The Word with David Guzik

WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 6" -David Guzik

2011-06-29T12:00:00.001-07:00

WEDNESDAY IN THE WORD
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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 men: Charitable 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 5:2: God 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 name, kingdom 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 name, kingdom 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 9:2-6, 18:21-35, 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 6:6: Now 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 envious, covetous 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 trust, confide; 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.

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WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 5" -David Guzik

2011-06-22T12:17:00.001-07:00

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 2:21: 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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WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 4" -David Guzik

2011-06-15T18:52:00.001-07:00

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Matthew 4 -
The Temptation of Jesus and His First Galilean Ministry
a. Jesus’ temptation.
1. (1-2) Jesus is led to the place of temptation.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
a. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted: After identifying with sinners in His baptism, Jesus now identifies with them in severe temptation. This was a necessary part of His ministry, so He truly was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness.
i. Jesus did not need to be tempted to help Him "grow." Instead, He endured temptation both so He could identify with us (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15), and to demonstrate His own holy, sinless character.
ii. The Holy Spirit cannot tempt us (James 1:13). But we may be led by the Holy Spirit to a place where we will be tempted. This is not to prove anything to God (who knows all things), but to prove something to us and to spiritual beings who watch us.
b. Tempted by the devil: Temptation is a certainty for everyone. Yet Jesus’ temptation was more severe. It was more severe because He was tempted directly by the devil himself, while we contend mainly with lesser demons. It was also more severe because there is a sense in which temptation is "relieved" by giving in, and Jesus never did. Therefore He bore levels of temptation we will never know by experience.
c. He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry: Matthew points out both the barren desert (the Judean wilderness was, and is, just that), and Jesus’ severe physical condition after such a long fast. It is said that when hunger pains return after such a fast (He was hungry), it indicates the subject is beginning to starve to death.
d. The period of forty days and forty nights is a familiar period of testing in the Bible, both in the days of Noah and for Israel in the wilderness. Jesus will succeed where Israel as a nation failed.
2. (3-4) The first temptation: an appeal to the lust of the flesh.
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’"
a. When the tempter came: Notice that Matthew writes whenthe tempter came. In our lives, it is not a question of if the tempter will come, but when he will come. We will face temptation until we go to glory.
b. If You are the Son of God: The question asked by Satan is more literally "since You are the Son of God," instead of "ifYou are the Son of God." Satan is not questioning Jesus’ deity, he is challenging Him to prove it through miraculous works.
c. Command that these stones become bread: This is a temptation to use God’s gifts for selfish purposes. Satan wants Jesus to use His miraculous powers to provide food for Himself.
i. Who could fault Jesus for providing food? This wasn’t a temptation to miraculously create great riches or luxuries, only bread. The Bible has many accounts of miraculous provision, some at the hands of Jesus. Yet Jesus will notcommand that these stones become bread, especially at the instigation of Satan.
d. But He answered: Jesus didn’t silently disagree with Satan,He answered him - and He answered him from the Word of God. When Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, Jesus shows thatevery word that proceeds from the mouth of God should be more precious to us that food itself.
i. What Satan suggested made sense - "Why starve yourself to death?" But what is written makes even more sense.
e. By relying on the power and truth of God’s Word, Jesus was willing to fight this battle as a man; He could have easily rebuked Satan into another galaxy, but resisted Him in a way that we can imitate and identify with.
i. Jesus used Scripture to battle Satan’s temptation, not some elaborate spiritual power inaccessible to us. Jesus fought this battle as a man in this battle, and He drew on no "special resources" unavailable to us.
ii. We effectively resist temptation in the same way Jesus did: by countering Satan’s seductive lies by shining the light of God’s truth upon them. If we are ignorant of God’s truth, we are poorly armed in the fight against temptation.
3. (5-7) The second temptation: an appeal to the pride of life.
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’" Jesus said to him, "It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’"
a. If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down: Satan is tempting Jesus to "force" the Father into a supernatural event. Satan appeals to the desire within every man to sense approval from God and to have that approval publicly demonstrated.
i. Set Him on the pinnacle of the temple: The pinnacle of the temple arose some 200 feet from the floor of the Kidron Valley. A leap from there, and the appearance of the promised angelic protection, would be quite a show!
ii. Jesus just had this kind of spectacular demonstration at His baptism (Matthew 3:17). But that must have seemed far away after forty days and nights of fasting in the wilderness.
b. For it is written: The devil can use this phrase also. He quotes Scripture, and we can trust that the devil has memorized the Bible himself, and is an expert at quoting it out of its context to confuse and defeat those he tempts. This time, the devil quoted Psalm 91:11-12, and took it out of its context to say, "Go ahead, Jesus; if You do this the Bible promises angels will rescue You, and it will be spectacular self-promotion."
i. Sadly, many are willing to believe anyone who quotes from the Bible today. A preacher can pretty much say whatever he wants if he quotes a few "proof-texts," and people will assume that he really speaks from the Bible.
ii. Jesus understood from His knowledge of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) that Satan was "twisting" this passage from Psalm 91. Jesus knew how to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
c. It is written again, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." Jesus replied with Scripture, but applied correctly. He knew that "forcing" or manipulating God the Father into such a demonstration would tempt God, which the Scriptures strictly forbid.
i. This warns us against demanding something "spectacular" from God to "prove" His love or concern for us. He has already given the ultimate demonstration of His love for us at the cross (Romans 5:8), and He can do nothing more "spectacular" than that.
4. (8-11) The third temptation: an appeal to the lust of the eyes.
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’" Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
a. All these things I will give You: Essentially, this vision invited Jesus to take a shortcut around the cross. Jesus came to win all the kingdoms of the world and their glory back from Satan’s domain, and Satan offers them to Jesus, if He will onlyfall down and worship him.
i. It again may seem a small thing; Jesus could lay claim toall the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and do so without enduring the cross. All He would have to do is give Satan what he has been longing for ever since he fell from glorious to profane: worship and recognition from God Himself.
ii. This is a revealing insight into Satan’s heart; worship and recognition are far more precious to him than the possession of the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He is still the one who said I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. (Isaiah 14:13-14)
b. Evidently, Satan has authority over this world and its governments. The temptation could not have been real unless there is some real sense that Satan does "possess" all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
i. Adam and his descendants gave the devil this authority. God gave Adam the earth as a stewardship (Genesis 1:28-30), and Adam willingly turned it over to Satan. After that, all Adam’s descendants cast their vote of approval by their personal sin.
ii. Of course, ultimately, all things belong to God; but God allows Satan to function as the god of this age(2 Corinthians 4:4) for a purpose. This is why the fallen world is in the mess it is.
c. Away with you, Satan! For it is written: Jesus replied with Scripture again, and commanded the devil to leave. In the same way we can resist the devil and he will flee from you(James 4:7). It worked for Jesus (Then the devil left Him) and it will work for us.
d. Behold, angels came and ministered to Him: God never forsakes those who endure through temptation. Even as angels came and ministered to Jesus, God will find a way to minister to us and meet our needs as we endure temptation.
e. Then the devil left Him means that Jesus won. He won because He recognized Satan’s mode of attack: lies and deception. Primarily, Satan is a deceiver, and for those who live in light of the cross, deception is his only tool, because demonic powers were disarmed at the cross of their "real" weapons and power (Colossians 2:15). But deception is extremely effective at leading us into sin, and at causing us to live lives of fear and unbelief.
i. Jesus showed the only effective counter to deception: God’s truth, not man’s wisdom. First, we must see temptation for what it is - a lie. Then, we must combat temptation with the word of God. Then, we must always build ourselves up in the truth, and have it in our heart.
ii. Each passage Jesus quoted back to Satan in this section comes from Deuteronomy chapters 6 and 8. Jesus was probably meditating on those very passages, and He fought Satan with the "fresh bread" He fed on. We should make sure we always have some "fresh bread" to answer Satan with.
b. The first Galilean ministry.
1. (12-16) In fulfillment of prophecy, Jesus brings light to the region of Galilee.
Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned."
a. He departed to Galilee: The region of Galilee was a fertile, progressive, highly populated region. According to figures from the Jewish historian Josephus, there were some 3 million people populating Galilee, an area smaller than the state of Connecticut.
i. In an area of about 60 by 30 miles, Josephus says that there were some 204 villages with none having less than 15,000 people. That gives a population of more than 3 million for the region.
ii. Galilee was predominately Gentile in its population, but with a large number of Jewish cities and citizens. Also, Galilee was known as an incredibly fertile region. Many successful farms took advantage of the good soil.
b. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet: As is his custom, Matthew sees Jesus’ ministry in Galilee as a fulfillment of prophecy. Light has come to this region, largely populated by Gentiles, and Isaiah 9:1-2 predicted this of the ministry of the Messiah.
2. (17) Jesus’ message: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
a. Repent: The gospel Jesus preached began the same place that the gospel John preached began - with a call to repentance(Matthew 3:2). In fact, since Jesus waited until John had been put in prison (Matthew 4:12), He probably saw Himself as picking up where John left off. But Jesus would go further than John ever did, because John announced the coming of the Messiah, and Jesus is the Messiah.
b. For the kingdom of heaven is at hand: Some people make elaborate distinctions between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. There actually seems to be no difference at all, especially in light of the Jewish custom of often not even naming God directly, but referring to Him by the place where He lives heaven - a custom that Matthew, a Jew writing to Jews, often employs.
3. (18-22) Four men are called as disciples.
And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately lefttheir nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
a. Saw two brothers: This was not the first time Jesus met these men, and other gospels describe previous encounters. But this is when Jesus called them to leave their professions and follow Him "full-time."
b. Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men: In that day, it was customary for a rabbi to have disciples; there was nothing "cult-like" about Jesus asking these men to be with Him constantly. In effect, He offers them scholarships in the best "seminary" imaginable.
i. This is a good way to teach someone ministry: in an "apprentice" fashion rather than through formal education and it was the customary method in Jesus’ day.
c. The immediately left their nets . . . And immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him: Theimmediate response of these disciples is a great example to us. Then the first disciples did what all disciples of Jesus should do: they followed Him.
4. (23-25) A description of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him; from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
a. Preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness: Jesus was a teacher who did miraculous works. The emphasis was always on His teaching ministry, both to the inner circle of His disciples and to the multitudes that would listen to Him.
b. All kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease: Jesus’ ability to heal those with all different kinds of diseases demonstrates that He has authentic power over the damage done by the fall of man. His authority over demons (and those who were demon-possessed) shows He has authentic power over all creation.
c. Great multitudes followed Him: Jesus had a purpose for allowing such dramatic miracles to attract great multitudes. He wanted to teach the multitudes, not simply to impress them with miracles.

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WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 3" -David Guzik

2011-06-01T15:25:00.001-07:00

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Study Guide for Matthew 3
Study Guide for Matthew 3
Matthew 3 - The Ministry of John the Baptist
a. The public ministry of John the Baptist.
1. (1-2) The message of John the Baptist.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
a. Repent: John’s message was a call to repentance. Some people think that repentance is mostly about feelings, especially feeling sorry for your sin. It is wonderful to feel sorry about your sin, but repent isn’t a "feelings" word. It is an action word. Jesus told us to make a change of the mind, not merely to feel sorry for what we have done. Repentance speaks of a change of direction, not a sorrow in the heart.
i. Is repentance something we must do before we can come to God? Yes and no; repentance does not describe something we must do before we come to God, it describes what coming to God is like. If you are in New York, and I tell you to come to Los Angeles, I don’t really need to say "Leave New York and come to Los Angeles." To come to Los Angelesis to leave New York, and if I haven’t left New York, I certainly haven’t come to Los Angeles. We can’t come to thekingdom of heaven unless we leave our sin and the self-life.
b. For the kingdom of heaven is at hand: John wanted people to know that the kingdom of heaven was near - as close as yourhand. It wasn’t as distant or as dreamy as they had imagined. This is why John was so urgent in his call to repentance. If thekingdom of heaven is at hand, then we must get ready now.
2. (3-4) The identity of John the Baptist.
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’" And John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
a. Prepare the way of the Lord: Matthew uses this passage from Isaiah 40:3 to identify John the Baptist as the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah. In this role, John’s purpose was toprepare hearts for the Messiah, and to bring an awareness of sin among Israel so they could received the salvation from sin offered by the Messiah (Matthew 1:12).
b. Make His paths straight: The passage Mark quotes from (Isaiah 40:3) has in mind building up a great road for the arrival of a majestic king. The idea is to fill in the holes, and knock down the hills that are in the way.
i. The idea of preparing the way of the Lord is a word picture, because the real preparation must take place in our hearts. Building a road is very much like the preparation God must do in our hearts. They are both expensive, they both must deal with many different problems and environments, and they both take an expert engineer.
ii. Jesus was the coming Messiah and King, and John the Baptist was the one crying in the wilderness, and through his message of repentance, he worked to prepare the way of the Lord. We often fail to appreciate how important thepreparing work of the Lord is. Any great work of God begins with great preparation.
c. Clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt: In his personality and ministry, John the Baptist was patterned after the bold Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), who fearlessly called Israel to repentance.
i. In the spirit of today’s age, John’s ministry would have been very different. He wouldn’t start in the wilderness. He wouldn’t dress funny. He wouldn’t preach such a straightforward message. He would use marketing surveys and focus groups to hone his message and presentation. John wasn’t motivated by the spirit of today’s age, but by the Spirit of God.
3. (5-6) The success of John’s ministry.
Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
a. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him: John’s ministry met with wonderful response. There were many people who recognized their sinfulness, their need to get ready for the Messiah, and were willing to do something about it.
i. John’s main message wasn’t "You’re a sinner, you need to repent." John’s main message was "The Messiah is coming." The call to repentance was the response to the news that the Messiah was coming.
b. And were baptized by him: With baptism, John offered a ceremonial washing that confessed sin and did something to demonstrate repentance. Before we can gain the kingdom of heaven, we must recognize our poverty of spirit (Matthew 5:3). This type of awareness of sin is the foundation for most revivals and awakenings.
i. Baptism simply means to "immerse or overwhelm." John didn’t sprinkle when he came baptizing. As was the custom in some other Jewish ceremonial washings, John completely immersed those he baptized. "Naturally, therefore, the baptism was not a mere sprinkling with water, but a bath in which his whole body was bathed." (Barclay)
ii. Baptism was practiced in the Jewish community already in the form of ceremonial immersions; but typically, it was only among Gentiles who wished to become Jews. For a Jew in John’s day to submit to baptism was essentially to say, "I confess that I am as far away from God as a Gentile and I need to get right with Him." This was a real work of the Holy Spirit.
iii. John’s baptism might have been related to the Jewish practice of baptizing Gentile converts, or to some of the ceremonial washings practiced by the Jews of that day. Though it may have some links, at the same time is wasunique - so unique that John simply became known as "the Baptizer." If there were a lot of people doing that, it wouldn’t be a unique title.
iv. Is Christian baptism - the baptism we do today - just like John’s? Christian baptism is like John’s in the sense that it demonstrates repentance, but it is also more. It is beingbaptized into Christ, that is, into His death and resurrection (Romans 6:3).
4. (7-12) John’s confrontation with the Pharisees and Saducees.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
a. Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? John accuses them of wanting to appear anxious for the Messiah, but not truly repenting and preparing their hearts; John will demand fruits worthy of repentance.
i. Real repentance will show itself in life. It has to be a matter of living repentance, not just talking repentance.
b. Do not think to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." John warns them to stop trusting in their Jewish heritage because they must truly repent, not simply trust in Abraham’s merits.
i. It was widely taught in that day that Abraham’s merits were plenty for any Jew’s salvation, that a Jewish personcouldn’t go to hell. John points out that these Pharisees and Scribes are of a different family; they are a brood of vipers- meaning a family associated with serpents!
c. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: John’s baptism was one of repentance. In this regard, it was not identical to Christian baptism or baptism into Christ(Romans 6:3), which includes a demonstration of repentance and cleansing, but also recognizes the believer’s identification with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
d. Whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: John recognizes his own place before Jesus. He is one not worthy to carry thesandals of Jesus, and he does not consider himself far above those whom he is calling to repentance, and he knows where he stands in relation to Jesus (instead of getting a big head because of the crowds he is drawing).
e. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor: John warns them to prepare for the Messiah’s coming, because He is coming with judgment.
i. Baptize you with the Holy Spirit: This is the promised out-pouring of the Holy Spirit promised with the New Covenant (Ezekiel 37:14).
ii. And fire: To baptize with fire means to bring the fires of judgment, which will purify the pure, but destroy the wicked like chaff. Chaff is the worthless residue of a wheat stalk after the kernel of grain has been removed. These proud and unrepentant leaders are just as useless to God.
iii. The Jewish leaders thought that the Messiah would come with judgment, but only against Israel’s enemies. They were blind in their self-righteous confidence that only others needed to get right with God.
b. John’s ministry in baptizing Jesus.
1. (13-14) Jesus comes to John for baptism.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
a. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized: This is a significant emergence of Jesus from his many years of obscurity. These first works in His public ministry carry great meaning in understanding the rest of His ministry.
b. Jesus came: No one compelled Jesus to be baptized. He came to John of His own accord.
c. I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?John recognized the inherent irony in this situation. Jesus had nothing to repent of, and it would be more appropriate for Jesus to baptize John!
2. (15) Jesus allows Himself to be baptized by John.
But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
a. Permit it to be so for now: Why did Jesus need to be baptized? The words it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness imply that it was necessary for the plan of God, but why?
b. The purpose was for Jesus to completely identify Himself with sinful man. This is exactly what He did in His birth, His upbringing, and His death. So here, as John allowed Him to be, here is Jesus, standing again in the place of sinful man.
3. (16-17) The Divine witness to Jesus’ status as the Son of God.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
a. The heavens were opened: It was important for God the Father to publicly demonstrate that Jesus’ baptism was not just like anyone else’s, in the sense of being a display of repentance. It was not a display of repentance, but instead it was a righteous identification with sinners, motivated by love, was well pleasing to the Father.
b. The Spirit of God descending like a dove: Significantly, this is an occasion when the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all manifested at the same time.
c. This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: When this voice of God the Father spoke from heaven, everyone knew that Jesus was not just another man being baptized. They knew Jesus was the perfect (in whom I am well pleased) Son of God, identifying with sinful man. By this, everyone knew that Jesus was different. Jesus was baptized to be identified with sinful man, but He was also baptized to be identified to sinful man.
©2000 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission.

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TheWORDwithDavidGuzik: "Matthew 2"

2011-05-25T13:25:00.001-07:00

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Study Guide for Matthew 2
Matthew 2 - Wise Men from the East, Escape to Egypt and Back Again
a. Wise men from the east come to honor Jesus.
1. (1-2) The wise men arrive in Jerusalem.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
a. Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem: Misconceptions and legends abound about these wise men. They were not kings, but wise men, which means they were astronomers. There were not only three, but probably a great company. They seem to have not come on the birth night, but many days (or even months) later.
i. Church traditions even tell us their names - supposedly Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar. You can see their supposed skulls in a cathedral in Cologne, Germany.
b. Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? These ancient scientists from Persia were on an important mission. They probably had been alerted to the prophetic significance of their times by the prophesies of Daniel and other Old Testament prophets.
i. Jewish legends say that Daniel himself, as an official of the Persian government, founded this order of Magi (wise men), and instructed them to watch for the Messiah through the generations.
ii. This shows us that the whole world was looking for the Messiah, not only Israel.
c. For we have seen His star in the East: There has been considerable speculation on this star they saw in the East. Some say it was a curious conjunction of planets, others a comet. These are possible, but it is also possible God provided a completely unique phenomenon for them to see.
i. Whatever it was, it is significant that God meet them in their own medium: He guides the astronomers by a star.
d. And have come to worship Him: The wise men come first to Jerusalem, assuming that the leaders of the Jews would be aware and excited about the birth of their Messiah. The wise men are about to find that this isn’t the case at all.
2. (3) Herod is troubled at the news brought by the wise men.
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
a. When Herod the king heard this: Herod the Great (one of several Herods mentioned in the Bible, and the ancestor of the others) was famous for both his magnificent public building projects, and his ruthless, cruel paranoia.
i. Herod was not a Jew at all, but an Edomite, and Rome recognized him as a vassal king over Judea. The Jews tempered their great hatred of him with admiration for his building projects, such as the magnificent improvements made to the second temple.
ii. Motivated by his great paranoia and cruelty, he murdered the members of the Sanhedrien, his wife, his mother in-law, and his three sons.
iii. When Herod knew that his death was approaching, he had the most distinguished leaders of Jerusalem arrested on false charges. He ordered that as soon as he died, they should all be killed - he knew well no one would mourn his own death, so he was determined that some tears be shed when he died.
b. He was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him: The fact thatall Jerusalem was troubled with Herod is significant. This was due either to the fact that the people of Jerusalem rightly feared what sort of paranoid outburst might come from Herod upon hearing of a rival king being born, or because of the size and dignity of this caravan from the East.
3. (4-6) Herod is instructed regarding the Messiah’s coming by the chief priests and scribes.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’"
a. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea": Sadly, these experts have the right information (quoting from Micah 5:2), but seem personally uninterested in meeting the Messiah for themselves, just like some "Bible scholars" today.
4. (7-8) True to character, Herod attempts to use wise men to find the child that he may kill Him.
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
a. Determined from them what time the star appeared: Because Herod commanded that all boys two and younger be killed in the area, we can assume that the wise men first saw the star, on the night Jesus was born, a year or so previously. Herod ordered the execution of children two and under just to be safe.
i. Remember that the journey from Persia to Judea was not quick. The wise men may have left as soon as logistics allowed.
b. Bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also: The irony is strong. Herod claims a desire to worshipJesus, when he really wants to kill Him.
5. (9-12) The wise men present gifts to Jesus and leave without informing Herod.
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
a. Behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them: The star continued to guide them, apparently re-appearing. Surely this was a supernatural phenomenon.
b. When they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh: The idea that there were three wise men comes from the fact that there were three gifts. Gold representing royalty, frankincense representing priesthood, and myrrh representing death.
c. Fell down and worshipped Him: More important than their gifts is the fact that they worshipped Jesus. It must have been a curious sight to see these impressive dignitaries bowing before a young child.
d. Being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way: Their worship is also manifested in obedience. They are obedient to the heavenly dream and leave without serving as Herod’s informants.
6. We see here three different responses to Jesus, and all people respond in one of these three ways.
a. Herod displayed an open hatred and hostility toward Jesus.
b. The chief priests and the scribes were indifferent toward Jesus, all the while retaining their religious respectability.
c. The wise men sought out Jesus, and worshipped Him - even at great cost.
d. We see here Jesus coming to the Jew first, then the Gentile; to the humble and ignorant first, then the honorable and learned; to the poor first, then the rich; to the West first, then the East.
b. The flight to Egypt and the return to Nazareth.
1. (13-15) Joseph, Mary, and Jesus find refuge in Egypt.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."
a. Flee to Egypt: There was a large Jewish community in Egypt. It wasn’t strange that the Holy Spirit would guide Joseph to take the family there.
b. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night: But we are impressed by Joseph’s rapid (leaving the verynight of the dream) and complete obedience. This wasn’t an easy thing to do, but he did it.
c. Out of Egypt I called My Son: In the process, another prophecy was fulfilled. At first glance, we might wonder how this prophecy from Hosea 11:1 is fulfilled in Jesus. But Matthew makes it clear that even as Israel as a nation came out from Egypt, so does the Son of God.
2. (16-18) The Massacre of the Innocents.
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: "A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more."
a. He sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts: Though there are no exact descriptions of this event in secular history, it is entirely in character with Herod’s well-known ruthlessness.
b. A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning: This quotation from Jeremiah 31:15 originally referred to the mourning of Israel’s mothers during the conquest and captivity of the nation. But here, Rachel is a picture of Bethlehem’s mothers.
3. (19-21) The return to Israel.
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead." Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
a. Arise, take the young Child and His mother: God speaks to Joseph again in a dream, through an angel of the Lord. We also notice Joseph’s quick obedience.
b. The young Child . . . the young Child . . . the young Child: Repeatedly, the young Child is given first place in the account.
4. (22-23) Fearing the evil son of Herod (Archelaus), they go north to Nazareth.
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."
a. The phrase He shall be called a Nazarene is not a Biblically recorded prophecy, but probably just a well known rabbinical prophecy or interpretation.
b. He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets: Since to take the vow of a Nazarene was a special mark of holiness, it seemed natural that the Messiah would be a Nazarene. But Matthew shows how this was true in a different way - Jesus was from the city of Nazareth, and not a Nazarene through a vow.
c. Remember that Nazareth was a city which did not have a particularly good reputation (John 1:46). Yet God the Father did not feel it necessary to have Jesus come from a "good" city.
d. What about the "Hidden Years" of Jesus? It is vain to speculate here on what God chose to keep silent; many people who want to distort the Biblical Jesus insert whatever they want during those "silent years" to make Jesus conform to their weird notions. If those years were important, God would have told us.
©2000 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission.

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TheWORDwithDavidGuzik: "Matthew 1"

2011-05-18T12:28:00.001-07:00

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Study Guide for Matthew 1
Matthew 1
- The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Christ
A. The place of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament.
1. Matthew: The first gospel for a reason.
a. Matthew was seen as a “prestigious” gospel in the early church, because it had some significant portions of Jesus’ teaching not included in other gospels, such as a fuller version of the Sermon on the Mount. In addition, it was the only one of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) to have an apostolic author.
b. Additionally, the Jewish flavor of the Gospel of Matthew makes for a logical transition between the Old and New Testaments. For these reasons, the early church placed it first in order among the four gospel accounts.
c. The author is Matthew (also known as Levi), who was a former tax collector before he followed Jesus as a disciple.
i. Critical theories that attempt to assign Matthew to two authors - one who presented teachings of Jesus, the other who presented the actions of Jesus - are popular among some scholars. But this is an unfounded and highly speculative criticism.
ii. Some early church commentators and modern scholars say that Matthew originally wrote his gospel in Hebrew, and it was then translated into Greek. But there is really no concrete evidence for this theory, such as the discovery of a Hebrew manuscript of Matthew.
2. The theme of the gospel of Matthew: Jesus as King and Messiah.
a. The key phrase this was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet occurs some 16 times in this Gospel. Matthew shows Jesus as the rightful Messiah of Israel, fulfilling prophecy.
B. The genealogy of Jesus Christ.
1. (1) Matthew shows his theme in the first verse: Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy and of Israel’s expectation.
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
a. Son of David: Jesus is the kingly Messiah promised from David’s royal line (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
b. Son of Abraham: Jesus is the Seed of Abraham in Whom all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
2. (2-16) Jesus’ genealogy through Joseph.
Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.
a. This genealogy establishes Jesus’ claim to the throne of David through his adoptive father Joseph. This is not His blood lineage through Mary, but His legal lineage through Joseph. The Gospel of Luke provides Jesus’ blood lineage through Mary.
b. Tamar . . . Rahab . . . Ruth . . . her who had been the wife of Uriah: In this genealogy is the unusual presence of four women. Women were rarely mentioned in ancient genealogies, and the four mentioned here are worthy of special note as examples of God’s grace. They show how God can take unlikely people and use them in great ways.
i. Tamar (Matthew 1:3): She sold herself as a prostitute to her father in-law Judah to bring forth Perez and Zerah.
ii. Rahab (Matthew 1:5): She was a Gentile prostitute, for whom God took extraordinary measures to save from judgment and her lifestyle of prostitution.
iii. Ruth (Matthew 1:5): She was from Moab, a Gentile.
iv. Her who had been the wife of Uriah: Bathsheba (mentioned by implication in Matthew 1:6) was an adulteress, infamous for her sin with David.
c. Why are these four women listed in the genealogy of Jesus?
i. To demonstrate that Jesus Christ was not some kind of “blue blood” in the sense that He did not come from a “pure” aristocratic background.
ii. To demonstrate that Jesus identifies with sinners in His genealogy, even as He will in His birth, baptism, life, and His death on the cross.
iii. To show that there is a new place for women under the New Covenant. In both the pagan and the Jewish culture of that day, men often had little regard for women. In that era, Jewish men prayed every morning, thanking God that they were not Gentiles, slaves, or women. And women were regarded more highly among the Jews than among the pagans!
3. (17) Matthew’s organization of the genealogy.
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon arefourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
a. Fourteen generations . . . fourteen generations . . . fourteen generations: Matthew points out that this genealogy is not complete. There were not actually 14 generations between the landmarks he indicates, but Matthew edited the list down to make it easy to remember and memorize.
b. The practice of skipping generations at times was common in the listing of ancient genealogies. Matthew did nothing unusual by leaving some generations out.
C. The Birth of Jesus Christ.
1. (18) Mary, while engaged to Joseph, is found to be with child as a result of a miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
a. She was found with child of the Holy Spirit: Matthew plainly (without Luke’s detail) presents the virginal conception and birth of Jesus. However, the virgin birth was difficult for people to believe back then, even as it is also doubted now by some.
b. The enemies of Jesus knew there were “suspicious” circumstances surrounding His parentage, and make reference to it in passages like John 8:19 and 8:41. Lies spread that Mary had become pregnant from a Roman soldier. Here, Matthew sets the story straight - both then and now.
2. (19) Joseph seeks a quiet divorce.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
a. A just man, and not wanting to make her a public example: Considering it impossible to go through with marriage to someone who has been unfaithful to him, Joseph makes a “logical” decision to seek a quiet divorce.
b. To put her away secretly: This refers to breaking an engagement by divorce. Remember that betrothal (engagement) was binding in Jewish culture, and one needed a divorce to break an engagement. Joseph her husband shows that even though they were not formally married, Joseph was still considered Mary’s husband by engagement.
3. (20-21) An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream, convincing him not to divorce Mary.
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
a. Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream: This was not the angel of the Lord, but simply an angel of the Lord. Perhaps it was Gabriel, who is prominent in the announcements made to Mary and Zacharias (Luke 1:19 and1:26). Yet those were actual angelic visitations, this was presented to Joseph in a dream.
b. Joseph, son of David: The address son of David should have alerted Joseph that something was significant here. It is a reference to his legal lineage to the throne of David.
c. That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit: It seems that Mary had not told Joseph that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. This shouldn’t surprise us; how could she (or anyone except God) explain such a thing?
d. You shall call his name Jesus: The name Jesus (“the salvation of Yahweh”) was fairly common in that day, but supremely blessed in our day. As it is said, there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved (Acts 4:12).
e. For He will save His people: Save them from what? He will save His people from their sins. Jesus meets us in our sin, but His purpose is to save us from them. First from the penalty of sin, then from the power of sin, and finally from the presence of sin.
4. (22-23) The virgin birth as the fulfillment of prophecy.
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
a. This is the first use of that it might be fulfilled, which will become a familiar theme throughout Matthew.
b. Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel: There has been some measure of controversy regarding this quote from Isaiah 7:14, primarily because the Hebrew word Almah can be translated as either virgin or “young woman.”
i. But the issue is ridiculous to argue. In this context, clearlyAlmah indicates a virgin, because the Old Testament never uses the word in a context other than “virgin” and because the Septuagint translates it categorically “virgin.”
c. Immanuel: This title of Jesus refers to both His deity (Godwith us) and His identification and nearness to man (God with us).
5. (24-25) Joseph marries Mary after the angelic announcement.
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
a. Did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son: The words did not know her till imply that Joseph and Mary had normal marital relations after Jesus’ birth. This denies the Roman Catholic dogma of the perpetual virginity of Mary.
i. This is an unbiblical, doctrine, which did not appear earlier than the fifth century after Jesus. It should be placed with the dogmas of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, assumption into heaven, and present role as a mediator for believers. Each one of these is man’s invention, meant to exalt Mary in an unbiblical manner.
b. And he called His name Jesus: The simple obedience of Mary and Joseph in naming the baby Jesus is worthy of notice. Such simple obedience should never be lost in the Christian life.
©2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission.

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The Word with David Guzik

WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 6" -David Guzik

Matthew 6 - The Sermon on the Mount (Continued)

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WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 5" -David Guzik

Matthew 5 - The Sermon on the Mount

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WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 4" -David Guzik

Matthew 4 -

The Temptation of Jesus and His First Galilean Ministry

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WEDNESDAYintheWORD: "Matthew 3" -David Guzik

Matthew 3 - The Ministry of John the Baptist

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TheWORDwithDavidGuzik: "Matthew 2"

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Matthew 2 - Wise Men from the East, Escape to Egypt and Back Again

TheWORDwithDavidGuzik: "Matthew 1"

- The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Christ

Yes! Jesus is Coming!
-The Classic Christian Network- -Biblical Prophecy Today Network- -Last Generation News Report-

-Christian Issues Network- -Last Call Devotional Network- -Natzsal The Jewish Network-
-Michael James Stone Online-

Yes! Jesus is Coming!
-The Classic Christian Network- -Biblical Prophecy Today Network- -Last Generation News Report-

-Christian Issues Network- -Last Call Devotional Network- -Natzsal The Jewish Network-
-Michael James Stone Online-

Yes! Jesus is Coming!
-The Classic Christian Network- -Biblical Prophecy Today Network- -Last Generation News Report-

-Christian Issues Network- -Last Call Devotional Network- -Natzsal The Jewish Network-
-Michael James Stone Online-

Yes! Jesus is Coming!
-The Classic Christian Network- -Biblical Prophecy Today Network- -Last Generation News Report-
-Christian Issues Network- -Last Call Devotional Network- -Natzsal The Jewish Network-
-Michael James Stone Online-

The Last Chance Bible Study Network
(editing in Process)