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24HourForums.com > The Top 10 Supported Forums > The Christian's Straight and Narrow Path > Bible Study > BibleStudy: Matthew Ch 5 |
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DesertRat Forum-Blogger© Pioneer100© Member 
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MATTHEW CH 5 The Beatitudes
The first sixteen verses of Matthew 5 describe the true Christian and deal with character. The rest of the Sermon on the Mount deals with conduct that grows out of character. Character always comes before conduct, because what we are determines what we do. In Matt. 5:1–16, Jesus shows us that true righteousness is inward, and in 5:17–48, He points out that sin is also inward. Thus, He exposed the false righteousness of the Pharisees, who taught that holiness consisted in religious actions, and that sin was what you did outwardly. How many people make these mistakes today! God looks upon the heart, for there is life’s destiny decided. I. The Beatitudes Collectively (5:1–12) The word beatitude is not found in your Bible. It simply means blessing and comes from the Latin word for blessed. There is definite progression in these verses. They show how the person begins with his or her own sense of sin and finally becomes a child of God and the results that then follow. Note that these verses deal with attitudes—what we think in our hearts, our outlook on life. “Beatitudes”—the attitudes that ought to be in our lives if we are true Christians. A. “Poor in spirit” (v. 3). Our attitude toward ourselves in which we feel our need and admit it. B. “Mourn” (v. 4). Our attitude toward sin, a true sorrow for sin. C. “Meek” (v. 5). Our attitude toward others; we are teachable; we do not defend ourselves when we are wrong. D. “Hunger and thirst” (v. 6). Here our attitude toward God is expressed; we receive His righteousness by faith because we ask for it. The rest of the Beatitudes show the results of the new life in the believer: E. “Merciful” (v. 7). We have a forgiving spirit and love others. F. “Pure in heart” (v. 8). We keep our lives clean; holiness is happiness to us, and we want no substitutes. G. “Peacemakers” (v. 9). Christians should bring peace, between people and God and between those who are at odds with each other. We share the Gospel of peace. H. “Persecuted” (v. 10). All who live godly lives will suffer persecution. II. The Beatitudes Individually (5:1–12) A. “Poor in spirit” (v. 3). We must be empty before we can be full. The opposite of this is self-sufficiency. Our sufficiency is not of ourselves (2 Cor. 3:5). The world promotes self-sufficiency, yet God dwells with the person whose heart is broken (Isa. 57:15). This does not mean false humility or cowardice; it means a proper attitude toward self, realizing how weak and sinful we are apart from Christ. Compare the two men in Luke 18:9–14. B. “Mourn” (v. 4). This is sincere sorrow for sin, our sin and the sins of others. How careless we are about sin! We excuse it, yet God hates it, and sin breaks God’s heart. Beware of the sorrow of this world (2 Cor. 7:8–10). Peter mourned with godly sorrow and was forgiven; Judas had remorse—the sorrow of this world—and he took his life. C. “Meek” (v. 5). Meekness is not weakness! Jesus was meek (Matt. 11:29), yet He drove the changers from the temple. Moses was meek (Num. 12:3), yet he judged sinners and even faced Aaron with his sin. Meekness means not asserting my own rights, but living for the glory of God. Christians are to show meekness (Eph. 4:1–2; Titus 3:2). We are prone to be self-willed. D. “Hunger and thirst” (v. 6). A true Christian has an appetite for spiritual things. Ask people what they desire and you will know what they are like. E. “Merciful” (v. 7). This is not legalism, but merely the working of the biblical principle of sowing and reaping. If we show mercy, because Christ has been merciful to us, then mercy will come back to us (see Luke 16:1–13; James 2:13; Prov. 11:17). We do not earn mercy, but we must have hearts prepared to receive it. F. “Pure in heart” (v. 8). Not sinlessness (1 John 1:8) but the truth within (Ps. 51:6). It means a single heart, not divided between God and the world. G. “Peacemakers” (v. 9). Titus 3:3 describes this world at war. Christians have the Gospel of peace on their feet (Eph. 6:15), so that wherever they go, they bring peace. This is not “peace at any price,” for holiness is more important than a peace based on sin (see James 3:17; Heb. 12:14). Compromise is not peace, but Christians should not be contentious as they contend for the faith. H. “Persecuted” (v. 10). See 2 Tim. 3:12 and 1 Peter 4:15. Note that we should be accused “falsely.” We should never be guilty of deliberately asking for persecution. If we live godly lives, suffering will come! Note the rewards: we are in the same company as Christ and the prophets, and we shall be rewarded in heaven. III. Salt and Light (5:13–16) There are two pictures of the Christian in closing: salt and the light. Salt speaks of inward character that influences a decaying world; light speaks of the outward testimony of good works that points to God. Our task is to keep our lives pure that we might “salt” this earth and hold back corruption so that the Gospel can get out. Our good works must accompany our dedicated lives as we let our lights shine. IV. The Old and the New (5:17–48) Having declared the meaning of true righteousness, the Lord then explained the meaning of sin. He pointed out that He was not abandoning or nullifying the law but fulfilling it. The OT law dealt only with outward actions; but in the kingdom, we must beware of sinful inward attitudes. Jesus fulfilled the law in His life, for nobody could accuse Him of sin; and He fulfilled it in His death and resurrection. God’s people do not obey Him because of outward constraint but because of an inward life, the power of the Spirit of God. While the Holy Spirit is not mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount, it is clear that we cannot practice what Jesus teaches here apart from the Spirit’s help (Rom. 8:1–13). Jesus deals with several sins and explains how we must overcome them. A. Anger (vv. 21–26). The law said, “You shalt not kill [murder]” (Ex. 20:13, NKJV); but Jesus said, “Don’tbe angry with others.” Anger is like murder in the heart and it can lead to evil words and actual murder. “The judgment” refers to a local court and “the council” to the Jewish Sanhedrin, the highest court of the land. Don’twait for your angry brother or sister to take the first step; you do it, and do it quickly before things get worse! B. Lust (vv. 27–32). While actual adultery is far worse than inward lustful fantasies, the inner desires can quickly lead to this forbidden sin (Ex. 20:14). We must deal ruthlessly with ourselves and not encourage the imagination to “feed on” these sins. The eyes and the hands (seeing and touching) must be kept under control. For Christ’s teachings on marriage and divorce, see Matt. 19:1–11. C. Deception (vv. 33–37). For the law of Moses, see Lev. 19:12 and Deut. 23:23. The Jewish legal experts had many ways to get around the law and break oaths, so that a person’s promises might mean nothing. Jesus does not forbid us to take a legal oath, but He warns us to speak the truth and not embellish our conversation with oaths that are supposed to strengthen our words. Have such integrity that people will believe what you say. D. Retaliation (vv. 38–48). The law of Moses (Lev. 24:19–24) prevented offended people from taking the law into their own hands and seeking private revenge against an enemy. It also kept magistrates from issuing exorbitant sentences that did not fit the offenses. But Jesus asks His people to suffer rather than cause others to suffer (1 Cor. 6:1–8). Keep in mind that this has to do with private offenses; the courts must still deal with people who break the law and must be punished accordingly. Christians may sacrifice and suffer as the Lord leads them, but they have no right to ask others to join them. Verse 42 does not command us to give to everybody who asks whatever they desire, for in so doing we might do them harm. We must give them what they need the most and not what they want the most. Leviticus 19:17–18 deals with the treatment of enemies, and see Ex. 23:4–5. Nowhere does the law command people to hate their enemies. Jesus advised us to pray for them and do them good, just as the Father does to us. If we treat our enemies as they treat us, we are stooping to their low level. Nor should we be satisfied to do what the average Christian does. “What do you more than others?” We must go higher and imitate the Heavenly Father. The word “perfect” in v. 48 points the way to maturity of character, the kind of qualities described in 2 Peter 1 and Gal. 5:22–23. [1] Question: “If we truly adopt Jesus’ values as expressed in the Beatitudes, what other kinds of changes can we expect to see in our lives?”
[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1997, c1992). Wiersbe's expository outlines on the New Testament (27). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
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merrymom Guardian1000© Member
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good post!
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sirlamre Pioneer100© Member Official Forum Troublemaker
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"Nowhere does the law command people to hate their enemies. Jesus advised us to pray for them and do them good, just as the Father does to us. If we treat our enemies as they treat us, we are stooping to their low level. Nor should we be satisfied to do what the average Christian does. “What do you more than others?” We must go higher and imitate the Heavenly Father. The word “perfect” in v. 48 points the way to maturity of character, the kind of qualities described in 2 Peter 1 and Gal. 5:22–23." History would have been very different if the Christian Crusading knights and monks and ecclesiastical leadership had espoused these values instead of sacking the Christian city of Constantinople in 1204, based upon the sermons of the Latin bishops of Christendom. http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/1204.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Crusade Much might have been different in Christian and Western history if this violation of Christ's very laws had not occured.
 Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world's afflictions can in no wise alarm me. |
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JustifiedByFaith Pioneer100© Member  Without Jesus we fall short...
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DesertRat wrote:
"I can do all things through Chrsit who strenghens me." It is virtually impossible for me in the flesh to adopt such values hence my need for the Holy Spirit to work such miracles of virtue within me.
Jesus said, "Take heed that no one deceives you." Matthew 24:4 |
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sirlamre Pioneer100© Member Official Forum Troublemaker
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JustifiedByFaith wrote: DesertRat wrote: Except that as in the 'steps in the sand' story -- YOU must be taking the first steps of intent and will to change, and not sitting back doing nothing and waiting around for the Holy Spirit to perform that miracle. It's true that you ALL by yourself are not going to be able to change. But neither is God going to intervene unless YOU (and all the rest of us) show the initiative to Him that we care enough for His teachings to want to REALLY try to make them a part of ourselves and begin that transformation that only the Holy Spirit can fully complete. The beginning is with us --- the completing of the task is with our humble reliance upon God. God can and will wait forever for us to get off our duffs and stop waiting for miracles to happen to us --- and He is quietly sorrowfully waiting for us to BE the first part of the miracle and take action ourselves!
Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world's afflictions can in no wise alarm me. |
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