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Principles for “Ye Heard / I Say” Passages

Mat. 5:21 Sermon on the Mount

Pastor Martin reviews the Sermon on the Mount, particularly Matthew 5:17-20, emphasizing that true righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees by focusing on the heart, not just external actions. He then introduces the 'Ye have heard / But I say unto you' passages (Matthew 5:21-48), explaining that Christ is liberating God's commands from traditional misinterpretations, vindicating His divine authority, and illustrating great principles through specific details. Martin urges listeners to seek the spirit of the law, understanding that God's law addresses motives, attitudes, and commands positive virtues, not just the avoidance of vice.

3 illustrations in this sermon

Principle 1: Liberating Commands from Traditional Shackles
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Pharisees and Roman Catholic Priests

The point: Do not blindly believe what the preacher says; go home and search the Scriptures daily to verify the truth.

Martin draws a parallel between the scribes and Pharisees, who interpreted the Law for an unlearned populace, and Roman Catholic priests before the Reformation, who interpreted Latin scriptures for a populace that didn't speak Latin, leading to shackled truth and reliance on tradition.

So the only knowledge the great majority of the people had of what the law said and meant was what the Pharisees told them. You have a perfect parallel, and I'm indebted to Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones' book and the Sermon on the Mount for these thoughts here. And I'll read it to you in a minute.

17:03 - 17:19 Read in full sermon
Principle 3: Illustrating Great Principles by Specific Details
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Teaching a Son Thoughtfulness

The point: When studying Jesus' specific instructions, always seek to understand the underlying principle He is illustrating.

Martin recounts teaching his son to be thoughtful by giving specific examples (picking up paper, holding doors). The son, however, only followed the specific rules and missed the underlying principle of thoughtfulness, illustrating how people can miss the principle behind Jesus' specific instructions.

I speak shall judge you. And when some of you go to judgment, who've lightly regarded these words of Christ, who've taken them with a lackadaisical, indifferent spirit, it's a frightful thing for me to know as I look into your faces this morning, that in that day when you stand before him, some of the very words you heard here are going to be the basis of your judgment. I'm giving God food which will be piled up for your own damnation. But thank God it will also be seed which will produce divine life, for we're the saver of death unto death, but thank God the saver of life unto life. Now may I...

29:21 - 30:48 Read in full sermon
Key Principles for Understanding the Law's Spirit
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Son Touching Knick-Knacks with a Doll

The point: Be concerned about the spirit of the law, not just the letter, as the spirit encompasses the letter but the letter can miss the spirit.

Martin tells of his son being told not to touch knick-knacks with his hands, only to later use a rubber doll to touch them. This illustrates obeying the letter of the law while completely missing its spirit, a common error Jesus addresses.

When my son got to be seven months old, he began to pull himself up. Our little daughter is not quite that quick. She'll be another day. Another couple of weeks.

37:26 - 37:32 Read in full sermon
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