A popular ethical point of view today is that “the ends justifies the means.” That is to say that any action taken is ok as long as it is working toward a good end. Coupled with this is the common view that something is ok if “their heart was in the right place.” The supposed Christian version of this is “God knows my heart.” All of these statements take something that is objectively wrong and justify it by saying it serves some good end or goal. In today’s gospel lesson, Jesus eliminates this type of thinking. For there is only good and evil, the work of God or the work of the devil, and nothing justifies in this life except Jesus Christ himself.
