A Psychologist looks at Scripture
In this 8-10 minute podcast, I as a psychologist and a priest use my training and skills to examine the Gospels. I will present alternative interpretations and insights into the meaning of Scripture for men and women in the 21st century.
I can be reached at peter.dohertyomi@gmail.com.
A Psychologist looks at Scripture
Mt 5.17-37 Feb 15-26 Law as Spiritual Compass: Navigating Faith's Path
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As we develop our faith life our view of the law will change from following the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. Jesus was often critical of the Pharisees who lived by the letter of the law and chose not to recognize the purpose of the law. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus accused them of meticulously paying tithes on tiny herbs like mint, anise and cummin but ignoring "weightier matters" like justice, mercy, and faith, showing their focus on literal compliance over the Law's spirit. Jesus called them "blind guides" for straining gnats (minor ritual impurity) from water while swallowing camels (major violations), highlighting disproportionate literalism on trivial purity laws Matthew 23:24.
Greetings, and thank you for joining me on “A Psychologist Looks at Scripture.” I am Peter Doherty—a Catholic priest and psychologist—and I am pleased you can join me.
In this podcast, I draw on my background in psychology and scriptural studies to offer fresh perspectives on the Gospels. The human sciences and spirituality are far more interconnected than many realize. Living out our spirituality fosters healthy psychological functioning, just as strong mental health enriches our spiritual lives.
Though written over 2,000 years ago, the Gospels' core teachings remain strikingly relevant today. Each reflection invites us to deepen our faith, uncover new wisdom, and grow spiritually—there's always more to discover.
I know you are busy, so I keep my podcasts short and to the point. If you have time and are interested, please check out the earlier episodes listed on the podcast website and on YouTube.
Today’s Podcasts focuses on the Gospel, Matthew 5:17-37. This Gospel will be proclaimed in Churches on February 15, 2026.
In today’s Gospel we have a series of brief teachings compiled together. I am not sure whether Jesus said these teachings in this order or Matthew is simply compiling them together. The teachings are an attempt by Jesus to correct some misunderstandings among the people. We have many examples of Jesus breaking various minor laws, usually working on the Sabbath. For example, the disciples plucked and ate grain on the Sabbath, which Pharisees deemed unlawful harvesting or threshing, The passages are found in Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5.
In John 5:1-18 Jesus healed a paralyzed man on the Sabbath and told him to carry his mat, violating no-burden rules found in Jeremiah 17:21-22, Temple cleansing involved violence against property sellers (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-16). Touching a leper (Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-14) defiled ceremonial purity laws listed in Leviticus 5:3.
So, probably the people believed that Jesus did not have any respect for the law. This is not true. Jesus wanted to make clear what the law was for. Arbitrary laws or laws that are no longer appropriate for a particular situation were challenged. Jesus recognized the limits of the Law, but he also recognized and supported the purpose of the Law.
I know there are unjust laws created by crooked law makers, but the laws of God are for our own good. They are not meant to be a burden but serve a purpose whether spiritually, physically and even mentally. God is not punishing us when we experience the consequences of our sinful behaviour or in some cases the sinful behaviour of others. Sometimes God may intervene for his own reasons but most of the time we will experience the consequences of poor choices so that we may learn.
As we develop our faith life our view of the law will change from following the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. Jesus was often critical of the Pharisees who lived by the letter of the law and chose not to recognize the purpose of the law. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus accused them of meticulously paying tithes on tiny herbs like mint, anise and cummin but ignoring "weightier matters" like justice, mercy, and faith, thus showing their focus on literal compliance over the Law's spirit. Jesus called them "blind guides" highlighting disproportionate literalism on trivial purity laws Matthew 23:24.
James Fowler's Stages of Faith Development is a prominent theory, outlining six stages from infancy to adulthood. I have spoken on Fowler’s theory before, so I won’t go into detail. But just as a reminder. Fowler’s Theory focuses on stages of cognitive, emotional and faith that we go through as we mature. Stage 4, “young adulthood” is marked by questioning of biblical laws and traditions. As we mature and develop our understanding of the purpose of law and its role in guiding us, our interpretation of Biblical law changes. Part of the maturing process is how we view the laws that impact our life and our community. We may be asking how relevant is the law today?
While the law may not help me but does is it relevant for the community I live in? 1 Corinthians 8:1-13: Paul discusses food sacrificed to idols, emphasizing love over knowledge—eat freely unless it offends a weaker believer's conscience. These questions help us to mature in our understanding of law.
Jesus goes further and points out that we need to do more than the bare minimum if we want our faith to be life giving. It raises questions about how our faith is lived out in our daily lives. I have often heard people use the expression “Catholic or Christian values”, but what people often fail to recognize that other faith communities have the same values. Also, Jesus is pointing out that our faith and spirituality must change how we interact with one another. Our views, behaviour and perspective must change to be aligned with our spirituality.
I want to ask you a question and invite you to reflect on that I suspect many of you have heard before. If Christianity became illegal in your country, would there be enough evidence for your neighbours to convict you? Jesus is challenging us to look at how we integrate our faith life with our daily life.
Jesus goes further; he challenges us to look at sin differently. It makes sense that sin is seen in,,, and recognized through… our actions. If we are prevented from doing sinful behaviour, we are still responsible. Jesus points out that one’s thoughts indicate where we are spiritually. It may seem that Jesus is becoming more scrupulous. I don’t think that is the intention but rather Jesus is teaching us that what is in our heart is important as well as what we actually do.
There has been extensive research on the importance of aligning our thoughts, feelings and actions. I will refer to three classical researchers that I suspect many of my listeners have heard of. The first is Leon Festinger’s “Cognitive Dissonance Theory” which proposes that people feel discomfort from inconsistencies between thoughts, beliefs, feelings, emotions, and behaviors. People are thus motivated to make changes to restore harmony. The second is Carl Rogers’ “Self-Congruence Theory which demonstrates a humanistic approach that emphasizes congruence between one's actual self-image, ideal self, and behaviors for psychological health and self-actualization. If these are misaligned it proposes that it causes anxiety. The third, Edward Tory Higgins’ “Self Discrepancy Theory” examines gaps between actual self, ideal aspirations, and obligations and links discrepancies to specific emotions.
I do not include temptations here. There is a difference from someone resisting their temptations because they know they will lead to sin from someone who is tempted but doesn’t go through with the temptation for some external reason. Matthew would later clarify this teaching when he speaks about the temptations Jesus had after his 40 days in the dessert. I urge my listeners to listen to the podcast next week where we will examine the temptations Jesus experienced.
Thank you for joining me today.
Next Sunday, February 22, 2026, I’ll be sharing a new podcast episode from Matthew 4:1-11, where we will hear about Jesus being tempted. This Gospel will invite us to take a serious look are our own weaknesses.
If you’re new to this podcast, I invite you to check out previous episodes on major podcast platforms or YouTube. And for my regular YouTube listeners, please consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with friends who love Scripture. Also, I invite YouTube listeners to post in the comment section where you are from. I appreciate knowing where my listeners are from.
New episodes come out every Sunday, focusing on the next week’s Gospel. Your feedback and questions are always valued and helps our community grow.
A big thank you to Heather Patel Doherty and Richard Coulombe for their wonderful help in preparing each episode.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at peter.dohertyomi@gmail.com.
May God richly bless you!