Jesus clearly laid out the moral dangers lust creates. Lust, he said, is first an inner issue,
a heart problem. Jesus did not condemn sexual desire—Genesis 2:24 says that is a part
of God’s good creation. Jesus rebuked times when we focus on another person just as an
object for our pleasure, not caring about that person’s total well-being.

• The online Encarta® World English Dictionary defines lust as “the strong physical desire to have sex with somebody, usually without associated feelings of love or affection.” Does this definition seem to you to fit with Jesus’ teaching? Why or why not? What do you believe Jesus might add to or subtract from this definition?
• Jesus had said it’s your heart, more than your body, that commits adultery. So it’s clear he wasn’t really telling us to mutilate our bodies in verses 29 and 30. What do you believe Jesus wanted his potent images to teach us about our inner life? What would you change in your day-to-day life to take Jesus seriously?