Jennifer- I understand your frustration about Matthew 5:27-30 (lustful eye, tear it out, fling it away). The next two verses scared the hell out of me when I was a little kid-
"They were told, 'A man who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of dismissal.' But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife for any cause other than unchastity he involves her in adultery; and whoever marries her commits adultery."
My parents had each been divorced before they met each other and that verse made my 7-year-old-self hysterical.
Beginning in verse 21 of chapter 5, the author sets up a pattern in which Jesus reminds his audience of a particular Judaic law, then counters the old law with a newer one that seems more strict. I think, and again this is just my interpretation, that the second half of this chapter is really more about debunking the Pharisees than imparting new commandments. It emphasizes that the spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law, and encourages the Jews to internalize the laws, which would make the Pharisees' role as spiritual law-enforcement less necessary.
I don't know if I'm making any sense, so I'll just stop here!
