Jesus begins the Sermon with the Beatitudes. We refer to them as the "Beatitudes", which we get from the Latin word, "beatus", which means "blessed, happy". Each Beatitude begins with a description of who is blessed, followed by their reward. Here, "blessed" refers to those who have the approval of God.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:2-12)
The descriptions given in the Beatitudes of those who are blessed are very different from many in our culture today. Jesus refers to those who will inherit the earth are the meek. Today, humility is an afterthought. We are a culture that puffs our chests up in pride. Jesus says those who will be satisfied are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Yet in our culture, immorality and death is celebrated. Jesus says those who will receive mercy are the ones who show mercy. Yet, today we live in a culture that will do whatever it takes, regardless of who is hurts, to get to the top. Jesus teaches towards the end of the Beatitudes that there will be persecution for those who follow Him. Yet, Jesus calls believers to be active in the world, regardless of persecution.
“You are the salt of the earth, but
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.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16)
The purpose of salt is to act as a preservative. By calling followers to be the salt of the earth, Jesus expects believers to influence the world for good. Light runs out darkness. Followers of Christ are to be light in a world of darkness.
In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus speaks about the importance of the Old Testament by declaring He came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17)
When He speaks of "The Law or the Prophets", He is referring to the Old Testament as a whole. By not abolishing the Law, Jesus does not change the Law, but the Law is accomplished by His totally obedient life. By fulfilling the Law, Jesus is bringing the Old Testament to completion in Him. The Law points forward to Christ.
Jesus gives us six examples in Matthew 5:21:48 on righteousness and morality. Teachings of the Law by scribes and Pharisees focused on outward behavior, where here, Jesus exposes what is in the heart. These are issues that every person has struggles with at one time or another, thus pointing to our need for Christ. The six exampled Jesus gives are:
- Anger: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother 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." (Matthew 5:21-22)
- Jesus says that if you have anger in your heard towards another, you have essentially committed murder.
- Lust: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)
- Jesus says that if you look at another with lust in your heart, you have committed adultery in the heart.
- Divorce: “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32)
- Jesus teaches that there is a provision for divorce for unfaithfulness, but reconciliation is preferable. However for any other lesser reason, a man who divorces his wife becomes guilty of adultery when he remarries, and forces the woman into adultery if she remarries.
- Oaths: “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King." (Matthew 5:33-35)
- Jesus is addressing a specific form of legalism that required a certain oath to make words binding. This would imply that we don't need to be truthful unless under oath.
- Retaliation: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matthew 5:38-39)
- Jesus speaks of individual retaliation. He doesn't speak about retaliation by governments against criminal offenses or military aggression, but in context, "do not seek restitution in Court."
- Love Your Enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." (Matthew 5:43-44)
- Hating your enemy was not found in the Old Testament, but was found in some teachings based on an understanding that "neighbor" would only be a fellow Jew. However, Jesus teaches that the reference to neighbor found in Leviticus 19:18 is anyone that come into contact.
Beginning in chapter six, Jesus gives us several different ways in which people might express their faith, but do so hypocritically. As in all things, these things should be done as an act of submission to God.
- Giving to the needy: “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6:2)
- Jesus calls us to provide for the needy. However, those that do so to have the praise of their peers are not doing so out of the love for God. It is best to give silently and with a gracious heart.
- The Lord's Prayer: “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:5-6)
- Jesus teaches here that God is not impressed with our vocabulary and the number of words used. He does call us to come to Him with our request and to continuously speak to Him.
- "Pray then like this:'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 also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (Matthew 6:9-13)
- Fasting: “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6:16)
- Jesus speaks of fasting, but to do so in private. Anointing one's head was a daily routine of the time, except when fasting. By not anointing yourself, it could appear that you are more righteous by fasting.
Continuing in the Sermon, Jesus speaks about our attitude toward treasures in Heaven and possessions in life in Matthew 6:19-24:
“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. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Jesus says that the things we value most in life is where you will find the focus of our hearts. If we are focused on job mobility and careers, that is where we will find the focus of our hearts. But if we are focused on our love for God, and serving and glorifying Him, then that is where our hearts will be found. In speaking of the eye being the lamp of the body, Jesus is stressing that the things we focus on, or the things we look at will reveal the desires of our hearts. If the desires of our heart is darkness, then as Jesus said, "how great is the darkness!"
Jesus goes on to speak about anxiety and how it relates to our faith. He gives many examples, including:
"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" (Matthew 6:26-27)
Jesus
declares that we are of more value than the birds, yet God takes care
of them. By being anxious adds nothing to our lives. God knows our needs
and to worry is inconsistent with understanding God is sovereign over
all. Worrying about things doubts God's sovereignty.
Many will point to Matthew 7:1 (“Judge not, that you be not judged."), as proof that we are never to judge others, under any circumstance. However, this argument is usually wrongly applied and taken out of context. It is either a lack of Biblical understanding, or just an attempt to not be confronted with their own sins. Jesus goes on to explain that judging to differentiate between good and bad, belief and unbelief is approved. The judging that Jesus forbids is the kind that condemns others and does not practice forgiveness. Jesus commands that we must first look inside our own hearts so that we can see clearly to "take the speck out of your brothers eye."
Continuing in verse six, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." Jesus states that we must judge others to determine what is holy and who are dogs. This requires a form of judgment.
Jesus teaches us about the character of God:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11)
Jesus says that God will provide for our needs. He uses the example of a son asking for bread, but a father giving him a stone. He clearly says that no father would do that. Even if we are all evil, as Jesus says here, we would still provide for our children. If we are evil and would do this, how much will God provide for us, who is totally good?
Christ speaks about two ways to live: the wide gate and the narrow gate:
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13-14)
The wide gate is easy and does not cost anything of the person to follow. Many follow this path and it ultimately ends in destruction. The narrow path, however, is hard and it will cost you everything. You will deny yourself and few follow it. This path will lead to eternal life.
Jesus warns of false prophets in verse 15:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
Jesus gives clear ways of how you will know them. He says you will know them by their fruit. He uses the analogy of a tree. A good tree will produce good fruit. A bad tree, however, will produce bad fruit. Do their lives produce good fruit? If they do not, then they are likely wolves in sheep's clothing.
Christ indicates that not everyone who claims His name will enter into the kingdom of heaven:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
He says only those who have done the will of the Father will enter into the kingdom of heaven. This is not to imply that works will be rewarded with entering into the kingdom of heaven, rather, doing the will of the Father is indicative of the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. This is the proof they know God and God knows them. Those who claim that they did many works of the Father, but did not truly love God, will hear the most terrifying words ever:
"I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
Jesus concludes his message by saying that those who hear his words and obey will be like a wise man who builds his house on rock. Those that do not listen are fools who build their house on sand. While that house may stand for a while, and may appear to be strong, once the storm hits, or judgment, the house is destroyed.
I can only imagine what the reaction of the crowd was following His message. It was radical, especially at that time where legalism was dominant. Scripture tells us that the crowds were astonished and they recognized that these teachings did not come from a normal teacher, but rather from someone with authority.
For the full text of the Sermon on the Mount (ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205-7&version=ESV
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