MATTHEW CHAPTER 5: CHRIST'S DISCIPLES AND HIS MORAL LAW

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A. The Beatitudes, (1-12)

1. Introductory statements, (1,2), [Lk. 6:17-20a] The contrast between Lk. 6:17 and Mt. 5:1 has led many to believe that this was two different occasions where Christ delivered the same sermon. However, their parallel content allows us to study the passages together. From Mt. 5:1 we find the style chosen by Jesus to deliver this sermon: sitting and speaking. This was in keeping with the style of the Jewish teachers, refraining from oratorical tricks and relying on the truth contained in the words spoken. "In all of God's dealings with man He has never influenced him in his moral or spiritual conduct except by the use of words, either written or spoken..." (E.M. Zerr, Bible Commentary , Vol. 5 p.13).

2. Promises to the subjects of the Messiah, blessings:, (3-12), [Lk. 6:20b-23]
These verses are called the "beatitudes" from the Latin word (blessed). However, for us to understand the true meaning, it would help to think of the word as "happy" or "in complete bliss." Please note that most of the beatitudes reverse the world's view on the subject at hand. Refer to SOTM chart 1: The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:3-10 . (Richards, p. 541)

The beatitudes can be divided into two major divisions : the first seven beatitudes are of a spiritual nature, while the last two refer to external circumstances. Because a man possesses any one of these characteristics, does not necessarily put him in a right relationship with God. Jesus is looking for the man who would possess all of the characteristics, therefore qualifying him to receive all of the blessings, all of which are promised to those who inherit eternal life.
In his two volume work, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones suggests five general lessons that can be drawn from the Beatitudes: (SOTM-chart 2)

a. our attitude toward ourselves: the poor in spirit, (3) those that realize their spiritual destitution, but hope for improvement . They have a complete absence of pride, self reliance and self- assurance. The kingdom is their's because they seek it, and once they find it, will accept it and will live in it. This attitude is contrary to the pride of the Pharisees.

b. our attitude toward our sins, (4-6):

(1). them that mourn, (4) not all that mourn, "for the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor. 7:10) but those that mourn in reference to their sins. This conviction for their sins necessarily precedes their initial conversion, as well as their subsequent repentance. Not only will they mourn their own sins, but also the sins of their brethren, their neighbors, and the world. Their comfort will come from the provisions made for their pardon. The cycle continues: a man sins, he mourns, he repents and returns to Christ, he is comforted now and ultimately through the hope of eternal salvation.
(2). the meek, (5) as opposed to the arrogant, the able, the self-assured, and the aggressive. The essential quality of true meekness is possessed by a man "who is amazed that God and man can think of him as well as they do and treat him as well as they do," (Lloyd-Jones, p. 69). The meek one is ready to listen and ready to learn.They will inherit the earth in two ways: they will enjoy it more while in it because they will be satisfied with what they have, and as members of the church both here on earth and in the after awhile they will be amazed at what they have! ( 2 Pet. 3:13)
(3). those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, (6) these are those that are not only hungry for spiritual food, but are willing to partake of it. Only Christianity provides such a promise (Rom. 8:3,4; Heb. 7:11,19,25). Righteousness here means "a pattern of life in conformity to God's will." (Carson, p.22) There is a sense in which we can become satisfied (filled) with Jesus and all that He provides. Jesus teaches a similar lesson elsewhere (Jn. 4:14; 6:35). However, in coming to know Christ, we will want to know Him even better. Compare Paul's thoughts concerning his own knowledge of Christ (2 Tim. 1:12; Phil. 3:10). See SOTM chart 3:Tests of hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

c. our attitude toward the Lord:, (7-9)

(1). the merciful, (7) with reference to those willing to forgive the trespasses of others. ("The forgiving will be forgiven," will be discussed in Mt. 6:14,15). While grace answers the undeserving, mercy answers the miserable. To show mercy, we must be compassionate, helpful, and gentle towards the miserable and wretched. Christians are required to forgive others because Christ has already forgiven them. The realization that constant forgiving from God is needed, makes one aware that he must constantly forgive. Characteristics that do not befit the merciful are: superciliousness, hard-nosed, callous, and impatient.
(2). the pure in heart, (8) a heart not mixed with the evil desires and purposes of a sinful world (1 Jn. 3:2,3). The Biblical "heart" consists of the entire mind, it is the center of man's being and personality; and is made up of three components: the intellect, the emotions, and the will. It is this "mind" that the follower of Christ must purify. Why? "The Christian purifies himself now, because pure is what he will ultimately be. His present efforts are consistent with his future hope." (Carson, p.25) The importance of having a pure heart can be seen in the fact that all of man's troubles come from his heart. (Jesus Mt.15:19f., see also Jer. 17:9.)
Purity in the NT has two meanings: without hypocrisy and without defilement (Rev.21:27; 22:14). Purity demands holiness (Heb. 12:14). How can our hearts become pure? Through the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word. On our part, we must draw near to God (Jms. 4:8). The blessedness here comes from a part of the eternal hope seeing God. How we shall see God is unclear in the scriptures, but the guarantee remains for the pure in heart.
(3). the peacemakers, (9) every scriptural effort must be made to be at peace with one another and the world (Jms. 3:17; Rom. 12:18). Beyond that, we must be the ones to make peace. How can we make peace? Sharing the gospel is one way, but the context of the passage does not restrict peacemaking to gospel peacemaking. A scriptural peacemaker is not an easy going, "peace at all costs," "anything to avoid trouble" person. Instead, he is one who actively strives for peace and its maintenance. He seeks peace between man and man, nation and nation, but most importantly: man and God. The first step to becoming a peacemaker is knowing when to remain silent, (Jms. 1:19). The second step involves viewing every situation that arises in light of the gospel. Next, the peacemaker will take the initiative in mending relationships, he will make the first move to restore unity. Finally, the peacemaker is lovable, selfless and , approachable. These are God's children because they seek to do God's supreme purpose (Lk. 2:14). The word "children" is more specifically translated, "sons," (NKJ). The significance of "sons" is that it designates character as much as it does family relations. The true character of the "sons of God" is to be seen in the ultimate peacemaker Jesus Christ, (Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:14).

d. our attitude toward the world:, (10-12) [20b-23]

(1). those that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, (10) Who are these persecutors? More often than not they are from among those claiming to be Christians, even those within the One True Church. The persecutor believes that some wrong has been committed. When this supposed wrong is really righteousness, then the persecution (harassment, trouble, or molestation, according to Thayer ) is for righteousness' sake. Does this persecution come because one is good or noble? Generally, no, it comes because they are different. It is this righteous difference that makes people examine themselves and find themselves lacking. Because they refuse to meet the Godly Standard, they look to find fault with those that do. This persecution can take the form of rigorous physical persecution, but it also includes ridicule by relatives, "friends," neighbors and brethren.Those persecuted in this way possess the Kingdom of Heaven, because righteousness is a requirement for entry into the Kingdom. If a person never experiences any persecution for their beliefs, then what righteousness is being displayed in their lives? True conformity to God's discipline, will by necessity cause persecution, (Jn. 15:18-20; Phil. 1:29; 2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Thess. 3:3f).
(2). the poor, the hungry and, those that weep, [20b - 21] These beatitudes repeated by Luke continue to reflect the trying conditions that true disciples will find themselves under from time to time. They are meant to strengthen and encourage those that tolerate earthly persecutions. Complete and eternal satisfaction can be found only in Christ (Mk. 10:28-30).
(3). those hated by men, (11), [22] The world will hate the Kingdom of God. Since the disciples of Christ represent the Kingdom on earth, the world will hate the disciples. Let's review the characteristics of a Christian that puts him in direct opposition to the world: he is unlike everybody who is not a Christian, not slightly different , but essentially different; his life is controlled and dominated by Jesus Christ, we live for Christ's sake; and the Christian's life is further controlled by thoughts of the heavenly home to come. Three important points are proven by verses 11 and 12 (which are an expansion of verse 10): First, Persecution is not limited to physical opposition and torture, but also includes spoken or written insults. Second, true righteousness of life is found by imitating Jesus. Third, we are commanded to rejoice and be glad under persecution because the reward is great. (Carson, pp. 28,29.)
(4). those that rejoice in that day, (12), [23] The rejoicing is not because of the persecution in and of itself, but because it is for Christ's sake and it aligns the "victim" with Christ. The righteous will rejoice under persecution for two additional reasons: the reward in heaven is great, and it puts the disciple in companionship with the heroic prophets of old (2 Cor. 4:17,18). How then are the righteous not to react to persecution? They must not retaliate, feel resentful, nor become depressed.
3. Promises to the subjects of the Messiah, [Lk. 6:24-26] these four woes stand in direct contrast to the beatitudes related by Luke. They are expressions of lament and warning. Woe to:

a. the rich, [24] Those that trust in this world and its possessions and wealth are deceived by their influence. These people are in the opposite condition of the spiritually poor (1 Jn. 2:15).

b. those now full, [25a] as opposed to the spiritually hungry. These will eventually realize their spiritual state of hunger, but for many it will be too late.

c. those that laugh now, [25b] as opposed to those that weep. The end of worldly pleasure will be a miserable end (Jms. 4:9).

d. those spoken well of, by men, [26] as opposed to the righteous who will be spoken evil of, by men. While a Christian should strive to have "good testimony from them who are without," (1 Tim. 3:7) his words and conduct cannot be designed to please and delight the ungodly (Jms. 4:4). Saying what someone wants to hear just to be in their good graces, regardless of the truth or consequences, is a sin against God (Eze. 13:10,11). The world has an evil name for every virtue that Christ enjoins: earnest contention for the truth bigotry, loyalty to the letter of His ordinances narrowness or Phariseeism, strict conformity to the laws of purity puritanism, liberality in giving an effort to court praise, piety hypocrisy, faith fanaticism (McGarvey's Fourfold Gospel p. 234).

B. Relation of the Disciples to the World, Their Influence and Duties, (13-16) the believers must become active participants in the Gospel. The characteristics and lifestyle demanded by the beatitudes cannot be lived in isolation, but must be shared. Christ uses two metaphors here to picture how true disciples must live their lives:

1. Salt, (13) salt has two outstanding qualities: to preserve and improve taste. The disciples of Christ have a similar relationship to the world. Eden was lost for lack of salt, as was the world before the flood, Sodom, and the Promised Land. Only God's people can bring the truth among men through teaching and example, thus preserving a remnant for the future. How does salt lose its saltiness? Pure salt cannot, but the salt available in Jesus' time was impure and could become useless without proper care and handling. So it is with His disciples if they do not allow themselves to be an influence for good. They will be rejected and judged for their failure.

2. Light, (14-16) in much the same manner as disciples are salt, they are light, a reflection of Jesus, the ultimate Light, (1 Pet. 2:9,10). But it is more than just reflected light. Through the power of Jesus, the disciple can generate light as well, (Eph. 5:8-14). Their proper influence illuminates the pathway of righteousness for others to follow, while it eliminates ignorance and prejudice; and exposes evil, (Jn. 3:19-21). The church and its individual members must be visible and secure, as a city built on a hill. The light of Christ is designed to be shared, not hidden away. In the context , "light" involves good deeds, as well as living the Christian lifestyle. A true Christian will let his light shine naturally and unavoidably. Men will come to realize the true source of a Christian's light, and praise and glorify God for providing the light through Christ.

3. Disciples are required to be the salt of the earth and light of the world. (Lloyd-Jones, v. 1, pp.170-179.)

a. Why?
(1). As Christians, that is what we are meant to be by the Lord's own definition.
(2). As Christians, we cannot be hidden. A true Christian will operate in the open, gladly and confidently.
(3). To not be salt or light is to render ourselves useless in God's service.

b. How?

(1). By allowing Christ to dwell in our hearts, (Eph. 3:14-19).
(2). Through constant prayer and study.
(3). By positive scriptural action, in all humility, meekness and poverty of spirit. Working for the Lord's sake and the Lord's glory; leading men to Him to glorify Him; because we love our fellow man and sympathize with their lost condition.

C. Relation of Messianic Teaching to Old Testament and Traditional Teaching, (17- 48), [Lk. 6:27-30, 32-36]

1. General Statement About the Law of Moses, (17-20)

a. First,Jesus says that everything He will teach is in absolute harmony with the entire teaching of the Old Testament. Second, His teaching, while being in perfect harmony with the Old Testament, is utterly in disharmony with the teaching of the Pharisees and scribes, (Lloyd-Jones, v.1, p. 181). Point of logic: If Christ is in harmony with the Law, but the Pharisees and scribes are not in harmony with Christ, then they are not in harmony with the Law.

b. Note that Jesus says He has come to "fulfill the law," but does not say that He will perpetuate it. The sense of "fulfillment" here is that Jesus is the object towards which the Law points. If you smash an acorn with a hammer, you destroy it, but if you plant the acorn and help it to grow, then the resulting oak tree is a fulfillment of the acorn. In either case, the acorn is gone, but only in the latter case does the result prove the work of the former. In Jesus, all prophecy of the Old Law was fulfilled or would be fulfilled in His kingdom. Even the smallest points of the Law would be in force until all was fulfilled.

c. The attitude displayed by one who would break even the smallest of the commandments, is the kind of attitude that God hates. Even the smallest Christian obeys the big commandments, but only the greatest Christians are careful to keep the small commandments.

d. For a disciple's righteousness to exceed that of the Pharisees, Jesus expects it to be a better kind. A kind of righteousness, predicted by the prophets, apart from the Law, (Rom. 3:21). What was wrong with the "righteousness of the Pharisees?" First, it was a purely external and formal religion. Second, it was a religion based on ceremony instead of morality. Third, it was a religion of man- made rules and regulations. Fourth, it was a religion self- glorification instead of glory to God. Fifth, it was a religion of self- gratification instead of love of their brethren. In other words, they were more concerned with: the details instead of the principles, the actions rather than the motives, in doing instead of being. See SOTM-chart 4 (Lloyd-Jones, v.1, pp. 202-207.)

e. Only the man who is converted in the heart and acts upon his genuine acceptance of the Lord's commandments, can expect to enter the kingdom of heaven. Much of the sermon from this point forward will contrast overt obedience under the Law of Moses with obedience from the heart under the Law of Christ, (1 Jn. 3:15).

2. The Moral Law of Christ, (21 48) Jesus now proceeds to show his listeners that what they have "heard" concerning the Law is not necessarily the full meaning of it. The scribes and the Pharisees had made a fatal error of scriptural interpretation: holding their oral traditions as equal to the scriptures themselves. In interpreting and applying God's Law we must remember the following principles: (See SOTM-chart 5).

a. The law against murder, (21-26) Jesus turns His attention to the sixth commandment and explains the true intent and full extent of it. God's hatred of murder extends back to Cain and Abel, as well as Noah, (Gen. 9:5,6). The fundamental error of the Jewish teachers is that they taught that the divine law prohibited only the external sinful act, not the sinful thought they ignored the spiritual meaning, (Rom. 7:7,14). Their interpretation was too narrow. Christ expands the application of the law to include: heart-murder, anger, and tongue-murder. Anger is not necessarily sinful, but it becomes sinful: when there is no scriptural provocation, when there is no good end to it, or when it exceeds its boundaries. Scornful, abusive language is also condemned by Christ. There is nothing in and of these words that are sinful, but when they are delivered in a spirit of malice they become the instruments of sin. Raca is a scornful word loosely translated "blockhead." It is the kind of language used by the Pharisees with regards to the crowd of Jn. 7:45-52. "Thou fool" is a mean-spirited expression that comes from an attitude of hatred and spite concerning the spiritual condition of its target, (Ps. 64:1-4). Jesus teaches that regardless of the perceived lack of severity of these kinds of sins, they must be resolved or they will be reckoned with. The inference here is that we must be careful to preserve love and peace with our brethren. If a problem does exist it needs to be resolved quickly because: it makes us unfit for worship, it puts us in physical danger from our brother (violence, lawsuit), and it places us in spiritual danger, (Rom. 2:5-9).

b. The law against adultery, (27-30) Jesus now gives His exposition of the seventh commandment. While God's laws concerning uncleanness certainly extend beyond just the act of adultery, the Pharisees held that only the act itself was sinful. This led them to argue that they were not adulterers, (Lk. 18:11). Christ's teaching would seem strange indeed to those raised on the traditions of the rabbis. First, Christ teaches the existence of heart-adultery and the sinfulness of it. Besides strictly forbidding the acts of fornication and adultery, Jesus forbids lusting after the forbidden object (any woman that is not your wife). James teaches that lust is the beginning of sin, (Jms. 1:15). Not only is looking and lusting forbidden, but looking until lusting, (2 Pet. 2:14). Furthermore, those who dress in such a way to be looked at and lusted after, hold some responsibility in the matter, (Jezebel, 2Ki. 9:30-37). Second, this sin is serious, (vv.29,30). While this teaching is probably not literal, it does teach us to take drastic measures against temptation, (Col. 3:5). We cannot treat sin lightly, it is not just a deviation from the proper or expected course, or an illness. It cannot be treated, but must be condemned, suppressed, and repented of. Sin is powerful because it begins in the human mind (heart). Sin is subtle, it has us blame our own shortcomings on our "nature." Sin has a perverting nature, it can make something good bad. Sin is destructive, the victims of sin are not passive, but active participants; their sins will lead them to hell. No wonder Jesus is serious about us taking sin seriously! Note: [1]- hellfire and damnation are scriptural sermon topics, [2]- we need to be totally frightened of some sins, [3]- we need to compare the "hardness" of denying ourselves and crucifying our fleshly lusts with the eternal punishment for failure to do so, [4]- hell provides a complete torment of the whole body, [5]- sometimes the Lord requires duties that are unpleasant for us here on earth, but He knows they are to our advantage. (Henry, v.5, p.50.) See SOTM-chart 6.

c. The law of divorce, (31,32) Jesus now continues His discussion of the seventh commandment. Divorcing one's spouse for a cause other than adultery, causes them to commit adultery. The Jews had basically made divorce a simple matter of issuing a writ of divorcement for any reason, (Mt. 19:3). This was in opposition to Moses (Duet. 24:1-4) who allowed a writ only for the matter of "some uncleanness." Of course it was also in opposition to Christ and His heavenly Father, (Mt. 19:9; Gen. 1:27; 5:2; 2:24). Moses had implemented the writ for two basic reasons: to control rampant, unwarranted, divorce; and to protect the put away wives and children. Note how Jesus takes the whole concept back to the beginning and restores God's original law concerning man and wife. He also puts the blame for the divorced mate's impending adultery on the one who instigated the improper divorce. Leading someone else into temptation and sin is a serious matter that makes the leader accountable for the sins of the follower. To study this subject in it's proper context: first, examine Moses' true teaching; then compare Moses' teaching to the perversion of the Pharisees; finally, consider the teaching of the Lord Himself. See SOTM-chart 7.

d. The law of oaths, (33-37) Jesus turns his attention to the third commandment. This is not a direct quotation but an allusion to the teaching of such passages as: Ex. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; and Deut. 23:21-24. The Old Testament permitted oaths, even some taken in God's name, (Deut. 10:20). Paul, who was obviously familiar with the teaching of Jesus, regularly swears by the name of God, (Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1;23; 1 Thess. 2:5,10; Phil 1:8). God the Father swears, (Gen. 9:9-11; Lk. 1:68, 73; Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:27-31). All of this oath-taking was designed to encourage truthfulness, (Heb. 6:17). Of course, false-swearing or perjury was forbidden. Why then did Jesus say, "Do not swear at all?" The Jews had made a mockery of true swearing, (Mt. 23:16-22). They had made false-swearing into such an art form, that the listener had no way of distinguishing the truth from lies. Basically, the Jews believed that if an oath was not "by God" then it did not have to be kept. Jesus teaches here that any oath is "by God," because everything is from God; therefore every oath is a solemn pledge to speak the truth. For us as Christians, it is best for our "yes" to mean yes and our "no" to mean no. The teaching of the early church implores this same advice, (Jms. 5:12). It is imperative that we avoid all perjury and would be wise to refrain from all unnecessary oath taking. Additionally, using the Lord's name in vain through profanity or cursing must also be avoided. As Jesus teaches, false-swearing is evil (v. 37) and comes from the father of all lies, (Jn. 8:44).

e. The law of retaliation, (38-42) The Law of Moses provided the law of retaliation to prevent blood feuds and provide proper punishment for crimes committed, (Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21). This was to be done under the direction of the judges and not to be done individually. It is even intimated in Num. 35:31 that redemption in some cases could be had by money. The Pharisees had perverted this law by allowing individual retribution. Jesus on the other hand teaches that we are to forgive injury done to ourselves. It is a lesson concerning personal abuse and personal self-sacrifice. We are not to take revenge, but rather be patient with those that treat us unkindly. Jesus is not teaching us to ignore the protection of our family, neighbors, and brethren. Neither is He expecting us to support professional beggars nor disallowing the vocations of soldier, judge, juror, or policeman. The slap to the cheek represents a personal insult that we are to suffer, (2 Cor. 11:16-21). The loss of a coat represents a sin against our earthly possessions that we must be willing to endure. Being constrained to help the government is a sin against our liberty that we must not only tolerate, but be willing to go that extra mile. Our giving and lending must be cheerful and willing and not hinged upon "what's in it for me?" The teaching of this passage is for the followers of Christ as individuals in their personal relationships, not as a citizen of a country. It is not about capital punishment, killing in war, or any other form of killing. In just five verses, Jesus strips us of all of our so-called "inalienable rights."

f. The law of love, (43-48), [27 -36] The law of Moses did command the people to love their neighbor (Lev. 19:18), but did not say to hate every enemy. We do know that the Jews were forbidden to make peace with the Canaanites, (Ex. 34:11-16; Deut. 7:2; 23:6). The Pharisees were not the first pious men to hate the enemies of the people, (1 Chron. 20:3; 2 Ki. 13:19; Ps. 137:8,9; 139:21,22). Other teachings indicate that enemies were to be respected and "not abhorred," (Deut. 23:7; Ex. 23:4; Prov. 24:17). How then are we to love our enemies? As a brother, kinsman, or spouse? Perhaps some examples from the scripture would shed light on just what this love involves, (Lk. 10:35-37: The Good Samaritan; Lk. 23:34: Jesus prays for His murderers; Acts 7:60: so does Stephen). This love is not impossible to possess or put into practice. The first aspect of it would be prayer, which we can give on our enemies behalf and they have no power to reject. This attitude is a godly one and is one more characteristic that separates us from the world. No one was more vilified in first century Judea than the Roman tax collectors and their Jewish lackeys. If even they (publicans and sinners) love those that love them, are we not to do better than that? "Christianity is more than humanity" M. Henry. The Gentiles would salute their friends as would a Jew, yet a Jew would not salute a Gentile. Christ wants us to be beyond that. God is our role model through His Son. We are to emulate Him. We are to aspire to be like Him. We must set our sights high and continue to strive towards perfection, (Phil. 3:12). The passage in Luke is a combination of the law of retaliation and the law of love and includes the "Golden Rule," (v. 31). This leads us to the conclusion that these two "laws" are really one and the same, just stated from a different perspective (what you are not to do versus what you are to do).