The Gospel of matthew
“Jesus the King”
Part 2: Chapters 5-7
Bob Harding
Table of Contents
LESSON TITLE Page
Introduction To The Sermon On The Mount (5:1-2)…………………………………. 4
The Beatitudes (5:3-9)………………………………………………………………. 11
The Persecuted (5:10-12)……………………………………………………………. 48
The Power Of Influence…………………………………………………………….. 51
The Salt Of The Earth (5:13)………………………………………………………... 57
The Light Of The World (5:14-16)…………………………………………………. 66
Jesus And The Law (5:17-19)………………………………………………………. 73
The Righteousness Of The Scribes And Pharisees (5:20)…………………………... 78
Murder And Anger (5:21-22)……………………………………………………….. 82
Reconciliation Before Sacrifice; Dealing With Your Opponent (5:23-26)…………. 88
Adultery And Lust In The Heart (5:27-30)…………………………………………. 93
Divorce And Remarriage (5:31-32)…………………………………………………. 98
Vows And Oaths (5:33-37)………………………………………………………... 107
Personal Vengeance (5:38-42)…………………………………………………….. 111
Loving Our Enemies (5:43-48)……………………………………………………. 118
Charitable Deeds (6:1-4)………………………………………………………….. 123
Prayer (6:5-15)…………………………………………………………………….. 129
Fasting (6:16-18)…………………………………………………………………... 134
Choose To Serve God (6:19-24)…………………………………………………... 140
LESSON TITLE Page
The Cure For Anxiety (6:25-34)………………………………………………….. 145
The Duty To Judge Righteous Judgment (7:1-6)………………………………….. 151
The Duty To Ask, Seek, And Knock (7:7-11)…………………………………….. 157
The Duty To Practice The Golden Rule (7:12)
The Duty To Enter The Road That Leads To Life (7:13-14)……………………… 162
The Duty To Be Aware Of False Teachers (7:15-20)…………………………….. 171
The Duty To Obey (7:21-23)……………………………………………………… 175
The Duty To Build (7:24-27)……………………………………………………… 179
Matthew 5
INTRODUCTION TO SERMON ON THE MOUNT (5:1-2)
INTRODUCTION
A. The Sermon on the Mount is the supreme discourse in the literature of the world.
1. It reveals the unrivaled beauties of our Lord’s thought and style, the lofty simplicity, the freshness and perfect naturalness, the familiar and vivid illustration, the pointed and sometimes startling and paradoxical statement.
1) Its message is sweet to the heart of a child and the noblest intellects in every age have been awed by its teaching.
2) Its message even when imperfectly understood could never be forgotten.
B. Matthew’s overall purpose is to win the Jews to Christ.
1. Matthew was a Jew writing to Jewish people to convince them that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Messiah.
1) Therefore he appeals to the fulfillment of OT prophecies as proof of his claim.
2) Jesus is the fulfiller of prophecies and promises.
3) “Fulfilled” is used 15 times in Matthew.
4) Matthew contains more quotations from the OT than the other 3 gospels together.
C. Matthew paints the portrait of the KING. Jesus is the SAVIOR of the world.
1. Ch 1: The GENEALOGY of the King.
2. Ch 2: The BIRTH of the King.
3. Ch 3: The FORERUNNER of the King.
1) Mal 4:4: Leaves the people anxious for the Messiah to appear.
2) John the Baptist—Repent—New Covenant—Introduced the Messiah.
4. Ch 4: The VICTORIOUS BATTLES of the King.
5. 4:23: Christ is introduced as a King “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.”
6. Ch 5: The LAWS of the King.
1) This sermon was delivered in the 2nd year of the Lord’s public preaching.
2) It was at the height of His popularity (Luke 6:12-49).
D. This sermon lies at the heart of the KING’S message.
1. If we fail to understand this teaching, we fail to understand the King.
1) The Sermon on the Mount is the transcript of the King’s mind and spirit.
1: “And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on (into a) the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.”
1. The crowds (4:25) present an opportunity Christ cannot pass up.
1) He goes up on a mountain—not to escape the crowds, but to find a vantage point from which to teach them.
2. By sitting to teach (23:2), Jesus assumed the position typically taken by rabbis when they taught in the synagogue.
1) Disciples (mathetes)=learner, pupil—included those mentioned in 4:18-22 (10:1), as well as a larger group following Jesus at that time (7:28).
2: “And opening His mouth”
1. This phrase is an idiomatic formula used throughout Scripture to introduce a solemn or definitive pronouncement (Job 3:1; Acts 8:35; 10:34).
1) Gal 4:4: Jesus prepared for 18 years and waited for the right time.
2) Jesus spent more time in preparation than in actual teaching and work.
“He began to teach (and taught) them, saying”
1. Taught (edidasken) is an imperfect that indicates continuous action (repeated action in past time).
1) Jesus repeatedly and habitually taught His disciples.
2. Christ begins the sermon by laying down the charter of His kingdom.
1) 3-12: He speaks in the 3rd person to identify 8 qualities that are to characterize His people.
3. Another way to look at it—7 distinct features of character.
1) The 8th—“persecuted for the sake of righteousness”—denotes merely the possessors of the 7 preceding features, on account of which it is that they are persecuted.
2) It is merely a repetition of the 1st promise.
3) Perhaps the sevenfold character is intended to denote the complete character and blessedness attached to them.
4. There are 7 or 8 attitudes that God expects each person to possess.
1) These are not 7 (8) different types of people but characteristics that are to reside in one person.
2) Underscored here is the fact that BLESSING DEPENDS ON BEING.
3) The kingdom, first and foremost, has to do with WHAT WE ARE.
4) One must possess all these qualities to enter and live in the kingdom.
5) If we lack any one of these qualities—WE LACK VITALITY!
5. In the first half of each verse Jesus identifies a quality of character.
1) In the second half, He identifies the blessing that accompanies it.
2) These are the blessings encompassed within the Abrahamic promise (1:1).
6. Divine blessing is not unconditional.
1) For God to bless we must be blessable.
2) And to be blessable we must have all the qualities described here.
7. The whole Sermon on the Mount was familiar words to the Jews but they corrupted them.
1) JESUS IS A JEWISH PROPHET TEACHING JEWS.
2) The “gospel of the kingdom” answers the questions naturally raised by announcing the kingdom’s imminent coming (3:1; 4:17).
3) It explains Jesus’ open conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees.
8. Matt 13:51-52: Not all new laws in the New Covenant.
1) Question: Is Jesus drawing a contrast between the Law of Moses and the law of Christ? No.
2) Or, is Jesus contrasting the Law of Moses with what the Jews thought the law taught? (What they made the law to say?). (Yes--I believe this)
3) The answer is important: Has a wide range of consequences.
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, THE LAW OF MOSES (OT),
AND THE NEW COVENANT (NT)
Matthew 5
3-9: THE BEATTITUDES
1. Jesus is teaching what Moses taught.
1) The Jews got away from the Law of Moses and they need to get back to it.
3: “poor in spirit”
OT: Isa 57:15; 66:2; Prov 29:23
JESUS TO JEWS: Luke 6:48; 18:9-14; 22:24-30; John 7:48; 13:6-12
NT: Rom 12:3; Jas 4:6, 10; 1 Pet 5:5
4: “mourn”
OT: 2 Chron 7:14; Ps 38:18; 51:4; Joel 2:12-13
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 26:75; Luke 6:25; 18:13
NT: Acts 2:37; 8:22-24; 8:39; 9:6, 18-19; 16:34; 2 Cor 7:10
5: “gentle (meek)”
OT: Ps 37:11, 22, 29, 34; 149:4; Ezek 2:3
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 23
NT: Eph 4:1-2; 5:21; Col 3:12-13; 2 Tim 2:25; Jas 1:21; 1 Pet 5:5
* Although no land promise in NT – Fulfilled in OT: Josh 21:43-45
6: “hunger and thirst”
OT: 2 Chron 15:15; Ps 42:1; 63:1; Amos 8:11
JESUS TO JEWS: Luke 18:9
NT: Acts 17:11; 1 Cor 9:24; Phil 3:13-14
7: “merciful”
OT: 2 Sam 22:26; Ps 18:25; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:8
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 9:13; 23:23-24; 25:41-46: Luke 10:30-37
NT: Rom 15:1; Eph 4:32; 1 Thes 5:14
8: “pure in heart”
OT: Ps 24:3-4; 73:1; Prov 4:23; Isa 29:13
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 23:25, 27-28
NT: 2 Cor 7:1; 1 Tim 1:5; 1 Pet 1:22
9: “peacemakers”
OT: Prov 12:20
JESUS TO JEWS: Mark 9:50
NT: Rom 14:19; Heb 12:14; Jas 3:18
10-12: PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING
OT: Est 3:13; Dan 3:20; Job; Heb 11:32-40
JESUS TO JEWS: John 15:18
NT: Acts 5:41; 17:11, 13; 1 Thes 2:15-16; 2 Tim 3:12; Phil 1:28-29; 1 Pet 1:6-7; Heb 11; Rev 2:10
* Some were persecuted for keeping the Law of Moses (Acts 7:51).
13-16: “salt” and “light”
OT: Deut 4:5-6; Isa 43:10; Ezek 5:5-9; Mal 3:12
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 5:13-16; 18:6-7
NT: Phil 2:15; 1 Tim 4:12; Tit 2:7
* God expected the Jews to be salt and light.
* We can read in the New Covenant that Christians are to be salt and light also.
17-20: JESUS IS TELLING JEWS ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE LAW OF MOSES
OT: Deut 4:2; Prov 30:6
NT: Rom 7:4-6; Gal 5:18
21-26: “anger” – “hate” – “murder”
OT: Gen 4:4-7 (before the Law of Moses); Lev 19:17; Isa 1:11-17
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 7:12; 19:10-13; Mark 12:32
NT: Rom 13:9; Eph 4:26; 1 John 3:15
* Jesus tells Jews some things that only applied to Jews.
27-30: “lust” – “adultery”
OT: Ex 20:17; Deut 5:21; Prov 12:2; 15:26; 24:9
NT: Gal 5:16-21, 24; Col 3:5-6; Heb 13:4
31-32: ADULTERY AND BILL OF DIVORCEMENT
OT: Deut 24:1-4
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 19:3-9
NT: 1 Cor 7:10-11
* Jesus is contrasting the Law of Moses with Jewish tradition.
* He is re-enforcing Moses’ teaching.
* Every verse, phrase and word in the Sermon on the Mount was taught in the Law of Moses.
33-37: OATHS
OT: Deut 6:13; 10:10
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 23:16-22
NT: Rom 1:9; 2 Cor 1:23; Gal 1:20; Phil 1:8; 1 Thes 5:27; Jas 5:12; Heb 6:16
38-42: VENGEANCE
OT: Ex 21:24-25; Lev 19:18; Deut 19:21
NT: Rom 12:19; 1 Pet 2:12-13
43-48: “love your enemies”
OT: Ex 23:4-6; Lev 19:18; Prov 25:21
NT: Rom 12:20
Matthew 6
1-18: HYPOCRISY
OT: Ps 24:3-4; Prov 4:23; Isa 29:13
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 23:25; 27:28; John 5:44; 12:43
NT: Gal 1:10
19-34: IMPROPER PHYSICAL PRIORITIES
OT: Deut 28:2-12
NT: Phil 4:6-7, 19; Heb 13:5-6
Matthew 7
1-5: HYPOCRITICAL JUDGMENT
OT: Lev 19:15; Isa 11:3; Zech 7:9
JESUS TO JEWS: John 7:24
NT: 1 Cor 5:9-13; 1 Tim 5:19-20
6-12: BENEVOLENCE
OT: Deut 15:7-12; Prov 28:27
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 9:13; 23:23-24; 25:41-46
NT: Eph 4:28; Jas 1:27
13-14: TWO WAYS
OT: Deut 30:19-20
NT: Rom 6:15-23
15-20: FALSE TEACHERS
OT: Deut 13:5; 18:22
JESUS TO JEWS: Matt 15:13-14; 24:4-5, 11
NT: Rom 16:17; Acts 20:29-31; 2 Cor 11:13-15; Gal 1:6-9; 5:7-12; Eph 5:11; Phil 3:2; Col 2:8-23; 2 Thes 2:2-12; 1 Tim 4:1-4; Tit 1:10-11; 3:10; 2 Pet 2-3; Jude; Rev 2:14-15
21-23: FAITH IN CHRIST
OT: In promise – Deut 18:16; 30:30
JESUS TO JEWS: Luke 6;36; John 5:36; 8:24
NT: Mark 16:16; Acts 3:23
IF JESUS IS TEACHING THE LAW IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, WHAT CAN I LEARN FROM IT?
* The answer will effect the way you look at the teaching of Jesus and effect the way you look at the New Covenant.
1. Increase greatly your respect for the Law of Moses.
1. Being under the law of Christ—helps us to have a healthy respect for the Law.
2. Keep us from misunderstanding the teaching of Christ.
1. The Sermon on the Mount records some of the most fundamental teaching Christ ever taught.
2. It contains the very foundation of the gospel.
3. Keep us from misapplying the teaching of Christ.
1. Sabbatarians use passages that were directed only to the Jews of the OT.
2. Thief on the cross—Jesus didn’t tell him what to do to become a Christian but was restoring a Jew under the Law of Moses.
3. Luke 13:3: This passage is taken out of context by using it for one to repent in order to become a Christian.
4. John 3:3-5: Jesus tells Jews to listen to John and be baptized.
4. Helps us to live as Christians on an everyday basis—for this reason:
1. If Jesus is teaching OT teaching to Jews and the vast majority of it is found in the NT—then the Law was a law that Jews could keep (could live by it).
2. Beginning of covenant with Jews—“Be My people.”
1) Jews: “We will do it” (keep covenant).
2) God: “You can do it” (not too hard, not too difficult to understand).
3. Therefore we can live it in the New Covenant.
4. Many say, “The Sermon on the Mount is noble, so much so, that no one could live by it.” (Can’t use it as an everyday code of ethics).
1) If you have that idea—this study is for you!
2) Following Christ is not something we do as merely a formal religious service when we assemble, but it is something to live by so we will be happy!
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
“BLESSED” (5:3)
INTRODUCTION
A. The word “beatitude” is from the Latin beatus, meaning happy or blessed.
1. The reason for its use is to designate the moral and spiritual virtues taught by Christ that begin with the word “blessed.”
1) In the Bible there are actually a full 100 beatitudes, or statements that begin with the word “blessed” (Ps 1:1; Rev 22:14).
2) Furthermore, the word “blessed” or “blessing”, or some similar word occurs 600 times in the Bible.
3) The Bible is indeed a book of beatitudes—the heart of them being the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount.
4) 9 times, in close succession, and as the first word in each phrase, Christ sounds a major element of His rule by the word “blessed.”
I. BRIEF STUDY OF THE WORD “BLESSED”
A. The word “blessed” in the Beatitudes is translated from the Greek makarios, which in its older form was makar.
1. In its original meaning this term described the blessed, happy state of the gods, as opposed to the state of mortal man.
1) To the early Greeks only the gods were truly hoi makarioi, the Blessed Ones.
2) A later use of the word was to describe the state of the blessed dead, those who dwell on the makaron nesoi, the islands of the blessed, the place where the souls of men were beyond the reach of pain, sorrow, hunger, and distress.
3) The word was also applied to men who are supremely blest, fortunate, prosperous, and wealthy in this world.
B. In the NT “makarios” is used to describe the state of spiritual and moral prosperity and blessedness, the highest possible happiness that men can enjoy in this world. The same word is used in the following verses.
1. Those who have the attributes described by the Beatitudes are truly blessed, or happy, because their lives are truly committed to the One who is supremely blessed.