Text for Today is Matthew 5:21-26
MAT.5:21 -- Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: MAT.5:22 -- But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. MAT.5:23 -- Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; MAT.5:24 -- Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Mat 5:25 -- Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Mat 5:26 --Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. According to Jesus, the role of Old Testament Scripture wasn’t abolished, but it changed. Since what they had pointed to—the Messiah, Jesus—had come, the Scripture now was to be understood and practiced in light of Jesus’ teachings. As we’ll see in Matthew 5:21–48 (covered in the next posts), Jesus gives examples of the deeper understanding of the teachings of Torah (Law) when He says: You have heard that it was said … but I say to you … [Many times Jesus uses the phrase “You have heard it said.” It is helpful to know that Jesus was using a rabbinic idiom in that phrase—the word “say” (amar) was used by the rabbis to mean “interpret” in terms of giving the proper interpretation of the scriptures as to how to apply its laws. Jesus often preceded his legal rulings with “You have heard it said” (meaning, others have interpreted God's word to mean one thing) and “but I say unto you” (meaning, I interpret it differently, in the following way). From that point forward, the authoritative teaching of Jesus is what governs His disciples’ understanding and practical application of the Law. It is no longer a literal observance of rules, but a deeper understanding of the moral principles that underpin those rules. He seeks a standard that looks at the law from an internal, not an external perspective. The Law isn’t abolished, but in this era of fulfillment it is Jesus, the fulfiller of the Law, who is the ultimate authority. The Old Testament (the Hebrew Scriptures) contains the commandment not to commit murder and declares the penalty of death for those who do. You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13. Also Deuteronomy 5:17.) Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. (Genesis 9:5–6.) The book of Numbers (Numbers 35:16–21.) defines murder by giving examples: striking another human with a fatal blow with an iron object, a stone, a wooden object, or a fist, or intentionally shoving or throwing something at a person so that the person dies. The person who commits the intentional act of murder, after being properly tried and judged guilty, was to be put to death by “the avenger of blood.” The book of Numbers also differentiates between intentional murder and manslaughter, where one kills another without premeditation or intent. [If he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy and did not seek his harm … (Numbers 35:22–23). A person who committed manslaughter would be protected from the avenger of blood by going to one of the cities of refuge. (Numbers 35:23–29.) Most contemporary Bible translations render the verse as You shall not murder. The King James translates it as Thou shalt not kill. Murder is a more accurate translation, as it differentiates from accidental killing, killing in self-defense or in defending another, killing in war, etc. When Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment,” He was referring to the various Old Testament verses regarding murder, the procedures for determining guilt, and the penalty. The Mosaic Law was clear about not committing murder, but Jesus taught us to go deeper than what was prescribed by the Law, to what was behind the act of murder. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother [Older Bible translations include the phrase “without a cause,” so that it reads “… who is angry with his brother without a cause.” Some ancient manuscripts include this phrase, but the oldest manuscripts don’t. It is likely that at some point this was added by a Christian scribe. The addition reflects the understanding of the point Jesus was making. He wasn’t condemning righteous anger, but anger which was unwarranted.] will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. The principle Jesus was teaching is that actually committing murder is only the outward manifestation of an inward attitude. He speaks of anger and insults, saying that those who demean others with insulting words will be judged by God. Some translations render the sentence about insults as whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. (Matthew 5:22 NKJ.) Raca, an Aramaic word, is only used in the Bible this one time and is an insult understood to mean an empty-headed or stupid person. Other translations render it as good-for-nothing, a fool, an idiot. Murder is an act which proceeds from the intent of one’s heart. Hatred, anger, or contempt generally precede such an act. Jesus makes the point that people might feel they are in right standing with God because they haven’t committed murder, but in order to correctly understand and interpret the meaning of this commandment, we have to go to the root of the intent. He’s causing the hearers to face questions such as, have they ever been unjustly angry with someone, hated them, or held them in contempt, verbally abused or degraded them, or committed character assassination? Have they ever wished someone were dead? If they have, then they are guilty of sinning against God and others, even though they did not go as far as the actual act of murder. His point is that it’s not enough to simply obey the written code of the Law; what’s in the heart and mind matters as well. Jesus went on to give an illustration of what it means to live beyond anger and in reconciled relations with others. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Notice Jesus put the onus on us to reconcile when He says, “remember that your brother has something against you “. Even if we don’t have a problem or offence with them but if someone has an offence against us it is on us to make it right. Also this illustration makes the point that reconciliation with another is more important than the sacredness of offering a sacrificial gift in the temple. Considering that Jesus spent most of His time preaching in Galilee, telling someone to leave their gift at the altar—which was in Jerusalem—and to reconcile with his brother who was most likely in Galilee, He was suggesting they do something that would have required about a week of travel! This reflects the importance Jesus placed on having a right relationship with others and taking decisive action, as needed, to repair such relationships. Jesus followed with another illustration: Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. (Mat.5:25-26) In Jesus’ day, a person who didn’t pay his debts could be thrown into debtors’ prison until the money owed was paid. In saying “come to terms with your accuser before you go before the judge,” Jesus was stressing the urgency and importance of personal reconciliation, of finding peace in our personal relationships. Scot McKnight wrote “I am thinking we would do better to ponder the ordinariness of Jesus’ examples: immediately suspending what we are doing to find peace with our own relations. What comes to mind for me are the relations of husbands and wives, the relations of fathers and mothers to children, of sibling relations, and of the relations of neighbors and community members and those with whom we work. It is far too easy to ponder reconciliation of monstrous problems like those in world, than it is to ponder the day-to-day pursuit of peace and reconciliation in our own relations. Here’s the nub of the issue: we must be intentional about reconciliation for it to become a pervasive lifestyle. We must ponder those with whom we are not living fully reconciled lives, and those who may not even know that we are harboring bitterness and resentment. Reconciliation is not likely to be something that happens to us, as it is something we pursue.” To summarize: In Matthew 5:21–26, Jesus gave the first of several examples of how the righteousness of those in the kingdom is to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees. He tells His followers to avoid anger; and, when it arises, to let it go through reconciliation. He emphasizes the importance of speedy reconciliation with those we have offended, in order to make the effort to heal broken relationships among God’s people. We should aim for health and wholeness among those in the kingdom.
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Text for Today is Matthew 5:17-18
MAT.5:17 -- Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. MAT.5:18 -- For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. MAT.5:19 -- Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. MAT.5:20 -- For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. In the course of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus devoted a significant portion of the sermon to addressing the Law and the Prophets, meaning the Hebrew Scriptures—what Christians refer to as the Old Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures, also referred to as the Jewish Bible, and commonly known to the Jewish people as Tanakh, contain all of the same books as the Christian Old Testament, though they are divided somewhat differently and placed in a different order. The word Tanakh is an acronym (TN’K) formed by the three primary divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures are the Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets) and the Ketuvim (Writings). When Jesus speaks of “the Law and (or) the Prophets,” (Matthew 5:17; 11:13; 22:40; Luke 16:16; 24:44; John 1:45.) it is generally understood that this is a shorthand way of referring to the full Tanakh, all of the Hebrew Scriptures (The Old Testament). The fact that Jesus opens by saying that His listeners should not think He came to abolish (destroy in some translations) the Law or the Prophets is an indication that some people thought, or said, that this was in fact what He was doing, seeing as His approach to the Law was different from traditional thinking. However, He unequivocally states He has not come to abolish or destroy them, but rather to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17.) Jesus goes on, using His authoritative saying of “truly I say to you” to state that until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota, not one dot of the Law will be invalidated. When hearing Jesus refer to heaven and earth (all of creation) passing away before the Law, His listeners would have understood Him to be saying that God’s Word will never go unfulfilled. All of it will be accomplished. The iota was the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet; but in this context, it is usually understood to be referring to the yodh, the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet. There are 66,420 yodhs within the complete Hebrew Scriptures. The dot (tittle in KJV) is a tiny mark or projection on some Hebrew letters which helps to distinguish letters which are similar. Saying that the smallest letter or stroke of Scripture would not pass before Scripture was accomplished was a very strong affirmation by Jesus of the role of Old Testament Scripture. What does it mean that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets—the full range of Scripture? The answer can be found throughout Matthew’s Gospel, where multiple times he speaks of Jesus fulfilling Old Testament scriptures. (Matthew 1:22–23; 2:14–15, 17–18, 23; 4:13–16; 8:17; 12:17–21; 13:35; 21:4–5; 27:9–10.) The Torah [Law] is not God’s last word to his people, but is in a sense provisional, looking forward to a time of fulfillment through the Messiah. In light of that concept, and of the general sense of “fulfill” in Matthew, we might then paraphrase Jesus’ words here as follows: “Far from wanting to set aside the law and the prophets, it is My role to bring into being that to which they have pointed forward, to carry them into a new era of fulfillment.” In fulfilling the Law and Prophets, Jesus was ushering in a new era for humankind which went beyond keeping the letter of the Law to discerning and applying the underlying principles of the Law. (Matthew 5:18) This new way of applying the Law so that it no longer acts as a rule of conduct but as a pointer to a “greater righteousness” is what Jesus brought into being, and it supersedes the old type of Law-keeping. Jesus goes on to say: Whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19.) In Jesus’ time, the scribes were people who professionally taught, expounded on, and interpreted the Laws of Moses. These laws weren’t just religious laws, but were also the legal laws of the land. When someone broke them, they were judged and punished. While any Jew could be asked to judge a legal case by a community, when a scribe was present, he would usually be chosen, because of his knowledge of Scripture. Some scribes focused on studying the doctrine in Scripture and were qualified to speak in the synagogues. They also copied Scripture by hand, so that when scrolls used in the temple or in synagogues wore out, replacements were available. They would carefully copy it from one scroll onto a new scroll. Some scribes were teachers who had disciples (students), and were called “master” (rabbi). In Luke’s Gospel, the scribes are referred to as “lawyers” (Luke 7:30; 10:25; 11:45–46; 14:3.) and “teachers of the Law,” (Luke 5:17. Also Acts 5:34.) and are seen as being antagonistic toward Jesus and trying to destroy His ministry. (Luke 5:21; 14:1–6; 19:47; 22:66.) The scribes, along with the Pharisees, chief priests, and elders, were part of the opposition to Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees were meticulous about obeying the Torah (Law). If righteousness was understood as literal obedience to the Law, then there was no one more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees. For anyone to exceed their keeping of the Law was virtually impossible. However, the righteousness Jesus was speaking about wasn’t literal Law-keeping. It is helpful to remember that when referring to the kingdom of heaven He is speaking of the basileia, God’s reign in our lives, and not heaven in the afterlife. Having explained that He is the fulfillment of the Law, as well as showing His new way to relate to the Law He then explains that those who relax His teaching of the Law will be least in the kingdom, whereas whoever applies His teachings in their life and teaches them to others will be called great in the kingdom. Being great or small in the kingdom isn’t speaking of one’s standing in the afterlife, but rather of whether one is a poor or good representative of those who live their life with God as king. (Matthew 5:20.) Jesus didn’t abolish the Old Testament. How could He, since it pointed to Him, and He fulfilled it? As we will see in the next verses of Matthew 5, He moves beyond the concept that strict obedience to the Law brings righteousness, as He introduces a deeper understanding and application of the principles which stand behind the Law. In doing so, He reveals the inner attitude of spirit, which coincides with the Beatitudes, that brings forth the righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. Text for today is from Matthew 5:14-15
MAT.5:14 -- Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. MAT.5:15 -- Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. MAT.5:16 -- Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Just a three-mile walk from the town of Nazareth is an ancient city called Sepphoris — a city so elegant in ancient times that it was known as the ornament of Galilee. Although it dates to Greek times, the city of Sepphoris was enhanced at the orders of Herod Antipas concurrent to the time Jesus was growing up three miles away in Nazareth. Many people from Nazareth were engaged in rebuilding this fabulous, wealthy city that was the northern home and administrative center for Herod Antipas. Growing up next door to such a splendid city, there is little doubt that young Jesus stood in Nazareth and gazed upon “the city set on a hill” that was just a short distance away. From that viewpoint, and especially at night, the city of Sepphoris would have been a spectacular sight. The gleaming lights of countless torches and oil lamps would have shone forth from the city. It must have looked splendid as the lights sparkled and glistened from the majestic buildings in the distance. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus was speaking to His disciples about being an influence in the world. He told them, “Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.” When Jesus spoke these words, He may have been remembering the image of a city that shone so brightly that its light could not be hidden. The lights of the city penetrated the darkness and gave light to the night. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus continued to exhort His disciples, saying, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” My friend, let me remind you that God saved you, redeemed you, delivered you, and filled you with the light of His Word. Don’t be ashamed of what God has done in you. It’s time for you to let that light shine brightly so it can penetrate the darkness in the lives of others and give light to guide them through the night they are experiencing right now in their lives. If you’re like a majority of people, you have probably spent a lot of time putting yourself down and badgering yourself about your failures — and you’ve been tempted to largely forget about the great work God has done in your life. But it’s time for you to put an end to that downward spiral. Stop berating yourself over your missteps, and start thanking God for the progress you’ve already made! Then reach out to someone else in need so you can become a godly influence to benefit another. That person can be touched, changed, and shaped by the light in your life. There are people observing you and taking note of the light that is shining in your life. You may not be aware of it, but that person or group of people are witnessing the way you live, how you act, what you do, and what kind of excellence and attitude you demonstrate in your life. They are watching you — and you are making an impact on their lives. What an opportunity you have to become a godly influence on someone else who really needs your example. As you lean on the Holy Spirit and do your best to obey Him, that light will begin to shine into someone else’s darkness. As you walk in obedience, the Holy Spirit will use you to demonstrate God’s Word to someone who really needs your influence. You, my friend, are a city on a hill, so let your light shine! Text for today is from Matthew 5:13
MAT.5:13 -- Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. MAT.5:14 -- Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. MAT.5:15 -- Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. MAT.5:16 -- Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Having expressed what His disciples are meant to be—those who are poor in spirit, mourn, are meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, are pure in heart, are peacemakers, and suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake—Jesus went on to give two metaphors regarding the effectiveness of such disciples and the potential ineffectiveness of those who do not live His teachings. He began with telling His disciples that metaphorically they are “the salt of the earth.” In the ancient world, salt was much more important than it is today. The Mosaic Law required that sacrifices made in the Temple contained salt, and Roman soldiers received a portion of their wages in salt. Salt was vital for both the flavoring and preservation of food, and both of these uses are significant for the meaning of the metaphor. A small amount of salt added to food permeates the whole dish, making it taste so much better. The attributes spoken of in the Beatitudes and throughout the Sermon on the Mount radiate from a true follower of Jesus and influence others for the better. Thus they are like “salt,” flavoring everyone around them. In the ancient world, salt was used to preserve food, mainly fish and meat, keeping them from becoming putrid and decaying. The influence of believers in the world can and should influence individuals and society in a manner that works to preserve good and godly values, and counter that which is ungodly according to Scripture. Christians are meant to be a positive spiritual and moral force in the world through their example of living Jesus’ teachings, doing what they can to emulate Him, and sharing the good news of salvation with others. After making the statement that the disciples are the salt of the earth, Jesus went on to speak of disciples who do not live His teachings, who don’t take on the attributes that He had just spoken of in the Beatitudes. If salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Pure salt (sodium chloride) will not lose its saltiness, however, salt in Jesus’ day generally wasn’t pure, since there were no refineries, and thus could be understood as losing its saltiness or taste in one of two ways. The first is that salt in Palestine generally came from the Dead Sea and was more powder like than salt today, and it also contained a mixture of other minerals. Since salt was the most soluble part of the mixture, it could be washed out, since sodium chloride is water-soluble. So if it was exposed to condensation or rain water, it could be dissolved and removed; and when that happened, though it still looked like salt, the white powder that was left neither tasted like nor had the preserving properties of salt. It was good for nothing. The second way the tasteless salt is explained is that salt by nature cannot be anything other than salt. So the only way it can lose its saltiness is if it becomes adulterated in some way. In such a case, it loses its effectiveness and is no longer useful for either adding flavor or preventing corruption in food, and is therefore cast out as useless. With either explanation, the point is made that salt which doesn’t function as salt is useless and loses its value. Like tasteless salt, disciples who lack genuine commitment to function as disciples become ineffective. Jesus then used another metaphor, pointing out that the disciple’s life is meant to light up the world around them; and that those disciples whose lives do not reveal the Father’s works are like lights which aren’t seen. Jesus said He was the light of the world. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). Also, He said I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness (John 12:46). The world needs the light of Jesus, which is made visible to the world through His disciples. Disciples are to be visible, like a city on a hill—which can be clearly seen from far away in the day, and is seen at night due to its lights. Jesus also spoke of a lamp that gives light within a house. A typical peasant house in Israel contained only one room, so one lamp would have lit up the entire house. A domestic lamp in Jesus’ day was a shallow bowl of oil with a wick. It was normally stationary, placed on a lamp stand. Jesus points out that people put the lamp on the stand to light the whole house; they don’t put it under a basket where the light can’t be seen. A basket, translated in some Bible versions as a bowl, was a vessel which was used to measure grain and held about nine liters. It was made from either earthenware or reeds. Putting such a vessel over the lamp would completely hide the light, and after enough time would eventually put the light out altogether. For the lamp to fulfill its purpose of giving light, it needs to be visible; so covering the light would be absurd, since it would work against the purpose of the lamp. Likewise, part of the purpose of a disciple is to shed light, and in order to do so, the believer needs to let his or her beliefs be seen. To be effective Christians, we are to live in a manner which allows others to see that we are Christian, to see how a life in alignment with Jesus’ teachings is lived. In the same way that a city set on a hill is clearly seen, and a lamp gives light to the whole house, we are to be light from God to those we interact with. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. In living our faith, we are to do all we can to reflect God—being loving, merciful, and compassionate in our actions; helping others, giving to those in need, etc. Our goal, however, should be to do these things for God’s glory, not our own. Of course, it’s only natural for people who see or hear about our being involved with others in need to think well of us. But that shouldn’t be the reason we do it. Our purpose for helping others, for putting Jesus’ teaching into action, needs to be our commitment to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. It is part of who we are as Christians, as our purpose is to live in a way that glorifies God. Since we have become part of God’s family due to our belief in Jesus, we reflect His attributes because He is our Father. We are part of the kingdom of God and therefore exhibit the traits described in the Beatitudes and throughout the Sermon on the Mount. Disciples of Jesus are the light of the world, and like a city set on a hill which can’t be hidden, like a lamp that gives light to all within the house, we are called to let the light that is within us shine in a manner that others can see, so that they will glorify God. This isn’t theoretical. As Christians, we are meant to reflect the light of God into our world in order to light the pathway to Him. It is part of the job description of a believer. We are to be living advertisements for Him, drawing people’s attention to the light that shines from within us—the Spirit of God. The calling of Christians is to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. To be effective and true to our calling, we must remain salty and keep our light from being covered; otherwise, we become ineffective—salt that has lost its flavor, light which benefits no one. Our commitment as followers of Jesus is to live His teachings so that the light within us shines before others; so that they see our good works, our loving actions, how we conduct ourselves in God’s love, and take notice and see God’s reflection within us. The hope is that they will want to know what has made us the way we are, thus opening the door to tell them of God’s love for them, resulting in them entering a relationship with Him and further glorifying Him. Text for today is from Matthew 5:10-12
MAT.5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. MAT.5:11 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. MAT.5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. These two Beatitudes are combined as one, since they both deal with the same subject. Having expressed the attributes and attitudes that the disciples, as participants in the kingdom of God, were to have, Jesus then spoke of the cost of living in God’s kingdom. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be persecuted because of that. Disciples are engaged within society; however, their center, worldview, and ultimate purpose are aligned with God and His ways, which puts them at odds with society at large. When one adopts the values of the kingdom, one will stand out. This difference can, and often does, result in persecution. Later in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus makes this very clear and we will discuss it more when we get there.. While persecution doesn’t necessarily result in physical suffering or death, it can be manifested in harassment, mistreatment, and hostility. Jesus spoke of verbal abuse, of others “reviling you,” railing at you, taunting you. He also spoke of disciples being lied about and falsely accused of things they didn’t do. Jesus said that such persecution will occur not only because of righteousness, the distinctive lifestyle of the disciples, but more specifically “because of Me.” Disciples who live the teachings of Jesus will pay a price in this life. However, Jesus said that those who experience persecution, who are railed against, are blessed. They can rejoice and be glad for two reasons. The first is that your reward is great in heaven. Those who suffer persecution are promised good things hereafter. The blessing is not in the suffering in itself, but in its promised outcome. The source of the disciples’ celebration is the recognition that the good which is promised to them far outweighs the bad that they may experience now. The second reason to rejoice is that being persecuted for the sake of Jesus is a badge of honor. In saying rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you, Jesus was putting those who are persecuted in the same category as the Old Testament prophets who were also persecuted in their day. Believers are called to follow Jesus’ teachings, to enter the kingdom of God. Doing so means giving our allegiance to God and His truth and adopting His set of values. The result is the blessings of God’s reign in our lives. At the same time, living in alignment with God’s Word opens us up to various levels of harassment and suffering. When it does, we are called to rejoice and be glad, for our reward will be great. This brings us to the end of the Beatitudes, the opening section of the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes are a general picture of what all Christians are supposed to be like as we endeavor to pattern our life after Jesus. As we compare the Beatitudes with Jesus’ life, we see that He set the example we are to follow.
The Beatitudes give us the general overview of how we are to live our faith. The rest of the Sermon on the Mount, gives us further principles and more detailed descriptions of life as it is to be lived in God’s kingdom. Text for today is from Matthew 5:8 and 9.
MAT 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. MAT 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8.) In the Jewish understanding of Jesus’ day, it was considered even more—the center of one’s inner state, one’s thoughts and will, as well as emotions. It was the seat of their decision-making, their moral choices, their feelings; the center of their personality. So Jesus speaking of being “pure in heart” is speaking about having purity at the center of our being. Jesus spoke of the condition of our inner being when He said: What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. (Matthew 15:18–20.) These words show the state of the heart of all humans, as due to sin, we all are impure. Yet drawing near to God through faith and salvation cleanses our heart. Purity of heart in the context of this Beatitude also has to do with our relationship with God and others. As David wrote in the Psalms: Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. (Psalm 24:3–4.) The person who keeps focused on God, who doesn’t lift up his soul to things which are false (idols—anything that takes the place of God in one’s life), who is single-minded toward God, is the one who stands in the holy place. He does not swear deceitfully; he is free from falsehood in his relations with God and others. The Hebrew word for clean used in this Psalm is also translated as innocent, so those with clean hands are those who have acted innocently toward others. Likewise, the pure heart is one that is cleansed of all unworthy motives toward other people. Those with a pure heart are those who will see God. We see Him now with the eyes of faith, and in the future we will see Him face to face. Exactly how is not fully explained in Scripture. However, we see Him now in a variety of ways—in the beauty of His creation, in His answers to our prayers, in the guidance He gives us, in the love we have in our lives, in our family and friends, in our many blessings. The pure of heart, those who have entered the kingdom of God, who are living under His reign, see God participate in their lives. This seeing, though, is only a foretaste of our seeing God in heaven. Next: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9.) Peacemakers bring reconciliation between those who are in conflict. God is the author of peace and reconciliation, as He has made reconciliation possible between Himself and humanity through the sacrifice of His Son.
When Christians are peacemakers, they are the “sons of God,” as they reflect the attribute of God’s reconciliation. Christians are called to be peacemakers. While we are meant to live peaceably with all, (Romans 12:18.) that isn’t the same as being a peacemaker. Peacemaking is an active involvement with conflicting parties for the purpose of creating reconciliation and peace. It’s not taking one party’s side over another, but being willing to recognize their differences and attempting to bring reconciliation between them. Being a peacemaker can also mean taking the first step in overcoming any conflicts you may have with others. As believers, we are also involved in the process of bringing peace between humanity and God, as we make efforts to bring others into reconciliation with their Creator through sharing the message of the gospel with them. The phrase “the son(s) of” is sometimes used to connect a person with an attribute. We as Christians have become “the sons God” so have this peacemaker attribute and need to walk in it. Text for today is from Matthew 5:6-7
MAT 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. MAT 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6.) A key to understanding this Beatitude is the meaning of the word righteousness as used here. The Greek word dikaiosynē, translated in the New Testament as righteousness, is often used in reference to our being in right standing with or declared righteous before God due to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection—especially when it’s used in Paul’s epistles. However, in the context of this Beatitude, as well as throughout the Gospel of Matthew, it is used in reference to behavior which conforms to God’s will. The righteousness spoken of here is best understood as being eager to live as God desires. To hunger and thirst is used metaphorically and means to seek with eager desire, to ardently crave. It mirrors Jesus’ response to Satan when He said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4.)Those who deeply desire to live in accordance with God’s will shall be satisfied. Satisfied, sometimes translated as filled, means “sated,” “slaked,” “bloated,” “filled to overflowing.” Those who hunger and thirst for living as God desires, who live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, will be filled with God’s presence in their lives. Next: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. (Matthew 5:7.) Who are the merciful that are blessed? The Greek word translated as merciful derives from the root word eleos, which means kindness or good will toward the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them. Mercy is compassion for people in need. It’s not just pity for the needy and miserable—it’s pity plus action, endeavoring to do something to relieve a need. A good example of mercy is seen in the action of the Samaritan in the parable of the good Samaritan. (Luke 10:30–37) Throughout the Old Testament, we read that God is merciful.
The Hebrew word used for merciful in these verses is defined as compassionate. We see an example of God’s mercy and compassion in His sending Jesus to die for our sins. Our God is a merciful God and shows mercy continuously, and as citizens of His kingdom we are to show mercy too. We are to be merciful, because we have been shown His mercy. He reached out to us in our miserable state, forgave our sins, and brought us into a relationship with Him. The merciful who are blessed are those who are compassionate at heart, who have an attitude of mercy which moves them to act for the benefit of those in need. The actions stem from a heart filled with the love of God. Because they have received God’s mercy, they are transformed into people who do to others as they would have others do to them. They have experienced God’s merciful love and are moved by God’s Spirit to empathize with and show compassion to others. Text for today is from Matthew 5:4-5
Mat 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth While the mourning spoken of here is not bereavement—grieving over the death of a loved one—it is an expression of grief. We get a glimpse of the meaning of mourning, as used in this second beatitude, from Joel chapter two:
The mourning spoken of here has to do with grief over sin—both our own sin and the sins of others. Similar to the first Beatitude, it has to do with one’s need for God in light of our sinfulness. In our desire to love God, we recognize that our sins have put up barriers to our relationship with Him; therefore our sins grieve us, and our brokenness causes us to mourn. The damaged relationship with God, as well as with others; the emotional toll, the consequences of our sins; these things should cause us to mourn, to seek forgiveness and healing.
So are we called to mourn the fallen state of our world with its wars, death, cruelty, man’s inhumanity to man, and lack of concern for the poor and needy, selfishness, arrogance, pride, and unbelief. Seeing this should motivate us both to pray for those in turmoil and need, and to put feet to our prayers by helping to alleviate whatever need we can—especially through bringing others into relationship with God through Jesus, for this is the key to the promised comfort. We are comforted in this world through God’s forgiveness of our sins. It is through God becoming our Father and us His children; having a loving relationship with Him; entering His basilea (kingdom); living our lives in His mercy and grace; that we have comfort, both in this life and forever. No matter what our circumstances—the grief we encounter, the loss of a loved one or a relationship, financial loss, job loss, loss of health, or anything else we might mourn over—there is comfort in Him. There is a promise to those who believe: that in our mourning, whether it be for our sins, our personal losses, or the sins of the world, there is comfort ahead. It’s not a promise that every believer will find total comfort in this world, but that there will be comfort for eternity.
Next: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5.) The original Greek word translated as meek is praus, which is defined as “mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness.” Gentleness or meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God’s goodness and control over the situation. In this third Beatitude, we once again see reference to the anawim of the Old Testament—the poor and meek. These are they who are spoken of in Psalm 37, which is the basis of this Beatitude:
In relation to discipleship, the meek or gentle in spirit are those who don’t insist on having their own way, because they put their trust in God. They acknowledge their dependence on Him. Meekness isn’t weakness; it isn’t being a doormat. Meekness is a controlled desire to see another’s interest advance ahead of one’s own. We see examples of such meekness in the Old Testament: in Abraham, who allowed Lot to decide which land he would dwell in; (Genesis 13) in Moses, who was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth; (Numbers 12:3) in David, who, though anointed to be king, patiently endured Saul’s actions against him while refusing to lift his hand against Saul, waiting until it was God’s time for him to become king. Then of course there is the example of Jesus, who said, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29.) His whole life was lived in obedience to and trust in His Father. While meekness, or gentleness of spirit, is reflected in our interactions with others, its basis is in dependence on God and our trust in Him. When we truly seek His will, we can fully trust and depend on Him for the outcome, as opposed to demanding or pushing for the outcome we desire. When we have such trust, we can face situations in our lives in faith, rather than trying to manipulate matters to our advantage or demanding that another yield to our demands. Text for today is Matthew 5:3
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The Sermon on the Mount contains teachings that are meant to be guiding principles in our interaction with God and others. They are foundation stones to living Christlikeness. Understanding and living these principles provides us with a compass to navigate the challenges of this life, while keeping us heading true north. Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with what are known as the Beatitudes. In teaching the Beatitudes, Jesus was using a format which was familiar to His listeners, as beatitudes were used within the Old Testament and other ancient Jewish literature. Each of the Beatitudes has the same format with some variation: Blessed are the (those) … for they (theirs) …. The first and last Beatitudes both end with the same clause—for theirs is the kingdom of heaven—which forms a framework or bookends for the Beatitudes in between. This writing device is called an inclusio, which means that everything bracketed between the two is included under the same theme, which in this case is the kingdom of God. Each of the Beatitudes within the inclusio ends with promises for the future. They shall: be comforted, inherit the earth, be satisfied, receive mercy, see God, be called the sons of God. The promises of the first and last Beatitudes are in the present tense—for theirs is the kingdom of heaven—while the blessings in the middle verses are in the future tense. However, since this is an inclusio bracketed by the two verses mentioning the kingdom, everything in between is to be seen in light of the kingdom’s arrival. Therefore, these blessings should be understood as being both for the present and the future, similar to how the kingdom is both present and future. Before looking at the individual Beatitudes, it is helpful to understand the meaning of “blessed.” In both Hebrew and Greek, there are two words which are translated as blessed. The two Greek words parallel the Hebrew words, and it’s important to understand the difference between them. The Greek word eulogeō (Hebrew barak) is used when one gives a personal blessing to someone, as Jesus did when he took them [children] in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Mark 10:15–16.) It is also used when one blesses God (Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ). (1 Peter 1:3.) This word was also used in early Christian literature, referring to when one is praying for God to bless someone. This is not the Greek word used for “blessed” in the Beatitudes. The word used in the Beatitudes is makarios, which matches the meaning of the Hebrew word esher. These words and their cognates are not seen as part of a prayer nor invoking a blessing. Rather they recognize an existing state of happiness or good fortune. For example: Makarios affirms a quality of spirituality that is already present. Put in concrete terms, we could say, “Blessed is the happy daughter of Mr. Jones because she will inherit the Jones’s farm.” The woman in question is already the happy daughter of Mr. Jones. She’s not working to inherit the farm. Everyone knows that a key element in her happy and secure life is that she and the community around her know that the farm will one day be hers. The first statement affirms a happy state that already exists. The second statement affirms a future that allows her even now to live a happy life. The point it conveys might best be stated as “it will be well with,” or “God’s favor is upon.” In this context, Jesus’ Beatitudes mean that it will ultimately be well with those who seek first God’s kingdom because God’s favor is upon them. The Beatitude blessings are given in the context of the kingdom having already arrived, and the recipients of these blessings already being under God’s beneficent rule. The advantages of being God’s people can be expected to accrue now in this life, even though the full consummation of their blessedness remains for the future. These blessings are for the people who will inherit the kingdom. And while it isn’t specifically stated, it is inferred that the blessings of the Beatitudes come from God. Let’s take a look at the first Beatitude. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3.) What does “poor in spirit” mean? In Jesus’ time and culture, an important strand of Jewish thought had developed a close link between poverty and piety, to where these two concepts were united in the Hebrew word anawim. In Hebrew, anayyin for “poor” and anawim for “meek/humble” were used to describe “the poor men of God, the afflicted saints.” It is of these poor/afflicted/meek that Jesus spoke when He quoted from the book of Isaiah in the Nazareth synagogue: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. (Luke 4:18–19; Isaiah 61:1.) “Poor in spirit” doesn’t refer only to material poverty, but neither does it refer only to the spiritual; rather it recalls the poor/meek/humble/afflicted of the Psalms, some of whom did experience material hardship, but who were also and primarily presented as God’s faithful people—humbly dependent on His protection. (Poor: Psalm 12:5; 34:6; 72:12; Meek/Humble: Psalm 37:7; 18:27; 25:9; 69:32; 147:6; 149:4; Afflicted: Psalm 10:17; 22:24; 82:3; 140:12.) The word translated in this verse as “poor” can also be translated as “humble,” “afflicted,” or “meek.” The poor in spirit are those who are humble, meek, dependent on God, and who recognize that He is their hope. This is reflected in verses such as: This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (Isaiah 66:2.) Thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit.” (Isaiah 57:15.) The poor in spirit are those who acknowledge their spiritual inadequacies, their sinfulness, and confess their need for God. In the context of the Sermon Jesus was preaching, the poor in spirit are those who believe in Him. The kingdom of God, living within the reign of God, is the blessing given to those who, through acknowledging their need for God, have entered into relationship with Him through Jesus. After the confrontations with the Pharisees Luke says that Jesus went up into the mountain and continued there all night. When he came down Jesus named his 12 apostles from among His disciples. The rest of Luke chapter 6 gives some of the teaching from the Sermon on the Mountain. Since Matthew gives a more detailed record of what Jesus taught that day we will now be switching over to Matthew 5-7. We will come back to Luke naming His 12 apostles later.
Text for today is Matthew 5:1-2 MAT.5:1 -- And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: MAT.5:2 -- And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, The Sermon on the Mount is one of the best known of Jesus’ teachings. While it doesn’t cover the full spectrum of His message, it provides guidance on how to live as Christians within God’s kingdom. The Sermon addresses the character of believers, describing the kind of people we are meant to be, and the attitudes of heart and spirit we are to possess. Jesus’ words are the map that shows how those who live in the reign of God and are conscious of His presence in their lives are meant to journey through this life. The Sermon (as well as the other teachings of Jesus) states that those who follow Jesus are to take on a new perspective, a different attitude and outlook, than the one they had before entering the kingdom of God. It teaches us to focus on the things which are important to God and to adjust our thinking, perspectives, goals, and worldview to be in alignment with Him and His will. This causes us to adjust our attitude toward money and possessions, worry, how we relate to and interact with others, and much more. As people who build our lives on the foundation of Jesus’ teachings, our center, our focus, the foundation of our lives, is God. And when it is, then He through His Spirit and Word changes us. As an itinerant teacher, Jesus would have sometimes taught the Sermon as a whole, sometimes in sections, and sometimes as individual points. Itinerant preachers would typically preach and teach the same things many times over in different settings. They may not preach the exact same sermon over and over, but teach portions of it depending on the time, the place, the audience, etc. We’re told that Jesus went to cities all throughout Galilee, as well as to some of the surrounding Gentile areas. His message about the arrival of the kingdom of God was His key theme, so undoubtedly He spoke of it time and again. It is likely that the points presented in the Sermon were also repeated many times over. This would make it fairly easy for His disciples to recall Jesus’ sayings later, if not word for word, at least in a manner that was conceptually accurate. It is most commonly believed that the Sermon as presented in Matthew is a summary of what Jesus taught on the occasion. It’s quite likely Jesus gave much more explanation on each of the points, and that only the main points or highlights are given in Matthew’s account. Luke’s version doesn’t include all of what is recorded in Matthew. However, much of what is in Matthew’s version is included within the Gospel of Luke, but in different places rather than in one sermon. The Sermon is important for Christians because it speaks of the transformed behavior of those who have entered the kingdom and who follow Jesus. It speaks of what the Christian’s character and conduct should look like in relation to God and our fellow human beings; of the influence we are called to be on others for good; of the righteousness we are asked to embrace in relationship to God’s law; of the devotion we are meant to have for God; of our ambition and desire to glorify God; of our relationships with others in light of our relationship with God; and of our commitment to do what Jesus taught. The Sermon teaches the principles of how our lives can truly reflect God, how His image can be seen within and through us. It tells us the means by which we can begin to live now in the manner that we will live fully in eternity. It shows us how to develop inner spiritual habits which will align our beings with God’s kingdom. We begin to live them now, and will carry on living them in the final kingdom. As we understand and apply the words of Jesus, the principles He lays out in the Sermon on the Mount (and elsewhere within the Gospels), our lives are progressively transformed. We become more Christlike, in closer alignment with God’s character, and a better reflection of His nature and attributes. In short, we live our Christianity. |
AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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