MATTHEW 5
OPENS WITH...THE INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Verse 1 tells us Jesus prepares to teach His disciples.
"And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him."
And seeing the multitudes...
The previous section mentioned that great multitudes followed Him, coming from many different regions (Matthew 4:25). In response to this, Jesus went up on a mountain.
It is WRONG to think that Jesus went up on a mountain to REMOVE Himself from the multitudes. It is true that Jesus gave this teaching to His disciples, but this use of the term is probably broad, including many among the great multitudes that followed Him mentioned in Matthew 4:25. By the end of the Sermon on the Mount, people in general heard His message and were amazed (Matthew 7:28).
Luke says that this same basic material was, on a different occasion, spoken to a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases (Luke 6:17). Yet, in the beginning the teaching, Luke writes: Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said (Luke 6:20). The sense of this is much the same as in Matthew; that this sermon was spoken to the disciples of Jesus, but disciples in a broad sense of those who had followed Him and heard Him; NOT in the narrow sense of only the Twelve.
BRUCE corrects it well, "Jesus was not monastic in spirit, and He had not two doctrines, one for the many, another for the few, like Buddha. His highest teaching … was meant for the million."
When He was seated...
DID YOU KNOW...This was the common posture for teaching in that culture. It was customary for the teacher to sit and the hearers to stand. Confirmed to us in Luke 4:20; cf. Matthew 13:2; 23:2; 24:3).
Now in Matthew's record Jesus will speak and teach; it is God speaking but no longer through an inspired human personality like Jeremiah or Isaiah or Samuel; now the truth of God spoke through the EXACT personality of God.
His disciples came to Him...
This again probably has in mind a group much larger than the Twelve, who to this point have NOT been introduced as a group in this Gospel.
Verse 2 tells us Jesus BEGINS to teach.
"Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:"
Then He opened His mouth...
This means that Jesus used his voice in a strong way to teach this crowd. He spoke with energy, projecting His thoughts with earnestness.
And taught them, saying...
What they heard was a message that has long been recognized as the sum of Jesus' - or anyone's - ethical teaching. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us HOW to live.
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.
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 the rule of Jesus in our lives. This great message tells us how will we live when Jesus is our Lord. "In the first century there was little agreement among Jews as to what the messianic kingdom would be like. One very popular assumption was that the Roman yoke would be shattered and there would be political peace and mounting prosperity for Israel.
The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus' "standard" sermon. It was the core of His 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.
Yet we can also regard this as Jesus training the disciples in the message He wanted them to carry to others. It was His message, meant to be passed onto and through them. "In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew shows us Jesus instructing his disciples in the message which was his and which they were to take to men. In the Gospel of Luke, the material similar to the Sermon on the Mount comes immediately after Jesus chose the twelve.
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.
The Beatitudes: the character of kingdom citizens.
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." In the Beatitudes, Jesus sets forth both the nature and the aspirations of citizens of His kingdom. They have and are learning these character traits.
GUZIK adds, "All of these character traits are marks and goals of ALL Christians. There is no escape from our responsibility to desire every one of these spiritual attributes. If you meet someone 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."
Verse :3 tells us The FOUNDATION: poverty of spirit.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Blessed...
Jesus promised blessing to His disciples, promising that the poor in spirit are 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.
In Matthew 25:34, Jesus said that on the Day of Judgment He would say to His people, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. On that day, He will judge between the blessed and the cursed - He both knows and explains what are the requirements for the blessed one. We can also say that no one was ever blessed more than Jesus; He knows what goes into a blessed life.
SPURGEON points out, "Note, also, with delight, that the blessing is in every case in the present tense, a happiness to be now enjoyed and delighted in. It is not 'Blessed shall be,' but 'Blessed are."
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.
The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual "assets." They know they are spiritually bankrupt. We might say that the ancient Greek had a word for the "working poor" and a word for the "truly poor." Jesus used the word for the truly poor here. It indicates someone who must beg for whatever they have or get.
Poverty of spirit can NOT be artificially induced by self-hatred; the Holy Spirit and our response to His working in our hearts bring it about.
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 because poverty of spirit is an absolute prerequisite for receiving the kingdom of heaven and as long as we harbor illusions about our own spiritual resources we will never receive from God what we absolutely need to be saved.
CARSON reminds, "The kingdom of heaven is not given on the basis of race, earned merits, the military zeal and prowess of Zealots, or the wealth of a Zacchaeus. It is given to the poor, the despised publicans, the prostitutes, those who are so 'poor' they know they can offer nothing and do not try. They cry for mercy and they alone are heard."
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. No one mourns until they are poor in spirit; no one is meek towards others until he has a humble view of himself. If you don't sense your own need and poverty you will never hunger and thirst after righteousness, and if you have too high a view of yourself you will find it difficult to be merciful to others.
Verse 4 tells us The godly reaction to poverty of spirit: mourning.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
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.
This mourning is the godly sorrow that produces repentance to salvation that Paul described in 2 Corinthians 7:10.
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.
Those who mourn can know something special of God; the fellowship of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10), a closeness to the Man of Sorrows who was acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3).
Verse 5 tells us The next step: meekness.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
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.
To be meek towards others implies freedom from malice and a vengeful spirit. The meek, who can be angry, but restrain their wrath in obedience to the will of God, and will not be angry unless they can be angry and not sin, nor will be easily provoked by others.
The first two beatitudes are mostly inward; the third deals with how one relates to one's fellow man. The first two were mainly negative; the third is clearly positive.
1. We are meek before God, in that we submit to His will and conform to His Word.
2. We are meek before men, in that we are strong - yet also humble, gentle, patient, and longsuffering.
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.
Through the first three beatitudes we notice that the natural man finds NO happiness or blessedness in spiritual poverty, mourning or meekness. These are only a blessing for the spiritual man, those who are NEW creatures in Jesus.
Verse 6 tells us 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."
Blessed are those who hunger...
This describes a profound hunger that can NOT be satisfied by a snack. This is a longing that endures and is never completely satisfied on this side of eternity.
1. This passion is real, just like hunger and thirst are real.
2. This passion is natural, just like hunger and thirst are natural in a healthy person.
3. This passion is intense, just like hunger and thirst can be.
4. This passion can be painful, just like real hunger and thirst can cause pain.
5. This passion is a driving force, just like hunger and thirst can drive a man.
6. This passion is a sign of health, just like hunger and thirst show health.
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?
It is good to remember that Jesus said this in a day and to a culture that really knew what it was to be hungry and thirsty. Modern man - at least in the western world - is often so distant from the basic needs of hunger and thirst that they also find it difficult to hunger and thirst after righteousness.
How does this hunger and thirst for righteousness express itself?
1. A man longs to have a righteous nature.
2. A man wants to be sanctified, to be made more holy.
3. A man longs to continue in God's righteousness.
4. A man longs to see righteousness promoted in the world.
For they shall be filled...
Jesus promised to fill this hungry one; to fill them with as much as they could eat. This is a strange filling that both satisfies us and keeps us longing for more.
Verse 7 tells us Blessing to the merciful.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
Blessed are the merciful...
When this beatitude addresses those who will show mercy, it speaks to those who have already received mercy.
1. It is mercy to be emptied of your pride and brought to poverty of spirit.
2. It is mercy to be brought to mourning over your spiritual condition.
3. It is mercy to receive the grace of meekness and to become gentle.
4. It is mercy to be made hungry and thirsty after righteousness.
Therefore, this one who is expected to show mercy is one who has already received it.
1. The merciful one will show it to those who are weaker and poorer.
2. The merciful one will always look for those who weep and mourn.
3. The merciful one will be forgiving to others, and always looking to restore broken relationships.
4. The merciful one will be merciful to the character of other people, and choose to think the best of them whenever possible.
5. The merciful one will not expect too much from others.
6. The merciful one will be compassionate to those who are outwardly sinful.
7. The merciful one will have a care for the souls of all men.
For they shall obtain mercy...
If you want mercy from others - especially God - then you should take care to be merciful to others. Some people wonder why God showed such remarkable mercy to King David, especially in the terrible ways in which he sinned. One reason God gave him such mercy was because David was notably merciful to King Saul, and on several occasions was kind to a very unworthy Saul. In David, the merciful obtained mercy.
Verse 8 tells us Blessing to the pure in heart.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Blessed are the pure in heart...
In the ancient Greek, the phrase "pure of heart" has the idea of straightness, honesty, and clarity. There can be two ideas connected to this.
1. Inner moral purity as opposed to the image of purity or ceremonial purity.
2. Single, undivided heart - those who are utterly sincere and not divided in their devotion and commitment to God.
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. The polluting sins of covetousness, oppression, lust, and chosen deception have a definite blinding effect upon a person, and the one pure of heart is freer from these pollutions.
1. The heart-pure person can see God in nature.
2. The heart-pure person can see God in Scripture.
3. The heart-pure person can see God in his church family.
4. The heart-pure person can see something of God's true character.
SPURGEON adds, "One day, at an hotel dinner table, I was talking with a brother-minister about certain spiritual things when a gentleman, who sat opposite to us, and who had a serviette tucked under his chin, and a face that indicated his fondness for wine, made, this remark, 'I have been in this world for sixty years, and I have never yet been conscious of anything spiritual.' We did not say what we thought, but we thought it was very likely that what he said was perfectly true; and there are a great many more people in the world who might say the same as he did. But that, only proved that he was not conscious of anything spiritual; not that others were not conscious of it."
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.
Verse 9 tells us Blessing to the peacemakers.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
Blessed are the peacemakers...
This does not describe those who live in peace, but those who actually bring about peace, overcoming evil with good. One way we accomplish this is through spreading the gospel, because God has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). In evangelism we make peace between man and the God whom they have rejected and offended.
We commonly think of this peacemaking work as being the job of one person who stands between two fighting parties. This may be one way this is fulfilled; but one can also end a conflict and be a peacemaker when they are party to a conflict; when they are the injured or the offending party.
For they shall be called sons of God...
The reward of peacemakers 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.
He is blessed by God; though the peacemaker may be ill-treated by man, he is blessed by God. He is blessed to be among the children of God, adopted into is family, surrounded by brothers and sisters through the ages.
Verses 10-12 tells us 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 is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Blessed are those who are persecuted...
These blessed ones are persecuted for righteousness' sake and for Jesus' sake (for My sake), not for their own stupidity or fanaticism. Peter recognized that suffering might come to some Christians for reasons other than their faithfulness to Jesus (1 Peter 4:15-16), and this is NOT what Jesus addressed here.
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.
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.
It did not take long for these words of Jesus to ring true to His followers. Early Christians heard many enemies say all kinds of evil against them falsely for Jesus' sake. Christians were WRONGLY accused of:
1. Cannibalism, because of gross and deliberate misrepresentation of the practice of the Lord's Supper by other religions..
2. Immorality, because of gross deliberate misrepresentation of weekly "Love Feast" and their private meetings.
3. Revolutionary fanaticism, because they believed that Jesus would return and there would be an apocalyptic end to history.
4. Splitting families, because when one marriage partner or parent became a Christian there was often change and division in the family.
5. Treason, because they would not honor the Roman gods and participate in emperor worship.
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: the prophets before them were also persecuted.
Yet the world persecutes these good people 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?
Verse 13 tells us 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."
You are the salt of the earth...
Disciples are like salt because they are precious. In Jesus' day, salt was a VERY valued commodity. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid with salt, giving rise to the phrase "worth his salt."
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 slow decay. Christians should have a preserving influence on their culture.
You are the salt of the earth...
Disciples are like salt because they add flavor. Christians should be a "flavorful" people.
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.
Verses 14-16 tells us 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."
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).
Light of the world means that we are not only light-receivers, but also light-givers. We must have a greater concern than only ourselves, and we cannot live only to ourselves; we must have someone to shine to, and do so lovingly.
SPURGEON says,"This title had been given by the Jews to certain of their eminent Rabbis. With great pomposity they spoke of Rabbi Judah, or Rabbi Jochanan, as the lamps of the universe, the lights of the world. It must have sounded strangely in the ears of the Scribes and Pharisees to hear that same title, in all soberness, applied to a few bronzed-faced and callous-handed peasants and fishermen, who had become disciples of Jesus."
Jesus never challenged us to BECOME salt or light. He simply said that we are - and we are either fulfilling or failing that given responsibility.
A key thought in both the pictures of salt and light is distinction. 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. To be effective we must seek and display the Christian distinctive. We can never affect the world for Jesus by becoming like the world.
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.
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.
A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden...
Such a city is prominent and can't be hidden. If you see such a city from a distance, it is hard to take your eyes off of it. In the same way, Jesus wanted the people of His kingdom to live VISIBLE lives that attracted attention to the beauty of God's work in the life.
Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand...
The idea of a lampstand gives the sense that we are to be intentional about letting this light shine. 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.
That they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven...
The purpose in letting our light so shine by doing good works is so that others will glorify God, not ourselves.
Jesus pointed 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.
The three pictures together are powerful, speaking of the effect of Jesus' disciples in the world:
1. Salt is the opposite of corruption, and it prevents corruption from getting worse.
2. Light gives the gift of guidance, so that those who have lost their way can find the path home.
3. A city is the product of social order and government; it is against chaos and disorder.
Verses 17-18 tells us Jesus' truth & righteousness in 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."
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets...
Jesus here began a long discussion of the law, and wanted to make it clear that He did NOT oppose what God gave Israel in what we call the Old Testament. He did NOT come to destroy the word of God, but to free it from the way the Pharisees and Scribes had wrongly interpreted it.
I did not come to destroy but to fulfill...
Jesus wanted to make it clear that He had 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.
Even though He often challenged man's interpretations of the law (especially Sabbath regulations), Jesus NEVER broke the law of God.
1. Jesus fulfilled the doctrinal teachings of the Law and the Prophets in that He brought full revelation.
2. Jesus fulfilled the predictive prophecy of the Law and the Prophets in that He is the Promised One, showing the reality behind the shadows.
3. Jesus fulfilled the moral and legal demands of the Law and the Prophets in that He fully obeyed them and He reinterpreted them in their truth.
4. Jesus fulfilled the penalty of the Law and the Prophets for us by His death on the cross, taking the penalty we deserved.
The Apostle Paul wrote on this theme: For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).
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.
Verses 19-20 tells us 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."
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
The life of Paul shows what the righteousness of the Pharisees was like: Acts 23:6, 26:5; Philippians 3:5.
We can exceed their righteousness because our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees in kind, 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.
Though the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was impressive to human observation, it could not prevail before God (Isaiah 64:6).
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.
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. 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).
Verses 21-22 tells us Jesus INTERPRETS the law against