Matthew 5-7
Considering I preached for almost 8 months on this passage, this post could go long! However instead of dissecting it, I'll just present a few things which leapt off the page at me.
The location of the sermon is said to be a mountainside where Jesus sat down to teach, which is the typical posture for teaching. The sermon is addressed to "them" which should refer back to "the disciples" unless there is something funny about the Greek there. So Jesus was primarily speaking to the disciples (no word on if it was just the Twelve as the intended audience), but at the end of chapter 7 we see that "the crowds" had obviously been listening in. Unless "crowds" and "disciples" were the same people, but that doesn't appear to be the case.
The Beatitudes are an indication of the "upside-down" nature of Jesus' teachings. The poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted for righteousness sake... these people aren't usually thought of as "blessed" or "happy" as Jesus claimed. But His emphasis was more eternal than temporal, although the benefits of living a life as Jesus instructs are certainly earthly as well.
The Law isn't being abolished but fulfilled. In 5:18 Jesus talks about the time when "everything is accomplished." Compare to the words of Jesus from the cross, "It is finished" or more accurately the idiom means "Paid in full." Jesus isn't downplaying the Law as much as He is demonstrating Paul's argument that we cannot fulfill it ourselves. If James, Son of Alphaeus thought he had to be more righteous than the Pharisees, he would have given up trying to reach heaven. Jesus put it more bluntly in 5:48 in the call to live a perfect life. Salvation isn't by our works.
The hypocrisy of works done for public consumption must have hit home for some listening to the sermon. Making a show out of giving and praying and fasting was how the Pharisees got their reputation.
At 5:8 Jesus points out that our Father knows our needs before we ask. It's a bit surprising that He doesn't also mention that the Father knows our wants as well. He knows those also! And He provides. But that doesn't mean we aren't to ask. That comes in 7:7-8. Ask, seek, knock. If dealing with salvation, this is a call for the sinner not to simply "be saved" but to ask, to seek, and to knock. Clearly man has a responsibility in the matter. Or at least a say-so.
In 6:24, the NIV translates the word Money with a capital M. I typically use the word "stuff" to signify the capital M Money.
The gate is narrow and the road is also. If we ever feel like most of the world doesn't believe as we do it's because they don't. Many have fooled themselves and will be among those calling "Lord, Lord..." (7:21). I wonder about those who were casting out demons in Jesus' name that the disciples were asking about. Were these people real followers or were they self-deceived?
I've known a few bad people who produce things looking like good fruit. We can't allow ourselves to do a poor job inspecting the fruit and seeing it for what it is.
The final instruction is to act upon what we've learned. Application. The missing step for many who call themselves Christians.
The location of the sermon is said to be a mountainside where Jesus sat down to teach, which is the typical posture for teaching. The sermon is addressed to "them" which should refer back to "the disciples" unless there is something funny about the Greek there. So Jesus was primarily speaking to the disciples (no word on if it was just the Twelve as the intended audience), but at the end of chapter 7 we see that "the crowds" had obviously been listening in. Unless "crowds" and "disciples" were the same people, but that doesn't appear to be the case.
The Beatitudes are an indication of the "upside-down" nature of Jesus' teachings. The poor in spirit, the meek, the persecuted for righteousness sake... these people aren't usually thought of as "blessed" or "happy" as Jesus claimed. But His emphasis was more eternal than temporal, although the benefits of living a life as Jesus instructs are certainly earthly as well.
The Law isn't being abolished but fulfilled. In 5:18 Jesus talks about the time when "everything is accomplished." Compare to the words of Jesus from the cross, "It is finished" or more accurately the idiom means "Paid in full." Jesus isn't downplaying the Law as much as He is demonstrating Paul's argument that we cannot fulfill it ourselves. If James, Son of Alphaeus thought he had to be more righteous than the Pharisees, he would have given up trying to reach heaven. Jesus put it more bluntly in 5:48 in the call to live a perfect life. Salvation isn't by our works.
The hypocrisy of works done for public consumption must have hit home for some listening to the sermon. Making a show out of giving and praying and fasting was how the Pharisees got their reputation.
At 5:8 Jesus points out that our Father knows our needs before we ask. It's a bit surprising that He doesn't also mention that the Father knows our wants as well. He knows those also! And He provides. But that doesn't mean we aren't to ask. That comes in 7:7-8. Ask, seek, knock. If dealing with salvation, this is a call for the sinner not to simply "be saved" but to ask, to seek, and to knock. Clearly man has a responsibility in the matter. Or at least a say-so.
In 6:24, the NIV translates the word Money with a capital M. I typically use the word "stuff" to signify the capital M Money.
The gate is narrow and the road is also. If we ever feel like most of the world doesn't believe as we do it's because they don't. Many have fooled themselves and will be among those calling "Lord, Lord..." (7:21). I wonder about those who were casting out demons in Jesus' name that the disciples were asking about. Were these people real followers or were they self-deceived?
I've known a few bad people who produce things looking like good fruit. We can't allow ourselves to do a poor job inspecting the fruit and seeing it for what it is.
The final instruction is to act upon what we've learned. Application. The missing step for many who call themselves Christians.
posted by rev-ed @ 3:19 PM
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