Lesson 2: The Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12)

The Sermon on the Mount

Part 1: The Subjects of the Kingdom (Mt 5:3-16)

The Character and Blessedness of Citizens of Christ’s Kingdom

The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes, statements Jesus made regarding the blessedness of the inhabitants of the kingdom.

1. The Setting (Mt 5:1-2; Luke 6:17-19)

   1. The contents of Matthew’s record of the Sermon and Luke’s record of it are very similar.¹ There is little doubt that the two writers are recording the same sermon. We can’t totally rule out the idea that Jesus preached the same sermon twice, but it seems unlikely.

   2. One problem in reconciling the two accounts is that Matthew says the Sermon occurred when Jesus went “up into a mountain” (5:1), while Luke says Jesus “came down with them, and stood in the plain” (6:17). Possible solutions:

      1. Jesus went into a mountain but found a level spot to speak from. The word “plain” literally means “level place,” which can be found even on mountains. And the mountains in that region are more like hills. However, this does not explain how Jesus “came down.”

      2. Perhaps Luke does not mention that Jesus went up into a mountain before giving the Sermon. Jesus “came down” (Luke) then “went up” (Mt) sometime later. The text doesn’t say that this occurred, but it could have.

2. Theme and Background

   1. The Beatitudes are the collection of blessings Jesus spoke at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. There are other Beatitudes (“blessed be …”) but this is the most elaborate list in the Bible.

   2. These statements are called Beatitudes based on the Latin translation of the word “blessed” – be?tit?d?, meaning “perfect happiness.”² However, the word “blessed” is not exactly synonymous with “happy.” Happiness is a feeling that comes and goes depending on one’s circumstances. The term “blessed” is a term of congratulation and recommendation. The blessing here is based on God’s approval, not on a temporary happy feeling. The word “refers overwhelmingly to the distinctive religious joy which accrues to man from his share in the salvation of the kingdom of God.”³ (Compare Ps 32:1.) MacArthur describes the blessed condition as “the divinely-bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful.”⁴

   3. These qualities are to be envied and emulated; they make up “the good life.” Each is followed by a reason, pointing out that no one will be the loser by following this way of life, however unpromising it may appear in the short term. The rewards are at the level of spiritual experience and relationship with God rather than of material recompense. The key phrase, which opens and concludes the series, is theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This refers to the people who acknowledge God as their King and who may, therefore, confidently look forward to the fulfillment of his purpose in their lives.⁵

   4. Note the paradoxical (seemingly illogical) nature of these statements, and how they contrast with the world’s view of happiness. In Jesus’ kingdom, it’s not the wealthy, powerful, and selfish who enjoy God’s approval, but the downcast, the meek, and the merciful. One’s inner attitude is much more important than his outer condition.

   5. The Beatitudes are more than just descriptive. They should motivate us to pursue the blessings associated with each statement. Also, the statements are more like exclamations than simple declarations of fact. “How blessed…!” is the idea.

   6. What kind of people enjoy God’s approval? What does God value in a person? What type of person pleases God? What characteristics describe those who inhabit Christ’s kingdom? What does God’s value in His people? The Beatitudes answer these questions.

3. The Beatitudes—Characteristics and Blessedness of Citizens of Christ’s Kingdom (Mt 5:1-12)

Mt 5:1-2 Jesus sat down to teach. Rabbis in that age typically sat to teach while the audience stood to listen. There is no consensus regarding where this took place. It could be a mountain or just a small hill. There is a place on the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee where tradition suggests the Sermon occurred, but this is uncertain.

The values reflected in the Beatitudes stand in stark contrast to those taught by the Jewish leaders of the day (scribes, Pharisees). They often focused on external standards and rule keeping, while Jesus here focuses on inner attitudes and commitments. The qualities that Jesus taught are not the product of external, formal religion, but of a genuine relationship with God.

1. Blessed are the poor⁶ in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

   1. In the OT, the “poor” or “meek” are the oppressed people of God who, nonetheless, trust in him for deliverance.⁷ Thus, the poor in spirit are those who recognize that they have no innate ability to please God. The poor in spirit admit that they must depend fully on God, not on themselves. They see themselves as spiritually bankrupt, weak, and broken before God, having nothing to offer, claiming no merit.

   2. The poor in spirit have become convinced of their spiritual poverty. They have been made conscious of their misery and want. Their old pride has been broken. They have begun to cry out, “O God, be thou merciful to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:13). They are of a contrite spirit and tremble at God’s word (Isa. 66:2; cf. 57:15).?? They realize their own utter helplessness (Rom. 7:24), expect nothing from self, everything from God.⁸

   3. Those who fit this description have (present tense) a place the kingdom of heaven. In order to be saved, one must recognize his own spiritual bankruptcy and failure.

   4. This statement prohibits that kind of self-confident pride that is so common in our culture. It runs contrary to what people today value—self-esteem, assertive self-promotion, and positive self-image.

2. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

   1. The context here suggests that the mourning occurs as one acknowledges his poorness of spirit, i.e., his spiritual poverty and utter dependence upon God. The mourner is broken, downcast, and burdened. Any distressing situation in life may cause mourning, but the poor in spirit recognize that sin is the cause of most grief.

   2. Although Jesus doesn’t specify who is doing the comforting, it seems reasonable that God is the one bringing comfort to the mourner. God draws nigh to those who seek Him in their times of grief (read Ps 34:18; James 4:8-10).

   3. Jesus is the great high priest who is able to sympathize with our weakness, having experienced human sorrow himself (Heb 4:14-16).

3. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

   1. This is perhaps the most quoted of the Beatitudes. It’s also an ironic statement—it doesn’t seem reasonable, strikes us as odd. Jesus seems to delight in turning the tables and upsetting the conventional wisdom of the time. This is an approximate quotation of Psalm 37:11.

   2. Meekness is humility or gentleness, the opposite of self-reliant pride. It is nearly synonymous with being poor in spirit.

   3. Meekness doesn’t imply that one never stands up for himself or that one allows others to abuse him. Meekness is the result of placing one’s confidence in God rather than in oneself.

   4. Meekness is not spinelessness, the characteristics of the person who is ready to bow before every breeze. It is submissiveness under provocation, the willingness rather to suffer than to inflict injury. The meek person leaves everything in the hand of him who loves and cares.⁹

   5. Jesus described himself as “meek and lowly in heart” (Mt 11:29). Followers of Christ will also exhibit this characteristic.

   6. When will the meek inherit the earth? In a sense, they have it now (Mt 6:33; 1 Cor 3:21). But the full expression of this promise awaits the millennial reign of Christ and then the eternal state.

   7. Meekness is a very rare characteristic in our culture. We often value those who put themselves forward, who assert themselves. The world seems to belong to the proud, the ambitious. But in Christ’s kingdom, the meek inherit the earth.

4. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

   1. God approves of those who have a deep spiritual appetite, who desire to live a righteous life. Life is full of injustice and unfairness, but God blesses those who have a strong personal desire for righteousness.

   2. The contrast with our world could hardly be more striking. Most people have little regard for personal righteousness, allowing themselves much moral flexibility. But God gives us an objective standard of righteousness—God himself and his word.

   3. Those who yearn for righteousness will be filled. That is, they will experience what they seek—true righteousness. This is the result of justification; God declares the guilty sinner to be righteous. Salvation yields full spiritual satisfaction.

   4. Righteous living is the natural and necessary result of a righteous standing before God. The two are inseparable.

5. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

   1. Mercy is withholding deserved punishment (cf. Ps 103:10). Mercy is love for those in misery and a forgiving spirit toward the sinner. It embraces both the kindly feeling and the kindly act. We see it exemplified in the parable of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10), and especially in Christ, the merciful High priest (Heb. 2:17).¹⁰ Every person has experienced God’s mercy.

   2. Merciful people extend mercy to others (cf. Mt 18:23-35). Anyone who has experienced God’s mercy must be merciful. Merciful people sympathize with those who fail and fall.

   3. It’s interesting that Jesus places mercy next to righteousness. Those who demand adherence to a righteous standard may become hard-nosed, inflexible, and demanding. But our desire for righteousness must be combined with merciful love and understanding.

6. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

   1. Read Psalm 24:3-4. Pure in heart suggests authenticity, not putting on a show, not living a lie, not hypocritical, but genuine and sincere. It also implies a single-minded devotion to God. One’s motives are pure and genuine, not put-on.

   2. Further, pure in heart suggests inward cleansing from sin through faith in God’s provision and a continual desire to keep one’s “account” clean.

   3. One’s heart must be clean in order to “see God.” Cleansing from sin comes only through the application of the blood of Christ. Only those who experience Christ’s cleansing power will be welcomed into God’s presence.

   4. Again we see the importance of a true, inner, personal relationship with God. We should regularly be asking God to search our hearts and cleanse us from sin (Ps 139:23-24; 1 John 1:9). Also, when the inside is clean, outer purity will not be far behind (Mt 23:26). It’s a mistake to expect external purity from those whose hearts have not been cleansed from sin.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

   1. Peacemakers attempt to bring calm and order to a chaotic situation. Peacemakers have an inner peace with God and desire to be instruments of God’s peace. Having experienced the peace of God through faith in Christ (Rom 5:1), peacemakers seek to help others know God’s peace.

   2. Such people reflect the characteristics of the Father. God made peace with us through Christ. God is the ultimate peace maker. In this way we resemble God, showing our relationship to him (Gal 3:26, 4:6-7).

   3. Some initiate trouble and conflict—we call them troublemakers. Peacemakers do just the opposite—they initiate peace and order.

   4. Jesus is not advocating a peace-at-any-price attitude. Jesus said that following him may result in conflict and persecution (Mt 10:34-36).

8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

   1. Jesus is the ultimate example of one who was persecuted for righteousness sake. Those who follow the core values that Jesus advocated can expect persecution.

   2. People displaying these qualities will naturally stand out in a wicked culture and would become the targets of criticism and abuse.

9. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

   1. Note the change from “they” to “you.” This becomes more personal. One is persecuted “for righteousness sake” and “for my sake,” not for political or social reasons (Mt 10:22).

   2. It was a rather common idea among the Jews that all suffering, including persecution (see Luke 13:1–5), was an indication of God’s displeasure and of the special wickedness of the one thus afflicted. Christ here reverses this view, but only with respect to those who endured persecution for the sake of righteousness and for the cause of Christ.¹¹

   3. The proper response to persecution—rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven. You’re in good company—that’s how they treated the prophets (e.g., Jeremiah, Daniel and friends, Amos, etc.). Read Acts 5:41.

   4. When you live the way Jesus describes here, the unsaved world will not appreciate it. But God does appreciate it, and those who suffer in this way can be confident of a great reward.

We must value what God values. If you want to enjoy God’s blessing, these attitudes and behaviors must exist in our lives. All citizens of Jesus’ kingdom should be striving to apply this teaching.

Note well Jesus’ emphasis on the inner qualities of the heart—dependency, meekness, yearning for righteousness, mercifulness, authenticity, and purity. These are not things that can be merely put-on. They are inner qualities, not external traditions. Jesus no doubt is taking aim at the externalism and ritualism so common among the Pharisees, which is also very common among religious people today.

1 Luke omits various matters of special interest to Matthew’s Jewish readers (e.g. Matt. 5:17-42), and other matters that he himself will give elsewhere (e.g. Luke 11:1-4; 12:22-31); while Luke has a few sentences (as ver. 24-26, 38-40), which are not given by Matthew. Robertson, Harmony of the Gospels.

2 Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1).

3Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin.; ed. Gerhard Kittel et al.;, electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964-c1976), 4:367.

4John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Mt 5:3.

5D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition (Rev. ed. of: The new Bible commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970, 4th ed.; Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), Mt 5:3.

6 The primary sense of the word “poor” (??????) implies one who is completely destitute, deprived of every means of self-support, one reduced to begging; helpless and powerless.

7D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary.

8William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 9, New Testament Commentary.

9William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 9, New Testament Commentary.

10William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 9, New Testament Commentary.

11William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, vol. 9, New Testament Commentary.

Lesson 1: Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is recorded in Matthew 5-7 and Luke 6. It is one of the most beloved, well known, and frequently quoted portions of the Bible. It’s also the longest single unit of Jesus’ personal teaching recorded in Scripture, “the most concentrated yet comprehensive portion of His ethical teaching.”¹ Some think of it as “the most profound section of the entire New Testament and the whole Bible, … the most penetrating section of God’s Word.”² Unfortunately, it’s also a very misunderstood passage. Thus, it is beneficial for believers to carefully and thoughtfully study the Sermon. Our goal should be not only to learn what Jesus said and meant, but also to apply the lessons from the Sermon on the Mount to our own lives personally.

We’ll be studying the Sermon from Matthew’s account (mostly). Before launching out into a detailed study of the Sermon itself, it may be beneficial to consider some introductory matters.

1. Definition: What is the Sermon on the Mount? The Sermon as recorded likely does not contain everything that Jesus said on that occasion. It’s probably a condensation or summary of a teaching session that perhaps lasted an hour or longer (as recorded in the NT, the Sermon takes only a few minutes to read). It was common at that point in history for a teacher (rabbi) to sit in a prominent place, gather his disciples around him, and teach. This is the setting of the Sermon.

2. Literary style: The Sermon on the Mount has much in common with OT wisdom literature, reading much like the Book of Proverbs especially. This is important in that, like OT wisdom literature, the Sermon on the Mount contains poetic material that must be carefully and thoughtfully interpreted. If we seek to apply a strictly literal interpretive approach, we’ll end up cutting off our hands, plucking out our eyes, and giving away all our possessions, among other things. The Sermon contains poetic imagery that the Jews of the time were familiar with, and modern interpreters should keep this in mind as they seek to interpret Jesus’ words.

3. Theme: The unifying theme of the Sermon is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew places the sermon immediately after two verses insisting that the primary content of Jesus’ preaching was the gospel of the kingdom (4:17, 23). This theme brackets the Beatitudes (5:3, 10) and appears in 5:17-20, which details the relation between the OT and the kingdom. It returns at the heart of the Lord’s Prayer (6:10), climaxes the section on kingdom perspectives (6:33).³ While some of his listeners recognized Jesus as the King, others must be exhorted to enter the kingdom (7:13-14) and to evaluate whether they are genuine citizens of Jesus’ kingdom (7:21-29). As a summary, we can suggest that the Sermon describes the character, requirements, and conditions of entering and living in the kingdom.

4. The Audience: Whom did Jesus intend as the audience of the Sermon?

   1. The disciples. This would include the twelve as well as a good number of others.

Mt 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him.

2. The multitude. Jesus often taught his disciples while others listened (Luk 20:45). Perhaps only a small group of disciples gathered to listen when Jesus began speaking, but by the time He finished, many people had joined them.

Mt 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

1. Thus we find some of the material directly applicable only to believers and some directed to unbelievers.

1. Interpretation: One can find at least a dozen different schemes various groups have used throughout the history of the church to interpret and apply the Sermon on the Mount. This reveals that it is not an easy passage to understand. Jesus’ words may seem straight-forward and clear, but thoughtful consideration of the Sermon will reveal the depths of its teaching and the difficulty of understanding some of the statements.

   1. Some have taken the Sermon in a woodenly literal way without allowing for metaphorical expression or poetic imagery. If you eye causes you to lust, you really should pluck it out. Pacifists (e.g., Amish) take Jesus’ command to “resist not evil” to prohibit any form of self-defense and/or military engagement.

   2. Roman Catholics have historically applied the Sermon as standards for the clergy (not the laity). This set up a double-standard.

   3. Lutherans have suggested that the Sermon is Jesus’ exposition of the OT law, and His intent was to drive men to repent of sin and cry for grace.⁴ While the Sermon certainly may have this impact, the overall theme of the Sermon goes beyond this.

   4. Some have argued that the ethic of the Sermon on the Mount is a sort of moral road map toward social progress. This is the view of classic liberalism. But the Sermon is far more than a list of rules and regulations. And we cannot apply Jesus’ teaching to society without the citizens of society being members of Jesus’ kingdom.

   5. Some see the Sermon as a description of how to enter the kingdom. They suggest that those who obey Jesus’ teaching will be saved. Such an approach amounts to salvation by works, which obviously contradicts the rest of the NT. “It is evident from the clear teaching of the rest of the New Testament that the Lord’s purpose was not to address the unbelieving world in this discourse to show them the way of life, either individual or social.”⁵

   6. Some see the Sermon as a description of how church life ought to be. However, the church is never mentioned here—no clear gospel presentation, no baptism, no indwelling or baptism of the Holy Spirit, no prayer in Christ’s name—no mention of the church at all. Further, Jesus taught these principles well before the church existed. No one in the original audience would have been thinking about life in the church while they listened to Jesus’ address.

   7. Similarly, a common approach is to think of the Sermon as a description of essential Christian discipleship. One could look at it as “the outward manifestations of character and conduct of the true believer and genuine disciple,….the greatest statement of true Christian living”⁶ St. Augustine, for example, described it as “a perfect standard of the Christian life.”⁷ This comes close, but seems to neglect the kingdom implications of the Sermon. Further, if the Sermon is meant to describe the normal Christian life, most Christians come far short.

   8. Dispensationalists have held various positions on the Sermon.

      1. Some dispensationalists hold that the Sermon applied specifically only to the original audience when Jesus was offering the kingdom to Israel.⁸

      2. Some hold that the Sermon applies until the beginning of the millennial kingdom, during the interim period between the first and second advents.⁹

      3. Some hold that the standards of the Sermon applied only to the future millennial reign of Christ, not to the church age. Many dispensationalists today would affirm that the Sermon’s primary application awaits the millennial reign of Christ, but they would also assert that the Sermon applies to believers today.¹⁰

It seems obvious that some aspects of the Sermon do not fit a millennial kingdom context. Pentecost notes that “the presence of evil and evil men, the existence of poverty, famine, hunger, and need, are all contrary to the predictions made in the Old Testament concerning the character of the kingdom. … We thus conclude that the Sermon on the Mount cannot be made to apply to conditions on the earth after the establishment of the [millennial] kingdom.”¹¹

9. Perhaps the best way to approach the Sermon is to see it as Jesus’ description of life in the kingdom (see definition of this concept below). It’s not a description of how to enter into Christ’s kingdom, but an invitation for unbelievers to enter (cf. Mt 7:13-14) and a guide for those who are already a part of His kingdom. Further, as noted above, the Sermon contains poetic material that must be carefully and thoughtfully interpreted. It seems unlikely that a strictly literal application of the Sermon is what Jesus had in mind. The Sermon has more in common with OT wisdom literature than with a modern newspaper report.

If we view Matthew 4:17 as an introduction to the Sermon, then perhaps the message of the Sermon on the Mount can be captured by the phrase, “What it means to repent and belong to the kingdom of heaven.”¹²

Mt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Note several reasons the Sermon applies to believers today:¹³

1. Jesus expected his listeners to obey what He’s teaching (see 7:24-28).

2. Nothing in the passage or anywhere else suggests that what Jesus said was not applicable to the original audience or to succeeding generations.

3. Jesus commissioned his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel and to teach converts to observe whatever Jesus had commanded (Mt 28:18-20). Part of what Jesus commanded is found in the Sermon.

4. The rest of the NT repeats many of the themes from the Sermon, which suggests that the material applies to church-age believers.

6. The Kingdom: In order to make sense of the Sermon, we must determine what Jesus meant by “the kingdom.”

   1. As noted above, references to the kingdom abound in the Sermon: Matt 5:3, 10, 19, 20, 6:10, 13, 33, 7:21. Thus, we must seek to understand what Jesus had in mind. What is Christ’s “kingdom”?

      1. God is a universal king over all creation (Acts 17:24). This is not the kingdom Christ has in mind here.

      2. The kingdom Jesus has in mind is the earthly, physical, literal kingdom of God mediated by the Messiah—the Messianic kingdom, the rule of Christ on the throne of David. This is the kingdom the Jews of Jesus’ day were expecting. This is the kingdom Jesus announced was “at hand” (Mt 3:2, 4:17). Jesus Himself is the king in God’s kingdom, and where He reigns, there the kingdom of God is already present. So it seems that the first coming of Christ initiated the kingdom.

      3. The earthly, millennial kingdom is obviously not currently in operation, or at least not fully operational. Jesus is not reigning over the earth from the throne of David in Jerusalem. The promises from the OT have not yet been fulfilled. The Jews rejected Jesus as their king and Messiah. The kingdom, in its fullest sense, has not come yet. This facet of the kingdom is still future.

      4. While the full expression of the kingdom awaits Jesus’ return, the kingdom has been initiated or inaugurated by Jesus. There seems to be more than one phase or expression of Christ’s kingdom. Between the first and second comings of Christ, the “mystery” form of the kingdom prevails (see Mt 13). This phase of the kingdom may be thought of as Jesus’ spiritual reign over His people. Today, one enters the kingdom by being born again (John 3:3-7; Col 1:13). Believers are citizens of Christ’s kingdom, but not in a physical, earthly sense, but in the sense of Christ’s spiritual reign or rule over his people. Christ is king, and believers enter his kingdom when they get saved.¹⁴

Note on the kingdom: It’s important for us to recognize that certain elements of kingdom life await the millennial reign of Christ. The physical aspects of kingdom life—reigning with power, overthrowing enemies, ruling over a land and a people, etc.—awaits a future time. Some Christians seek to apply the promises from the earthly, physical, Messianic kingdom (the millennium) to the church age. This is a mistake. The mystery form of the kingdom overlaps with the church age, but the church and the kingdom are not identical.

2. Thus, the Sermon pertains to Christ’s kingdom, whether the present mystery form of it or the future millennial form. Certain elements of the Sermon seem to apply more directly to the present and other parts to the future. In any case, Christians of any age should thoughtfully seek to apply the principles from the Sermon.

Note the Quote: [T]he Sermon on the Mount … is intended for the guidance of regenerate persons in an unregenerate world. And because the gifts and empowerment of the Gospel are his who trusts and serves His Lord, these words of Christ stand. Their revelation has never been withdrawn: they set forth the true standard of Christian morality. They describe the conduct produced by the life of Christ in His believing people: they abide in full moral applicability to us: they are [timeless] and reveal the moral laws upon which the judgments of the Day of Christ are founded. Thus they should be studied and taken to heart by the follower of Christ who would learn of Him who is meek and lowly in heart.¹⁵

7. Overview of the Sermon on the Mount — see the title page¹⁶

Conclusion: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount calls all His followers to a very high level of discipleship. Anyone claiming to be a follower of Christ must seriously consider how well he is obeying Jesus’ words here. Living the Sermon on the Mount means, fundamentally, submitting to the authority of Jesus. It means coming to Him, taking His yoke, and learning from Him (Mt 11:28-30).¹⁷

The Sermon on the Mount is a profound and rich passage, the “greatest of all sermons having to do with human conduct.”¹⁸ In the following weeks, we’ll be looking in depth at this Sermon and seeking to understand what Jesus said, what He meant, and how we should respond. Every student would benefit from reading through the Sermon (Matthew 5-7) as we progress.

1Harry A. Sturz, “The Sermon on the Mount and Its Application to the Present Age,” Grace Journal Volume 4 (Grace Seminary, 1963; 2002), 4:3.

2R. Kent Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2001), 16.

3 Expositor’s Bible Commentary.

4 MacArthur asserts that the Sermon is “a masterful exposition of the law and a potent assault on Pharisaic legalism.” The MacArthur Study Bible (Dallas: Word Publishing), 1997.

5J. Dwight Pentecost, “The Purpose of the Sermon on the Mount,” Dallas Theological Seminary, Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 115 (Dallas Theological Seminary, 1958; 2002), 115:130.

6 Liberty University Bible Commentary

7 Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount, 15. Augustine likely coined the title “Sermon on the Mount” for this passage.

8 J. Dwight Pentecost reflects this position. “[T]he Sermon on the Mount is to be connected with the offer of the kingdom to Israel at the first advent of Christ, so that its primary application is to that day and time, and must be so interpreted.” Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 115 (Dallas Theological Seminary, 1958; 2002), 115:212.

9 Tom Constable, Expository Notes on the Bible, reflects this position.

10 Ryrie asserts that the “primary fulfillment of the Sermon and the full following of its laws” relates to “either the offering or the establishment of the Millennial kingdom.” Dispensationalism (Chicago: Moody, 1995), 100. He affirms that the Sermon is applicable and profitable for believers of this age.

11Sturz , Grace Journal Volume 4 (Grace Seminary, 1963; 2002), quoting Dwight Pentecost, “The Purpose of the Sermon on the Mount,” Bibliotheca Sacra (April, 1958), p. 135. Sturz gives a long list of conditions mentioned in the Sermon that do not seem to fit with a millennial context. Both Sturz and Pentecost are dispensationalists.

12 Following Deffinbaugh/Ellis. www.bible.net

13 From Sturz, Grace Journal 4:3.

14 The spiritual kingdom “refers to the kingdom into which all believers have been placed (Col. 1:13), and it is entered by the new birth. The Ruler is Christ; in this concept of the kingdom He rules over believers only; and the relationship exists now.” Ryrie, Basic Theology, 398.

15 C. F. Hogg and J. B. Watson, On the Sermon on the Mount (London: Pickering & Inglis Ltd., 3rd printing, 1947), pp. 18,19. Quoted in Struz.

16 This scheme follows the breakdown from the NIV Study Bible notes with the main sections coming from Deffinbaugh/Ellis. Some modifications by the author.

17 Deffinbaugh/Ellis.

18 H. A. Ironside, Expository Notes on the Gospel of Matthew (New York: Loizeaux Bros., Inc., Bible Truth Depot, 1943), p. 44. Quoted in Sturz, Grace Journal 4:3.

The Sermon on the Mount

“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt 4:17)

Contents:

1. Introduction: Background and Interpretation

Part 1: The Subjects of the Kingdom (5:3-16)

2. The Beatitudes (5:1-12)

3. Salt and Light (5:13-16)

Part 2: The Precepts of the Kingdom (5:17–5:48)

4. The Fulfillment of the Law (5:17-20)

5. Murder (5:21-26)

6. Adultery and Divorce (5:27-32)

7. Oaths (5:33-36)

8. Retribution (5:37-42)

9. Love for Enemies (5:43-48)

Part 3: The Righteousness of the Kingdom (6:1-7:12)

10. Giving to the Needy (6:1-4)

11. Prayer and Fasting (6:5-18)

12. Treasure in Heaven (6:19-24)

13. Worry (6:25-34)

14. Judging Others (7:1-6)

15. Ask, Seek, Knock (7:7-12)

Part 4: The Tests of the Kingdom (7:13-29)

16. Straight Gates and False Prophets (7:13-20)

17. A Warning about False Profession, the Blessedness of Obedience, and Epilogue (7:21-29)

Resources:

Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Sermon on the Mount,” Biblical Studies Press, 2006. www.bible.org.

William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, vol. 9. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973).

R. Kent Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom (Wheaton: Crossway, 2001)

Jeff Miller, “The Sermon on the Mount” sermon series. http://www.bible.org

Others as noted

This material produced in 2008 by Brad Anderson, Liberty Baptist Church, Antigo, WI.

Matthew 23:24: “Straining at Gnats”

The KJV states “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:24) What does this passage mean? One little preposition, “at,” causes some confusion and has led to some inaccurate interpretations.

Various Interpretations Based on “Strain At.”

The following interpretations are not comprehensive.

Interpretation 1: A common interpretation. Seeking to preserve the term “at,” those who interpret this add the phrase “the discovery of” to make sense of the translation. The Pharisees would “strain (the wine) at (the discovery of) a gnat.”

Interpretation 2:  Matthew Henry’s Commentary: Suggesting that the phrase means to look intensely at, says: “In their practice they strained at gnats, heaved at them, with a seeming dread, as if they had a great abhorrence of sin, and were afraid of it in the least instance…”

Interpretation 3: “Strain at a gnat” is the wrong reading. It should have been translated “strain out” to mean that the blind guides strain gnats out of their wine. They major on the minors by avoiding drinking something unclean, but at the same time, they drink down an unclean camel.

Meaning of “Straining”

The crux of the matter lies in what the verb means. Does the verb mean to “strain at” as if intently looking at something. Or, does it mean something entirely different?

Why the KJV translators translated the Greek Word, diulitzo, as “strain at” is not clear at all. This word has nothing to do with looking at a gnat. The Greek word means to “strain out, filter.” It is used in this passage as “straining out” or “filtering” gnats out of wine. This word never has the idea of “looking at” as the second interpretation suggests.

While one can make a case for the first interpretation, it is a forced interpretation that requires the addition of “the discovery of” to make sense of the passage. Readers of the KJV would not come to that conclusion unless this was explained to them. So, we prefer to let the Greek word to stand on its own. It is a more clear and precise translation to say: “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (NIV)

The History of “Strain At.”

There is no explanation why the KJV translators chose “strain at” instead of the easier, normal reading “strain out.” Is this the way people spoke in 1611? Some suggest that is the case. However, no other contemporary English translation supports the 1611 KJV translation. Note the following:

1525-6 AD: Tyndale, “Ye blinde gydes which strayne out a gnat and swalowe a cammyll.”

1599 AD: Geneva, “Ye blind guides, which strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel.”

Even the Oxford English Dictionary states that “strain at” was misunderstood by Shakespeare himself. It would certainly be a “violent effort” on the part of a blind man to look intensely at a gnat. However, the idea of “straining to see a gnat” is not involved at all. It simply means to strain gnats out of wine.

What then does the passage mean and how does it apply?

It is human nature to focus on the technical aspects of a verse and miss the overall point. We should not simply leave this passage with a discussion of “It doesn’t mean this, it means that.” There is a great truth here that must not be missed. Even though a clarification must be made, the ultimate importance is what does the passage mean and what significance is there for me?

In probably the harshest series of denouncements, Jesus “blasts” the Pharisees worship at the temple. From an Old Testament legal perspective, the Pharisees brought all of the right things and the right amount for their tithe. In all, their gifts were perfectly acceptable. Any grain, fruit, or vegetable was appropriate for temple tithes (Lev 27:30). The Pharisees, given to extremism, collected offerings of mint (leaves), dill and cummin (seeds). The more common grains, fruits and vegetables would have satisfied the tithe, but the Pharisees were given to the minutest detail. The problem is that while they were given to counting seeds and leaves, they lacked the most obvious–justice, mercy and faithfulness (v 23) What is easier? Is it easier to focus on details that require only accounting skills, or giving oneself to the more difficult, germane matters–extending justice, mercy and faithfulness? Clearly, satisfying the rituals of worship are easier dealing with issues of the heart. Jesus pronounces judgment on the Pharisees for counting seeds rather than dealing with matters of the heart.

Verse 24 introduces another parallel illustration. Using hyperbole, Jesus pronounces judgment on the Pharisees for their meticulous care with gnats when they were actually swallowing a camel. As mentioned above, the verb “strain out” indicates that the Pharisees were straining gnats out of wine. Wine was also an acceptable tithe (Numbers 15:5ff). Gnats were drawn to alcoholic beverages like wine. In those days, wine was strained through cloths to remove the gnats. Apart from being a  distasteful item, gnats were considered unclean (Lev 11:20; Dt 14:129). It was their practice to filter the unclean gnats out of the wine before presenting it as an offering.

Using a deliberate exaggeration, Jesus pronounces judgment on the Pharisees for taking care that they do not defile themselves by drinking down a very small insect while they were willing to “drink down” another unclean animal, the camel.

The point is, the Pharisees prided themselves on following the Law to its most minute details while overlooking the evil intentions of their heart. Jesus, exercised His omniscience and saw that their perfectly, painstaking details to present acceptable offerings did not match their hearts. These Pharisees were evil men content with external ritualism. As one commentator notes, this is a “man who has lost all sense of moral proportion.” (Arthur Robertson, Matthew)

Conclusion

We all know at least one person who “has lost all sense of moral proportion.” How many have we seen make a profession of Christ then leave over some minor issue. It is very possible that person’s profession was false. Did that person leave a church simply because the carpet was changed? Did that person abandon regular assembly with others simply because another version was being used? Did that person leave his brothers and sisters in Christ because he found a hypocrite? That person needs the application of this verse!

Another error that we should reject is the lack of diligent study of the Word of God. God’s Word is wholly and completely important, even down to the very prepositions. Some believers say “I have a simple faith. This kind of discussion is ‘straining at a gnat.’” As seen above, this is not what the verse means. To suggest that we ought not get the prepositions right, undermines the importance of studying God’s Word. Genuine Bible expositors are not interested in a Pharisaical approach to the Scriptures. They want people to understand exactly what God intended. Do not reject exegetical preaching/teaching as if it is some kind of Pharisaical approach.

Some simply point out errors in the King James Bible. However, for us to simply state that the preposition “at” is wrong and not explore the context of this passage is Pharisaical. This passage is a warning to us all. God knows our hearts. Our religious exercises, no matter how meticulously performed, are worthless if our motives, intents and actions are evil.

The Use of the OT Law for NT Believers¹

Many Christians are confused about the use of the OT Law. Do we follow it or not? Is it still in force or not? What parts of it should we follow? If we are not following it, of what value is it?

This lesson is designed to explore what the OT Law is and how it currently applies to NT believers.

Meaning of the word “law”

Part of the confusion on this issue stems from the multiple uses of the word “law” in the NT. Some of the uses of the term:

1. God’s general moral will expressed throughout the Bible (OT and NT); divine commands in the widest sense (Rom 7:25). The moral principles of the Ten Commandments did not begin with Sinai; they are as eternal and immutable as the very holy character of God Himself (1 Pet 1:16).²

1. The OT Mosaic code (including or especially the 10 Commandments): the set of rules and regulations that God gave Moses for Israel. (Rom 2:14a; 2:17; 3:21, 28; 7:12; Gal 4:21, 5:3)

2. The “law of Christ” (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2) refers to Jesus’ teaching or NT truth in general.

3. Scripture in general (especially the OT). Thus: “the law” (Matt 5:18; 12:5; Lk 2:27; 10:26; 16:17; Rom 3:19); “the law and the prophets” (Matt 5:17); “the law of the Lord” (Lk 2:23, 24, 39); “the law of Moses” (Lk 2:22; cf. also Acts 28:23); “Moses and the prophets” (Lk 24:27). The threefold formula “Moses and the prophets and the psalms” also occurs (Lk 24:44).

4. A rule, principle, or force (Rom 2:14b, 7:2, 21, 23, 8:2)

5. Various forms of human laws, those prescribed by man through human government or custom (Luke 20:22; Acts 19:38).

6. Law in general (Rom 3:27 and possibly Rom 5:13b).

NT teaching about the OT Law

1. The Law extended “until John” the Baptist (Mt 11:13); after that comes the gospel of Christ.

2. Christ did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Mt 5:17). It is impossible that any part of the Law would disappear (Mt 5:18-19). Jesus expected his audience to keep the Law.

It’s important to remember that Jesus lived and ministered under the Law. The end of the Law came with the death of Christ, the torn veil symbolizing the ending of the Levitical system (Mk 15:38; Heb 6:19, 9:3, 10:20). Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law set the stage for the church age.

3. The Law can be summarized by these two commands: Love God and love your neighbor (Mt 22:34-40). Paul states that love fulfills the Law (Rom 13:10).

4. Christians are not under the OT Law. NT authors, especially Paul, states this truth in no uncertain terms and in various ways:

Ac 15:10, 19 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? … Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God…

Ro 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Ro 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Ro 7:1-6 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. … Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. … But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

(Note: the entire book of Galatians is a response to the idea that we are saved through the keeping of the Law.)

Ga 3:10-13 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)…

Ga 3:24-25 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Ga 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Eph 2:15 having abolished [to destroy, do away with; to render idle, inactivate, inoperative: to deprive of force, influence, power; to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul; to pass away, be done away] in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.

Col 2:14 having wiped out [to eliminate, cancel, erase, blot out³] the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

1. What does it mean to be “under” the Law? It means to be subject to its rules and regulations, to be accountable to it, to be liable to its penalties, and to be bound to obey it.

2. The Israelites were “under” the Law in the sense that it applied directly to them; God expected them to apply it and obey it. He blessed obedience and punished disobedience.

3. At the Jerusalem council (read Acts 15:5-11, 19-21, 29), the disciples specifically rejected the idea that Gentile believers need to observe the OT Law.

4. Some Jews, like Paul (1 Cor 9:19-23) determined to observe the rituals of the OT Law, at least occasionally, simply to be non-offensive to those they were trying to reach. At other times, Paul exercised his freedom from those same rituals and restrictions (see Gal 2:11-21).

5. The Law of Moses is a unit, an indivisible, all-or-nothing proposition. The Bible never makes a distinction between parts of the Law. People typically recognize the different civil, ceremonial and moral aspects of the Law, but these categories do not stand individually; they are parts of the whole. You can’t just pick and choose the parts that you like and ignore the rest. This is precisely Paul’s point in Galatians 5:3-4—if you agree to be circumcised, you are agreeing to obey the whole Law, which means that you are rejecting salvation by faith in Christ.

Breakdown of the OT Law:

Ceremonial: deals with sacrifices, rituals, purifications, and other religious things fulfilled in Christ.

Civil: rules dealing with the government regulations, the Theocracy; governed national Israel.

Moral: deals with timeless moral principles like the 10 Commandments.

Quote: “God did away with the Mosaic Law completely, both the [civil,] ceremonial and the moral parts. He terminated it as a code and has replaced it with a new code, “the Law of Christ” (Gal 6:2). Some commandments in the Law of Christ are the same as those in the Law of Moses (e.g., nine of the Ten Commandments, excluding the command to observe the Sabbath day).”⁴

Christians are under the law of Christ

Ro 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

1Co 9:21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;

Ga 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

What is the law of Christ? It’s the set of regulations and commitments taught by Jesus and expanded by the NT authors. It’s the Christian rule of life. In contrast to the Mosaic code, which emphasized rituals and works, the law of Christ emphasizes grace and love (cf. John 1:17, 13:34; 1 Jn 2:3-6). We serve “in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter” (Rom 7:6). The law of Christ covers all areas of the believer’s life just as the Mosaic code did for the OT believer.

Interpreting the OT Law

While we should not import NT ideas into the OT in our interpretation, we do consider NT teaching when considering application of OT principles. Our application of the OT should be read thru NT lenses. What principles still apply in NT times? What parts has Christ fulfilled or accomplished? What parts are mere shadows and symbols?

Values of the OT Law

1. The Law is “holy and good” (Rom 7:12), one of God’s gifts to Israel (Rom 9:4).

2. The Law provided a standard of righteousness (Deut 4:8; Psalm 19:7-9). The Law revealed the righteousness, holiness, and goodness of God (Deut 4:8; Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7; Rom 7:12-14).

3. The Law entered “that the offense might abound” (Rom 5:20; cf. 7:8-13; 1 Cor 15:56b), and in order to “confine” men under Law and sin, with no prospect of escape until Christ should come (Gal 3:22f.). The Law produces the startling realization of sin which does not save (Rom 3:20; 7:7); but it calls forth a cry for help in one’s lost condition (Rom 7:24), a cry which can be answered effectively only by Jesus Christ (Rom 7:25).⁵

Ro 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Ro 7:13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

1Ti 1:9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,…

Note: In an evangelistic appeal, one must emphasize the sinner’s sinfulness. A comparison of the person’s lifestyle to the requirements of the 10 Commandments and to Jesus’ teaching on the Sermon on the Mount is often helpful in revealing the sinner’s total depravity.

Luther: The Law must be laid upon those that are to be justified, that they may be shut up in the prison thereof, until the righteousness of faith comes—that, when they are cast down and humbled by the Law, they should fly to Christ. The Law humbles them, not to their destruction, but to their salvation. For God woundeth that He may heal again. He killeth that he may quicken again.?⁶

4. Perhaps the most significant purpose of the Law is to lead men to Christ. The Law is a ???????????, “schoolmaster, tutor, custodian” (Gal 3:24-25). The ??????????? was usually a slave whose duty it was to take the pupil to school and supervise his conduct generally. The OT Law served this purpose—it held authority until the coming of Christ. Paul states clearly that after faith comes, “we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Gal 3:25).

5. 2 Tim 3:16 All of the OT is still revelation, still profitable material, still contains doctrine and instruction in righteousness.

6. 1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition.

Good quote: It is possible to conclude that since it is unnecessary to keep the Law to be saved, it is unnecessary to pay attention to the Law for any reason. However, Paul was not urging his converts to burn their Old Testaments. The Law has values, as he previously pointed out, … Under grace we are free to fulfill the Law by loving one another. [Cf. Ro 13:10.] For the Christian the Mosaic Law has revelatory value (2 Tim 3:16–17) even though it does not have regulatory value, controlling our behavior.⁷

Weaknesses of the Law

1. The Law cannot save. Salvation was never based on obedience to the Law, but on God’s grace and man’s faith in God’s promises (Rom 4:1-3). There is no truth to the assertion that under the OT system, people were saved by works (Gal 2:16).

2. The fundamental weakness of the Law is that its only answer to sin is to forbid it and condemn it. Law cannot overcome sin, because it depends on the cooperation of the flesh (i.e., autonomous human nature), which is weak (Rom 8:3), incapable of obedience.

3. What the Law demands can be gained only by the Spirit on the basis of the work of Christ (Rom 8:4). The Law is essentially a letter that kills; the life of the new covenant is the Spirit who makes alive (Rom 7:6; 2 Cor 3:6).

4. The book of Hebrews demonstrates that the old covenant of the Mosaic Law was only temporary and has been replaced by the coming of Christ whose ministry is based on (1) a better priesthood, one after the order of Melchizedek which is superior to Aaron’s, and (2) a better covenant with better promises (see Heb 7-10). The old covenant was only a shadow of heavenly things, and if it had been able to make men perfect before God there would have been no occasion for a second or new covenant (see Heb 7:11-12; 8:1-13).⁸

Heb 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Why not place yourself under the Law?

Many today advocate observing some of the rules and regulations from the OT. They assert that Christians should observe OT moral stipulations whenever possible. Examples: dietary regulations, clothing guidelines, infant circumcision, observation of the Saturday Sabbath, various sexual restrictions.

What is true of those seeking to place themselves under the OT Law?

1. They are violating the proper use of the Law (read 1 Tim 1:9).

2. They ignore the fact that the Law demands entire obedience (Gal 3:10, quoting Deut 27:26). It’s illegitimate to pick and choose those aspects of it that seem “applicable.”

3. Paul says that if one has been delivered from the Law through faith in Christ, to deliberately place oneself under its control results in “falling from grace” (Gal 5:4). In other words, to go back to the Law amounts to a rejection of Christ.

4. To go back to the Law as a way of life puts one under the control of the flesh; it nullifies true spirituality by faith in the Holy Spirit and defeats the believer. It results domination by the sin nature or the flesh (Gal 5:1-5; Col 2:14f).⁹

Is the Christian without law (i.e., lawless, antinomian)? No.

Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Heb 1:9 [Christ] loved righteousness and hated lawlessness…

1Jo 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Discussion questions:

1. Some people preach that the keeping of the OT Law is a moral and spiritual obligation for the Christian. They say that keeping the Law of Moses is necessary for sanctification, i.e., for living a holy life that is pleasing to the Lord. Although we are not saved by the Law, once we have been justified by faith, then the Mosaic Law becomes our rule of life. In other words, the OT moral Law still applies. Is this what the Bible teaches? No, we are not under any part of the OT Law—civil, ceremonial or moral. The OT Law is an all-or-nothing deal. Read Acts 15:10 and Gal. 5:1. Warning about Bill Gothard—major proponent of this error.

2. Jesus said (Mt 5:18f) that not even the smallest part of the Law would pass away until all is fulfilled. Doesn’t that mean that the Law must still be in force? No, because Jesus fulfilled the Law. Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Ro 10:4 For Christ is the end (telov) of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

3. Why not just cut the OT out of our Bibles if we are not under the Law? The OT still has revelatory value, just not regulatory value. It’s profitable (2 Tim 3:16) and gives us many examples to follow or to shun (1 Cor 10:11).

4. How do we know what parts or principles from the OT we can apply? Generally, by how they correspond to NT principles.

5. If the OT is not the Christian’s rule of life, what is? The NT, the Law of Christ, grace. “The believer is now to live in the liberty and power of God’s grace by the Spirit, not the rule of Law. This new liberty must never be used as an occasion to indulge the flesh or sinful appetites (Gal 5:13) nor does it mean the Christian has no moral Law or imperatives on his life, but simply that he or she is to live righteously by a new source of life.”¹⁰

6. Why don’t we keep the Saturday Sabbath? 1) We are not under the OT Law; 2) There is no particular virtue in recognizing one day over another (Col 2:16); 3) Saturday Sabbath keeping is a command not repeated in the NT. However, observing a day of rest is biblical. Observing the Lord’s Day (Sunday) as a day dedicated to worship is proper. A “soft” or “modified” form of Sabbath observance allows other activities on the Lord’s Day that focus one’s attention on God or on the good things God provides. Various forms of recreation, if pursued with a thoughtful attitude, need not be prohibited on Sunday afternoons.

7. Does the Bible teach the necessity of circumcision? 1Co 7:19 “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God [is what matters].” Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.” Circumcision is no longer binding on Christians today. It may or may not be a good idea for health reasons, but the practice has no spiritual value.

1For a very good discussion of this issue, consult Alva McClain’s brief volume Law and Grace (BMH Books). This lesson updated April 08.

2J. Hampton Keathley III , “The Mosaic Law: Its Function and Purpose in the New Testament” www.Bible.net

3Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.) (GGK1981). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

4Tom Constable. (2003; 2003). Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Ga 5:1). Galaxie Software.

5NIDNTT

6Quoted in R. Kent Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2001), 95.

7Constable.

8Keathley

9Keathley

10Keathley

“His Banner Over Me is Love” Song of Songs 2:1-4

by Barry Pendley

The Song of Songs (a.k.a. Song of Solomon) is a collection of love poems. The book begins with poems written by those who were dating. It progresses to poems written by newlyweds, then concludes with poems written by those who have matured in love. Solomon may have written this after he had been married for some time.

Song of Songs 2:1–4 is located in the section of dating poems. As Solomon wrote about his courtship, we should reflect back on ours. When I counsel young dating couples, I remind them that they are seeing the best of each other. The young man tries his best to woo the young woman into marriage and the young woman does the same. On certain occasions, my wife reminds me that during our dating life, I often bought her flowers, teddy bears, and showed her unique, thought through kindnesses. She has been known to ask, “What happened?” There are at least two lessons we can learn from Solomon’s courtship:

Lesson 1: You bring stability to your relationship by expressing your love in private. The couple is praising one another, most likely when they were alone. Some have suggested that since the couple refer to various flora, they are alone during a walk in the forest.
Interestingly, the book begins with a statement of love by the woman. Likewise, this section begins with a statement from the woman. Of the 117 verses in this book, over half of them are spoken by the woman. In much poetry of the times, the woman initiated the conversation. This is not to suggest some feminist agenda whereby the woman is always to take the initiative. I would say, this does suggest that communication is a two-way street. The woman has just as much right to speak her mind as her husband. And when she does, it should be as Solomon’s girl:

[She says] I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. [He says] As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. (vv 1–2)

She describes herself a “the rose of Sharon” and the “lily of the valleys.” The identification of both flowers are not definitively known. The word “rose” is not the kind of rose of which we usually think. This was a wildflower which grew in Sharon. Sharon was a low swampy area which produced heavy vegetation including many varieties of wildflowers. It was a common wildflower.

The “lily of the valley” is not to be confused with our Easter lily, but rather it was another common flower, the lotus or water lily. Emphasis again is on its commonality.
Solomon quickly takes her description and makes a compliment out of it. Whereas she figuratively identifies herself with common flowers,¹ He calls her a “lily among the thorns.” He is not pejoratively implying that all other women are “thorny.” Rather, he is merely pointing out that she stands out from the rest.²

The dialogue continues and she gives him a compliment:

[She says] As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

She calls him an “apple tree among the trees of the wood.” The precise nature of this tree is not known. It may have been an apple tree, but the Hebrew does not demand this. Some believe that it may have been an apricot tree for 7.8 refers to its fruit as being aromatic, a more fitting description of an apricot. Whatever the type of fruit tree it is, we do know that this particular tree received special attention in that it was cultivated, pruned, and harvested.

Latter on, the prophet Joel warned Israel that her orchards would be destroyed. Among the cultivated trees were fig trees, pomegranate trees, and the apple tree. The point she makes is that Solomon is a rare find. He is like finding a cultivated tree among those that are wild and unpruned.

As Solomon and his wife-to-be were walking in the forest, they expressed their love to one another with genuine compliments. Loving words bring stability to a marriage. They ought to flow from our lips when we are with our intended or spouse.

At least one marriage about to dissolve was rescued when a wife practiced loving words. She and her husband were on the verge of divorce. The wife suggested that they go to counseling. The husband would not hear of it. So, the wife went by herself.

One night, after the woman went to counseling, she diligently worked on her homework. The husband saw her writing and thinking. Wondering what she was doing, he blurted out, “So, what did you tell the counselor about me? Did he tell you to write everything out that I have done wrong?” His wife told him, “No, quite the opposite. He told me that we would not talk about you.” The man said, “Then what are you writing?” She handed him the slip of paper. He stopped talking for over a minute, tears began to stream down his face. She was told by her counselor to go home that evening and list all of the things she appreciated about her husband. She had written nearly 50 things when her husband picked up the sheet. By the time she turned in the homework, she had identified over 75 things she appreciated about her husband.

Lesson 2: You bring stability to your relationship by expressing your love in public.
[She says] He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. (v 4)
She notes that Solomon expresses his love to her in public. He makes it widely known that she is his. Usually a “banqueting house” was a banquet hall where celebrations were held. Her point is that Solomon’s love for her was apparent to all who dined in the banquet hall. He made it apparent as if he was holding a banner over her.

Banners were flags raised high above a group of people to identify their group. These were used in times of peace to identify the tribes of Israel. They were also used in times of war to identify certain troops.

Solomon made his love for her so evident to all that there was no question in her mind, nor the minds of others, that he loved her. As one writer says:

“He does not say one thing in private and another thing in public. He is not warm and considerate when they are alone but cold and sarcastic when they are with others. He is not ashamed of his love for her, so he is glad for all to see it.”³

We live in a dangerous age. We must hold our banners high so others and our spouses will never question our love. Some married Christian businessmen do not see any difficulty in having a private business lunch with women who are not their wives. I know a Christian lawyer who helped his client, a single woman, by giving her rides to the court house, taking her to different legal offices, etc. His wife was suspicious, but he had the audacity to blame her for jealousy and “making something out of nothing.” Nothing ever happened physically, yet he ended up in his pastor’s office confessing to an emotional attachment. We ought never create a situation where we give our spouse reason to doubt our love. We need to hold a banner over us announcing quite clearly that we have one love, and room for only one love, our own spouse.

Conclusion We need to show mutual love and respect for our spouses and spouses-to-be. We are to do this in private as well as in public places. Do you treat your spouse poorly in private and well in public? Do you treat your spouse well in private and poorly in public? Do you treat your spouse poorly all the time? What banner are you flying over your spouse one of ridicule, one of jest, or one that displays your mutual love and affection for all to see?

Endnotes

1. Duane Garrett, Song of Songs in The New American Commentary (Broadman, 1993) 390.
2. Paige Patterson, Song of Solomon in Everyman’s Bible Commentary (Moody, 1986) 46.
3. S. Craig Glickman, A Song for Lovers (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1976), 43.

For God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear

by Barry Pendley

One may ask, “If God wants us to fear Him, then how does this concept correlate with the Scripture passages that state ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear . . . (Ro 8:15)’ and ‘Perfect love casts out fear. (1Jn 4:18)?’”

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. (Ro 8:15)

The Apostle Paul weaves many great doctrines together in this  passage – the doctrines of assurance, eternal security, and adoption. We do not know the exact situation of the Roman believers, but we do know that they are like the rest of us. At different times we wonder “Am I really saved?” “Will God allow me to be doomed to Hell?”

Paul states that we do not need to fear. Literally, as believers, we do not need to be terrified of eternal damnation because we are members of God’s family. The fear spoken of in this passage is the fear of eternal damnation. As believers, we fear God’s discipline and disappointment, not eternal damnation.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. no fear of judgment. (1Jn 4:18)

Again, this passage speaks of having “no fear of judgment.” This is akin to the Romans 8:15 passage. Why does John say that there is no fear in love?

John states that “fear has to do with punishment.” The word punishment is only used here and in Matthew 25:46 where it speaks of eternal damnation. Therefore, what is in view is God’s punishment that is reserved for unbelievers. John’s point is that when the believer stands before the judgment seat of Christ, he will not fear this eternal damnation in hell.

When we, as believers, sin against God, we bring Him displeasure and become subjects of His wrath. But this wrath is loving and fearful discipline. He treats us as part of His family and disciplines us so that we will confess our sins and experience the joy that comes from obedience. For an extended description of God’s discipline on the believer see Hebrews 12:5–11.