The Sermon On the Mount

A commentary on Matthew chapters 5 to 7

Introduction

(Verses are quoted from the MKJV) The Sermon on the Mount is considered to be the highest ethical teaching in the Bible and teaches us, God’s children, to develop our thinking ever closer to that of Christ. This is important teaching as it comes directly from Jesus and gives an insight into how His mind works, serving as a standard for all Christians. The standards are, obviously, very high, but our aim is to have them in mind at all times in our thinking and attitudes, remembering that its demands cannot be met in our own power. As Christians, we have the advantage of being guided by God’s Spirit, freely given the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Then Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 2:38] . … in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, [Eph 1:13] . Before getting into the text at chapter 5, verse 3, it is important to note that, despite the presence of the crowd [7:28] , this sermon was given specifically to His disciples. 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain. And when He had sat down, His disciples came to Him. 5:2 And He opened His mouth and taught them (his disciples) , saying, This might not have been limited to the twelve, but could haven included other disciples who had joined him. The Sermon On the Mount can be divided into the following sections: The first section, 5:3-16, contains the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes place the emphasis on how we should be as opposed to what we do. 5:17-48 deals with the relationship of Jesus Christ to the law. Ch 6 deals with our relationship with God, and Ch 7 deals with our relationship with people.

The Beatitudes vv 3-16

The Greek word in the Beatitudes translated as ‘blessed’ is makarios , which means “blessed,” “happy,” or “prosperous.” However, this word did not originally have a religious connotation. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin word beatus, meaning both "happy" and "blessed." It is suggested that the ‘Beatitudes’ can be considered by believers as their “be - attitudes”; the attitudes that should “be.” The first seven are traits that make up the Christian character. They are not natural characteristics, and clearly demonstrate a sharp distinction between Christian and non-Christian attitudes, guiding us to a closer understanding of the mind of Christ . The eighth and ninth deal with the reaction of non-believers to these traits. 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit ! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. A dictionary definition of spiritual is that “relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.” Once having accepted Jesus as our Saviour, and have the Holy Spirit in us, then a process of sanctification (being separated unto God) begins in which we progressively increase in spiritual maturity and our relationship with Him. A Christian who is ‘poor in Spirit’ recognises that there is still a long way to go on that journey of sanctification. 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn ! For they shall be comforted. Most people will naturally mourn the loss of a loved one. Here the mourners are those who grieve over sin as a natural response, whether it be a personal sin, the sin of another person or group, or the sin of the world. 5:5 Blessed are the meek ! For they shall inherit the earth. The modern definition of ‘meek’ is “quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive”, which is generally viewed as a weakness. The Biblical meaning of meek is obviously different in that it lacks the sense of being imposed on. Jesus describes himself as meek: Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls. [Matthew 11:29] . Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit: But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [Gal 5:22-23] . In Christianity, a meek person is not easily provoked, showing tolerance and patience when faced with offensive attitudes, and having a calm confidence expressed as self control. 5:6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness ! For they shall be filled. Righteousness in the Bible is the quality of being right in the eyes of God in all respects, of attitude, behaviour, and word. Based upon God's standard it is, of course, impossible for us to achieve, but is what we should all hunger and thirst for, desiring not just a portion but all of the righteousness of God. 5:7 Blessed are the merciful ! For they shall obtain mercy. Mercy is an act of compassion, kindness or forgiveness, deserved or not, when we are in a superior position to another, actual or perceived, physical or mental. Jesus tells us that to those who are merciful to others, mercy will also be shown to them. Those who possess and demonstrate a disposition to kindness, forgiveness, and compassion - a quality expected of all Christians - are those who will receive the same. 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart ! For they shall see God. Being pure in heart is a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If you are pure in heart, then you are pure in thought, word and deed. In practice, this can be a tough call, particularly in thought. A sinful thought, if not immediately halted, can allow physical sin to creep in. We all sin at some time but, for Christians, it should be a transient sin, requiring immediate repentance and asking God for forgiveness. We can maintain a pure heart if we allow the Spirit and the Word to guide us. I say, then, Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. [Gal 5:16] 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers ! For they shall be called the sons of God. We should bring peace between people and God, and between those who are at odds with each other. Peacemakers initiate reconciliation when they are on the receiving end of some wrong doing, and are quick to repent when they are at fault. 5:10 Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness sake ! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. In the west we haven’t experienced very much persecution to-date, but it is gradually creeping into our culture. In recent years we have reached the situation whereby some Christians are at risk of losing their jobs or facing prosecution for defending God’s Word. We try to do and say the right thing when surrounded by the problems of a fallen world around us, with the result that we are often criticised and persecuted for our Christian (righteous) approach to all the wrongs we are confronted with. 5:11 Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you , and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake. 5:12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Persecution in verse 11 is specifically because we are self-declared followers of Jesus. Non-believers, atheists, and sometimes followers of other faiths, will mock and belittle us, sometimes even calling us ‘Jesus freaks’ Suffering persecution isn’t a command; it is a warning that it will likely become a reality. Those of us who don’t face persecution to any significant degree can be considered fortunate, not failures. However, we must not put ourselves in a position that deliberately invites persecution, thinking it will ensure we are blessed.

Salt and Light

Salt

5:13 You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savour, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men. ‘The salt of the earth’ is an expression described in differing ways, but in general, when a person is described as ‘the salt of the earth’ it is intended to be quite a compliment. The expression is Biblical in origin and comes from this verse. Salt in those days was used basically as a preservative because it killed the surface bacteria on the meat and had a preserving affect. It kept the meat from rotting or putrefying. Jesus is saying to us, you are the preserving influence in a world in which you live. Our task is to keep our lives pure that we might ‘salt’ this earth and oppose the corrupting influence that challenges our faith.

Light

5:14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 5:15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. This is really straight forward: In a fallen dark world, we must be God’s instruments through which His light shines.

The relationship of Jesus Christ to the law

5:17 Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy but to fulfil. 5:18 For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the Law until all is fulfilled. These verses are a form of introduction to the section concerning the law. Here, Jesus emphasised that the law, that is the Torah, was still true and remained effective in totality. Nothing Jesus did or said opposed that law. It was following Jesus’ death, resurrection and birth of the church that the law, written in stone, was replaced by the law written on believers’ hearts by the Holy Spirit, as Prophesied in Ezekiel 11:19 for the Jews: And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will remove the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh, … and in Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under Law, but under grace. Jesus then emphasises the need for obedience. 5:19  Therefore whoever shall relax one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.   These commandments are those that follow in the remainder of Matthew 5, continuing in chapters 6 and 7. They are not like an exam where you need to achieve a pass mark. The pass mark here should be 100%, in teaching and in practice, in order to be recognised as great in the kingdom of Heaven. 5:20  For I say to you that unless your righteousness shall exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven. The scribes and Pharisees were experts at appearing righteous with their outward show of self-righteousness, seemingly being examples of the law in action, but inwardly they were seriously lacking the attitude of the heart desired by God. The disciples were probably not yet aware of this and would have been astonished at Jesus’ words. The truth was to come out later.

Thou shalt not kill

5:21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients, "You shall not kill" --and, "Whoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgement." (Lev 24:21; Num 35:16) . 5:22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be liable to the judgement. And whoever shall say to his brother, Raca , shall be liable to the Sanhedrin; but whoever shall say, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of hell. It is okay to be angry with a cause: God judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. [Ps 7:11] ; Jesus looked on the hypocritical Pharisees with anger [Mark 3:5] . However, it is also said Be angry, and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the Devil. [Eph 4:26, 27] . In other words, do not let your justifiable anger overcome you, otherwise it may lead to sin. Deal with it before the day ends. Jesus then condemns anger without a cause; unjust or rash anger when no offence has been given or intended. This is the type of anger which could lead a person to commit murder if it were fully acted out, in which case it is evil: Everyone hating his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has everlasting life abiding in him. [1Jn 3:15]. What is being said in 5:22 is that if anyone makes light of his fellow man he will be in danger of slander, but if malicious statements are made with reference to hell, then the abuser would actually be in danger of hell. 5:23 Therefore if you offer your gift on the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, 5:24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Having made a comparison between the command not to murder and the inner motive of the heart, that of hatred, Jesus then illustrates the seriousness of this matter by referring to one who would attempt to buy off his conscience by giving an offering to God without making amends in regard to his offended brother. The simple and challenging message here is that there should be no anger in your heart. Any anger felt must be dealt with immediately, first in your heart then, if required, by reconciliation. 5:25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him; that the opponent not deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 5:26 Truly I say to you, You shall by no means come out from there until you have paid the last kodrantes. (the smallest Roman copper coin). Verse 26 seems a little difficult to interpret. Some say it is to be taken spiritually in that it is impossible to pay off the debt under these circumstances, indicating the punishment for unresolved sin is eternal. However, if imprisonment is in the form of a debtors prison, then verse 26 can be taken as literal.

Adultery

5:27 You have heard that it was said to the ancients, "You shall not commit adultery."   (Ex. 20:14). 5:28 But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Adultery is obviously far worse than inward lustful fantasies, but inner desires can easily lead to this forbidden sin. There must be no lust in your heart. If any creeps into your mind, then it must be dealt with immediately so the imagination cannot feed on it. Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evils, and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth (spiritual) death. [James 1:13-15]. 5:29 And if your right eye offends you, pluck it out and throw it from you. For it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be thrown into hell. 5:30 And if your right hand offends you, cut it off and throw it from you. For it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be thrown into hell. Obviously, these two verses are not to be taken literally. It would be a nonsense to pluck out your right eye leaving your left to still give offence. Likewise, if you cut off your right hand, it would just be a matter of time before you become accustomed to using your left. There are examples in the New Testament of the Hebrews being accustomed to represent the affections of the mind by the members or parts of the body, so these verses might have a greater meaning to the listening crowd. But for us, our Lord is simply accentuating the importance of avoiding this sin that might lead us in the direction of hell. The salvation of our souls is to be preferred before all else.

Divorce

5:31 It was also said, Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce. 5:32 But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery. Jesus is reacting to the School of Hillel who interpreted the law on divorce as being very liberal, whereas the School of Shammai re stricted the only reason for divorce as being fornication. However, this is not an exception. It is referring to fornication during betrothal. Betrothal (which we would call engagement) in the Jewish marriage process was a legal agreement which could only be broken if fornication was proven. Except for the cause of fornication is perhaps mentioned here to further explain Joseph’s decision in chapter 1 verses 18 & 19. In Mark 10:9-12, where the ‘exception’ is not given, a Jewish reader would have taken this for granted: Mark 10:9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man put apart. 10 And in the house His disciples asked Him again about the same. 11 And He said to them, Whoever shall put away his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband and marries to another, she commits adultery.. A summary is that marriage is for life. Should a divorce be unavoidable, remarriage is not permitted whilst a spouse is still living, as God does not recognise the divorce (verse 12).

Teaching on Oaths

5:33  Again, you have heard that it has been said to the ancients, "You shall not swear falsely, but you shall perform your oaths to the Lord." 5:34  But I say to you, Do not swear at all! Not by Heaven, because it is God's throne; 5:35  not by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King;   5:36  nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.   5:37  But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil. The Jewish legal experts had many ways of getting around the law and break oaths, with the result that a person’s promises might amount to nothing. Jesus is not saying we should not take a legal oath, but is warning us that in conversation we should speak the truth without the need to add an oath to support our words. Our integrity should be such that people will accept that ‘your word is your bond’.

Retaliation

5:38  You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." 5:39  But I say to you, Do not resist evil. But whoever shall strike you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. Verse 38: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. was the instruction to the judiciary meant to limit the punishment to fit the crime, and to prevent the possibility of escalation and revenge. Jesus’ response to this was to not resist evil, to endure and not retaliate, but to turn the other cheek, taking nor bear any grudge (Lev 19:18 below) to a new level and thereby witnessing Christian love: You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people; but you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am Jehovah. [Lev 19:18]. Verse 39: strike is better translated as a slap rather than a strike or smite. The next three verses give further examples of demonstrating Christian love. 5:40  And to him desiring to sue you, and to take away your tunic, let him have your coat also. These two garments were worn together, the cloak being worn over the tunic. 5:41  And whoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two. There was a law whereby Roman soldiers could ask a person to carry a load for a mile; a legal allowance which they could invoke, as in the case of Simon of Cyrene later being compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. 5:42  Give to him who asks of you, and you shall not turn away from him who would borrow from you. I suggest this would be in the form of a sincere plea for help, in which case not turning away would be a free act of love.

Love your enemies

5:43  You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy." 5:44  But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you,   5:45  so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  5:46  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 5:47  And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax-collectors do so?  5:48  Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. The Old Testament taught that we should love our neighbour, but nowhere does it say to hate your enemies. That we must therefore hate our enemy was an inference incorrectly drawn from it, perhaps encouraged by expressions of hatred for God’s enemies in the Psalms, for example 139:19-22 . The laws involving neighbours comes from Leviticus where ‘neighbour’ seems to refer to neighbours amongst the Jewish community. In Luke 10:25-37, the section on The Good Samaritan, a lawyer asks Jesus for clarification of who your neighbour is. Given that Samaritans and Jews despised each other, and the priest and Levite both passed by on the other side to the injured Jew. The parable tells us that your neighbour is anyone in need. Jesus replaced this idea of loving your neighbour with an even higher standard in verse 44: But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you. These things just don’t seem natural, however, we must allow ourselves to be guided by the words Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (1John 4:11) , and we have this commandment from Him, that he who loves God should love his brother also. (1John 4:21) The full context of these words is 1Jn 4:7-21 . A suggested pathway to loving your enemies might be considering it an act of compassion. If they knew Christ like you do, then they would not be your enemy. Anyone who is not a believer demands compassion as: [God] who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [1Tim 2:4] The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. [2Pe 3:9] Remembering 5:48 Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. This, of course, is an impossible demand, however, what is impossible for mankind becomes increasingly possible for those who give their lives to Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

Chapter 6 is about our relationship to God in preference to people.

Here we have three examples of things that should be done in secret, not openly to impress others. (1) giving / deeds (2) prayer, and (3) denial of the flesh

Giving covertly

6:1  Take heed that you do not do your merciful deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in Heaven.   6:2  Therefore when you do your merciful deeds, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. 6:3  But when you do merciful deeds, do not let your left hand know what your right hand does,   6:4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret Himself shall reward you openly. In v1, KJV reads Take heed that ye do not your alms before men , others translate alms as merciful deeds , or similar wording. The interpretation of the Greek is flexible as it speaks of: “compassionateness, that is, (as exercised towards the poor) beneficence, or (concretely) a benefaction: - alms (-deeds).” [G1654] . The message here is that any act or form of giving should be done covertly, not open so as to impress people, in which case your motive is not true love and your reward is your audience (verse 2).

Pray in secret

6:5  And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. 6:6  But you, when you pray, enter into your room. And shutting your door, pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. 6:7  But when you pray, do not babble vain words, as the nations. For they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard. 6:8  Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him. Again, the message here is not to pray in such a way as to impress others. It is true that when and how we pray has no practical limitations, however, to connect with God in prayer it is important to find a quiet place so as not to be distracted by things of the world. 6:9  Therefore pray in this way: Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 6:10  Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.   6:11  Give us this day our daily bread; 6:12  and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.   6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. The Lord’s Prayer (which some prefer to refer to as the disciple’s prayer) is something we all know. Consequently, it is easy to pray without thinking about it and finding our minds wondering. We can guard against this, and at any time in prayer, by speaking the words, either audibly or quietly, by simply moving our lips. 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 6:15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. The command to forgive is consistent in the Gospels. It is required of those who have been forgiven. But how can you forgive someone who has done you, or someone you love, serious physical or mental harm. Here we are reminded that forgiveness is irrefutably not an option. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says “the spirit of forgiveness we are taught to cherish by the very terms in which we ask it for ourselves.” Forgive we must , but it may not take away the hurt. For that we must ask God to help us deal with it.

Fasting

6:16 And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, of a sad face. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward.  6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 6:18 so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. Jesus says when you fast, implying an expectation to fast. Again, we are not to draw attention to ourselves by fasting in such a way that we are attracting admiration because of our outward showing of struggling with the fast. Fasting is a means of surrendering the physical to the spiritual, thereby drawing closer to God. However, fasting is to be approached with caution. If you are young and fit, okay; if you are not fit, or elderly, then it would be advisable to do some research and maybe check with your doctor first.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

In the previous verses Jesus was teaching that our spiritual activities should be done with the thought of pleasing God. In the rest of Chapter 6 Jesus teaches that our physical activities should also be done with God uppermost in our minds. 6:19 Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.  6:20 But lay up treasures in Heaven for yourselves, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. The "treasure" Jesus refers to here isn't necessarily money. An earthly treasure can be a career, a home, collecting possessions, or anything that has an impact on our time to the extent that it might hinder our walk with God. Jesus wants us to realise that material things are of transitory value while spiritual things are of eternal value. It isn’t that earthly treasures are in themselves bad, but they are of no ultimate value to ourselves. It would be wrong then to dedicate our lives to continually expanding our earthly treasures without ensuring our priorities are correct with spiritual things taking their proper place. Any good that could be done for the kingdom of God through the use of our earthly treasures will last for eternity. Treasures in heaven can give enjoyment now, in the contentment and sense of well-being that comes from being a giver. But their ultimate enjoyment will be experienced on the other side of eternity. 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The conclusion drawn here is that you can only have your treasure, and your heart, in one place; we can’t store up treasure on earth and in heaven at the same time. 6:22 The light of the body is the eye. Therefore if your eye is sound, your whole body shall be full of light. 6:23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! These two verses don’t seem to sit comfortably between verses 21 and 24, referring as they do to treasure and mammon. However, it helps to consider two proverbs: Pro 22:9 He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he gives of his bread to the poor. Pro 28:22 He who hastens to be rich has an evil eye, and does not know that poverty will come upon him.  These proverbs reflect the two Hebraic idioms: having a “good eye” is to look out for the needs of others and be generous in giving to the poor; to have a “bad eye” is to be greedy and self-centred, blind to the needs of those around you. Seen in this light, verses 22 and 23 naturally flow to verse 24. 6:24 No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (in some translations, wealth) . The issue is not wealth in itself. The issue is who you serve, who you worship, and where your heart is.

Do Not Be Anxious

6:25 Therefore I say to you, Do not be anxious for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 6:26 Behold the birds of the air; for they sow not, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them; are you not much better than they are? 6:27 Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature? 6:28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not toil, nor do they spin, 6:29 but I say to you that even Solomon in his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 6:30 Therefore if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much rather clothe you, little-faiths? 6:31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? 6:32 For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. Jesus’ disciples could take the words of verse 25 literally, expecting all their needs to be taken care of while going from place to place doing God’s will. This cannot be the case for people negotiating a normal life, especially where care of children is involved. We have a responsibility to manage our lives, which means looking to, and preparing for, future days. A clue to this is in verse 26: Behold the birds of the air; for they sow not, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them; are you not much better than they are? Birds do not sit on a fence waiting for food to fly into their mouths; they have to seek it out. The point here is that Jesus isn’t saying that we should surrender our responsibility to God. This must be interpreted as not to be over anxious about it; do your best and give God the rest, i.e. pray. 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. This reminds us of the Beatitude: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness! For they shall be filled. [5:6]. Always a high priority for us as Christians should be our relationship with God, giving God priority over what might, in reality, be time wasted on relatively trivial material and physical concerns of life. If we occasionally give time to consider these things, we will recognise where our hearts really are and can prayerfully seek God’s help to adjust our lives accordingly. 6:34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow shall be anxious for its own things. Sufficient to the day is the evil of it. As a concluding statement to the preceding verses, Jesus tells us that if we must worry, then worry only for the things of today. If we have done all we can about any situation that might arise tomorrow, then we will now have absolutely no control over the outcome. What will be will be, and it is therefore foolish, as well as harmful, to worry further.

Chapter 7: Our relationship with people

Judging Others

7:1 Judge not, that you may not be judged. 7:2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, it shall be measured to you again. 7:3 And why do you look on the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye? 7:4 Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull the splinter out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? 7:5 Hypocrite! First cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the splinter out of your brother's eye. 7:6 Do not give that which is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and tear you. The first two verses, when quoted out of context, read as a warning not to judge others. They are even quoted by non-believers who accuse Christians of being judgemental. However, this implication of simply not to judge must be considered in the context of all verses here on judging: 1 to 6. The next three verses, 3 to 5, tell us not to judge hypocritically. That is, not to judge another when you yourself are guilty of a sin. The hyperbolic nature - a twig and a log - implies a self-righteousness where the accuser considers the accused’s sin of being greater than their own, when in fact it isn’t. In any event, we should not judge others when we ourselves are sinners, as we are reminded in Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. However, as Christians, our sins should be transient, a moment of weakness perhaps, in which case repentance and seeking forgiveness should be swift. When speaking of sin in these verses, we are really considering situations where the sinner is unrepentant, or just unaware of their sin. What we cannot do is judge a person’s heart or motive; only God can do that. What we should do, if our own situation permits it, is identify sin in church (in its broadest sense) and deal with it. This is Jesus’ teaching as given in Matthew 18:15-17: 18:15 But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 18:16 But if he will not hear you, take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector. ( See note to this verse ) The final verse, 7:6, is advice not to attempt to judge those who mock and ridicule our faith (the dogs) and teach them the precious things of Christ (the pearls), when all they are going to do is turn on you. This is discernment rather than judgement.

Ask, and It Will Be Given

7:7  Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. 7:8  For each one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. 7:9  Or what man is there of you, if his son asks a loaf, will he give him a stone?  7:10  Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a snake?  7:11  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?   In the Greek, the tense used for ask , seek and knock , properly translates in English as keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. We can see this as a three-fold description of prayer, each with its reward. A particular prayer, then, would not be a one time action, but a continuing action for which the reward is a prayer answered. Asking is simply making our requests known to God, with receiving being the reward of asking. Seeking is search after God’s grace in His word and His will. Finding His grace is the reward of seeking. Knocking (on the door) is to gain entrance, that is, access to God’s presence. The door being opened and gaining access to God’s presence is the reward of knocking, and the best reward of all. “The promise is that what we seek shall be given us. It is of course implied that we seek with a proper spirit, with humility, sincerity, and perseverance. It is implied, also, that we ask the things which it may be consistent for God to give - that is, things which he has promised to give, and which would be best for us, and most for his own honour, [1Jn_5:14] . Of that, God is to be the judge. And here there is the utmost latitude which a creature can ask. God is willing to provide for us, to forgive our sins, to save our souls, to befriend us in trial, to comfort us in death, to extend the gospel through the world. Man “can” ask no higher things of God; and these he may ask, assured that he is willing to grant them.” (Albert Barnes).

The Golden Rule

7:12 Therefore all things, whatever you desire that men should do to you, do even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. A similar command was known long before Jesus, accredited to Confucius who said, "Don’t do to men what you don’t want done to you." It was a simple yet profound message that encouraged empathy between people and was commonly known as the ‘Golden Rule.’ Jesus put a much more positive stance on this by saying do even so to them rather than “Don’t do to men”. Injecting a few words explains the real meaning behind this command: …….. “even if they don’t do unto you”. This is straightforward witnessing.

The Narrow Gate

7:13  Go in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in through it.    7:14  Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Verse thirteen’s wide gate speaks against universalism; the view that there are many paths to God. It also speaks against liberalism in which it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere in that belief. If you count yourself as being in one of these groups, and find yourself amongst many like-minded people, then you have the wrong gate. Jes us is the narrow gate we must go through to enter the Kingdom: Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. [John 14:6] . The true gate is constricted and narrow because faith in Christ invites many afflictions, temptations, and persecutions.

A Tree and Its Fruit

7:15  Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.   7:16  You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 7:17  Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.   7:19  Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   7:20  Therefore by their fruits you shall know them. Depending on context, the word prophets can refer to Old or New Testament prophets in the sense of someone chosen by God to speak for God. In the New Testament, it can also mean an inspired speaker. (Strong’s no. G4396 ). In today’s world, a Christian inspired speaker, or preacher, can be anyone from a local lay preacher to the leader of a megachurch. It isn’t always easy to discern false preaching, particularly when scripture is used, sometimes out of context, to preach a specific subject in a way that doesn’t in reality teach salvation through Jesus Christ. The more obvious ‘false prophets’ are prosperity preachers who put the emphasis on seeking material things, usually for the benefit of their church and for personal gain. There are also those that offer special privileges or favours from God if you will only follow their particular advice. What can sometimes be a more subtle way is preaching what the congregation want to hear, rather than what they ought to hear. The good fruit of a true teacher is evident when the congregation grow in love for one another, and are walking according to the Holy Spirit ( John 13:35 ; 1 John 3:14 ).

I Never Knew You

7:21  Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.   7:22  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?   7:23  And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!   ( Psa. 6:8 ) Jesus doesn’t give us the situation preceding these verses, but lets us assume the obvious: These people had come to Jesus fully expecting to be accepted, but were rejected, which led to their plea in verse 22: Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?   Jesus’ response would have been devastating. So, what had gone wrong. It might be that they were doing these things for their own glory and not God’s, or perhaps they were so involved in their works that they didn’t even consider that their relationship with Christ might be lacking. Whoever these people were, whatever their qualifications or ability to do the listed works, Jesus clearly stated that he never knew them, which means they never knew Jesus; they didn’t have a relationship with him. That, surely then, is what we should aim for. We have the means to enter that relationship by reading the gospels and epistles, praying and being a witness for Christ by living an ever more Christ-like life. The final words from Jesus in his Sermon in the Mount gives is a good guide on how we might begin to achieve this.

Build Your House on the Rock

Mat 7:24  Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.   Mat 7:25  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock. Mat 7:26  And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.   Mat 7:27  And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall. These sayings of mine are naturally those preceding these verses in his sermon as recorded in Matthew chapters 5 to 7. Founded on the rock - the rock being these sayings of mine ; Jesus’ teachings in this sermon. Jesus has instructed us to use this sermon as a foundation, essential for acceptance, but not to the exclusion of other teachings.

The Authority of Jesus

7:28  And it happened, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His doctrine. 7:29  For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.   The scribes' teachings were mostly quotations from other rabbis and from the law, probably as straightforward statements from a position of self-righteousness. They had become self-righteous because they obeyed the law outwardly. but not from the heart Jesus contrasted the way the law had been taught with the way God intended it. The law was never supposed to make men feel self-righteous, but to show them how impossible it would be for them to keep the law as God required. In contrast with the Scribes, Jesus would have delivered this message with love, passion and divine authority.