[boatbums]

Jesus will develop this teaching against minimalism in the verses that follow in the Sermon on the Mount. For example, he will teach that it is not enough to avoid murder; the command requires we let God banish vengeful hatred from our hearts. It is not enough to avoid acts of adultery; we must allow God to give us chaste minds and hearts. It is not enough to avoid excessive retaliation; we ought to avoid retaliation altogether.

I see it differently. Jesus is pointing out the SPIRIT of the Law and not just the letter. The religious leaders prided themselves on their moral, outward keeping of the law and their own righteousness - not much has changed today. Jesus shows that NO ONE is capable of perfectly keeping the Law. Instead, as Paul taught, it is our schoolmaster to show our need for Christ's sacrifice and God's grace:

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 3:23-25)

[metmom]

Jesus will develop this teaching against minimalism in the verses that follow in the Sermon on the Mount. For example, he will teach that it is not enough to avoid murder; the command requires we let God banish vengeful hatred from our hearts. It is not enough to avoid acts of adultery; we must allow God to give us chaste minds and hearts. It is not enough to avoid excessive retaliation; we ought to avoid retaliation altogether.

Actually, this is in error.

The command is not to *Let God give us* anything.

It is a command to us to not even think those things.