Sermon on the Mount

The Context of the Sermon on the Mount: The Promised King has Come: Jesus as the New

Moses and His Followers as the New Israel

The Promised King has come

o Son of David, Son of Abraham—Matthew 1:1//Abrahamic & Davidic Covenants

o Immanuel—Matthew 1:22-23//Isaiah 7:14

o Ruler and shepherd of Israel—Matthew 2:5-6//Micah 5:2

o King of Numbers 24—Matthew 2:15

o Spirit rests upon him—Matthew 3:16//Isaiah 42:1

o Jesus is the beloved Son—Matthew 3:17//Psalm 2:7

Jesus is seen as the recapitulation of Israel, its faithful remnant, who lives Israel’s history

without the disobedience that Israel demonstrated

o Immanuel—Is 7:14

o Shepherd from Bethlehem—Micah 5:2

o Out of Egypt—Num 23-24

o Death of children in Bethlehem and surrounding regions//horrors of exile (Jer 31:15)

o Nazarene//netzer “branch” of the stump of Jesse (Is 11)

o Prepare the way of the Lord//Is 40:3

o Baptism//crossing the Red Sea

o Temptation in wilderness//wilderness wanderings

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

The promised Kingdom has come

o Jesus message was of the kingdom: Matthew 4:23-25

In the history of the church, the Sermon on the Mount has been recognized as perhaps the

best summary of Jesus’ teaching, and thus is understood by many to be the essence of

Christianity.

“The SM expresses a kingdom ethic. Since Jesus’ kingdom has already been inaugurated, the

ethic of the SM is the goal and ideal of Christian disciples here and now” (Quarles, 10).

The SM is carefully organized. This is evident from the very beginning in which the first four

beatitudes are alliterated, breaking the 8 beatitudes into 2 sets of 4. The first and last also

end with “because the kingdom of heaven is theirs”, forming an inclusio. This careful

structure in the beginning should alert us to the likelihood of careful shaping in the

remainder of the sermon, and that is what we will find.

“The righteousness described in the SM should be the goal for the character and conduct of

all believers today[…]Jesus and His faithful interpreter Matthew wanted and expected

Christian disciples to exhibit the radical righteousness of the SM for the glory of the

heavenly Father who produces such righteousness in His people” (Quarles, 20-21).

Jesus’ disciples have participated in the New Exodus, they have experienced the New

Creation, and they are beneficiaries of the New Covenant (Quarles, 21).

The main purpose of the SM is discipleship; it is a description of the life of the true disciple.

Matthew 5: 1-12—The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes, simply put, give a brief picture of what a disciple of Jesus ought to look like.

The rest of the Sermon on the Mount will address this same issue. Though being a disciple of

Jesus means many things, it most simply means following Jesus, living according to the

example that he set and according to the things he taught. And to follow Christ may very

well mean following him to the cross. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Christ calls a

man, he bids him come and die.” Thus, Bonhoeffer adds, “The fellowship of the Beatitudes is

the fellowship of the Crucified” (Bonhoeffer, 114).

These blessings are likely meant to be understood against the backdrop of Moses’ final

blessing in Deuteronomy 33:29: “How happy you are, O Israel! Who is like you, a people

saved by the LORD?” Three reasons make this likely. First, Matthew has just shown Jesus to

be the new Moses. Second, this blessing was prominent in the mind of 1st C Jews. Third,

Matthew’s Jewish readers would hear echoes of the OT themes of the exodus and the

conquest in the promise that the meek would inherit the land. “This background suggests

that the Beatitudes are not mere expressions of ethical principles accompanied by rewards

but are pronouncements of salvation that identify Jesus’ disciples as the new Israel”

(Quarles, 39). “Thus, in the Beatitudes the new Moses pronounced the blessings of spiritual

exodus (liberation from slavery to sin) and spiritual conquest (victory over spiritual

enemies) to the new Israel” (Quarles, 40).

This has profound implications for the SM. “The commandments of the SM are not to be

viewed as laws that must be kept in order to achieve salvation or as requirements for

becoming children of God. Rather the commandments define the character and conduct of

those whom God has already claimed as His children. They describe the holy life that

necessarily results from genuine salvation. Jesus pronounced salvation on the disciples

through the Beatitudes, then proclaimed the benefits of salvation in the ethical teaching that

follows” (Quarles, 40).

One literary feature we should notice before beginning is what is called inclusion. The

repetition “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” in the first and eighth beatitude show that

everything bracketed between the two can really be included under the one theme.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

o “Poverty of spirit is the personal acknowledgement of spiritual bankruptcy. It is the

conscious confession of unworthy before God… as such, it is the deepest form of

repentance” (Carson, 18).

o Cf. Isaiah 66:2—“To this man will I look, namely to him who is poor and of a contrite

spirit, and who trembles at my word.”

o “Christ’s message in this beatitude is that when individuals recognize their absolute

inability to save themselves and cast themselves on Christ in total dependence on

Him, He graciously reigns over them as King here and now and graciously promises

them a part in His future kingdom” (Quarles, 47).

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted

o “At an individual level, this mourning is a personal grief over personal sin” (Carson,

19). It is “an intense remorse, not a superficial regret” (Quarles, 54).

o It is also on a larger scale. “He means refusing to be in tune with the world or to

accommodate oneself to its standards. Such men mourn for the world, for its guilt,

its fate and its fortune” (Bonhoeffer, 108). “Sometimes the sin of this world, the lack

of integrity, the injustice, the cruelty, the cheapness, the selfishness, all pile onto the

consciousness of a sensitive man and make him weep” (Carson, 19).

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth

o Meekness has more to do with a man’s relationship with god and with other men

than it does an assessment of himself, hence the differentiation with poor in spirit.

“Meekness is a controlled desire to see the other’s interests advance ahead of one’s

own” (Carson 20). Simply put, meekness is humility.

o D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, “The man who is truly meek is the one who is amazed

that God and man can think of him as well as they do and treat him as well as they

do…Finally, I would put it like this. We are to leave everything—ourselves, our

rights, our cause, our whole future—in the hands of God, and especially so if we feel

we are suffering unjustly” (Carson, 21). This seems to be the context of Psalm 37:11,

from which this passage quotes. In Psalm 37:11, meekness (humility) “seems to

refer to one who seeks to live righteously even though it appears that the wicked

prosper and the good suffer because he trusts God to deliver him from the wicked

and to act justly in His judgments” (Quarles, 55).

o Cf. Matthew 11:28; Philippians 2; Psalm 37:11

o “Those who now possess it [the earth] by violence and injustice shall lose it, and

those who here have utterly renounced it, who were meek to the point of the cross,

shall rule the new earth’ (Bonhoeffer, 110). The promise is not some spiritual

inheritance, nor is it a present physical blessing, but it is an eschatological promise

that those who are in Christ will possess and live in the New Earth over which Christ

rules eternally.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled

o “Hunger and thirst are metaphors for intense longing” (Quarles, 58).

o “Righteousness here (and also in verses 10 and 20) means a pattern of life in

conformity to God’s will” (Carson, 23). This understanding fits well with the use of

righteousness elsewhere in the SM. However, the word used here dikaiosune, could

refer to God’s justice, which fits well in the context. While personal righteousness

may be primarily in view, the context as well as the ambiguity of the term may allow

both to be in view. Thus, followers of Jesus long intensely not only for personal

righteousness in accordance with God’s will, but also for God’s eschatological justice.

o Cf. Psalm 1; Ps. 119

o “He wants to be righteous, not simply because he fears God, but because

righteousness has become for him the most eminently desirable thing in the world”

(Carson, 23).

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy

o Oftentimes grace and mercy are used synonymously by those who talk about God.

While very closely related, it seems that grace is a loving response when love is

undeserved, unmerited favor, while mercy is a loving response prompted by the

misery and helplessness of the one on whom the love is to be showered. “Grace

answers to the undeserving; mercy answers to the miserable” (Carson, 25).

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God

o “Who is pure in heart? Only those who have surrendered their hearts completely to

Jesus that he may reign in them alone…their hearts are not ruled by their

conscience, but by the will of Jesus” (Bonhoeffer, 112).

o “Purity of heart is the indispensible prerequisite for fellowship with God—for

‘seeing’ God” (Carson, 26).

o Cf. Heb. 12:14

o We must be careful, however, not to confuse purity of heart with outward

conformity to rules. This beatitude is more direct, asking piercing questions like,

“What do you think about when your mind slips into neutral?”

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God

o Christ himself was the greatest peacemaker because he makes peace between God

and man by removing sin, and peace between man and man by removing sin and

bringing men into a right relationship with God. “Thus, the good news of Jesus Christ

is the greatest peacemaking message, and the Christian who shares his faith is,

fundamentally, a harbinger of peace, a peacemaker” (Carson, 27).

o However, our peacemaking role extends beyond sharing the gospel; it also includes

lessening tensions, seeking solutions, ensuring that communication is understood,

resolving disputes, and much, much more.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven

o We must be clear here that the persecution is the result of righteousness, on account

of living one’s life as Jesus lived. This is because “the godly character of Jesus’

followers and the righteous conduct that SM describes serve as a silent indictment

of the sinful lifestyles of others” (Quarles, 71).

o This persecution may take many forms: it may be physical distress, torture, or

death; but it may also look like ridicule from family, disdain from coworkers, etc.

o But the Bible is clear that persecution is the lot of the Christian.

Phil. 1:29

2 Tim. 3:12

1 Thes. 3:3ff

Rom. 8:16-17

o The emphasis is placed in this section on the pronoun “theirs.” This produces a

nuance that the kingdom belongs to righteous sufferers and to them alone. “Those

who compromise the teachings of Jesus in the SM in order to escape persecution are

not true disciples and will not have a share in the kingdom because true disciples

are willing to follow Jesus even at the cost of their very lives” (Quarles, 75).

o We may ask the question then: If the disciple of Jesus never experiences any

persecution at all, where is righteousness being displayed in his life?

Verses 11-12 then provide commentary on this final beatitude, continuing on this notion of

suffering, and they give us three important insights.

o Persecution is explicitly broadened to include insults and spoken malice

o The cause of persecution, because of righteousness in v. 10, is paralleled in v. 11 as

because of me [Jesus].

o We are commanded to rejoice and be glad when suffering under persecution of this

type

How do we do that? 2 Cor. 12:9-10

Ultimately, Jesus gives only one reason to his disciples for why they should

suffer persecution, and it ought to be sufficient: for your reward is great in

heaven. “The eschatological reward will be so great that the earthly suffering

will pale by comparison” (76).

Cf. Romans 8:18

Matthew 5:13-16—Salt and Light

But not all people will respond with the type of persecution Jesus mentioned in vv. 11-12.

Some will actually examine the conduct of those who follow Jesus and desire to do likewise,

glorifying the heavenly Father.

Jesus begins with the statement that his disciples are the salt of the earth. Just as salt has

multiple benefits (e.g. seasoning, preserving, purifying, etc..) so also his disciples ought to

benefit the world in which they live. The primary understanding of the metaphor here

seems to be purifying, and parallels the light in the following verse. Both metaphors point to

the way in which Jesus’ followers will be characterized by righteousness and purity that has

a transformative effect on others. The primary way in which they are to do this, however, is

not merely by their lifestyle, but by making Jesus’ name known. Jesus goes on to use the

picture of a city on a hill and a lamp under a basket. The truth that the disciples possess

cannot be hidden; it will be made visible.

Implication: This destroys all notions of a “private faith.” Our culture is content (at least

now) for us to be Christian, so long as we do not publicly proclaim it and try to convince

others of its truth. They argue that religion is personal preference and it ought to remain the

business of each individual person. Unfortunately, we have bought into this notion. We

think that our own relationship with Jesus is sufficient to live a godly life, but if we fail to

make known the truth of the gospel then we fail in the primary and most important task

that Jesus left his disciples, namely to make more disciples (v.16 and Mt. 28:16-20).

The difficult statement in this passage is the statement that salt which has lost its saltiness

cannot be restored. The point Jesus is making is that only followers of Jesus have the ability

to transform society because only they can share the gospel of the kingdom and only they

can have the superior righteousness that he will describe in the next section. If the follower

of Jesus lives in hypocrisy, then while it is possible to restore relationship with God through

repentance, “it does not eliminate the temporal consequences of sin. The hypocrisy of those

who do not practice what they preach does lasting harm to one’s Christian witness”

(Quarles, 82).

Finally, the good works that we do are not our own. As clearly evident in this passage, the

source of these good works is God, which is why those who see the good works will praise

the Father in heaven and not us. Though some will see in 6:1-8 a statement against public

works, read in conjunction with this passage it is best to understand that it is not the

location of the good works that matter (public vs private), but rather the heart with which

they are done.

Matthew 5:17-20—Christ fulfilled the Law

Jesus then immediately dispels a likely misconception about his ministry, one which many

in the church continue to fall into, namely that Jesus has abolished the law and it is

therefore no longer of any value. This seems to be the reason for saying the Law or the

Prophets rather than the common Law and the Prophets. Jesus’ opponents probably

accused him of destroying the Law in particular, and Jesus’ reply is to say that he has not

destroyed the Law, nor has he destroyed the Prophets for that matter, but rather he came to

fulfill all the OT.

Jesus states this more directly in verse 18, saying that not even the smallest letters or marks

of the Law will pass away until all is accomplished.

There are two ways in which Jesus could be said to fulfill the Law and the Prophets:

o Jesus kept the Mosaic Law, something no Israelite had ever been able to accomplish

o More importantly, however, Jesus fulfilled the entire message of the OT. “Jesus

fulfills both the Law and the Prophets in the same way. He is and does all that they

predicted” (Quarles, 93). More specifically, Jesus not only fulfilled the Mosaic law,

but fulfilled the promised related to the prophet like Moses who was to come (Deut

18:15-18).

The OT is a comprehensive, unified story pointing to the redemption of all

creation through the seed of Adam, Abraham, Judah, and David. It is not

simply an Israelite history that happens to have some random prophecies

relating to Jesus.

Jesus next makes a curious statement: “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these

commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of

heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of

heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

o What are we to make of this? It is clear from the rest of the NT that the sacrificial

system of the OT is no longer necessary since Christ is our sacrifice once for all (Heb.

7:27). It is also clear that there is no longer any need for circumcision (Gal. 2:1-10;

Acts 15). So what does it mean that Jesus’ disciples should do and teach even the

least of these commandments?

o He will go on to answer this in following passages, but some mention can be given

here.

The OT itself shows how the ritual keeping of the Law was not God’s

intention. For example, he says in Hosea 6:6—“For I desire steadfast love

and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” And

Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now Israel, what does the LORD your God require

of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to

serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to

keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding

you today for your good?” Similarly in Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man,

what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and

to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” It seems that the

picture of the keeping of the law is more concerned with fear of the LORD,

doing justice, and walking humbly with the LORD.

The second way that keeping the Law seems to be in view is related. Jesus

will go on to state certain principles taught in 1st century Judaism, many

directly from the Law, and then explain how the disciple of Jesus actually has

a more difficult demand on his character to keep the way of the LORD than

the Pharisees attempts to keep the Law. It seems that the emphasis here is

on the formation of godly character, the development of virtue, that becomes

the primary way in which Jesus’ disciples can be identified.

While followers of Jesus are not under the OT Law as law, it is a standard of

righteousness that remains, and one which they are to exceed. As Doug Moo

writes, “the OT law is not to be abandoned. Indeed, it must continue to be

taught (Matt 5:19)—but interpreted and applied in light of its fulfillment by

Christ. In other words, it stands no longer as the ultimate standard of

conduct for God’s people, but must always be viewed through the lenses of

Jesus’ ministry and teaching” (as quoted in Quarles, 97).

Matthew 5:21-48—“You have heard that it was said”

“Jesus’ teaching and His interpretation of the OT transcend the literal demands of the law.

He surpassed the law by insisting that one should avoid sinful attitudes as well as sinful

actions (5:21-30), by showing that the absence of absolute prohibition of an action in the

law does not necessarily imply divine approval (vv.31-37), and by showing that the

behavior of His followers is to be guided by God’s own character rather than merely by His

commands (vv.43-48)” (Quarles, 106).

Anger

o You have heard that it was said you shall not murder, but I say that if you are angry

with your brother you will be liable to judgment.

o This is because anger manifests a lack of forgiveness which God commands of his

disciples.

o “The general principle taught by the legal illustration is that the earlier an offender

makes restitution and seeks reconciliation, the better. One should settle things

before the anger escalates, before words are uttered that cannot be taken back, or

before wounds are inflicted that are painful and slow to heal” (Quarles, 114).

Lust

o You have heard that it was said you shall not commit adultery, but I say that

everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery

with her in his heart.

o This is because lust manifests a lack of sexual purity, whether one is married or not.

God created sex to be enjoyed in the marriage relationship, for several purposes,

including unity and procreation. To lust after another is to seek the pleasure of

sexual fulfillment outside of its intended context.

o “He did not intend that men or women hide their eyes from any beautiful or

handsome member of the opposite sex, nor did He teach that it is wrong to admire

someone’s appearance. The lustful look locks eyes on another person and uses him

or her to fuel one’s sexual imagination” (Quarles, 117).

o Jesus’ statement to cut off any member that causes one to sin makes perfect sense at

a literal level. If one must choose between a hand or an eternity in hell, the choice is

easy. However, Jesus, though speaking literally, is also speaking hypothetically. If the

hand really were the cause of the sin, then one should cut it off. Yet Jesus has already

demonstrated that it is not the hand nor the eye but the heart that is the problem

(Quarles, 122-123).

o “Jesus demonstrates that a lifestyle of sexual sin leads to spiritual downfall, and its

consequences will be eternal punishment” (Quarles, 124).

Divorce

o It was also said whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce,

but I say that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual

immorality, and marries another commits adultery and makes her and anyone who

marries her commit adultery.

o Marriage is not a civil institution that we can enter in and out of as our desire for a

person grows and subsides. Marriage is a God-created, God-given institution which

acts as a covenant commitment between a man and woman. It is a lifelong

commitment that reflects the marriage between Christ and his church. We should

not take entering into marriage lightly because there are few if any reasons for

ending it. “Jesus clearly expected divorce to be a rarity among His followers”

(Quarles, 135).

o John Chrysostom said, “For he that is meek, and a peacemaker, and poor in spirit,

and merciful, how shall he cast out his wife? He that is used to reconcile others, how

shall he be at variance with her that is his own?” (Homily on Matthew 17:4; as

quoted by Quarles, 135).

o The exception in 5:32 requires Matthew 19:9 in order to determine more

adequately what this exception is, because it occurs only in Matthew.

Oaths

o Some have taken this verse to suggest that they cannot even take an oath in court. It

seems that this is more a general principle than a prescriptive prohibition. The point

either way is that we ought to be trustworthy individuals. “Jesus wants his disciples

to be people of such integrity that they will be trusted without making an oath”

(Quarles, 142). Those who know us should accept that we are telling the truth

rather than lying. If we are such that people require us to swear by our statement,

we likely have manifested in our life a lack of integrity and trustworthiness. Such

falsehood is not indicative of a disciple of Jesus.

Retaliation

o This passage relates closely to other NT passages that tell us to love our enemies,

bless those who persecute us, etc. (Rom. 12:14; 1 Pet. 3:9). Vengeance is the LORD’s,

He will repay. We are called to forgive; God is the judge and will execute judgment

on those who do not repent. He is a gracious God, but one who will by no means

leave the guilty unpunished (Ex. 34:7).

Love your enemies

o See above.

o In addition, we see that loving our friends does not distinguish us from the wicked.

Everyone loves their friends. What truly sets us apart as disciples is that we love and

pray for our enemies. “Love for others, including one’s enemies, is the essence of

divine perfection and the key to true righteousness” (Quarles, 169).

Matthew 6:1-4—Practicing your righteousness

One danger of practicing these virtues is that a disciple might see how different he is than

others and begin to practice his righteousness publicly for the express purpose of being

noticed and praised for his good deeds. This, however, exhibits pride and self-

righteousness, not humility and recognition of God’s work in the Holy Spirit that allows one

to act in a godly manner.

In light of this warning, Jesus tells his disciples to act in such a manner that the left hand

does not know what the right hand is doing, meaning that it should be done as much as

possible in secret. This doesn’t mean people cannot find out about it, but it means that our

motivation should be to act in love and service for others, not for any recognition. Once

again, it is not the location of, but the motivation for, the action that is important, and an

action cannot be truly righteous unless it has the proper motivation. “The motivation for

every truly righteous act is a desire to glorify God and to please Him” (Quarles, 171).

Matthew 6:5-18—Almsgiving, Lord’s Prayer, and Fasting

Jesus gives three examples of situations in which we should avoid pride and self-

righteousness by acting in secret and/or with the proper motivation. These are not

haphazardly chosen illustrations either, but rather these are recognized as three pillars of

1st C Jewish life.

o Almsgiving

o Praying

o Fasting

Jesus identifies people who do these things for recognition as hypocrites, which originally

referred to a play-actor who performed on the stage of the Greek or Roman theater. “The

hypocrites to whom Jesus referred were spiritual play-actors who pretended to have piety

that they did not actually possess in order to inspire the applause of a human audience

[…]This suggests that hypocrisy involves pretended devotion to God, empty worship, and

the substitution of human authority for divine authority” (Quarles, 176).

With respect to praying, he says not to pray for the purpose of being noticed or to pray with

empty phrases and many words. Rather, pray like this, and then he gives them the Lord’s

prayer.

Components of the Lord’s prayer;

o Addressed to our Father in heaven

Our implies prayer is often a community activity

Father implies a closeness and intimacy of relationship. He is not the Father

of all people, but only those who are followers of Jesus and thereby His

children. They did not need to heep up many phrases to get the gods’

attention like the pagans; they could speak to their heavenly Father and He

would hear and answer

In heaven implies a divine audience, as opposed to those who prayed on the

street corners and sought an earthly, human audience.

o Emphasis on his name—let it be treated with reverence

o Pray for the coming of God’s kingdom

“Most likely a plea for the consummation of God’s kingdom through the

second coming of Jesus” (Quarles, 196).

o Pray for the Lord’s will to be done on earth as in heaven, that is, without opposition

and with full effect

Similar to the previous statement, this is a plea that God’s kingdom will

come so that He will conquer all evil and restore righteousness.

It also implies that our desire is to see, as much as possible, God’s will done

in the present until Christ returns.

o Request and thankfulness for God’s provision of physical needs (food)

o Request to have our debts or trespasses forgiven as we have forgiven others

This line ought to give us pause. Do we do a good job of forgiving others

their trespasses? What we are praying when we pray this is that God will

forgive us as we forgive others—is that really what we want? It should be,

but that means that we need to do a better job of forgiving others.

God’s forgiveness of us should lead us to forgive others habitually, whereby

we can come before God and ask that He forgive us as we have forgiven

others.

Both the conclusion of this prayer and the parable of the Unforgiving Slave

in 18:23-35 “teach that gracious forgiveness of others is a condition for

receiving forgiveness from God in final judgment. Personal forgiveness is not

a meritorious work that somehow earns divine forgiveness. However, the

willingness to forgive others graciously is a hallmark of the true disciple of

Jesus” (Quarles, 212).

o Request not to be led into temptation but to be delivered from the evil one

This request does not suggest that God would try to lead us into temptation

if we didn’t faithfully pray this prayer. Rather it is a petition that simply asks

God not to permit us to enter into situations in which the evil one would

seize the opportunity to tempt us (Quarles, 217).

o Proclamation that the kingdom, power, and glory belong to the Father

While almost certainly a later addition, the doxology “nevertheless affords a

very appropriate conclusion, and no one need campaign to do away with its

use in churches today. Christians regularly and rightly utter many things in

prayer that do not directly quote the autographs of Scripture” (Blomberg’s

Matthew commentary, 121; as quoted by Quarles, 223 n.398).

“Public prayers that do not issue from a consistent private prayer life or that easily shift

from talking to God to talking about God are probably hypocritical and misdirected”

(Quarles, 183).

V. 14-15 make explicit the implicit point made above that our forgiveness by God ought to

lead to us forgiving others (see parable to the unforgiving servant Mt. 18:23-35).

Matthew 6:19-24—Laying up treasures in heaven

In light of the previous section, we see that acting in accordance with God’s standards and

with a character like Christ has certain rewards (6:4, 6, 18), which clearly are heavenly

rewards (remember the Beatitudes). If it is true that we anticipate heavenly rewards rather

than earthly rewards, then why have any regard for earthly treasures that rust and are

destroyed and are stolen. Thus, lay up treasures in heaven that are not corrupted. When we

do this, we see that our treasure is in Heaven and not in earthly possessions. And as Jesus

says, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This discussion of treasure is a helpful analogy. Often we don’t adequately consider that as

disciples of Jesus our treasure, our greatest satisfaction, is a relationship with him. This can

be a helpful way of identifying when things, people, etc. become greater treasures than

Christ and thus an indicator that our heart is in the wrong place.

Matthew 6:25-34—Do not be anxious

“Failure to view riches and possessions from a proper perspective only promotes anxiety”

(Quarles, 258).

Seek first the kingdom of God

o Seeking the kingdom means endeavoring “to become admitted into it, and share the

privileges and duties of its subjects” (Broadus, The Gospel According to Matthew,

151; as quoted by Quarles, 278).

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness

o Seeking His righteousness in this context means obeying the Messiah’s teaching

(Quarles, 279).

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to

you.

o Notice, these things which are added are not earthly treasures, but those things that

are necessary for life.

o As has been stressed several times already in the sermon on the mount, the first and

most important focus is on the kingdom of heaven.

Since we can have confidence that God will care for our basic needs, we do not need to be

anxious, but can have faith in His provision and focus our time and effort into the kingdom

of heaven.

Matthew 7:1-6—Do not judge

This verse is perhaps the most memorized by non-Christians who all seem to know this

verse whenever we confront them in sin. However, they misinterpret its meaning.

The main point of this verse is not that we don’t confront sin, but that we do so only after

first examining ourselves and then that we do so in the proper manner, that is, we confront

them with the gospel, not with condemnation and judgment which is reserved for God alone

to execute.

One additional note: “The NT teaches that all sins are serious and that any sin is deserving

of God’s fierce wrath. Yet this does not mean that all sins are equal.” The example of John

19:11 (Annas and Caiaphas more guilty than Pilate) shows that “Jesus clearly taught that

some sins may be greater or less than others. The contrast between the speck and the beam

confirms this with graphic imagery” (Quarles, 287).

This then leads directly into the confusing verse about not throwing pearls before pigs or

giving to dogs what is holy. The point of this verse, noting the context, is that while we

should be merciful, forgiving, and slow to judge, some people simply will not desire

assistance in overcoming sin and “no matter how humbly or lovingly the disciple

approaches such a person, the efforts to assist will only prove disastrous.

What are these pearls that are clearly precious? The context, as well as Matthew 13:45

which equates the pearl with the kingdom of God, suggests that it is speaking of the gospel

of the kingdom (Matt 4:23). The passage then, as hard as it is to hear, is that we should

wisely discern the true character of people and withhold the gospel of the kingdom from

those who treat it with contempt and not indefinitely continue proclaiming the gospel to

those who adamantly reject it. The gospel of the kingdom is too glorious a message to be

dragged through the mud, and reverence for the Christian message demands that we

protect it. Moreover, this allows us to move on and proclaim the gospel to others (10:14;

Acts 13:46; 18:6; Titus 3:10-11). However, we must be careful here. “Jesus’ teaching

demonstrates that the disciples were not to presume that any person would reject the

gospel. They were to offer it to anyone. However, when the gospel was rejected, the

disciples were to refocus their evangelistic efforts on others” (Quarles, 295).

Matthew 7:7-12—Ask, Seek, Knock and the Golden Rule

These verses do not suggest that we will get anything we ask for, but that if we persist in

prayer about those things which we truly need, we can be confident that God will provide

for us (see 6:25-34). Oftentimes, however, those things which we think we need are not in

our best interest and so God does not answer as we want him to. John Stott once noted that

if Jesus granted all of our prayers, wise men would stop praying, since we recognize that we

lack the insight to truly pray for what we ought in all circumstances. While he does not

answer all of our prayers in the way we might expect, he always answers them for our good.

Paul picks up on this notion in Romans 8:28, 32. “For all things work together for good, for

those who love God and are called according to his purpose…He who did not spare His own

Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things.”

We can know that God will provide for us and graciously give us all things. He has already

given us the greatest gift, relationship with him, so why be anxious about anything else.

It appears that “Jesus’ primary purpose in these statements was not to teach about prayer

or to call his disciples to persistence in prayer. Rather this text focuses on appeal to a

gracious God for entrance into the kingdom. Jesus’ intention was to stress that

eschatological salvation is a gift granted to His disciples who approach God as spiritual

beggars (5:3) and humbly plead for God to give them the undeserved privilege of entering

His kingdom” (Quarles, 299).

The ask, seek, knock sequence seems to have moved to an evangelistic invitation. Rather

than speaking to his disciples, he has now moved on to speaking to the crowds and urged

his hearers to ask for kingdom entrance, seek the kingdom and the righteousness of God

above all else and the difficult path to life, and knock on the narrow gate that is the only

access to salvation.

In verse 12, Jesus moves on to the well-known statement that they are to treat others as

they wish to be treated. There is much in common with his answer to the greatest

commandment question in 22:34-40 in which he says loving God and loving others is all the

Law and the Prophets. Here he says that doing to others as you would have them do to you

is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:13-23—Two Roads, Two Gates, and Two Trees

Though similar, the roads and gate are not synonymous. One, the gate, is passed through in

a moment, while the other, the road, is traveled over a prolonged period of time. It could be

that the gate is the initial act of conversion followed by the difficult road of discipleship.

More likely, however, the gate is the end, the entrance into the eschatological kingdom, and

the road represents a life guided by the precepts of the SM.

The fact that the road is narrow points to the restrictive nature of the life chosen by Jesus’

followers. There is no room for turning to the right or left and getting off the path. It is a

focused, straightforward lifestyle that resists temptation. Consequently, few will choose to

take such a path, opting instead for a wider path that allows for more freedom to do as they

desire. We find that those who choose the kingdom may find they do so alone. Those who

reject the strict demands of the kingdom will have plenty of company (Quarles, 310).

In the verses that follow, Jesus transitions to an analogy of wolves in sheep clothing, a

metaphor of two trees, and the topic of false prophets. It may be that he shifts to the false

prophets because they were popular leaders who led the masses down the wrong road and

through the wrong gate. The analogy of the wolf in sheep’s clothing demonstrates that while

false prophets will disguise themselves as disciples, true disciples and false prophets are

two vastly different types of people that will produce different fruit. Thus, the two trees

metaphor points to the fact that one’s fruit is a representation of one’s true character, which

has been a central focus of the SM all along. Just as a false prophet will be known by his bad

fruit, a true follower of Jesus ought to be characterized by the type of fruit (character) that

Jesus has taught about in the previous chapters.

In verses 21-23, Jesus likely would have shocked his readers with an even more restrictive

statement. Not only are the pigs and dogs excluded from the kingdom. Not only are the

obvious false prophets excluded from the kingdom. There are those who say “Lord, Lord,”

who prophesy in the Lord’s name, who drive out demons in his name, and do miracles in his

name, who will be excluded. Once again, the focus is on their fruit. While driving out demons

and doing miracles are oftentimes good things (see the ministry of the apostles), they are

nonetheless said to be lawbreakers/worker of lawlessness. It is possible (see Acts 16:16-19

for example) to possess an authentic prophetic gift that is not from or used in the service of

God. What is their sin? Perhaps they did those works for recognition, in direct contrast to

the true disciple’s task in chapter 6. Perhaps mentioning prophetic works first is a hint that

they are to be understood as the false prophets of the previous verses. We are not given

details, only a straightforward statement that not everyone who calls on the Lord will

inherit the kingdom. Confession of the Lord is essential to kingdom entrance, but it is not

sufficient. True disciples express the sincerity of that confession in obedient living. “Jesus

was not pitting obedience against faith but was insisting that obedience is the necessary

expression of true faith” (Quarles, 333; cf. James 2). These true disciples are the ones who

do the will of the Father (v. 21), which is understood in the context as obedience to God’s

moral will as expressed in His commands (Quarles, 333).

Matthew 7:24-27—Two Hearers, Two Builders, Two Foundations

Jesus once again uses a parable of sorts to communicate two distinct groups. The wise man,

the one who built his house on the rock (a place of security and safety), represents the true

disciple who hears Jesus’ words and acts on them. The foolish man, the one who built his

house on the sand (a place of instability and fragility) represents those who heard but did

not obey. The storm that comes is the eschatological judgment, and only those who built

their house on the rock will survive. Following on the heels of those who are shocked to find

that Jesus never knew them, this passage has a similar message. “Just as confessions of faith

without expressions of obedience do not guarantee salvation (Matt 7:21-23), hearing Jesus’

teaching without heeding His teaching leaves one unprepared for divine judgment. Those

who do not obey Jesus’ teaching in the SM will be destroyed in the coming storm of

eschatological judgment” (Quarles, 349).

Matthew 7:28-9:38—The Authority of Jesus Demonstrated in His Miracles

The conclusion to the SM points back to the beginning by mentioning the crowds and Jesus’

teaching. It also contains the word authority, that introduces a prominent theme in the next

section (8:9; 9:6, 8; 10:1). The conclusion of the sermon, much like its introduction, is a

suitable bridge between teaching and narrative.

Explore how healing/miracles stories in chapters 8-9 demonstrate Jesus’ authority (see also

Mark 2)

“The study of this sermon is not a mere academic exercise that satisfies a person’s curiosity

about a great Teacher or stirs interest in the ethical instruction of an ancient Jewish

philosopher. The SM demands that hearers and readers obey its commands. The SM calls

every reader to begin a long and difficult journey on a narrow path, a path marked by pain

and persecution, but also a path that leads to a narrow gate beyond which the weary

traveler will enjoy wonders too great to describe” (Quarles, 351-352).