What does Matthew 5:30 mean by "cut it off and throw it away"? Passage “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Matthew 5:30) Immediate Context Matthew 5:27-30 expands the command “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14) by tracing sexual sin to its source—the heart. Verse 30 parallels v. 29 (“right eye”), forming a climax that underscores personal responsibility for sin and the eternal stakes involved. Original Language And Idiom “Cut it off” (Greek: ἀπόκοψον) and “throw it away” (β̧άλε ἀπ’ σοῦ) employ violent, imperative verbs typical of first-century Semitic hyperbole. Rabbinic teachers often used dramatic pictures (“pluck out your own eye,” m. Bek. 8:1) to provoke moral seriousness rather than literal self-mutilation. The verbs call for decisive, permanent separation from whatever facilitates sin. Hyperbole, Not Self-Harm 1 Kings 18:28 and Leviticus 19:28 forbid self-inflicted wounds, and Jesus upholds the Law (Matthew 5:17). The earliest Christian witnesses—Justin Martyr (Dial. 125), Irenaeus (Adv. Haer. 5.2.2), Chrysostom (Hom. on Matthew 17)—interpret the saying figuratively: remove the stumbling-block, not the limb itself. Theological Point: Radical Separation From Sin Scripture consistently calls believers to “put to death the misdeeds of the body” (Romans 8:13), to “make no provision for the flesh” (Romans 13:14), and to “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Matthew 5:30 encapsulates that ethic with eschatological urgency: unrepented sin leads to Gehenna (Γέεννα), a real place of final judgment (cf. Matthew 10:28; Revelation 20:14-15). Comparative Texts • Matthew 18:8-9 and Mark 9:43-47 repeat the limb-and-eye formula in the context of causing others to stumble, showing the motif is stable across early manuscripts (P45, Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus). • Colossians 3:5—“Put to death, therefore, the members which are on earth…”—echoes the same metaphor, replacing surgery with mortification of “evil desire.” • Genesis 39:12 (Joseph fleeing Potiphar’s wife) illustrates a narrative example of “cutting off” opportunity to sin. Practical Application Behaviorally, entrenched habits form neural pathways; decisive removal of triggers (e.g., deleting illicit media, severing adulterous relationships) interrupts the cue-routine-reward loop. Cognitive-behavioral research on addiction confirms that radical environmental change vastly increases success rates—an empirical reinforcement of Jesus’ command. Pastoral Caution The text never licenses self-harm. Where intrusive thoughts of self-injury appear, one must seek pastoral and medical help immediately. The Lord’s intent is liberation, not mutilation (John 8:36; Psalm 34:18). Old Testament Foreshadows Passover demanded removal of leaven (Exodus 12:15) as a symbol of purging sin (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Israel’s kings commanded destruction of high places (2 Kings 23:4-15). These actions prefigure the personal, internal “iconoclasm” Jesus now requires. Early Church And Reformation Voices • Origen (Comm. on Matthew 14): “Cutting off is dismissal of wicked thoughts.” • Augustine (Serm. on Mt I.13): “Members” include friends, occupations, or possessions that entice. • Calvin (Inst. 3.8.9): Calls for “spiritual amputation” so the believer may “walk in newness of life.” Archaeological And Historical Confirmation The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) south-west of Jerusalem—excavated layers show continuous refuse burning into the first century—provides concrete imagery for Jesus’ metaphor of unquenchable fire, grounding the warning in a visible landmark. Conclusion “Cut it off and throw it away” commands uncompromising separation from whatever catalyzes sin, using vivid hyperbole to awaken the conscience. The alternative is eternal loss. Christ’s call, empowered by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) and founded on His resurrection victory (Romans 6:4-11), summons every hearer to radical repentance, vigilant holiness, and joyful obedience that glorifies God. |
    |