âWe do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking.â âRichard Rohr.
Jesus didnât just teach new things; He taught us to rethink old things.
Six times in Matthew 5, He says, âYou have heard that it was saidâŚbut I say to you.â
(See Matthew 5:21â26, 5:27â30, 5:31â32, 5:33â37, 5:38â42, and 5:43â48)
These werenât random cultural proverbs; they were rooted in the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible). To be clear, no, Jesus wasnât against Scripture; He was, however, against misinterpretation, which often leads to misuse.
To anchor His teaching, Jesus first offers these foundational statements:
17 âDo not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-20 NIV
Then he proceeds to deconstruct (their interpretations) to reconstruct Godâs original intent.
Letâs go ahead and address the elephant in the room since weâre here. đŹ
Deconstruction and reconstruction are hot-button terms right now, and depending on where youâve heard them, they may carry some baggage. So, for the sake of clarity and charity, hereâs what I mean when I use them in this context:
Deconstruction is the critical process by which individuals interrogate inherited theological frameworks, cultural assumptions, and ecclesial traditions to discern their fidelity to the person, teachings, and mission of Jesus Christ. It entails a hermeneutical re-evaluation, often prompted by spiritual dissonance, historical insight, or cultural critique. Properly understood, it is not an end in itself, but a means of purification, stripping away syncretisms, distortions, and ideologies that have accrued around the faith.
Reconstruction is the constructive theological task that follows deconstruction, rebuilding oneâs faith with intentionality, rooted in a Christocentric reading of Scripture, informed by historic orthodoxy, and practiced within a faithful community. It prioritizes integration over fragmentation, humility over certainty, and spiritual formation over dogmatic rigidity.
That should bring some relief to our modern minds because, although the challenges we face regarding the misuse of Scripture may feel nefarious, theyâre not new. Humans have long twisted sacred words to fit personal or political agendas, even in Jesusâ day.
But the remedy He offered then still holds today. Itâs the essence of spiritual growth: not just learning, but also unlearning.
Surprisingly, cognitive science also supports this.
Neuroplasticity research shows that growth isnât just about adding new information; itâs about making room for it. The brain must prune old neural pathways to create space for new ones. In other words, transformation demands subtraction as much as addition.
Paul frames it this way as he challenges believers in Rome to resist the cultural influences that distort Godâs intent:
âDo not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Godâs will isâhis good, pleasing and perfect will.â
Romans 12:2 NIV
Of course, this gets personal. Because behind every bad belief is often a beloved teacher.
Iâm not here to villainize them; theyâre human. They passed on what they knew, shaped by the time and culture in which they lived.
So we can reject the teaching without demonizing the teacher.
We can honor their sincerity even as we outgrow their conclusions.
Unlearning, then, becomes both an act of humility and holiness. Itâs how we make room for Jesus to correct, clarify, and deepen our understanding.
The question is, will we let Him?
Reflection Questions
The way of Jesus is accessible to us when we put His words into practice.
So this week, letâs work these words by asking:
Whatâs one assumption about God (or faith) Jesus is asking you to rethink?
Whatâs one assumption about others Jesus is asking you to rethink?
Whatâs one assumption about yourself Jesus is asking you to rethink?
Work These Words
Work These Words is the first newsletter from the âwith Sean Dreherâ Substack. It focuses on exploring the words of Jesus and how to put them into practice in the modern world.
The name comes from Eugene Petersonâs paraphrase of Matthew 7:24-25 in The Message:
âThese words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hitâbut nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.â
Most times, I write alone. Occasionally, Iâll invite members of the ministerial team from Kingdom South to lend their voices. But always, the aim is the same: to help you work the words of Jesus into your life.
Happy trails.