Matthew
5:1-16
Lesson 7
5:1-16
Lesson 7
Matthew 5:1-16
Kingdom citizens 1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13 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. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 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. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. |
Margin notes:
"And when he was set." (5:1) - "And when he (Jesus) was seated." In Jesus' day, speakers sat, and the audience stood and listened. "Blessed are the poor in spirit." (5:3) - "Blessed are the spiritually humble." "Blessed are they that mourn." (5:4) - Mourn over their sins, for they will be comforted and pardoned (2 Corinthians 7:10). "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." (5:5) - This verse is paraphrased from Psalm 37:11. Being meek is a challenge, even for the mild-mannered. "It is our human nature to be proud and self-assertive, not meek. Only the Spirit of God can transform our lives through the new birth experience and then make us over again in the image of Christ. He is our example of true meekness." ("Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham, published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; page 236) "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness." (5:6) - When we "hunger" for righteousness, we are acknowledging God. He is our righteousness. "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (5:7) - See 2 Samuel 22:26. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (5:8) - "Why does Jesus say we should be "pure in heart?" The reason is because our heart - our inner being - is the root of all our actions. ("Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham, published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; page 259). Jesus put it this way: "From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness" (Mark 7:21-22). The pure of heart shall see God (Psalm 24:3-4). "Blessed are ye," (5:11) - "The change from the third person "they" (vv. 3-10) to the second person "ye," "you," etc. (vv.11-16) is significant. Most of the Sermon on the Mount is addressed directly to the disciples as subjects of the kingdom of heaven." ("The New Scofield Reference Bible" published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; page 998) "Rejoice." (5:12) - Be happy when persecuted for your faith (1 Peter 4:13-14). This is an excellent verse to remember when feeling dejected. "So persecuted they the prophets which were before you." (5:12) - The Old Testament prophets sent by God to prepare the world for Jesus were rejected, persecuted, and killed (Acts 7:52). "You are the salt of the earth." (5:13) - In ancient times, before refrigeration, salt was used to flavor and preserve food. It was considered valuable. So here, Jesus is telling His followers that they have value and must preserve the faith. The Old Testament called this "a covenant (agreement) of salt" (2 Chronicles 13:5). "If the salt have lost his savour." (5:13) - "If the salt has lost its flavor." When a little salt is rubbed into meat, it slows the decaying process. Jesus is using salt as a metaphor for Christians. Like salt without flavor, believers who don't preserve the word of God or live their faith fall short of their potential. "Ye are the light of the world." (5:14) - Be a light to others, shine the way for them (Philippians 2:15). Proverbs 4:18 tells us that "the path of the just is as the shining light." Do your family, friends, and neighbors see something in you that draws them to Jesus? "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works." (5:16) - This is a metaphor. Let your light shine, not to impress others, but to honor God. Do family, friends, and co-workers see your shining light? |