In our study of Matthew chapter five, we look at the way things will be when Yeshua comes to establish his kingdom. This chapter begins what is commonly called the sermon on the mount and is also often referred to as the "law of the kingdom". In the previous chapters, we saw how Yeshua was identified and confirmed to be the king. A king has complete authority and rules for their kingdom and that is what we will see here.
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Seeing the crowds, Yeshua walked up the hill. After he sat down, his talmidim came to him, and he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
The crowds started to follow Yeshua because of the physical healings but we see that Yeshua retreated from this and began to teach about spiritual things. It is important to note that Yeshua left the crowds and his disciples came to him, then, he taught them these things. This was not a sermon for the masses as was depicted in many paintings but instead it was a time when Yeshua sat down and spoke to his disciples about how things will be when his kingdom is established on the earth. Although we are not given the exact location for these events, the mountainside is likely north and west of the Sea of Galilee.
"How blessed are the poor in spirit! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Yeshua begins his teaching with what is commonly called "The Beatitudes" because they describe the heart of a believer. The word blessed basically means worry free and, here, Yeshua says that the poor in spirit do not need to worry. He goes on to say that his kingdom (the kingdom of heaven) is theirs. He is talking about those who are humble enough to admit that they cannot get to heaven on their own. The poor in spirit realize that their ability to enter the kingdom is a gift from the king and not based on what they have achieved on this earth. The poor in spirit also refers to those who are not happy about the spiritual state of the world and they understand that a change is necessary.
"How blessed are those who mourn! for they will be comforted.
The comfort that is associated with being a part of his kingdom is reserved for those who mourn over their sins and the sin of the world. This teaching ties in with what John the Baptist was preaching and the fact that repentance must come before salvation is possible. The poor in spirit will be bothered inside by the sin of their lives and the sin around them. This godly sorrow will bring them to repentance and mourning which opens up the door to accepting the grace of the king.
"How blessed are the meek! for they will inherit the Land!
Yeshua quotes King David from Psalm 37:11. So, what does it mean to be meek? In that Psalm, we see that the meek are those who wait and trust in the Lord. They realize that they cannot do anything on their own and so when faced with people doing bad things to them, they simply trust in God to handle the situation. During the Millennial Reign, it will be these people that rule and reign with Yeshua Messiah.
"How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness! for they will be filled.
Those that focus on living for Yeshua are those that "hunger and thirst for righteousness". God has promised that, if we are focused on him, then, he will provide for the rest of our needs. None of us can say that we constantly do this as we all still have moments of self but, during the Millennial Reign, it will be all about the Lord.
"How blessed are those who show mercy! for they will be shown mercy.
What is mercy? Mercy is withholding a punishment from someone that deserves to be punished. This verse describes a Christian that, when they are offended or mistreated by someone else, does not retaliate. Once again, we probably all fall short of this reaction at times but we will be perfect in this at the proper time.
"How blessed are the pure in heart! for they will see God.
A pure heart is one that is 100% focused on the things of God. It is not contaminated by our own fleshly desires or emotions. The heart is the center of our spirit and being; everything else in our lives flows out from what is deep down in our hearts. An impure heart can have good things come out of it often but, at times, other things will come out as well. During those times, it will seem like we are so far from God that we cannot even see him. When we are perfected at his coming, there will not be any more of those times and we will see him at all times.
"How blessed are those who make peace! for they will be called sons of God.
What is a peacemaker? It is one who promotes peace by telling others about Yeshua Messiah who is the ultimate source for peace. There are many people these days promoting a man-made "peace" but think that it is achievable if God is left out of it. A true peacemaker knows that Christ is the Prince of Peace and is recognized as a child of God.
"How blessed are those who are persecuted because they pursue righteousness! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Persecution is a type of testing which proves what is in our hearts. This is talking about those that are punished and even killed for telling others about Yeshua Messiah. When faced with the choice of keeping our faith to ourselves or sharing it and facing the earthly consequences, those who share it demonstrate that their kingdom is of heaven.
"How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great -- they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.
Rejoicing when you are being attacked is not a normal reaction but it is a characteristic of those who are close to the kingdom of heaven. We are blessed when this happens because it can be a confirmation that the world sees that you are a child of God. Only those that are identified in Christ will be a part of the kingdom of heaven and we can be happy when even the world sees that we are his. This verse completes the section of the sermon that is commonly called "The Beatitudes" and we notice that there are nine times that the word "blessed" is used. Throughout the Bible, the number nine is associated with finality and judgment. We are reminded that these characteristics of people of the kingdom will be demonstrated during the Millennial Reign. This will be a time of demonstrating that, even without the influence of Satan, man cannot live up to these standards on their own. After the Millennial Reign comes the final judgment.
"You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except being thrown out for people to trample on.
Most of the salt that is used in Israel comes from the Dead Sea but the Dead Sea also contains many other minerals. These other minerals (impurities) cause the salt to lose some of its saltiness and so, the disciples would have known what Yeshua was talking about. Salt is used to add flavor to foods and for preservation and Yeshua was reminding his disciples that they were receiving the power to preserve the people from death and decay. If they chose to not do so or to add some of the Law of Moses into the Gospel, then, they would be of no use to the kingdom. As his disciples in the world today, the same thing applies to us. The pure salt is the Gospel of the grace of Yeshua Messiah.
"You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don't cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.
When you try to keep light for yourself by hiding it, it stops being light. In Yeshua's day, they used small clay lamps that burned olive oil. If you lit that lamp and then put a bowl over the top of it, it would quickly go out. Each and every day, God gives us opportunities to let our light shine by telling people of the grace of Yeshua Messiah. If we make the most of those divine appointments, people will accept Yeshua and God will be glorified. If we try to be closet Christians or pew-sitters, then, our own fire will dwindle and go out. We, like the unsalty salt, will be of no use to the kingdom and will be trampled by this world.
"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah -- not until everything that must happen has happened.
We continue our look at the kingdom way with Yeshua explaining that it is not a new way. He shows us this by the fact that he did not come to replace the law or the words of the prophets but to show us that he is the fulfillment of all of it. Many of the religious leaders of that day were upset because they thought that Yeshua was doing away with their religion and there are many like that today (especially in Israel). Some may ask: "What about grace?" and say "We are not under the law". They are right in saying so, if we have accepted Yeshua Messiah as our Lord and Savior. But, for those who have not accepted him, they are under the law and will be judged as such like the prophets said. Yeshua went on to say that this will be the way it is until "everything is accomplished". He was saying that the Law and the other writings will remain in effect until the final judgment day. On that day, there will be a new heaven and a new earth (see Revelation 21). This new heaven and earth will only be inhabited by those who accepted Yeshua Messiah as their Lord and Savior. Therefore, the law and the prophets will have completed their purpose and will not apply.
So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P'rushim, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Is Yeshua telling us that we have to keep the Law? The answer is a yes and a no as we are called to follow the commandments but our observance of them is not the basis for our salvation. He is telling the religious leaders that, if you trust in part of the law for salvation, then, you are required to obey all of it and that is impossible for any mere man to do.
"You have heard that our fathers were told, `Do not murder,'l and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, `You good-for-nothing!' will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, `Fool!' incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom!
In the last part of his sermon, Jesus explained that, to be a part of the kingdom of heaven, a person must be more righteous than the religious leaders. Now, he goes on to explain what that would look like by using the example of murder. Jesus goes beyond the physical Law by explaining that even talking bad about someone was the same offense. The Hebrew word rak is translated as "good-for-nothing" and it speaks of one who has no spiritual connection to God and it is particularly offensive because, in Genesis 1:26, it says that man was created in the image of God. We see that those who call someone a fool would face the penalty of hell. Calling someone a fool was significant in that it was saying that they were not functioning properly and so they should be judged. We are not called to be instruments of judgement but instead we are to speak of repentance and forgiveness. The term hell comes from the Greek word gehenna. Gehenna gets its name from the deep ravine to the south of Jerusalem which, in Hebrew, is known as ge' hinnom (Valley of Hinnom). This was a place where the trash from the city was taken out and burned and would have had a constant stench and smoke. The area today is much better but there is still a lot of trash as well as a stench.
So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift.
Not only did Jesus expand the commandment to the spiritual but he also gives an example from everyday life. Notice that Jesus says if someone has something against you whether it is justified or not. He says that, before you come to worship, you should be reconciled to them. So, how is this possible? How can we be reconciled to people that do not want to be reconciled with us? We must remember that Jesus is describing what the kingdom will look like during the Millennial Reign. This is after we have all been perfected to be like him and are brought back to this earth. It is not possible to live up to this standard in this fallen world and that was the point that Jesus was trying to make.
If someone sues you, come to terms with him quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in jail! Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Jesus gives a second example of going above and beyond the Law concerning our dealings with others. As Christians, we are to be men and women of peace and to try to settle disputes quickly. We notice that Jesus does not say whether you are in the right in the eyes of the law of the land or not. He reminds the disciples that there are earthly consequences to our actions today.
"You have heard that our fathers were told, `Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus amplifies another of the Commandments by saying that it goes beyond the physical act of a man and woman coming together. In the eyes of the Lord, the desire is the same as the action. Once again, we are reminded that this is not possible in our world today but will be normal in the Kingdom.
If your right eye makes you sin, gouge it out and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom. And if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom.
Is Jesus telling us to mutilate our earthly bodies to avoid sin? Not at all. He is describing the lengths that a man would have to go to in dealing with his body to surpass the righteousness of the religious. He is urging us to fix the cause of the problem which is our hearts and that is only accomplished through faith in Yeshua Messiah. In the Millennial Reign, we will not be facing this battle as we will have new bodies without the effects of sin.
"It was said, `Whoever divorces his wife must give her a get.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits adultery.
The kingdom way of marriage is that God creates a specific woman for a specific man. God brings them together and they become one in his sight. Once again, Jesus uses the words from Deuteronomy which gave the rules for a legal divorce. He amplifies the law by saying that the only acceptable excuse was in the case of sexual immorality. The kingdom way does not include divorce because the creator of all things knows what he is doing and so there would be no reason for divorce. He was demonstrating the fact that kingdom law is above the laws of a nation. That is important for us in our world today. As we see governments saying that homosexual behavior is an option, we must remember that God says it is not. Jesus basically said that the piece of paper (certificate of divorce) meant nothing and the same applies to marriage licenses.
"Again, you have heard that our fathers were told, `Do not break your oath,' and `Keep your vows to ADONAI.' But I tell you not to swear at all -- not `by heaven,' because it is God's throne; not `by the earth,' because it is his footstool; and not `by Yerushalayim,' because it is the city of the Great King. And don't swear by your head, because you can't make a single hair white or black. Just let your `Yes' be a simple `Yes,' and your `No' a simple `No'; anything more than this has its origin in evil.
We see people make oaths all of the time but, in the kingdom way, it is not necessary. If you always tell the truth and do what you say, then, there is no need for any other words. He goes so far as to say that any other words are from the devil. Why? Because, when we swear by anything, we are asserting that we are in control of those things when in fact God is the only one in control. Therefore, it is as if we are elevating ourselves to the position of God which is what Satan tried to do.
"You have heard that our fathers were told, `Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too!
Jesus goes on to explain that the kingdom is ruled by love and not by the laws. He quotes from Exodus 21 where the penalty for injuring someone was given. He also used the example of a slap which was referring to an insult more than physical harm. In the kingdom way, insult is met with forgiveness and love.
If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two!
With the way our world is today, it is hard to imagine a place where a court system will not be needed. In the kingdom, they will be replaced with sacrificial love. That love goes above and beyond what is required as it flows from the heart. It is not possible for us to be perfect in this today as we still have our flesh and balance our wants with those of others.
When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.
True love never runs out or reaches its end. Our capacity to share the love of God with others is limited by our flesh and its desires. In the kingdom, there will be no worries of the flesh and we will finally be totally free to share and experience the complete love of God.
"You have heard that our fathers were told, `Love your neighbors -- and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven.
Once again, Jesus contrasts the love in the kingdom to the ways of the world. In the kingdom, the love is universal as there is no room for hate in our hearts. God has the right to judge and yet he demonstrated his love for us while we were his enemies. As his children, we let the world see his nature when we do this but we are not perfect in it yet.
For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike.
Why are we to love our enemies? The simple answer is because God loves them and is allowing them to benefit from his grace just as we do. The time for judging the unrighteous will come but, today, his mercy and grace are still flowing to all.
What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that!
Jesus explains that we are to demonstrate the love of God to all men so that we stand out. The whole purpose of us standing out is so that we have an opportunity to tell people of why we are so different. This is the chance to tell them about Jesus so that they might be saved as well.
Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
As his children, we are to be a good reflection of our Father. The kingdom way is perfection and we will get there when he comes to rule and reign. Until then, we do the best we can through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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