Neusner liked that Jesus developed the commandments for us.
"You shall not kill" is extended to avoiding anger and insults (Matthew 5:21-22).
But it says in the article that Neusner disagrees with Jesus saying we should not confront evil. Because he didn't see that Jesus was not saying this.
New International Version
"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,"
Paul the apostle said these words but I think it's a quote from the old book. Jesus called a close friend, "Satan," Jesus told the pharisees they were sons of Satan and snakes, and walked into a church with a whip to drive out money changers. Seriously, He was NOT telling us to not confront evil. And He had immense power from the holy spirit, more than any soul who ever lived. He just slapped back on a missing ear that got sliced off, and walked through a crowd trying to seize Him.
Not to mention, He endured the worst capital punishment known to human kind and then plunged into hell and spent 72 hours fighting principalities and powers, "making sport of them," meaning, He mocked them.
So through two millennia we have failed to understand the difference between what is sin and what is not! It says anger is acceptable, but not if it leads to hatred.
Did Jesus tell us to not be angry, or in anger not to sin?
Anger that leads to hatred has led to sin. And Jesus showed how hatred is murder and leads to murder.
But I think Neusner did agree with this. Neusner liked Jesus.
Jesus was trying to show in this and in all things that what is in our hearts counts even more than what shows up in actions, what is seen. Evil dwells in lies, deceit and what is not seen until the evil soul cannot even see themselves, because they've lied to themselves! But beyond this what lies in our hearts will determine the outcome.
So, Neusner, according to this article liked Jesus' words about adultery that it extends to lust in our hearts. Of course. Every evil begins in the heart. And so Jesus said that to look with lust is the beginning of adultery. What we have lacked in the west is a clear understanding of sexuality, more than anything. And it wreaks havoc on us now with such weird maestros as Freud who was not moral or biblical. He was pagan, negative and probably satanic People follow Freud more than Jesus, probably because they would claim Him, Jesus, to be a fun killer.
Jesus said sin is a prison. Is that fun? Freud had no cure for sin.
Obviously, Jesus was telling us lust is sin, not just what you act out. If you are consumed with lust, but you do nothing, can you claim Innocence? Of course not. So, what is lust? And such "brilliant" theologians as Billy Graham really have said that lust is just feeling anything at all sexual towards the opposite sex. Well now, since we have every other kind of lust consuming Americans and so many others, it's easier to see the difference between right and wrong.
So by negating all sexual feelings and thoughts even theologians have led people down the road of teaching us that we are evil, only evil, and so is any of our sexuality. And this is pagan and satanic.
One of the reasons for, again, this "properous invention of the devil" (Thomas Paine) is that the one thing Satan does not want the person who chooses life over death to ever have is that treasure of sex combined with love which would only come from God, because the Bible says He is love.
It is the war against "what God has joined together" that has been in the west since St Valentine was put to death for facilitating this very thing in 250 AD in Rome. Satan hates maybe more than anything else expressions of true love. And you have to admit there was no greater gift given by God than His idea of a union between a man and a woman.
Jesus, as in all things, helps us to find from within what the law tells us to do. To not commit adultery must begin in the heart and mind. It cannot be external only. Our minds must change.
But Satan and his humanoids do everything they can to tear down God's greatest gift. They and he use corruption and the shame from it, twisting ideas and words, the word love corrupted to never mean anything other than sex! All in Satan and their attempt to rob us of God's gift. Rob us of happiness!
So what is lust? There is nothing that follows the loss of connection to God, or the lack of fear of Him like no longer functioning normally with regards to sexuality. And people fall so far that you could talk a streak on this and could never get through to the numerous numb skulls we have today. What is pure is difficult to impossible to put into words. One can only find, through the peace of God that surpasses understanding that is disturbed by what is not pleasing to Him, what is pure. One reason is the soul that does not surrender to God is too far from understanding to try to explain. And way too corrupt.
One can only find the truth from God, from transparency towards Him. Psalm 19 takes us through the steps of transparency. If you truly desire to know how God sees you, He will show you. You must be willing to see yourself. Psalm 19 says, paraphrased, Lord show me if I have secret faults. Then it says, show me if I presume upon your grace. And if you pray in this way, and you want to hear what He says, you will. This is the ONLY way to have assurance of your right standing with Him. And what is wrong sexually will show for you because God will reveal it to you. If you know God isn't playing games regarding sin and is serious about it, and if YOU are serious about it, you will allow Him to shine light upon your life.
I DO know you cannot make all things remotely sexual sinful except if your conscience is seared and you cannot discern right from wrong. And if this is what you are you have lost God's greatest gift.
But in answer to what is lust, I think it has the dangerous D's of it's degrading, defiling , demeaning, dangerous, and the list could go on. It's not about love. It does not lead to love. There is no respect for oneself or others in it.
I feel as if there are many words needing to be said or written, but the task right now is overwhelming and this post is getting too long. I'll try to say more before long.
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