Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

§14.4 The Character of Discipleship
effect reinstate the Mosaic ameliorating ruling: 'except for sexual immorality
(porneia)' (Matt. 5.32/19.9); 154 the believing partner is not bound (1 Cor. 7.15).
In each case the principled assertion of Jesus is retained, even when continuing
human 'hard-heartedness' once again causes the ideal practice to be hedged
around with qualification.
Outside the Markan tradition special mention should also be made of three
other passages. 155
f. Antitheses
We need not enter into the debate as to the sources of Matthew's sequence of six
antitheses (Matt. 5.21-48). It is quite likely that the introductory formula ('You
have heard that it was said . . .') is the mark of the teacher who made this collection
of Jesus' teaching (Matthew himself?), since it appears nowhere else within
the Jesus tradition. It is equally likely that Jesus was remembered as setting his
own teaching on various subjects in some measure over against previous rulings
or as giving radical interpretations of particular Scriptures, even if not in such a
formulaic manner. 156 The point is that the antitheses are best understood as
pressing home or pressing behind some specific law to the more fundamental issue
within or behind the law. 157 Over all, they call for a more fundamental reorientation
of human and social relationships than can be achieved or maintained by
legislation. 158 Not just murder is condemned, but unjustified anger, insult, or
154. On the meaning of porneia here see discussion in Davies and Allison, Matthew
1.529-31.
155. Since the paucity of Q sayings that have to do with the Torah is often commented
on (e.g., Kloppenborg, 'Sayings Gospel Q' 332-34), we should note that all three of the following
examples include Q material: Matt. 5.32/Luke 16.18; Matt. 5.39-41/Luke 6.29-30; Matt.
5.44-47/Luke 6.27, 32-34; Matt. 23.23/Luke 11.42; Matt. 8.21-22/Luke 9.59-60; as well as
Matt. 23.25/Luke 11.39, cited above (n. 143).
156. Bultmann's argument that 5.21-22, 27-28, 33-37 have been drawn from pre-
Matthean tradition and 'have given rise to analogous formulations, in which unattached
dominical sayings have found a home' (History 134-36) has proved influential. See, e.g.,
Guelich's brief survey of opinion (Sermon on the Mount 178; also 265-71); Schräge, Ethics 59-
60; Merklein, Jesu Botschaft 105-10; Luz, Matthäus 1.245-46; Stuhlmacher, Biblische
Theologie 1.103; Becker, Jesus 288-91; Allison, Jesus 185-86.
157. 'Jesus radicalized rather than abrogated the law ... it is not against the law to be
stricter than the law requires' (Sanders, Jesus 260). In contrast, is it really justified by the text to
conclude that 'Jesus combats legalistic behavior patterns' (Gnilka, Jesus 213)? Vermes cites
other overstatements (Religion 30-32).
158. See further Guelich, Sermon on the Mount 237-55. On the divorce antithesis (Matt.
5.31-32/Luke 16.18) see above (§14.4e); and on the love of enemy antithesis (Matt. 5.43-48/
Luke 6.27-28, 32-36) see below, §14.5.
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