You Can’t Be Perfect, Can You?

As followers of Christ, we've all wrestled with the seemingly impossible command from Jesus in Matthew 5:48: "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (ESV). On the surface, this verse feels like an unattainable standard, especially when we consider our daily struggles with sin. We mess up, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes willfully, and wonder how we could ever measure up to divine perfection. Yet, the Bible doesn't leave us in despair. By diving into Numbers 15:27-31 and connecting it to Jesus' words, we uncover a profound truth: God knows our frailty, provides grace for our failings, and calls us to a perfection rooted in faith, obedience, and reliance on Him.

In this post, we'll explore these passages from an evangelical perspective, emphasizing that salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). We'll exegete key words and phrases from the original Hebrew and Greek languages, using the English Standard Version (ESV) for our translations. Drawing from Biblical scholarship, we will see how unintentional sins are forgiven through atonement, while defiant sins bring severe consequences. Ultimately, we'll discover that true perfection isn't about flawless performance but about wholeness in Christ, where His righteousness covers our imperfections.

The Context of Imperfection: Human Sin in the Old Testament

To understand Jesus' call to perfection, we must first grapple with the reality of sin as outlined in the Torah. Numbers 15:27-31 provides a crucial framework for distinguishing between types of sin, showing God's mercy toward the repentant and His justice toward the rebellious.

Let's read the passage in the ESV:

"If one person sins unintentionally, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him" (Numbers 15:27-31).

This text follows a broader discussion in Numbers 15:22-26 about communal unintentional sins, emphasizing that even accidental transgressions require atonement. The key Hebrew words here reveal God's heart for restoration.

Exegeting "Unintentionally" (Shgagah)

The word translated "unintentionally" in the ESV is shgagah (שְׁגָגָה) in Hebrew, derived from the root shagah (שָׁגָה), meaning "to go astray," "to err," or "to wander unintentionally." This isn't mere ignorance; it's a mistake made without deliberate intent, like wandering off a path in the dark. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), it's often rendered as akousiōs (ἀκουσίως), meaning "unwillingly" or "involuntarily."

Biblically, shgagah acknowledges human weakness. We all commit acts we know we shouldn't do, like reacting in anger on the highway or harboring resentment. These aren't premeditated rebellions but lapses in our fallen nature. The Torah prescribes a sin offering, a female goat, to make atonement (kaphar, כָּפַר, meaning "to cover" or "to appease"). This foreshadows Christ's ultimate sacrifice, where His blood covers our sins (Hebrews 9:22).

Importantly, this law applies equally to Israelites and sojourners (foreigners living among them), underscoring God's impartial grace. No one is exempt from sin's reach, but forgiveness is available through repentance and sacrifice. As evangelicals, we see this as a type of the gospel: our unintentional sins—those slips in thought, word, or deed are forgiven not by animal blood but by the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

Exegeting "With a High Hand" (Yad Ramah)

In stark contrast, verse 30 introduces presumptuous sin: "the person who does anything with a high hand" (yad ramah, יָד רָמָה). Yad means "hand," and ramah means "high" or "exalted," evoking an image of a defiant fist raised against God. This phrase implies deliberate, arrogant rebellion, sin committed "presumptuously" or "defiantly," as if shaking one's fist at heaven.

In Hebrew, ramah carries connotations of pride and elevation, often negatively (e.g., Psalm 18:27 warns against the haughty). The Septuagint translates it as hybris (ὕβρις), meaning "insolence" or "wanton violence." Such sin "reviles the LORD" (gadaph, גָּדַף, "to blaspheme" or "to scorn") and despises His word, leading to being "cut off" (karath, כָּרַת, "to excise" or "to destroy").

This isn't a minor infraction; it's willful rejection of God's authority, like the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath in Numbers 15:32-36, who is stoned for his defiance. As the commentary provided notes, "many of the worst sins are committed with the best of intentions," but high-handed sin flaunts morality. In evangelical theology, this warns against apostasy, deliberately turning from Christ after knowing the truth (Hebrews 6:4-6, as discussed in the transcript).

Yet, even here, there's hope. While the Old Testament demands excision to preserve community holiness, the New Testament reveals Christ's power to redeem even the rebellious through genuine repentance (e.g., Paul's transformation from persecutor to apostle, Acts 9).

The Call to Perfection: Jesus' Words in Matthew 5:48

Now, let's bridge to the New Testament. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus concludes His teaching on love for enemies: "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (ESV). This verse crowns the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus intensifies the Law's demands (e.g., anger equals murder, lust equals adultery).

Exegeting "Perfect" (Teleios)

The Greek word for "perfect" is teleios (τέλειος), meaning "complete," "mature," "whole," or "fully developed." It's not about moral flawlessness (which no human achieves, Romans 3:23) but wholeness and maturity. Teleios derives from telos (τέλος), "end" or "goal," implying reaching full potential.

Jesus echoes Deuteronomy 18:13: "You shall be blameless (tamim, תָּמִים) with the LORD your God" (ESV). Tamim in Hebrew means "blameless," "complete," or "without defect," often used for sacrificial animals (Exodus 12:5: "Your lamb shall be without blemish [tamim]"). In the Septuagint, tamim is translated teleios, linking the passages.

Tamim isn't absolute perfection but contextual wholeness. Genesis 6:9 calls Noah "blameless [tamim] in his generation," not sinless (he later gets drunk, Genesis 9:21), but upright amid corruption. Similarly, Abraham is told, "walk before me, and be blameless [tamim]" (Genesis 17:1), emphasizing integrity, not impeccability.

In Matthew's context (5:43-48), perfection means loving impartially, like God who sends rain on just and unjust. It's maturity in love, going beyond tax collectors (mafia-like extortionists) who love only allies. As evangelicals, we see this as sanctification: the Holy Spirit maturing us toward Christ's likeness (Romans 8:29), not instant sinlessness.

Connecting Numbers 15 and Matthew 5: The Tension Resolved in Christ

The tension, "You can't be perfect, can you?"—resolves in the Gospel. Numbers 15 shows God distinguishing sins: grace for shgagah (unintentional), judgment for yad ramah (defiant). Jesus' call to teleios/tamim perfection isn't a new burden but an invitation to wholeness through faith.

Consider Genesis 15:6: "And he [Abraham] believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (ESV). The Hebrew aman (אָמַן) means "to confirm" or "to be faithful," root of amunah (אֱמוּנָה, faithfulness). As Pastor Bernard highlights, Abraham's faith (amunah), trusting God's promise despite imperfections, made him righteous. Habakkuk 2:4 echoes: "the righteous shall live by his faith [amunah]" (ESV), emphasizing faithful living, not mere belief.

Paul and James build on this. Paul stresses justification by faith (Romans 4:3-5), James adds that works prove faith (James 2:21-24). They're complementary: faith saves, works evidence it. In evangelical terms, we're declared righteous by Christ's blood (covering shgagah-like sins), then grow in holiness, avoiding yad ramah apostasy (Hebrews 6:4-6 warns of tasting [geuomai, γεύομαι, "to experience fully"] truth then falling away).

Leviticus commands holiness: "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy" (19:2, ESV). Qadosh (קָדוֹשׁ) means "set apart." For priests (kohen, כֹּהֵן, Aaron's descendants), it's ritual purity (Leviticus 21:6-8). Exodus 19:5-6 extends it: Israel as a "kingdom of priests" (mamleketh kohanim, מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים). Jesus universalizes this: believers as royal priests (1 Peter 2:9), called to teleios holiness.

Yet, we're not perfect. Ecclesiastes 7:20: "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins" (ESV). Grace abounds: Christ's atonement covers unintentional sins, empowering us against willful ones.

Living Out Imperfect Perfection

We affirm total depravity, sin affects every part of us (Romans 3:10-12), but also regeneration: the Spirit enables growth. Perfection is positional (in Christ, we're seen as perfect, Colossians 2:10) and progressive (sanctification toward maturity, Philippians 3:12-14).

Avoid yad ramah: Don't presume on grace (Romans 6:1). Hebrews 2:9 says Jesus "tasted [geuomai] death for everyone," experiencing sin's full penalty so we don't have to.

Embrace tamim: Be wholehearted. Like Noah, stand blameless in your generation. Faith (amunah) reckons us righteous, as with Abraham.

In daily life:

Confess unintentional sins quickly (1 John 1:9).

Guard against defiance through Scripture, prayer, community.

Love enemies, mirroring God's perfect love.

Malachi 1:8 rebukes lame offerings: give God your best, not blemished (tamim implies integrity).

Perfection in the Perfect One

You can not be perfect on your own. But in Christ, you can. Numbers 15 reminds us of sin's categories and God's provision; Matthew 5 calls us to mature love. Through faith, we're reckoned righteous, growing toward wholeness. Trust God: He who began a good work will perfect it (Philippians 1:6).