Wednesday, June 29, 2011

WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 6" -David Guzik

WEDNESDAY IN THE WORD 

-Wednesday in the Word with Chuck Smith-  -Wednesday in the Word with David Guzik-  -Wednesday in the Word with Jon Courson-   -Wednesday in the Word with Bob Caldwell-  -Wednesday in the Word with Mike MacIntosh-  -Wednesday in the Word with Kay Arthur-  Coming Soon J. Vernon McGee



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Matthew 6 - The Sermon on the Mount (Continued)

a. Doing good to please God.

1. (1) Jesus’ warning against doing good to be seen by men.

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven."

a. Jesus has just clearly shown us God’s righteous standard; perhaps He is anticipating the thought "wouldn’t everybody be impressed if I was like that?" So now, Jesus address the danger of cultivating an image of righteousness.

b. Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before menCharitable deeds is actually the word righteousness. Jesus tells us to not do righteous acts for the sake of display or image (to be seen by them).

i. Does this principle of Jesus contradict His previous command to let your light so shine before men(Matthew 5:16)? Not at all. Although His followers are to be seen doing good works, they must not do good works simply to be seen.

c. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven: The idea is when we do righteous deeds for the attention and applause of men, their attention and applause is our reward. How much better it is to receive a reward from your Father in heaven.

2. (2-4) Jesus gives examples of the wrong kind of giving and the right kind of giving.

"Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."

a. When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet: It was customary in Jesus’ day to draw attention to giving, so the person would be known as generous. Today, people do notsound a trumpet to project the image of generosity, but they still know how to call attention to their giving.

b. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward: Jesus tells the one who gives to hear the applause of men that he should savor the applause, because it will be all they get. The grammar of the ancient Greek here is emphatic. When Jesus says theyhave their reward, the word have can be understood as "paid in full."

c. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing: Instead, our giving is to be - if it were possible - even hidden from ourselves. Though we cannot really be ignorant about our own giving, we can deny any indulgent self-congratulation.

d. That your charitable deed may be in secret: If someone finds out that we have given something, have we automatically lost our reward? The issue is really a matter of motive. If we give for our own glory, it doesn’t matter if no one finds out and we will still have no reward from God. But if we give for God’s glory, it doesn’t matter who finds out, because your reward will remain.

e. Our Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly: Jesus points out the exceeding value of doing good for the glory of God. How much better it is to receive our award from God, who rewards much more generously and much moreopenly than men do.

3. (5-6) Jesus gives examples of the wrong kind of prayer and the right kind of prayer.

"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

a. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets: There were two main places where a Jew in Jesus’ day might pray hypocritically. They might pray at the synagogue at the time of public prayer, or on the street at the appointed times of prayer (9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m.).

b. That they may be seen by men: These hypocrites pray not to be heard by God, but to be seen by men. This is a common fault in public prayer today, when people pray to impress or teach others instead of genuinely pouring out their hearts before God.

i. This kind of prayer is accurately portrayed by the description of an eloquent prayer in a New England church: "Reverend Jones presented the most beautiful prayer ever offered before a Boston audience."

ii. What an insult such prayers are to God! When we mouth words towards God, while really trying to impress others, we use God merely as a tool to impress others.

c. They have their reward: Again, those praying to be seen of men have their reward, and they should enjoy it in full - because that is all they will receive.

d. But you, when you pray, go into your room: Rather, we should meet with God in our room (or, "closet"). The idea is of a private place where we can impress no one but God.

i. The specific ancient Greek word "room" was used for a storeroom where treasures were kept. There are treasures waiting for you in your prayer closet!

ii. Jesus certainly isn’t prohibiting public prayer, but our prayers should always be to God and not towards man.

5. (7-13) The right way to pray.

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathendo. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

a. When you pray, do not use vain repetitions: The right kind of prayer does not use vain repetitions, which is any and all prayer which is all words and no meaning, all lips and no mind or heart.

i. The Jewish rabbis of Jesus’ day said things like: "Whoever is long in prayer is heard" and "Whenever the righteous make their prayer long, their prayer is heard." One famous Jewish prayer began like this: "Blessed, praised, and glorified, exalted, and honored, magnified and lauded be the name of the Holy One."

ii. When we try to impress God with our many words, we deny that God is a loving, yet holy Father. Instead, we should follow the counsel of Ecclesiastes 5:2God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.

b. Our Father in heaven: The right kind of prayer comes to God as a Father in heaven. It rightly recognizes whom we pray to.

i. When we say "Father" we use a privileged title, demonstrating a privileged relationship. It was very unusual for Jews call God "Father" because it was considered too intimate.

ii. When we say "in heaven" we remember God’s holiness and glory. He is our Father, but our Father in heaven.

c. Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven: The right kind of prayer has a passion for God’s glory and agenda. His namekingdom andwill have the top priority.

i. Everyone wants to guard their own name and reputation. But we must resist the tendency to protect and promote ourselves first and put God’s namekingdom and will first.

d. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: The right kind of prayer will freely bring its own needs to God. This will include needs for daily provision, forgiveness, and strength in the face of temptation.

i. When Jesus says bread, He means real bread, as in the sense of daily provisions. Early theologians allegorized this, because they couldn’t imagine Jesus speaking about an everyday thing like bread in such a majestic prayer like this. Calvin rightly said of such interpretations which fail to see God’s interest in the mundane: "This is exceedingly absurd." God does care about everyday things.

ii. The one who is truly forgiven will show forgiveness to others; Jesus will elaborate more on this idea inMatthew 6:14 and 15.

iii. Temptation literally means a test, not always a solicitation to do evil. God has promised to keep us from any testing that is greater than what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13).

e. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever: The right kind of prayer praises God and credits to Himthe kingdom and the power and the glory.

i. There is some dispute as to if this doxology is in the original manuscript Matthew wrote or was added in later by a scribe. Because the idea certainly fits, we should regard it as Jesus truly said it.

6. (14-15) More on the importance of forgiveness.

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

a. If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: Forgiveness is required for those who have been forgiven. We are not given the luxury of holding on to our bitterness towards other people.

b. Neither will your Father forgive your trespasses: Jesus has much more to say about forgiveness (Matthew 9:2-618:21-35, and Luke 17:3-4). Here, the emphasis is on the imperative of forgiveness - it is not an option.

7. (16-18) The right way to fast.

"Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."

a. When you fast, do not be like hypocrites: The hypocritical scribes and Pharisees wanted to make sure that everybody knew they were fasting, so they would have a sad countenance anddisfigure their faces so their "agony" would be evident to all.

i. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward: When hypocrites receive the admiration of men for these "spiritual" efforts, they receive all the reward they will ever get.

b. When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting: In contrast, Jesus’ instructs to take care of ourselves as usual and to make the fast something of a secret before God.

c. When you fast: However, notice that Jesus assumes that His followers would fast. But with most anything good like fasting, our corrupt natures can corrupt something good into something bad.

i. A modern example of a good thing gone bad is the manner of dressing nice on Sunday. There is nothing wrong with this in itself, but if it is used to draw attention to one’s self, something good has become something bad.

d. You can do a wonderful thing for the wrong motive and have it count for nothing before God; Christianity is a matter of the heart, not just outward works.

e. The real problem with the hypocrite is self-interest. "Ultimately, our only reason for pleasing men around us is that we may be pleased." (D. Martin Lloyd-Jones)

b. The place of material things: a warning against covetousness.

1. (19-21) The choice between two treasures.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

a. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth: The ancient Greek more literally says do not treasure for yourself treasures on earth. The idea is that earthly treasure is temporary and fading away (where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal), but heavenly treasure is secure.

i. The issue isn’t that earthly treasures are intrinsically bad; but they are no ultimate value either. If this is the case, then how can the disciple of Jesus their dedication to continually expanding their earthly treasures?

ii. To lay up for yourselves treasure on earth is also to doom yourself to a life of frustration and emptiness. Regarding material things, the secret to happiness is notmore, it is contentment. In a 1992 survey, people were asked how much money they would have to make to have "the American dream." Those who earn $25,000 or less a year thought they would need around $54,000. Those in the $100,000 annual income bracket said that they could buy the dream for an average of $192,000 a year. These figures indicate that we typically think we would have to have double our income in order to find the good life. But the Apostle Paul had the right idea in 1 Timothy 6:6Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

b. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven: In contrast, heavenly treasures are everlasting and incorruptible. Treasures in heaven given enjoyment now, in the contentment and sense of well-being that comes from being a giver. But their ultimate enjoyment comes on the other side of eternity.

i. It has been wisely observed that a hearse is never followed by a U-Haul trailer. Every thing one might take with them to the world beyond are left behind. Gold is a precious commodity on earth; in heaven God uses it to pave the streets!

ii. Jesus once told a parable that has troubled some. InLuke 16:1-14, He speaks of a dishonest manager, who is about to be called to account. Knowing he will be fired, he begins to settle accounts with his master’s debtors at terms favorable to the debtors, so they will treat him kindly when the master fires him. The master ends up complimenting the manager for his shrewd tactics (presumably before he fired him). What was praiseworthy about the manager? First, he knew he would be called to account for his life and he took it seriously. Secondly, he took advantage of his present position to arrange a comfortable future - and we can use our material resources right now for eternal good - even though we can’t bring them with us!

iii. Our material treasures will not pass from this life to the next; but the good that has been done for the kingdom of God through the use of our treasures lasts for eternity, and the work God does in us through faithful giving will last for eternity.

c. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also: Jesus draws the conclusion that you can only have your treasure (and your heart) in one place; we can’t lay up treasure on earth and on heaven at the same time.

2. (22-23) The choice between two visions.

"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

a. The lamp of the body is the eye: Simply, the idea is that "light" comes into the body through eye. If our eyes were blind, we would live in a "dark" world.

b. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light: The idea behind having a good eye is either beinggenerous or being single minded. Both principles apply to the disciple’s attitude towards material things.

i. Being generous brings light to our lives. We are happier and more content when we have God’s heart of generosity. But if we are not generous, it is as if your whole body will be full of darkness. Our selfish, miserly ways cast darkness over everything that we think or do.

ii. Being single minded brings light to our lives, and we are also happier and more content when we focus on the kingdom of God and His righteousness, knowing that all the material things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). But when we are double-minded, it is as if your whole body will be full of darkness. We try to live for two masters at the same time, and it puts a dark shadow over everything in our life.

c. Full of light . . . full of darkness: In any case, Jesus tells us that either our eye is directed at heavenly things (and thereforefull of light) or it is directed at earthly things (and thereforefull of darkness).

i. "An evil eye was a phrase in use, among the ancient Jews, to denote an enviouscovetous man or disposition; a man who repined at his neighbour’s prosperity, loved his own money, and would do nothing in the way of charity for God’s sake." (Clarke)

d. How great is that darkness: Building on the analogy of the eye, Jesus reminds us that if we are blind in our eyes, the whole body is blind. The darkness is then great in our whole body. In the same way, our attitude towards material treasure will either bring great light or great darkness to our lives.

i. Often a materialistic, miserly, selfish Christian justifies their sin by saying "It’s just one area of my life." But even as the darkness of the eye affects everything in the body, so a wrong attitude towards material things brings darkness to our whole being.

3. (24) The choice between two masters.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

a. No one can serve two masters: Having two masters is not like working two jobs. Jesus has the master and slave relationship in view, and no slave could serve two masters.

i. Jesus states that serving two masters is a simple impossibility. If you think that you are successfully serving two masters, you are deceived. It can’t be done. As ancient Israel struggled with idolatry, they thought they could worship the Lord God and Baal. God constantly reminded them that to worship Baal was to forsake the Lord God. To be loyal to the one is to despise the other.

ii. Colossians 3:5 says, Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. When we are covetous, we are idolaters.

b. You cannot serve God and mammon: There are different opinions regarding the origin of the term mammon. Some think it was the name of a pagan god. Others think the name comes "From the Hebrew aman, to trustconfide; because men are apt to trust in riches." (Clarke) Whatever its origin, the meaning is clear: mammon is materialism, "wealth personified" (Expositor’s Bible Commentary).

i. "Mammon, saith one, is a monster, whose head is as subtle as the serpent, whose mouth is wide as hell, eyes sharp as a lizard, scent as quick as the vulture, hands fast as harpies, belly insatiable as a wolf, feet swift to shed blood, as a lioness robbed of her whelps." (Trapp)

ii. Certainly, Jesus is talking about the heart here. Many people would say they love God, but their service of money shows that in fact they do not. How can we tell Who or what we are serving? One way is by remembering this principle:you will sacrifice for your God. If you will sacrifice for the sake of money, but will not sacrifice for the sake of Jesus, don’t deceive yourself: money is your God.

iii. On a Friday afternoon in 1990, a businessman staggered to the steps of his Los Angeles office. Before he died of the gunshot wound to his chest, he called out the names of his three children. But he still had his $10,000 Rolex watch clutched in his hand. He was the victim of a rash of Rolex robberies - and was killed as a sacrifice to his god.

iv. A 1992 story in the Los Angeles Times told about Michelle, a successful writer and editor, who fears the day her husband might discover her secret stash of credit cards, her secret post office box or the other tricks she uses to hide how much money she spends shopping for herself. "I make as much money as my husband . . . If I want a $500 suit from Ann Taylor, I deserve it and don’t want to be hassled about it. So the easiest thing to do is lie," she explains. Last year, when her husband forced her to destroy one of her credit cards, Michelle went out and got a new one without telling him. "I do live in fear. If he discovers this new VISA, he’ll kill me."

v. A school teacher explained more: "Men just don’t understand that shopping is our drug of choice," she joked, even while admitting that some months her salary goes exclusively to paying the minimum balance on her credit cards. "Walking through the door of South Coast Plaza is like walking though the gates of heaven. God made car trunks for women to hide shopping bags in."

vi. A young professional named Mary explained: "Shopping is my recreation. It’s my way of pampering myself. When you walk into [a mall] and you see all the stores, it’s like something takes over and you get caught up in it."

vii. We must remember that we don’t have to be rich to serve mammon (money); the poor can be just as greedy and covetous as the rich are.

c. The place of material things: anxiety over material things.

1. (25) Therefore: because the Kingdom of God is so vastly superior to earthly pursuits, it deserves our attention.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"

a. Do not worry about your life: We should not get tangled up worrying about the things of this world, because our life is more than those things.

b. Do not worry: There is a difference between a godly sense of responsibility and an ungodly, untrusting worry; however, an ungodly, untrusting sense of worry usually masquerades as "responsibility."

i. We are to be concerned with the right things; the ultimate issues of life - and we leave the management (and the worry) over material things with our heavenly Father.

c. Is not life more than food: The worry Jesus speaks of debases man to the level of an animal, who is merely concerned with physical needs. Your life is more, and you have eternal matters to pursue.

2. (26-30) Example and arguments against worry.

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"

a. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them: The birds are provided for by God, and if He takes care of them. How much more will He take care of us?

i. But take careful note: the birds don’t worry, but they dowork. Bird don’t just open their mouth and expected God to fill it.

b. Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? Worry accomplishes nothing; we can add nothing to our lives by worrying. There may be greater sins than worry, but there are none more debilitating and useless.

i. Can add: The ancient Greek may mean adding to lifeinstead of adding to height, but the thought is the same

ii. Instead of adding to our life, we can actually harm ourselves through worry. Stress is one of the great contributors to disease and poor health.

c. If God so clothes the grass of the field: God even takes care of the grass of the field, so He will certainly take care of you.

3. (31-32) Let the heathen worry about those things! You have a heavenly Father that knows your needs.

"Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things."

a. Therefore do not worry: We are invited to know a freedom from the worry and anxiety that comes from undue concern about material things. We can reflect the same kind of heart that Matthew Henry showed when he said the following after being robbed:

Lord, I thank You:

That I have never been robbed before.

That although they took my money, they spared my life.

That although they took everything, it wasn’t very much.

That it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.

4. (33) Summary: Put God’s kingdom first - He will take care of these things!

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

a. But seek first the kingdom of God: Let this be the acid test when you are in trouble: Am I seeking the Kingdom of God first?

i. In particular regard to the context Jesus is speaking to, we must ask ourselves this question: "Is physical well-being a worthy object to which I will devote my life?" If you think it is, then your god is mammon, your life is cursed with worry, and you live life as an animal, concerned mostly with physical needs.

b. And all these things shall be added to you: If you do not think that your physical-well being is a worthy object to live your life for, you then may enjoy all these things. He promises heavenly treasure, rest in divine provision, and fulfill God’s highest purpose for man - fellowship with Him, and being part of His kingdom.

i. Remember: this is the choice that you made when you became a Christian, but you reinforce that decision, or deny that decision, everyday of your life.

5. (34) A conclusion with common sense.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

a. Do not worry about tomorrow . . . Sufficient for the day is its own trouble: If you must worry, worry only for the things of today. Most of our worry is over things that we have absolutely no control over anyway.

 


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 5" -David Guzik

WEDNESDAY IN THE WORD 

-Wednesday in the Word with Chuck Smith-  -Wednesday in the Word with David Guzik-  -Wednesday in the Word with Jon Courson-   -Wednesday in the Word with Bob Caldwell-  -Wednesday in the Word with Mike MacIntosh-  -Wednesday in the Word with Kay Arthur-  Coming Soon J. Vernon McGee



Every Wednesday We Post Studies in the Word

NOW ON FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

(google: "Last Chance Bible Study)

 LastChanceBibleStudy@gmail.com

Matthew 5 - The Sermon on the Mount

a. Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount.

1. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 through 7) has been long hailed as the sum of Jesus’ - or anyone’s - ethical teaching. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us how to live.

a. It has been said if you took all the good advice for how to live ever uttered by any philosopher or psychiatrist or counselor, took out the foolishness and boiled it all down to the real essentials, you would be left with a poor imitation of this great message by Jesus.

2. The Sermon on the Mount is sometimes thought of as Jesus’ "Declaration of the Kingdom."

a. The American Revolutionaries had their Declaration of Independence. Karl Marx had his Communist Manifesto. With this message, Jesus declares what His Kingdom is all about.

b. It presents a radically different agenda than what the nation of Israel expected from the Messiah. It does not present the political or material blessings of the Messiah’s reign. Instead, it expresses the spiritual implications of Jesus’ rule in our lives. This great message tells us how will we live when Jesus is our Lord.

3. The Sermon on the Mount does not deal with salvation as such, but it lays out for the disciple and the potential disciple how regarding Jesus as King translates into ethics and daily living.

a. It can’t be proved, but in my opinion, the Sermon on the Mount was Jesus’ "standard" sermon. It was the core of His itinerant message: a simple proclamation of how God expects us to live, contrasting with common Jewish misunderstandings of that life. It may be that when Jesus preached to a new audience, He often preached this sermon or used the themes from it.

b. It is clear that the Sermon on the Mount had a significant impact on the early church. The early Christians make constant reference to it and their lives display the glory of radical disciples.

4. (1-2) Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

a. When He was seated: As He preached this message, Jesus was seated. He adopted the customary posture of teaching, as any rabbi in His day - the preacher sat and the audience stood.

b. His disciples came to Him . . . He . . . taught them: We notice that Jesus primarily speaks to His disciples. The Sermon on the Mount is directed towards disciples, though others may - and should - hear. By the end of the Sermon on the Mount, people in general hear His message and are amazed (Matthew 7:28).

b. The Beatitudes: the character of kingdom citizens.

1. The first portion of the Sermon on the Mount is known as the Beatitudes, which means "The Blessings" but can also be understood as giving the believer his "be - attitudes" - the attitudes he should "be."

a. In the Beatitudes, Jesus sets forth both the nature and theaspirations of citizens of His kingdom. They have and arelearning these character traits.

b. All of these character traits are marks and goals of allChristians. It is not as if we can major in one to the exclusion of others, as is the case with spiritual gifts. There is no escape from our responsibility to covet every one of these spiritual attributes.

c. If you meet one who claims to be a Christian but displays and desires none of these traits, you may rightly wonder about their salvation, because they do not have the character of kingdom citizens. But if they claim to have mastered these attributes, you may question their honesty.

2. (3) The foundation: poverty of spirit.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

a. Blessed: Jesus promises blessing to His disciples, promising that the poor in spirit will be blessed. The idea behind the ancient Greek word for blessed is "happy," but in the truest, godly sense of the word, not in our modern sense of merely being comfortable or entertained at the moment.

b. The poor in spirit: This is not a man’s confession that he is by nature insignificant, or personally without value, for that would be untrue. Instead, it is a confession that he is sinful and rebellious and utterly without moral virtues adequate to commend him to God.

c. The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual "assets." They know they are spiritually bankrupt. With the wordpoor, Jesus uses the more severe term for poverty. It indicates someone who must beg for whatever they have or get.

i. Poverty of spirit cannot be artificially induced by self-hatred; it is brought about by the Holy Spirit and our response to His working in our hearts.

d. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven: Those who are poor in spirit, so poor they must beg, are rewarded. They receive the kingdom of heaven, and poverty of spirit is an absolute prerequisite for receiving the kingdom of heaven, because as long as we harbor illusions about our own spiritual resources we will never receive from God what we absolutely need to be saved.

e. The call to be poor in spirit is placed first for a reason, because it puts the following commands into perspective. They cannot be fulfilled by one’s own strength, but only by a beggar’s reliance on God’s power.

3. (4) The godly reaction to poverty of spirit: mourning.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

a. Blessed are those who mourn: The ancient Greek grammar indicates an intense degree of mourning. Jesus does not speak of casual sorrow for the consequences of our sin, but a deep grief before God over our fallen state.

b. What do those who mourn actually mourn about? Their mourning is over just anything, but they mourn over sin. To really be followers of Jesus, we must mourn over our sin and the ruin and separation from God that comes to our life from sin.

i. We also mourn the general destruction and separation sin brings, far beyond the personal consequences to ourselves.

c. For they shall be comforted: Those who mourn over their sin and their sinful condition are promised comfort. God allows this grief into our lives as a path, not as a destination.

4. (5) The next step: meekness.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

a. Blessed are the meek: In the vocabulary of the ancient Greek language, the meek person was not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word "meek" was strength under control, like a strong stallion that was trained to do the job instead of running wild.

b. To be meek means to show willingness to submit and work under proper authority. It also shows a willingness to disregard one’s own "rights" and privileges.

i. It is one thing for me to admit my own spiritual bankruptcy, but what if someone else does it for me? Do I react meekly?

c. For they shall inherit the earth: We can only be meek, willing to control our desire for our rights and privileges because we are confident God watches out for us, that He will protect our cause. The promise "they shall inherit the earth" proves that God will not allow His meek ones to end up on the short end of the deal.

d. Through the first three beatitudes we notice that the naturalman finds no happiness or blessedness in spiritual poverty, mourning or meekness. These are only a blessing for thespiritual man, those who are new creatures in Jesus.

5. (6) The desire of the one who has poverty of spirit, mourning for sin, and meekness: righteousness.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."

a. Blessed are those who hunger: This describes a profound hunger that cannot be satisfied by a snack. This is a longing that endures and is never completely satisfied on this side of eternity.

b. Hunger and thirst for righteousness: We see Christians hungering for many things: power, authority, success, comfort, happiness - but how many hunger and thirst for righteousness?

i. This is hunger for complete righteousness, not just enough to soothe a guilty conscience.

c. For they shall be filled: This is a strange filling that both satisfies us and keeps us longing for more.

6. (7-9) How the previously mentioned character traits display themselves among men.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessedare the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

a. Blessed are the merciful: The merciful care and reach out to help those that are in need, without demanding that they deserve such help.

i. For they shall obtain mercy: If you want mercy from others - especially God - then you should take care to bemerciful to others.

b. Blessed are the pure in heart: In the ancient Greek, the phrase pure of heart has the idea of straightness, honesty, and clarity. This describes someone who isn’t constantly "dirty" from all the little "stains" that come from contact with this world.

i. For they shall see God: In this, the pure of heart receive the most wonderful reward. They shall enjoy greater intimacy with God than they could have imagined.

ii. Ultimately, this intimate relationship with God must become our greatest motivation for purity, greater than a fear of getting caught or a fear of consequences.

c. Blessed are the peacemakers: This does not describe those who live in peace, but those who actually bring about peace, overcoming evil with good.

i. One way we accomplish this is through spreading the gospel, because God has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

ii. For they shall be called sons of God: The reward ofpeacemakers is that they are recognized as true children of God. They share His passion for peace and reconciliation, the breaking down of walls between people.

d. The character traits described in the Beatitudes are not valued by our modern culture. We don’t recognize or give awards to the "Most Pure in Heart" or "Most Poor in Spirit." Though our culture doesn’t think much of these character traits, they do described the character of the citizens of God’s kingdom.

7. (10-12) The world’s reception of these kind of people: persecution.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great isyour reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

a. Blessed are those who are persecuted: For what sake are these blessed ones persecuted? For righteousness’ sake and for Jesus’ sake (for My sake), not for their own stupidity or fanaticism.

i. Peter recognizes that suffering comes to some Christians for reasons other than their faithfulness to Jesus (1 Peter 4:15-16).

b. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake: Jesus brings insults and spoken malice into the sphere of persecution. We cannot limit our idea of persecution to only physical opposition or torture.

c. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad: Literally, we could translate this phrase to say that the persecuted should "leap for joy." Why? Because the persecuted will have great reward in heaven, and because the persecuted are in good company: theprophets before them were also persecuted.

d. Why will the world persecute them? Because the values and character expressed in these Beatitudes are so opposite to the world’s manner of thinking. Our persecution may not be much compared to others, but if no one speaks evil of you, are these Beatitudes traits of your life?

c. Where Jesus wants His disciples to display their discipleship.

1. (13) The followers of Jesus should be like salt.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."

a. You are the salt of the earth: Disciples are like salt because they are precious. In Jesus’ day, salt was a valued commodity. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid with salt, giving rise to the phrase "worth his salt."

b. You are the salt of the earth: Disciples are like salt because they have a preserving influence. Salt was used to preserve meats, and to retard decay, and Christians should have a preserving influence on their culture.

c. You are the salt of the earth: Disciples are like salt because they add flavor. Christians should be a "flavorful" people.

d. If the salt loses its flavor . . . it is then good for nothing: Salt must keep its "saltiness" to be of any value. When it is no good as salt, it is trampled under foot. In the same way, too many Christians loose their "flavor" and become good for nothing.

2. (14-16) The followers of Jesus should be like light.

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

a. You are the light of the world: Jesus gives the Christian both a great compliment and a great responsibility when He says that we are the light of the world, because He claimed that title for Himself as He walked this earth (John 8:12 and John 9:5).

b. Let your light so shine before men: The purpose of light is to illuminate and expose what is there. Therefore light must be exposed before it is of any use - if it is hidden under a basket, it is no longer useful.

i. Cannot be hidden: Just like a city that is set on a hill, it goes against the very nature and purpose of light for it to behidden. When a Christian hides his light, he fights himself and the Holy Spirit by never letting his light so shine before men.

ii. But on a lampstand: Even as lamps are placed higher so their light can be more effective, we should look for ways to let our light shine in greater and broader ways.

c. That they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven: The purpose in letting our light so shine by doinggood works is so that others will glorify God, not ourselves.

d. A key thought in both the pictures of salt and light isdistinction. Salt is needed because the world is rotting and decaying and if our Christianity is also rotting and decaying, it won’t be any good. Light is needed because the world is in darkness, and if our Christianity imitates the darkness, we have nothing to show the world.

i. To be effective we must seek and display the Christiandistinctive. We can never affect the world for Jesus by becoming like the world.

e. The figures of salt and light also remind us that the life marked by the beatitudes is not to be lived in isolation. We often assume that those inner qualities can only be developed or displayed in isolation from the world, but Jesus wants us to live them out before the world.

f. Jesus points to a breadth in the impact of disciples that must have seemed almost ridiculous at the time. How could these humble Galileans salt the earth, or light the world? But they did.

g. Jesus never challenges us to become salt or light. He simply says that we are - and we are either fulfilling or failing that responsibility.

d. The law and true righteousness.

1. (17-18) Jesus’ relation to the law.

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."

a. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets: Jesus here begins a long discussion of the law, and wants to make it clear that He does not oppose the Law of Moses, but He will free it from the way the Pharisees and Scribes wrongly interpreted the law.

b. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill: Jesus wants to make it clear that He has authority apart from the Law of Moses, but not in contradiction to it. Jesus added nothing to the law except one thing that no man had ever added to the law: perfect obedience. This is certainly one way Jesus came to fulfill the law.

i. Even though He often challenged man’s interpretations of the law (especially Sabbath regulations), Jesus never broke the law of God.

c. One jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled: The jot and the tittle were small punctuation marks in Hebrew writing. It is as if Jesus says, "Not one dot of an "i" or not one cross of a "t" will pass away till all is fulfilled. And indeed, Jesus did perfectly fulfill the law.

i. Jesus fulfilled the doctrinal teachings of the law in that He brought full revelation.

ii. Jesus fulfilled the predictive prophecy of the law in that He is the Promised One, showing the reality behind the shadows.

iii. Jesus fulfilled the ethical precepts of the law in that He fully obeyed them and He reinterpreted them in their truth.

3. (19-20) The disciple’s relationship to the law.

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

a. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments: The commandments are to be obeyed as explained and fulfilled by Jesus’ life and teaching, not as in the legalistic thinking of the religious authorities of Jesus’ day. For example, sacrifice is commanded by the law, but it was fulfilled in Jesus, so we do not run the danger of being called least in the kingdom of heaven by not observing animal sacrifice as detailed in the Law of Moses.

b. Whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven: The Christian is done with the law as a means of gaining a righteous standing before God. One passage that explains this is Galatians 2:21For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. However, the law stands as the perfect expression of God’s ethical character and requirements.

i. The law sends us to Jesus to be justified, because it shows us our inability to please God in ourselves. But after we come to Jesus, He sends us back to the law to learn the heart of God for our conduct and sanctification.

c. Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven: Considering the incredible devotion to the law shown by the scribes and Pharisees, how can we ever hope to exceed their righteousness?

i. The Pharisees were so scrupulous in their keeping of the law that they would even tithe from the small spices obtained from their herb gardens (Matthew 23:23). The heart of this devotion to God is shown by modern day Orthodox Jews. In early 1992, tenants let three apartments in an Orthodox neighborhood in Israel burn to the ground while they asked a rabbi whether a telephone call to the fire department on the Sabbath violated Jewish law. Observant Jews are forbidden to use the phone on the Sabbath, because doing so would break an electrical current, which is considered a form of work. In the half-hour it took the rabbi to decide "yes," the fire spread to two neighboring apartments.

ii. We can exceed their righteousness because our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees inkind, not degree. Paul describes the two kinds of righteousness in Philippians 3:6-9Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, [I was] blameless. But what things were gain to me, I have counted loss for Christ. But indeed, I count all things loss . . . that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

iii. Though the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was impressive to human observation, it could not prevail before God (Isaiah 64:6).

d. So then, we are not made righteous by keeping the law. When we see what keeping the law really means, we are thankful that Jesus offers us a different kind of righteousness.

e. Jesus interprets the law in its truth.

1. In this section, Jesus shows the true meaning of the law. But this isn’t Jesus against Moses; it is Jesus against false and superficial interpretations of Moses.

a. In regard to the law, the two errors of the scribes and Pharisees were that they both restricted God’s commands (as in the law of murder) and extended the commands of God past His intention (as in the law of divorce).

b. The people Jesus spoke to only knew of the Bible what these scribes had told them. They didn’t - and couldn’t - read God’s Word for themselves. We certainly don’t have the same excuse.

2. (21-22) Jesus interprets the law against murder.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire."

a. You have heard it said: These people had not really studied the Law of Moses for themselves. All they had was the teaching on the law from the scribes and Pharisees. In this particular matter, the people had heard the scribes and Pharisees teach"You shall not murder."

b. But I say to you: Jesus shows His authority, and does not rely on the words of previous scribes or teachers. He will teach them the true understanding of the Law of Moses.

c. Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: The teaching of the scribes and Pharisees ("You shall not murder") was true enough. Yet they also taught that anything short or murder might be allowed. Jesus corrects this, and makes it clear that it is not only those who commit the act of murder who are in danger of judgment. Those who have a murderous intent in the heart are also in danger of the judgment.

i. Jesus exposes the essence of the scribes’ heresy. To them, the law was really only a matter of external performance, never the heart. Jesus brings the law back to the matters of the heart.

ii. We should emphasize that Jesus is not saying that anger is as bad as murder. It’s ridiculous to think that someone who shouts at another person in anger has sinned as badly as someone who murders another person in anger does. Jesus is emphasizing that the law condemns both, without saying that the law says they are the same things.

c. And whoever says to his brother, "Raca!" shall be in danger of the council: To call someone "Raca" expressed contempt for their intelligence. Calling someone a fool showed contempt for their character. Either one broke the heart of the law against murder, even if it did not commit murder.

i. Commentators have translated the idea behind Raca as "nitwit, blockhead, numbskull, bonehead, brainless idiot."

3. (23-26) More on problem personal relationships.

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

a. Leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way: Jesus considers it far more important to be reconciled to a brother than to perform a religious duty. Jesus says we mustfirst be reconciled to your brother. We can’t think that our service towards the Lord justifies bad relationships with others. We should do what Paul commanded in Romans 12:18If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

b. Agree with your adversary quickly: Jesus commands us toquickly settle anger and malice with another. When we ignore it or pass it off, it genuinely imprisons us (and you be thrown into prison).

i. Paul expresses the same idea in Ephesians 4:26-27. When we hold on to our anger against another (do not let the sun go down on your wrath) we sin - and we give place to the devil.

4. (27-28) Jesus interprets the law against adultery.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

a. You have heard that it was said to those of old: Now, Jesus deals with what they had heard regarding the law of adultery. Of course, the teachers of the day taught that adultery itself was wrong. But they applied the law only to the actions, not to the heart.

b. Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart: Jesus explains that it is possible to commit adultery or murder in our heart - or mind, and this also is sin and prohibited by the command against adultery.

i. Jesus is not saying that the act of adultery and adultery in the heart are the same thing. More than a few people have been deceived on this point, and say "I’ve already committed adultery in my heart, so I may as well do it in practice." The act of adultery is far worse than adultery in the heart. Jesus’ point is not to say they are the same things, but to say they are both sin, and both prohibited by the command against adultery.

ii. Some people only keep from adultery because they are afraid to get caught, and in their heart they commit adultery every day. It is good that they keep from the act of adultery, but it is bad that their heart is filled with adultery.

iii. This principle applies to much more than men looking at women. It applies to just about anything we can covet with the eye or mind.

c. Adultery . . . in his heart: Since Jesus considers adultery in the heart a sin, we know what we think about and allow our heart to rest on is based on choice. Many believe they have no choice - and therefore no responsibility - for what they think about, but this contradicts the clear teaching of Jesus here. We may not be able to control passing thoughts or feelings, but we certainly do decide where our heart and mind will rest.

5. (29-30) Our attitude in the war against sin.

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."

a. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out: Here Jesus uses a figure of speech, and did not speak literally. Sadly, some have taken it so and have mutilated themselves in mistaken efforts in the pursuit of holiness. For example, the famous early Christian named Origen’s castrated himself on the principle of this passage.

i. The trouble with a literal interpretation is that it does not go far enough! Even if you did cut off your hand or gouge out your eye, you could still sin with your other hand or eye. When all those are gone, you can especially sin with your mind.

b. It is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell: Jesus simple stresses the point that one must be willing to sacrifice to be obedient. If part of our life is given over to sin, we must be convinced that it is more profitable for that part our life to "die" rather than to condemn our whole life.

i. This is the one thing many are unwilling to do, and that is why they remain trapped in sin, or never come to Jesus. They never get beyond a vague wish to be better.

6. (31-32) Jesus interprets the law concerning divorce.

"Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery."

a. It has been said, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce": In Jesus’ day, many people interpreted the Mosaic permission for divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) as granting virtually any reason as grounds for divorce. Some rabbis taught this even extended to allowing a man to divorce his wife if she burnt his breakfast.

b. Whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality: The issue of divorce revolved around a strict or loose interpretation of the word uncleanness inDeuteronomy 24:1. Those who wanted to make divorce easy had a loose interpretation. Jesus makes it plain that the idea ofuncleanness is sexual immorality, not anything the wife might do to displease the husband.

i. Jesus teaches more fully on marriage and divorce inMatthew 19, but here we see the intent of Jesus: getting back to the intent of the law, instead of allowing it to be used as easy permission for divorce.

c. Causes her to commit adultery: An illegitimate divorce gives place to adultery because God doesn’t recognize the divorce, and sees a new relationship as bigamous. It is possible for a person to have a divorce that is recognized by the state, but not by God. If that person goes on to marry someone else, God considers that relationship adultery because He sees them as still married.

7. (33-37) Jesus interprets the law concerning oaths.

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

a. You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not swear falsely": The scribes and Pharisees had twisted the law You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain(Exodus 20:7) to permit taking virtually every other name in a false oath.

b. Do not swear at all: Jesus reminds us that God is part of every oath anyway; if you swear by heavenearthJerusalem, or even your head, you swear by God - and your oath must be honored.

c. But let your "Yes" be "Yes": Having to swear or make oaths betrays the weakness of your word. It demonstrates that there is not enough weight in your own character to confirm your words. How much better it is to let your "Yes" be "Yes" and"No" be "No."

8. (38-42) Jesus interprets the law of retribution.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."

a. You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth": The Mosaic law did teach an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24). But over time religious teachers moved this command out of its proper sphere (a principle limiting retribution for the civil government) and put it in the wrong sphere (as an obligation in personal relationships).

b. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also: Here, Jesus presents the fullness of the eye for an eye law, and how its idea of limiting revenge extends into the principle of accepting certain evil against one’s self.

i. When a person insults us (slaps you on the right cheek) we want to give them back what they gave to us, plus more. Jesus says we should patiently bear such insults and offences, and not resist an evil person who insults us this way. Instead, we trust God to defend us.

ii. It is wrong to think Jesus means evil should never be resisted. Jesus demonstrated with His life that evil should and must be resisted, such as when He turned tables in the temple.

iii. It is wrong to think that Jesus means a physical attack cannot be resisted or defended against. When Jesus speaks of a slap on your right cheek, that was culturally understood as a deep insult, not a physical attack. Jesus does not mean that if someone hits across the right side of our head with a baseball bat, we should allow them to then hit the left side.

iv. It is also wrong to think Jesus means that there is no place for punishment or retribution in society. Jesus here speaks to personal relationships, and not to the proper functions of government in restraining evil (Romans 13:1-4). I must turn my cheek when I am personally insulted, but the government has a responsibility to restrain the evil man from physical assault.

v. Jesus also displayed the principle behind the law in His trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate. He showed that we are to let God defend our case, not ourselves.

c. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two: Positively, we are told to take command of evil impositions by making a deliberate choice to give more than we are required. At that time, Judea was under Roman military occupation. Under military law, any Roman soldier might command a Jew to carry his soldier’s pack for one mile - but only one mile. Jesus here says, "go beyond the one mile required by law and give another mile out of a free choice of love." This is how we transform an attempt to manipulate us into a free act of love.

d. Give to him who asks of you: The only limit to this kind of sacrifice is the limit that love itself will impose. It isn’t love to give into someone’s manipulation without our transforming it into a free act of love. It isn’t always love to give or to not resist.

9. (43-47) Jesus interprets the law of love towards your neighbor.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?"

a. You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy": The Mosaic Law commandedyou shall love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). But the scribes and Pharisees added an opposite - and evil - misapplication: an equal obligation to hate your enemy.

b. But I say to you, love your enemies: Instead, Jesus reminds that in the sense God means it, all people are our neighbors, even our enemies. To truly fulfill this law, we must lovebless,do good and pray for our enemies - not only our friends.

i. Jesus freely acknowledges that we will have enemies, yet we are to respond to them in love, trusting that God will protect our cause and destroy our enemies in the best way possible, by transforming them into our friends.

c. That you may be sons of your Father in heaven: In doing this, we are imitating God, who shows love towards Hisenemies, by sending rain on the just and on the unjust.

d. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?What do you do more than the sinner? We should regard it as no matter of virtue if we merely return the love that is given to us.

i. Remember, Jesus is teaching us the character of the citizens of His kingdom. We should expect that character to be different from the character seen in the world.

10. (48) The conclusion to the true interpretation of the law: be perfect.

"Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

a. Therefore you shall be perfect: If a man could live the way Jesus has told us to in this chapter, he would truly be perfect.

  •  
    • He would never hate, slander or speak evil of another person.
    • He would never lust in his heart or mind, and not covet anything.
    • He would never make a false oath, and always be completely truthful.
    • He would let God defend his personal rights, and not take it upon himself to defend those rights.
    • He would always love his neighbors, and even his enemies.

b. Just as your Father in heaven is perfect: If a man could keep just what Jesus said here, he would truly have a righteousness greater than the scribes and the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20), the very thing we must have to enter into God’s Kingdom. But there is only one man who has lived like this: Jesus Christ. What about the rest of us? Are we left out of the Kingdom of God?

i. We see that in this section Jesus was not primarilyseeking to show what God requires of the Christian in his daily life. True, Jesus has revealed God’s ultimate standard, and we must take it to heart. But His primary intent was to say, "If you want to be righteous by the law, you must keep the whole law, internal and external - that is, you must beperfect!"

c. Jesus has demonstrated that we need a righteousness that is apart from the law (Romans 3:21-22). As Paul put it inRomans 3:21-22But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

d. What is our current relation to the law, as truly interpreted? We are exposed as guilty sinners who can never make ourselves righteous by our performance of good works - which was exactly the view held by most people in Jesus day - and in our own day.

e. We must remember the fullness of Jesus’ teaching on the law: our command is to love God and our neighbor, and the law will accomplish itself (Matthew 22:37-40).

i. The fullness of the interpretation of the law will be honored by love: Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5)

 

©2000 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission.