 24:12). Where the Threads Meet • Both passages uphold the sanctity of marriage; neither relaxes the command. • Leviticus exposes the deed; Jesus exposes the desire. Together they show sin running from heart to action (James 1:14-15). • Jesus affirms the law’s moral core, “I have not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Fulfillment brings the law’s true depth into focus rather than lowering its bar. Why the Penalty Shifts but the Principle Stands • The death penalty in Leviticus functioned within Israel’s theocratic judicial system. • Under the New Covenant, civil enforcement changes, yet the wages of sin remain death (Romans 6:23). Spiritual death and final judgment replace Israel’s immediate civil execution. • Church discipline now addresses open immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1-5), while governing authorities bear the sword for societal order (Romans 13:1-4). • Christ bears the penalty for repentant sinners (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24), offering life where the law pronounced death. Heart-Level Purity—Consistent Through Scripture • Old Testament concern for inward faithfulness: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17); “Do not desire her beauty in your heart” (Proverbs 6:25). • David’s plea, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10), anticipates Jesus’ focus. • The Spirit enables believers to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law (Romans 8:4; Galatians 5:16-24). Living Out the Joined Message Today • Guard the eyes: make a covenant like Job (Job 31:1). • Cultivate marital faithfulness: “Let marriage be honored among all” (Hebrews 13:4). • Pursue internal transformation: renew the mind with Scripture (Psalm 119:9-11; Romans 12:2). • Confess quickly: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive” (1 John 1:9). • Walk in accountability and the Spirit’s power, knowing that Christ’s grace does not lessen the standard but empowers obedience (Titus 2:11-12). |
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