THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
MATTHEW
5:13-26
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
13: “You are the salt of the earth.”
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no
longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.*
14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be
hidden
15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it
is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. 16 Just so,
your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and
glorify your heavenly Father.
Jesus Fulfills the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I
have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the
smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until
all things have taken place.
19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and
teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But
whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the
kingdom of heaven.
20 I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes
and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Teaching about Anger
21“You have heard
that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will
be liable to judgment.’
22 But I say to you, whoever is angry* with his brother will be liable
to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the
Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
23 Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall
that your brother has anything against you,
24 leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with
your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with
him.q Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge
will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.
26 Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the
last penny.
Basic Traits, CHARACTER AND
THE KINGDOM
The Jewish community was
regulated by the oral law, and this oral law was oppressive and works oriented.
Jesus’ main audience in this sermon was his disciples (5:1-2). He would soon
send them out to preach the kingdom of heaven to Israel (10:1-11:1). Therefore
he instructed them in the Word of God in contrast to the oral law. The frame of
reference for Jesus and his disciples was the Old Testament and its promise of
a coming Jewish Messianic kingdom. So, when he gave these instructions, he
directed them to this group of people. We in the church also gain principles
from his sermon for our lives, but we must be careful to apply them correctly.
We live under a different economy—the church age.
Clearly, the authority Christ hopes to delegate to His own is intended
to be exercised by disciple willing to accept renewal in soul and behavior as
well as rebirth through forgiveness of sin.
To these, obviously the call to “kingdom” living and ministry includes
the expectation that Holy Spirit –begotten fruit and gifts will develop in the
believer. The same Spirit that
distributes gifts of power for kingdom service also works in us to beget kingly
qualities of live, love, and a holy character (John 15:1-17, Gal. 5:22, 23).
Kingdom Dynamics
5:13. Jesus began
this part of his message by highlighting the disciples place in the world. He
said that his disciples were the salt of the earth. Salt preserves and
enhances. The figure of salt tells the disciples that they are the people who
can preserve, guard, display, and give out God’s word so that others are
blessed. If they become diluted with the world’s viewpoint, they will not do
what they were meant to do. Paul wrote a similar charge to church believers in
Colossians 4:6.
5:14-16. Jesus also said that there were the light of the world. The figure of
light tells the disciples to make something known to others—God and God’s word.
If they cover their light, the world will stay in its darkness of sin and world
viewpoint. The application to us is that we are light in the Lord (Ephesians
5:8) and lights in the world (Philippians 2:15) and we are to show forth God to
others.
5:17-20. Jesus viewed the Old Testament as accurate, perfect, and without any
mistakes. He said that he would accomplish everything the Law required. No one
else is able or has the authority to accomplish and complete the Law.
Furthermore, God will not accept the human law righteousness that the scribes
and Pharisees show off.
5:21-22. Jesus wanted them to know that not only was the actual act of murder
sin, but the hatred behind the act was also sin. “Angry,” is a mental attitude
sin—rage and hatred; while “good for nothing” is a verbal attack on one’s
intelligence motivated to hurt the person; and “fool” is a verbal attack on the
moral character on another because of hatred and desire to damage the person.
Mental and verbal sins like these are even enough to bring one under God’s
judgment.
23-24. Jesus warned them against concentrating on their own grievances
against someone else and forgetting all about their rightful grievances against
them. Jesus reminded them and us that it is often more important to clear up
someone’s anger for cause against them.
5:25-26. Jesus took this idea a little farther. It is far better to solve a
disagreement out of court, especially if you are the guilty party. Otherwise,
you will end up in jail and still have to pay the damages.
In Christ,
Playwright Janet Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
This
is the heritage
- The inheritance which awaits those who serve God is truth and victory. It is
not gold and the triumph of battle. It is not the laurel won in fields of
blood. But it is, the protection of God in all times of trouble; his friendship
in all periods of adversity; complete victory in all contests with error and
false systems of religion; and preservation when foes rise up
in any form and endeavor to destroy the church, and to blot out its existence
and its name.
