The last couple of weeks we used a Greek word, koinonia, to describe the intimate sharing of your lives with Jesus Christ and with each other.
Today, I would like us to look at a Latin expression to focus our thoughts on Jesus as the center of our koinonia, fellowship, with God. The Latin expression is ipsissima verba. Even if you are not familiar with phrase in Latin, I am certain everyone is familiar with what the meaning of the phrase. Ipsissima verba, translates into English as “the very words.” Ipsissima verba then refers to the exact wording of a conversation. Every so often, when my children were young, I found myself speaking ipsissima verb, when I would say, “Because I said so!” Those were the very words my father spoke to me years earlier.
Today, I would like us to spend some time today with the ipsissima verba of Jesus Christ as he taught his disciples. Sometimes when reading the Bible, I catch myself not giving due reverence for Jesus’ words. I take for granted that we have Jesus’ words and I forget that these words are words of the Son of God. I forget how blessed we are to have books that we can read or listen to and draw in what God sent His Son to share with us. The words of Jesus were not preserved so that Jesus could become a subject to be studied. Instead, Jesus’ words have been preserved that we could become united with God and one another here on earth in the here and now and for all eternity. Ipsissima verba, the very words, of Christ are life giving.
As we come to look at Jesus’ words today, we will gather them in from the Gospel of Matthew primarily from what Matthew recorded in Chapter 5 through 7 of his Gospel account. We now call those chapters the Sermon on the Mount.
The Sermon on the Mount is about 2,000 words, which is a little shorter than our weekly sermons. Up until the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ only recorded sermon in the Gospel of Matthew was nine words long, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). In those nine words of Jesus, only one word was an action word for the hearer. Jesus’ word of action was “Repent.” Oh, how people mock that word in the modern world. Repent today carries a sense of judgment and condemnation. Jesus’ word, “Repent,” has been used by many as a weapon to verbally assault those perceived as sinners before an angry God.
What was and is the reality of Jesus’ word, ‘Repent?” As Jesus used the word, “Repent,’ it meant “change your mind for the better.” When people first heard Jesus say, “Repent,” they might have been tempted to ask, “Change my mind for the better you say? What is the better thing than what I am doing?” Jesus gave them the answer, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’” Jesus’ first sermon of just nine words consisted of a one-word call for action and eight words giving the reason to answer that call, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
The very words of Jesus were not to condemn those hearing the words. The very words of Jesus were intended to help bring them into the kingdom. The implication of Jesus’ call was that those hearing his words were close to the kingdom of God but at great risk of walking right past the gate leading to that kingdom they so desired.
Let’s look at why Jesus understood those hearing his words were at risk. The ipsissima verba, the very words of Jesus, to those who would listen were these, “13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus’ call to the people to change their thinking makes sense. Jesus was saying that those hearing his words needed to change their thinking because they were about to walk past the narrow gate that leads to life. Jesus was saying to those hearing his words, that they, with the encouragement of others, had helped them find the wide gate and broad road, but that road is going nowhere good for them. Jesus was saying to his listeners they needed to change roads. Repent, change your thinking, get off the road that you are on and enter through that small gate to that narrow road that leads to life.
These 43 words of Jesus, “13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14), came the end of the Sermon on the Mount. And much of what Jesus had to say in that sermon was drawing out in that sermon was the difference between being on the broad road on being on the narrow road.
The broad road had rules and laws to follow. The people Jesus spoke with understood rules. We understand the concept of “rules of the road” as well. We know in the United States, you drive on the righthand side of the road, you signal your intentions, you maintain a safe distance, etc. We follow the rules of the road whether operating a vehicle on the roadway or a shopping cart in the supermarket. We share an understanding with Jesus’ first listeners that the road has rules that are for the good of those traveling that road. But here is the thing to keep in mind, as good as people thought the broad road was with its rules was, Jesus very words said to his listeners that the broad road did not lead to life but to destruction. There was instead a better path to follow.
Let’s look at a bit of the ipsissima verba of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount calling people to life on the narrow road, that better path.
Jesus said, 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment’” (Matthew 5:21). Jesus was acknowledging what people knew and had been told. The rules of the broad road said, “You shall not murder.” People thought, if I have not plunged a knife into someone else on the broad road, I have met the rules of the road and I stand good and proper before my fellow travelers and most importantly, before God.
And with that thought, we remember Jesus’ first sermon with its action word, “Repent,” have a change of mind. Jesus acknowledged his followers mindset about murder as they traveled the road and called for a change of heart saying, “22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22). The narrow road to life, the kingdom of heaven, was different. The road to life was not about right rules, it was about righteousness. The narrow road, the pathway to God, requires a heart that foregoes choosing anger and malice toward others. Instead, of choosing anger, in righteousness choose reconciliation. Instead of choosing malice, in righteousness choose peace. In ipsissima verba, in the very words, of Jesus, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). 25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary” (Matthew 5:25a). To hear Jesus words and act in accordance with them is to follow the narrow road of righteousness for the kingdom of God is righteousness. It is a road that is about turning your back on anger, offense, malice, and murder so that you can pursue reconciliation and peace.
Repent, have that change in mind, that the kingdom of heaven is near and it is found by the small gate leading to the narrow road. Do you get the sense of the change Jesus was saying was required of those seeking God? For on the wide gate and broad road to destruction and narrow the road to God. Jesus then gave another example of the differences between the roads. Jesus said, “27 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’” Again, the rule of the road on the broad road was stated. People knew the rule that they must not break their vow to their spouse and have sexual relations with another person.” On the narrow road of righteousness, Jesus said, “28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). In righteousness, we honor the institution of marriage created by God and our own marriages when we are fully faithful. That means we are faithful in thought, faithful in speech, and faithful in action. Living righteously is a response of our entire being to live faithfully to God’s words for in that faithful living we have life.
Let’s look at one final ipsissima verba example. Jesus said, “33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King” (Matthew 5:33-35).
Jesus again approached setting the healthy conditions of righteousness. “Again, you have heard that…” Jesus was making clear he knew what his disciples had been taught about oaths. He was aware that people then (and people today) take oaths of honesty. Oaths are elaborate and seek to establish an understanding from the oath taker of the importance of speaking truthfully. There was an is often associated with an oath a penalty for failing to speak truthfully. Oaths seek to establish that whatever is said from that point forward will be the truth.
Jesus says though there is righteous way to life. “34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all…All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:34, 37). Jesus was saying the mark of righteousness was not marked by being truthful only when you are under an oath. Righteousness is present when you always speak the truth and that you speak that truth as simply as “Yes’ or “No.” In righteousness, you do not try to equivocate or shade your reply. Be as simple and as direct as possible. For speech can become a source, a toehold, for the devil. Do not allow more to come from you than ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
Righteousness, walking the narrow road, then is living a life in which even the toeholds of sin are kept out of one’s life. One commentary put the morality check people perform to assess what they are about to do by asking themselves one of three questions:
The morality of caution: “Can I get hurt?” The approach is to use a personal cost-benefit analysis. If there is a cost to me by what I am about to do that I know may not be right? Can I take some actions to minimize my risks? If I can keep from hurting myself, then I will do it.
The morality of concern: “Can I hurt others?” This is a cost-benefit analysis that includes the other person. I may conclude others will be hurt but then I am deciding for them what is hurt and how much can they handle for what I want. If I can accept their hurt, then I will do what I am contemplating.
The morality of personal relationship: “Can this hurt our relationship?” There is still some essence of a cost-benefit discussion where the person is considering the potential for pain in their life and the life of others but it is not righteousness.
For those on the narrow road, Jesus was saying the proper question to ask yourself is, “Is this a righteous thought and righteous speech and righteous action? Will may thoughts, words, and actions preserve what God has created and bring reconciliation and peace to myself and others?” When we can answer yes to those questions then we are on the right road, the narrow road to life.
The ipsissima verba, the very words of Jesus, again were these, “13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
We are all here today because we have expressed a desire to change our minds. We know that the broad road at times is filled with anger, malice, untruthfulness, personal ambitions, and calculations about harmful behaviors. We know that broad road is not the pathway to life. We know that intellectually, emotionally, intuitively, and spiritually. We want to know where the small gate and narrow road is to walk with God. We do not want to guess at it. We are all here today because each of us can say, “I heard the voice of Jesus say, repent, change your minds and follow me.” To follow Jesus on that narrow road to life, we must know the ipsissima verba, the very words of Jesus.
One time in Jesus’ ministry, a great many of his disciples left him never to return. The very words of Jesus were challenging, and these followers decided the path on the broad road was easier even if it led to destruction.
When Jesus saw these people leave, Jesus turned to his apostles and asked, “67 ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ 68 Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God’” (John 6:67-69).
We are here today because we believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God come to speak words to us that bring us to enter the small gate and walk in righteousness upon the narrow road to life. I want to encourage you to read the words of Jesus and be refreshed and emboldened for life. Amen and Amen.