Introduction and setting.
What we will now
be studying will be what is called, “The Sermon on the Mount.” It is one of
Jesus longest sermons and is found in Matthew 5-7 as well as in Luke 6. There
are many ideas about the passage but I like how Warren Weirsbe says it, “The
sermon on the Mount according to Matthew 5:20 is about true righteousness . The
Pharisees taught righteousness as an external thing, yet, Jesus taught it as
something that flows from a believer from within him and then outwardly.”
MacArthur, “Jesus
talks about the Law and a potent assault on how many Pharisees used it
legalistically. While Jesus on the other hand was calling men to true faith and
salvation.” Some key thoughts about the passage before us. 1. Jesus through
this passage makes it clear to us that we cannot keep the Law. 2. The Law
itself, like James brings up is to point
us to our need of a savior, not how we can be saved by keeping it. 3. True
righteousness is a gift from God and not something that we have on our own
merit. 4. Our greater need is not just outward cleansing but an inward work by
God alone.
Matthew 5:1 ( ESV )
·
These may have been some of the crowds that we
were told about in Matthew 4:25 that had come
from all over Israel and other places to hear Him.
·
Mountain-Probably near the area of Capernaum.
·
Sat down-I love how the passage deals with how
the King of the Universe humbly sat down with the rest of the crowd. This was
the normal posture for rabbis of their day. They would stand when reading the
scripture and sit when teaching the Word of God.
Matthew 5:2 ( ESV )
·
These are His words and they are to have as much
authority as that of the O.T. Law. Why? Standing before the crowd that day was
the very fulfillment of the Law.
Notes on the Beatitudes:
The parallel passage
to this is found in Luke 6:20-26. The order is
different and Luke does not include the Meek in verse 5, the Merciful in verse
7, the Pure in heart in verse 8 and the Peacemaker in verse 9. The Matthew
passage though does not include the words of Luke
6:24-26 which are the WOES.
Some patterns
unfold through the Matthew passage that we want to take a quick look at before
we go any further.
1.
Each verse starts with the word BLESSED through
verse 11. This seems to be the key thought throughout these verses. What does
it mean to be Blessed? The word is Makarios in the Greek and it has the idea of
one who is happy, fortunate or best: Blissful. Yet, it is more than an
emotional state of mind. It has the idea
of to be contented and right with God. The idea is that when we are blessed we
find our contentment in Jesus alone.
2.
Each verse also describes a certain
characteristic that is to be blessed. (Ex: The poor, those who mourn, the
meek and so forth.)
3.
Each verse except for verses 11-12 (which is
still one thought) tells us about how these characteristics will be rewarded.
Keep these things in mind as we prepare to look at the
Beatitudes in the days to come.
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