Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 5
5
1When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) saw this great crowd, he went back up into the mountainside and sat down to teach the people. His followers came to him there, 2so he took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and began to share his wisdom with them and teach them how to see Creator’s good road.
BLESSINGS OF THE GOOD ROAD
3“Creator’s blessing rests on the poor, the ones with broken spirits. The good road from above is theirs to walk.
4“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who walk a trail of tears, for he will wipe the tears from their eyes and comfort them.
5“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who walk softly and in a humble manner. The earth, land, and sky will welcome them and always be their home.
6“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who hunger and thirst for wrongs to be made right again. They will eat and drink until they are full.
7“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who are merciful and kind to others. Their kindness will find its way back to them—full circle.
8“Creator’s blessing rests on the pure of heart. They are the ones who will see the Great Spirit.
9“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who make peace. It will be said of them, ‘They are the children of the Great Spirit!’
10“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who are hunted down and mistreated for doing what is right, for they are walking the good road from above.
11“Others will lie about you, speak against you, and look down on you with scorn and contempt, all because you walk the road with me. This is a sign that Creator’s blessing is resting on you. 12So let your hearts be glad and jump for joy, for you will be honored in the spirit-world above. You are like the prophets of old, who were treated in the same way by your ancestors.
SALT AND LIGHT
13“As you walk the good road with me, you are the salt of the earth, bringing cleansing and healing#5:13 2 Kings 2:19-22 to all. Salt is a good thing, but if it loses its saltiness, how will it get its flavor back? That kind of salt has no worth and is thrown out.
14“As you walk the road with me, you are a light shining in this dark world. A village built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15No one hides a torch under a basket. Instead it is lifted up high on a pole, so all who are in the house can see it. 16In the same way, let your light shine by doing what is good and right. When others see, they will give honor to your Father—the One Above Us All.
FULFILLING THE SACRED TEACHINGS
17“When you hear my words, you may think I have come to undo the Law given by Drawn from the Water (Moses) and the words of the prophets. But I have come to honor them and show everyone their true meaning. 18I speak from my heart, as long as there is a sky above and an earth below, not even the smallest thing they have said will fade away, until everything they have said has found its full meaning and purpose.
19“Anyone who turns away from these instructions and tells others to do the same will be looked down on, as a small one, on Creator’s good road from the spirit-world above. But the ones who do them and teach others to do the same, they will be looked up to as great ones.
20“I will say this to you, unless you have a better reputation than the scroll keepers and the Separated Ones (Pharisees), you will not find the path that leads to the Land of Creator’s good road from above.”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then began to help the people see how the full meaning and purpose of the Law and the Prophets applied to them.
RESPECT TOWARD ALL
21“You have heard that our ancestors were told long ago, ‘Do not take another person’s life,’#5:21 Exodus 20:13 and ‘whoever does will have to answer to the tribal council.’#5:21 Deuteronomy 16:18 22But I tell you, everyone who is angry toward a fellow human being will have to give an answer to the tribal council. If they speak with disrespect to someone, saying, ‘You hollow head!’ they will also face the tribal council. If they curse someone by saying ‘You damn fool!’ they may end up in the Valley of Smoldering Fire. 23So if you are offering a gift at Creator’s ceremonial lodge, and there remember that a Tribal Member has something against you, 24leave your gift and go make things right. Then you can come back and finish the ceremony.
RESOLVING CONFLICT WITH DIGNITY
25“If someone has a complaint against you and takes you before the village council, work out an agreement before you get there. You know how to decide things for yourselves. The council might decide against you and turn you over to the ones who have the power to put you in prison. 26The truth is, there is no way out of there until honor has been restored.”#5:26 Lit. until the debt is paid in full
HONORING OUR WOMEN
Most women in the time of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) were dominated by men and were often treated as property and looked down on with disrespect.
27 So he said to the men, “You have heard the saying, ‘You must not have sexual relations with another man’s wife.’#5:27 Exodus 20:14 28But I tell you this, any man who looks at a woman and wants his way with her has already done so in his heart.
“This is not how the Great Spirit wants us to see our sisters. 29If your right eye sees in this way#5:29, 30 Lit. offends you—gouge it out and throw it away! 30If your right hand does harm to her—cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose a part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into the Valley of Smoldering Fire.
31“Drawn from the Water (Moses) said, ‘If you put away your wife you must give her divorce papers.’#5:31 Deuteronomy 24:1 32Let me tell you why. Anyone who puts away his wife without giving her divorce papers makes her unfaithful when she remarries, unless she was unfaithful already. Then anyone who marries her is having sexual relations with another man’s wife.”
In those days men would “put away” their wives without divorcing them, leaving them destitute and unable to properly remarry.
NO SOLEMN PROMISES
33“You have heard the ancestors were told, ‘When you make a solemn promise, you must keep it to honor the Great Spirit.’#5:33 Leviticus 19:12 34But I say this to you, do not make any solemn promises. Do not say, ‘I promise by the spirit-world above,’ for it is Creator’s seat of honor, 35or ‘I promise by the earth below,’ which is the resting place for his feet. Or ‘I promise by Village of Peace (Jerusalem),’ for it belongs to the Great Spirit Chief. 36Do not even say, ‘I promise by my own head.’ Can you make even one hair on your head become white or black? 37Your simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is enough. To say more is to speak with a forked tongue like the evil trickster snake.
EYE FOR AN EYE?
38“You have also been told, ‘Take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’#5:38 Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20 39But I tell you, do not fight back. Violence will not be defeated by more of the same. If someone strikes the right side of your face, turn to him the other side also. 40If someone takes you to the tribal council for your shirt, give him your vest also. 41If anyone, even a soldier of the People of Iron (Romans), forces you to carry his bundle one mile, show the strength of your heart and carry it two. 42Give to the one who asks for help, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
43“You have been told to love only your own people and to despise others as your enemy.#5:43 Leviticus 19:18 44-45But I tell you, treat your enemies with love and respect, and send up good prayers for the ones who make trouble for you and bring you pain. This will show that you are mature children of your Father from above, who sends his blessing of rain on the ones who do right and the ones who do wrong.
46“If you love and show respect only to the ones who do the same, how does that bring honor to you? Even tribal tax collectors do these things. 47If you welcome only friends, how are you different from others? Even outsiders from other nations do these things.
48“By loving and blessing all people, you will be walking in the footsteps of your Father from the spirit-world above, who is perfect in all his ways.
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Copyright ©2023 InterVarsity Press
Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 5
5
1When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) saw this great crowd, he went back up into the mountainside and sat down to teach the people. His followers came to him there, 2so he took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and began to share his wisdom with them and teach them how to see Creator’s good road.
BLESSINGS OF THE GOOD ROAD
3“Creator’s blessing rests on the poor, the ones with broken spirits. The good road from above is theirs to walk.
4“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who walk a trail of tears, for he will wipe the tears from their eyes and comfort them.
5“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who walk softly and in a humble manner. The earth, land, and sky will welcome them and always be their home.
6“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who hunger and thirst for wrongs to be made right again. They will eat and drink until they are full.
7“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who are merciful and kind to others. Their kindness will find its way back to them—full circle.
8“Creator’s blessing rests on the pure of heart. They are the ones who will see the Great Spirit.
9“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who make peace. It will be said of them, ‘They are the children of the Great Spirit!’
10“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who are hunted down and mistreated for doing what is right, for they are walking the good road from above.
11“Others will lie about you, speak against you, and look down on you with scorn and contempt, all because you walk the road with me. This is a sign that Creator’s blessing is resting on you. 12So let your hearts be glad and jump for joy, for you will be honored in the spirit-world above. You are like the prophets of old, who were treated in the same way by your ancestors.
SALT AND LIGHT
13“As you walk the good road with me, you are the salt of the earth, bringing cleansing and healing#5:13 2 Kings 2:19-22 to all. Salt is a good thing, but if it loses its saltiness, how will it get its flavor back? That kind of salt has no worth and is thrown out.
14“As you walk the road with me, you are a light shining in this dark world. A village built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15No one hides a torch under a basket. Instead it is lifted up high on a pole, so all who are in the house can see it. 16In the same way, let your light shine by doing what is good and right. When others see, they will give honor to your Father—the One Above Us All.
FULFILLING THE SACRED TEACHINGS
17“When you hear my words, you may think I have come to undo the Law given by Drawn from the Water (Moses) and the words of the prophets. But I have come to honor them and show everyone their true meaning. 18I speak from my heart, as long as there is a sky above and an earth below, not even the smallest thing they have said will fade away, until everything they have said has found its full meaning and purpose.
19“Anyone who turns away from these instructions and tells others to do the same will be looked down on, as a small one, on Creator’s good road from the spirit-world above. But the ones who do them and teach others to do the same, they will be looked up to as great ones.
20“I will say this to you, unless you have a better reputation than the scroll keepers and the Separated Ones (Pharisees), you will not find the path that leads to the Land of Creator’s good road from above.”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then began to help the people see how the full meaning and purpose of the Law and the Prophets applied to them.
RESPECT TOWARD ALL
21“You have heard that our ancestors were told long ago, ‘Do not take another person’s life,’#5:21 Exodus 20:13 and ‘whoever does will have to answer to the tribal council.’#5:21 Deuteronomy 16:18 22But I tell you, everyone who is angry toward a fellow human being will have to give an answer to the tribal council. If they speak with disrespect to someone, saying, ‘You hollow head!’ they will also face the tribal council. If they curse someone by saying ‘You damn fool!’ they may end up in the Valley of Smoldering Fire. 23So if you are offering a gift at Creator’s ceremonial lodge, and there remember that a Tribal Member has something against you, 24leave your gift and go make things right. Then you can come back and finish the ceremony.
RESOLVING CONFLICT WITH DIGNITY
25“If someone has a complaint against you and takes you before the village council, work out an agreement before you get there. You know how to decide things for yourselves. The council might decide against you and turn you over to the ones who have the power to put you in prison. 26The truth is, there is no way out of there until honor has been restored.”#5:26 Lit. until the debt is paid in full
HONORING OUR WOMEN
Most women in the time of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) were dominated by men and were often treated as property and looked down on with disrespect.
27 So he said to the men, “You have heard the saying, ‘You must not have sexual relations with another man’s wife.’#5:27 Exodus 20:14 28But I tell you this, any man who looks at a woman and wants his way with her has already done so in his heart.
“This is not how the Great Spirit wants us to see our sisters. 29If your right eye sees in this way#5:29, 30 Lit. offends you—gouge it out and throw it away! 30If your right hand does harm to her—cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose a part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into the Valley of Smoldering Fire.
31“Drawn from the Water (Moses) said, ‘If you put away your wife you must give her divorce papers.’#5:31 Deuteronomy 24:1 32Let me tell you why. Anyone who puts away his wife without giving her divorce papers makes her unfaithful when she remarries, unless she was unfaithful already. Then anyone who marries her is having sexual relations with another man’s wife.”
In those days men would “put away” their wives without divorcing them, leaving them destitute and unable to properly remarry.
NO SOLEMN PROMISES
33“You have heard the ancestors were told, ‘When you make a solemn promise, you must keep it to honor the Great Spirit.’#5:33 Leviticus 19:12 34But I say this to you, do not make any solemn promises. Do not say, ‘I promise by the spirit-world above,’ for it is Creator’s seat of honor, 35or ‘I promise by the earth below,’ which is the resting place for his feet. Or ‘I promise by Village of Peace (Jerusalem),’ for it belongs to the Great Spirit Chief. 36Do not even say, ‘I promise by my own head.’ Can you make even one hair on your head become white or black? 37Your simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is enough. To say more is to speak with a forked tongue like the evil trickster snake.
EYE FOR AN EYE?
38“You have also been told, ‘Take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’#5:38 Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20 39But I tell you, do not fight back. Violence will not be defeated by more of the same. If someone strikes the right side of your face, turn to him the other side also. 40If someone takes you to the tribal council for your shirt, give him your vest also. 41If anyone, even a soldier of the People of Iron (Romans), forces you to carry his bundle one mile, show the strength of your heart and carry it two. 42Give to the one who asks for help, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
43“You have been told to love only your own people and to despise others as your enemy.#5:43 Leviticus 19:18 44-45But I tell you, treat your enemies with love and respect, and send up good prayers for the ones who make trouble for you and bring you pain. This will show that you are mature children of your Father from above, who sends his blessing of rain on the ones who do right and the ones who do wrong.
46“If you love and show respect only to the ones who do the same, how does that bring honor to you? Even tribal tax collectors do these things. 47If you welcome only friends, how are you different from others? Even outsiders from other nations do these things.
48“By loving and blessing all people, you will be walking in the footsteps of your Father from the spirit-world above, who is perfect in all his ways.
Copyright ©2023 InterVarsity Press