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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 2:21: For 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 3:6-9: Concerning 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 12:18: If 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 heaven, earth, Jerusalem, 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 love, bless,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 3:21-22: But 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.
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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 2:21: For 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 3:6-9: Concerning 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 12:18: If 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 heaven, earth, Jerusalem, 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 love, bless,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. 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 3:21-22: But 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.Matthew 5 - The Sermon on the Mount
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