Matthew5

Jesus begins his Sermon on the Mount by proclaiming blessings upon the poor in spirit, mourners, meek, and those who hunger for righteousness, extending to the merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and the persecuted. He then charges his disciples to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the world," reflecting God's glory through their good works. Jesus clarifies his mission is to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not abolish them, demanding a righteousness that exceeds mere external observance. He proceeds to deepen the understanding of various commandments, addressing internal attitudes like anger and lust, and advocating for reconciliation, truthful speech, non-retaliation, and the radical love of enemies.

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The Setting for the Sermon

¶ And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

The Beatitudes: Kingdom Blessings

¶ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Disciples as Salt and Light

¶ 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.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

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.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Christ Fulfills the Law

¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

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.

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.

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.

The Superior Standard: Anger and Murder

¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

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.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

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.

Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

The Superior Standard: Adultery and Lust

¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

The Superior Standard: Divorce

It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

The Superior Standard: Oaths

¶ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

The Superior Standard: Non-Retaliation

¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

The Superior Standard: Loving Enemies

¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Study Notes for Matthew 5

Verse 1

This verse introduces the context for the Sermon on the Mount, the most influential discourse in Christian history. Jesus teaches his disciples and the surrounding multitudes about the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Verse 3

To be 'poor in spirit' means recognizing one's complete spiritual bankruptcy and dependence on God, which is the foundational attitude for receiving the Kingdom.

Verse 4

This refers primarily to mourning over sin and the brokenness of the world, rather than common grief, though God comforts all sorrow.

Verse 5

The 'meek' are those who submit their strength and will to God. This promise of inheriting the earth is rooted in Old Testament hope (Ps. 37:11) and relates to participating in Christ’s future reign.

Verse 6

This beatitude emphasizes an intense, spiritual longing for God's justice and moral goodness, which is satisfied by receiving righteousness through Christ.

Verse 8

Purity of heart implies sincerity and undivided devotion to God, free from duplicity. To 'see God' refers to intimate knowledge of him in this life and ultimate union in the next.

Verse 9

Peacemakers actively work to resolve conflict and restore broken relationships, thereby reflecting God's own work of reconciliation through Christ.

Verse 10

This final beatitude confirms that living according to God’s standards inevitably leads to opposition from the world, yet promises the same reward as the 'poor in spirit'.

Verse 12

The reference to persecuted prophets validates the suffering of the disciples, placing them in the honorable tradition of God's messengers throughout history.

Verse 13

Salt in the ancient world was essential for preservation and flavor. Disciples are called to maintain the moral integrity of society and enhance its spiritual life.

Verse 14

As the 'light of the world,' disciples are to reflect the true light, Jesus Christ, making God's presence and truth visible to the surrounding culture.

Verse 16

The purpose of good works is not self-glorification, but to direct the attention of observers toward God, leading them to praise the Father.

Verse 17

Jesus emphatically states that he has come not to abolish the Torah (Law) or the Prophets, but to bring their purpose to completion, revealing their true, internal spiritual demands.

Verse 18

A 'jot' (yodh) and 'tittle' (a small stroke) emphasize the divine origin and absolute permanence of God's revealed instruction until its ultimate fulfillment in the new creation.

Verse 19

This underscores the ongoing authority of the commandments and warns against teaching laxity, contrasting those who merely teach the Law with those who both practice and teach it.

Verse 20

The required 'exceeding righteousness' is internal and transformative, going beyond the meticulous but often superficial external adherence practiced by the religious leaders of the day.

Verse 21

Jesus begins the first of six antitheses, contrasting the traditional external interpretation of the Law (what 'was said') with his radical, internal interpretation ('But I say unto you').

Verse 22

Jesus elevates the sin of murder to include the internal attitude of anger and verbal contempt (*Raca* and *Thou fool*), demonstrating that sin begins in the heart.

Verse 24

Reconciliation with one's neighbor takes priority over religious ritual, demonstrating that right horizontal relationships are essential for acceptable vertical worship.

Verse 25

This analogy urges swift reconciliation, possibly referring to legal systems, but primarily emphasizing the urgency of settling conflicts before facing divine judgment.

Verse 28

Jesus internalizes the command against adultery, teaching that deliberate, cultivated lust is recognized by God as a violation of the covenant, equivalent to the physical act.

Verse 29

This is hyperbolic language stressing the absolute necessity of radical self-discipline to eliminate sources of sin, emphasizing that avoiding hell is worth any cost.

Verse 32

Jesus restricts the legitimate grounds for divorce to *porneia* (often translated as fornication or sexual immorality), reaffirming God's original intent for marriage as a lifelong covenant (Gen. 2:24).

Verse 34

The prohibition against swearing 'at all' is aimed at frivolous or manipulative oaths, especially those that evade responsibility by swearing by indirect references to God.

Verse 37

Jesus calls for simple, truthful communication. The disciple's credibility should rely on consistent character, making elaborate oaths unnecessary to guarantee honesty.

Verse 38

The principle of *lex talionis* ('an eye for an eye') was established in the Mosaic Law to limit judicial punishment and prevent excessive revenge, ensuring fairness in civil courts.

Verse 39

Jesus transforms the legal principle into a radical ethical demand for personal conduct, urging disciples to forgo personal vengeance and absorb injustice rather than retaliate.

Verse 40

This example encourages radical generosity and a willingness to suffer financial loss rather than engaging in contentious legal battles over material possessions.

Verse 41

This refers to the Roman imperial right of *angareia*, compelling service. Going 'twain' (two miles) is an act of voluntary service that disarms the oppressor through unexpected kindness.

Verse 43

The command to 'hate thine enemy' was likely an oral tradition or a misinterpretation of Jewish identity, as the Old Testament never explicitly commanded hatred of personal enemies.

Verse 44

This revolutionary command is the ethical climax, extending love, blessing, and active good to those who actively seek harm, defining the distinctiveness of Kingdom ethics.

Verse 45

Disciples demonstrate their identity as God's children by imitating his universal goodness, known as common grace, which benefits both the righteous and the unrighteous alike.

Verse 46

Loving only those who love you is merely reciprocal human behavior, not divine love. Publicans (tax collectors) were notorious for their self-serving relationships.

Verse 48

The command to be 'perfect' (Gk. *teleios*) means reaching spiritual maturity, wholeness, or completeness, specifically through demonstrating comprehensive, impartial, and universal love, mirroring the character of the Father.

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