Be Perfect

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt: 5:48)

To be faithful stewards of God’s Word, we must always evaluate the words of Jesus within their original context. To whom is Jesus speaking? Why is He speaking to them? Is He answering a question—or is He resolutely standing firm against those who misrepresent His Father? These are the questions we must ask, seeking to discover Jesus’ original intent in His message or action.

This exercise leads us to an interesting truth unique to the Sermon on the Mount. Unlike most of Jesus’ subsequent discourses, this was a foundational public address—a mission statement for those Jesus chose as His disciples, and an orientation for those drawn by His words and wonders. It has proven to be, among theologians and Biblical scholars, one of the most difficult-to-process teachings of Jesus.

While many theologians view the Sermon on the Mount as a manifesto, the term today often implies a human-led revolt against earthly systems perceived to be corrupt, unjust or oppressive. In contrast, Jesus’ message was a divine revelation. Because God is immutable—the same yesterday, today, and forever—Christ did not come to revise God’s character, but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. He presented a new access to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—so radical, it served as the 'new wine' that the old wineskins of legalism could not contain. It was a foundational glimpse into the New Covenant, where transformation flows not from external rule-following, but from a heart regenerated by grace.

One insightful necessity of studying the Sermon on the Mount—once read in its entirety—is to pull back and consider this revelation in its significant parts. Since God is changeless, we can confidently conclude that the encouraging beginning, known as the Beatitudes, has always been true, and we can see that truth foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament. It is a constant reflection of God’s love for mankind that has never waned.

Jesus begins with what they already understood—the do’s and don’ts of the law they’ve been taught their whole lives. But I suspect no one was prepared for what followed. Jesus raises the bar to a crushing new level, declaring that your righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees. He provides examples, like not even holding anger instead of just avoiding murder and purifying the heart rather than merely avoiding adultery, teaching that the mere thought of unfaithfulness reveals a sin just as real as the physical act. He teaches that if a man demands your cloak, you should give even more, and if slapped, offer the other cheek—unnatural costs that are crushing because they prove the law is impossible on human terms. ​

To understand the command, "Be perfect," we first must look past our English version, which demands flawlessness. Jesus isn't setting an impossible bar; instead, he shows through examples like loving enemies and praying for persecutors that mature, complete love knows no bounds. This isn’t about human striving, but about surrendering, letting go, and trusting God to perfect us—recognizing that even the sun and rain fall on all, both good and evil. This is the mature completeness, the teleios, found only in the Father. ​

Father, thank You for Your Word that meets us where we are. Transform our understanding of it Jesus' command to be perfect. Help us to instinctively hear it- not as a command to be flawless, but rather as pure encouragement and divine invitation to rest, let go, and allow You to grow us into that true, complete maturity found only in You. Amen.

mgb