In this episode we begin a several part series on the sermon on the mount found in Matthew 5 to 7. This is one of five major teachings of Jesus and stands as the most important description of the attitudes of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is helping the disciples and the crowd listening in to understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is an something that begins in each of our hearts here and now and does not need to wait until the overthrow of the Romans or his return. We begin with an introduction and the first of the beatitudes.
SHOW NOTES
The Greatest Teaching Ever Heard Part 1
Matthew 5:1-12 NIV The Sermon on the Mount—The Beatitudes
Introduction
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
The popularity of Jesus’ teaching, proclaiming, healing ministry attracted large crowds (4:25) which followed him. The crowd would have caused chaos in the towns and villages as a result he kept to the countryside. He had become a phenomenon and would have been widely known. It was probably to escape the crowds that Jesus went up the mountain to teach his disciples.
In our day a teacher or preacher stands to teach! 2000 years ago a teacher sat down to teach and from this practice we have “chairs” at universities and chairmen. The chairman sat on the chair while the members sat on the floor or on a board which was a rudimentary bench. The pope speaks ex cathedra when he makes important announcements.
“Disciple” can refer to more than the twelve, it could include those who came to listen as 7:24 demonstrates but in this instance it probably meant the 12.While the Beatitudes can prescribe the growth of the Christian they also describe the characteristics of the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. They will have these beautiful attitudes.
2 and he began to teach them.
This is the first of 5 teaching occasions listed by Matthew in chapters 5, 10, 13, 18, and 24 to parallel the five major teachings of Moses in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.We have too much preaching and not enough teaching. Preaching often means giving people a little hope and a lot of despair. Teaching strengthens our hope in Jesus.
This teaching occasion in chapters five to seven may be outlined as follows:
A. The Beautiful attitudes of the Kingdom:
Poor in Spirit (3),
Compassionate (4),
Humility (5),
Long for justice (6),
Merciful (7),
Pure hearted (8),
Peacemakers (9),
Suffer without complaint (10),
B. Citizens of the Kingdom bring Honour to God
1. Salt and light so God is praised (13-16),
2. Righteousness greater than legal obedience (17-20),
C. Jesus’ teachings which supersede Moses’ teachings
1. Anger and reconciliation (21-26),
2. Adultery and lust (27-30),
3. Divorce not God’s idea (31-32),
4. Vows and oaths are sacred(33-37),
5. Overcome revenge with gentle love (38-42),
6. God loves unconditionally (43-48).
7. Generosity (6:1-4)
8. Prayer (6:5-15)
9. Fasting (6:16-18)
10. Money and possessions (6:19-24)11. Worry (6:25-34)
D. Jesus’ Wisdom Sayings
1. Do not Judge others (7:1-5}
2. Pearls to pigs (7:6)
3. Effective prayer (7:7-11)
4. The Golden Rule (7:12)
5. Be Decisive (7:13-14)
6. A Tree and its Fruit (7:15-20)
7. True Disciples (7:21-23)
8. The Solid Foundation (7:24-27)
The ideals or characteristics of the Kingdom as described in this chapter are astonishing, but the honest- in-heart will resonate with them. G K Chesterton comments in his usual inimical way as follows,
The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.
This teaching describes Christian counter-culture, according to John Stott.
A. The Beautiful Attitudes in the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus then proceeded to describe the Kingdom of Heaven. This is Mattew’s description of Jesus’ first teaching from a mountain. It parallels the giving of the Law from Sinai by Moses. However, it supersedes the importance of Sinai since this is the only eyewitness of God speaking (John 1:17-18). From the Mosaic account one could easily conclude that God gave the Ten Commandments in person but there are other Biblical accounts indicating it was angels who gave the law.
Acts 7:52-53 NIV “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
Galatians 3:19 NIV Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.
Hebrews 2:1-2 NIV We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
Hebrews and Galatians both communicate that the teachings of Jesus are far superior to anything angels could bring. This Sermon on the Mountain does not abolish the law but rather supersedes it. It supersedes the law from Sinai in the same way that Jesus does not abolish Moses but superseded him and Elijah (Matthew 17:5). Notice that the Law included Blessings and Curses (Leviticus 26) but Jesus has no curses in his teaching.
This teaching by Jesus is the most revolutionary speech ever given in the history of the world and 2000 after it was given, we are still talking about it. Its high point is in 5:39-48. This section calls for a radical new attitude towards people in emulating the character of God which is here described as never before or since.
“Blessed” or “happy” means to be filled with joy. It is to be secure about the present and optimistic about the future. Jesus demonstrated this blessedness by: sleeping in the boat when the disciples thought it was going to sink, fearlessly meeting the demon possessed men of Gadara, touching lepers, publicly speaking to women and accepting anointing from one of them.Blessed comes from Makarios and means having everything you need: health, wealth and wisdom. How can “blessed” be a reality in the face of poverty, mourning, humility, hunger, persecution and rejection? Jesus demonstrates this reality in his life, death and resurrection.
Origin of the “Blessed’s” are in the psalms.
2: Blessed are all who put their trust in God
84: Blessed are those who dwell in the courts of the LORD
89: Blessed are those who’ve learned
106: Blessed are those who act justly
119: Blessed are those without blame
119: Blessed are those who obey him
144: Blessed are those whose God is the LORD
“Blessed” in Hebrew is. AHSH-rey and is not followed by a verb. “O the happiness of . . .”
The Eight Attitudes or Characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven.
1. Poor in Spirit
He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Was Jesus quoting 34:18 “The Lord is near to them that are of a contrite heart; and will save the lowly in spirit.”
This does not mean having a poor self-image or experiencing self-hatred.It does mean recognizing that God and others have something to say that is valuable to us. We seek to learn from them, to love them and to serve them. We treat others with dignity and experience humility in their presence. To be rich in spirit means to be proud and arrogant, showy, pleased with yourself and your accomplishments. One can pretend to be poor in spirit but the pretense always ends too soon.To be poor in spirit is eloquently described by Philippians 2:5-8.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
How could such a one have something to say? Yet he turned out to be the greatest teacher, the prince of preachers, and the most prolific healer that ever appeared on earth. Jesus confirmed his poverty of spirit with this invitation:
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am gentle and humble at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give is light (Matthew 11:29-30).
Christian humility is the result of knowing the magnificence of God’s grace, which is the first of God’s gifts to the human heart. Humility is not being gullible, timid or shy. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves but more of others. Humility comes to the capable and gifted when they recognise the worth of those around them.
Humility is demonstrated when the president of a country admits the need for a neurosurgeon because of a brain tumour. Jesus admits his need of water to the Samaritan woman (John 4:). Humble sinners understand their need of new birth. They are awed by the wonder of God and worship Him as opposed to worshipping themselves or created beings or things.
As a consequence they are “poor in spirit” and the result of this attitude is that they become children of God, destined to have His approval now, and to be in His immediate presence in the future, Hence theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. This possessing of heaven occurs now, by faith but is as real for believers as the air we breathe.
Referring to the part of the podcast where you talk about “blessed” and nothing could happen to Jesus that His Father didn’t approve of or that wasn’t in His plan and that’s why Jesus could sleep in the boat. Hmmm … if this is true, why to so many bad things happen to good people? Surely God doesn’t approve of torture, beheading, rape, mutilation, child abuse, etc. Surely it wasn’t in God’s plan nor did He approve of my niece becoming a quadriplegic as a result of a car accident or my other niece not being able to have children because of cancer.
You asked why do you think Jesus went up on the mountain:
a) to get away from the crowds
b) to teach his disciples
c) to have a natural amphitheatre to accommodate the crowds
I think it could have been all three. a) To get away from the segments of the crowd who just wanted to make trouble
b) To have a more private place to teach his disciples, and
c) To have venue that would accommodate all who wanted to listen—the ones with perhaps more pure motivation for listening and learning.