Study Group Readings:

But I Say to You...

This Winter Study Topic is on the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where the Lord says six times in succession, “You have heard that it was declared...but I say to you...” (Matthew 5:21-48). In Apocalypse Explained 746:17 the Lord summarizes what we can learn from this series: “This whole chapter treats of the interior life of man, which is the life of his soul, consequently of his will and thought therefrom; thus it treats of the life of charity, which is the spiritual moral life. This life the sons of Jacob knew nothing about before, because from their fathers down they were external men. For this reason also they were kept in the observance of external worship, according to statutes that were external, representing the internal things of worship and of the church. But in this chapter the Lord teaches that the interior things of the church must not only be represented by external acts, but must also be loved and done from the soul and heart.”

The Sunday church service at the beginning of each week will be on the same topic as the Study group for the week. After Sunday you should be able to find a recording of the service under “Worship Services”, and a link will be placed below with the other information about that week.

Please read or listen to the daily readings before your Study Group meets. You can download them below or pick up printed copies at the church. If you do not have time to read all of the readings, click the “Show highlights” box on each page and read the highlighted portion.

If you need to find a Study Group to join, contact the Pastor’s office.

• Introductory class: “You Have Heard That It Was Declared... But I Say to You...”
  View the slides for the class: Introductory Class Slides
• Week 1: Introduction and Murder
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  21 You have heard that it was declared to the ancients¹, Thou shalt not murder²; and^◦ whoever^◦ shall murder shall be subject to the judgment³.     But I say to you...

  22 But^◦ I^◦ say to you that everyone who is·​·angry with his brother rashly shall be subject to the judgment; and^◦ whoever shall say^◦ to his brother, Raca, shall be subject to the council; and^◦ whoever shall say^◦, Thou fool, shall be subject to^◦ the gehenna⁴ of fire.

  23 If therefore thou offer thy gift on the altar, and·​·there rememberest that thy brother has anything against thee,

  24 leave there thy gift in·​·front·​·of the altar, and go·​·thy·​·way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come offer thy gift.

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  ¹or “by the ancients” (True Christian Religion 309)

  ²Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17

  ³For an example of such judgment, see Exodus 21:12.

  ⁴“Gehenna” is a hell (see Arcana Coelestia 826 and elsewhere). The name comes from Hebrew, Ge Hinnom, a deep ravine just south of Jerusalem, where there was a leper colony.

  
     —Watch the related church service: Thou Shalt Not Murder
  Read or listen:

  Day One	The Internal and the External
  Day Two	Thou Shalt Not Murder
  Day Three	Being Angry With One’s Brother
  Day Four	Being Subject to the Judgment, Council or Gehenna of Fire
  Day Five	Offering Thy Gift on the Altar
  Day Six	Being Reconciled with Thy Brother

  Print the week’s readings: Week 1  (with highlights)
  Listen to the all six day's readings without a break:
• Week 2: Adultery
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  27 You have heard that it was declared to the ancients¹, Thou shalt not commit·​·adultery.²     But I say to you...

  28 But^◦ I^◦ say to you that everyone who looks at another woman¹ to lust·​·after her has already committed·​·adultery with her in his heart.

  29 And^◦ if thy right eye cause· thee ·to·​·stumble, pluck· it ·out, and cast it from thee; for^◦ it·​·is·​·expedient for thee that^◦ one of thy members should perish, and not^◦ that thy whole body be cast into gehenna.

  30 And if thy right hand cause· thee ·to·​·stumble, cut· it ·off, and cast it from thee; for^◦ it·​·is·​·expedient for thee that^◦ one of thy members should perish, and not^◦ that thy whole body be cast into gehenna.

  Matthew 5:27‐30

  
  

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  ¹or “by the ancients” (Conjugial Love 494, True Christian Religion 313)

  ²Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:18

  ¹The Heavenly Doctrine in quoting this verse always adds “another” or “of another.” The Greek word for “woman” is also the word for “wife” and is translated uxor (wife) in True Christian Religion 326.

  
     —Watch the related church service: January 18 Chaste Marriage vs the Lust of Adultery
  Read or listen:

  Day One	The Law and the Gospel of Matthew
  Day Two	Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
  Day Three	The Woman Caught in Adultery
  Day Four	Removing the Right Eye and Right Hand
  Day Five	Shunning Adultery as to the Will
  Day Six	Necessity of Shunning Sins in the External

  Print the week’s readings: Week 2  (with highlights)
  Listen to the all six day's readings without a break:
• Week 3: Divorce and Remarriage
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  31 And^◦ it has been declared that whoever shall send·​·away his wife, let him give her a divorce.¹     But I say to you...

  32 But^◦ I^◦ say to you, Whoever shall send·​·away his wife, outside·​·of^◦ the reason^◦ of scortation, makes her commit·​·adultery; and whoever shall wed her who is sent·​·away commits·​·adultery.

  Matthew 5:31‐32

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  ¹Deuteronomy 24:1

  
     —Watch the related church service:
  (The planned service for this week was canceled due to weather.)
  An older service on the same topic: The Law of Marriage
  Text of the planned service: No Divorce
  
  Read or listen:

  Day One	The Law in Moses and Matthew
  Day Two	More from the Gospels, and Separation
  Day Three	The Only Cause for Divorce
  Day Four	Matrimony is for Life
  Day Five	The Legitimate Causes for Divorce
  Day Six	The Spiritual Sense of Matthew 19

  Print the week’s readings: Week 3  (with highlights)
  Listen to the all six day's readings without a break:
• Week 4: Oaths
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  33 Again, you have heard that it has been declared to the ancients, Thou shalt not swear·​·falsely¹, but^◦ shalt render to the Lord thine oaths.     But I say to you...

  34 But^◦ I^◦ say to you, Swear not^◦ at·​·all^◦; neither^◦ by^◦ the heaven, for it is the throne of God;

  35 nor by^◦ the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; nor by^◦ Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

  36 Neither^◦ shalt thou swear by^◦ thy head, because thou canst not make one^◦ hair white or black.

  37 But^◦ let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no; and^◦ whatever is beyond these is from^◦ evil^◦.

  Matthew 5:33‐37

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  ¹Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 19:12, Deuteronomy 5:11

  
     —Watch the related church service: February 1
  Read or listen

  Day One	Do Not Take the Lord’s Name in Vain
  Day Two	Cursing and Bad Language
  Day Three	Render to the Lord
  Day Four	Not by Heaven, Not by Earth, Not by Jerusalem
  Day Five	Not by thy Head
  Day Six	Let Your Word Be, Yes Yes, No No

  Print the week’s readings: Week 4  (with highlights)
  Listen to the all six day's readings without a break:
• Week 5: Retaliation
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  38 You have heard that it has been declared, An eye for^▫ an eye, and a tooth for^▫ a tooth.¹     But I say to you...

  39 But^◦ I^◦ say to you, Do not^◦ stand·​·against the wicked; but whoever^◦ shall slap thee on thy right cheekbone, turn to him the other also.

  40 And if anyone wills to have· thee ·judged and take thy tunic, let· him ·have the cloak also.

  41 And whoever^◦ shall compel thee to go one mile, go^◦ with him two.

  42 Give to him who asks thee; and turn· not^◦ ·away him who will borrow from thee.

  Matthew 5:38‐42

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  ¹Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21

  
     —Watch the related church service: February 8
  Read or listen

  Day One	An Eye for an Eye
  Day Two	An Eye for an Eye (continued)
  Day Three	Turn the Other Cheek
  Day Four	Let Him Have the Cloak Also
  Day Five	Go with Him Two Miles
  Day Six	Borrowing and Lending

  Print the week’s readings: Week 5  (with highlights)
  Listen to the all six day's readings without a break:
• Week 6: Loving Enemies
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  43 You have heard that it has been declared, Thou shalt love thy neighbor¹, and shalt hate thine enemy.     But I say to you...

  44 But^◦ I^◦ say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do well to those who hate you, and pray for^▫ those who injure you and persecute you,

  45 so·​·that you may be^◦ sons of your Father who is in the heavens; for He makes His sun to rise^◦ on the wicked and the good, and sends·​·rain on the just and the unjust.

  46 For^◦ if you love those who love you, what^◦ reward do you have? Do not even the publicans do the same?

  47 And if you greet your brothers only, what^◦ do you do beyond others? Do not even the publicans do so?

  48 Be ye therefore perfect, just·​·as your Father who is in the heavens is perfect.

  Matthew 5:43‐48

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  ¹Leviticus 19:18

  
     —Watch the related church service: February 15
  Read or listen:

  Day One	The Law and the Gospels
  Day Two	Love Your Enemies
  Day Three	Loving the Good, Humility and Prayer
  Day Four	Love of the Lord
  Day Five	Sun and Rain on the Just and Unjust
  Day Six	Shunning Theft and Being Perfect

  Print the week’s readings: Week 6  (with highlights)
  Listen to the all six day's readings without a break: