Lesson 1. Poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3)
Matthew 5:1 to 7:29 is generally known as “the sermon on the mount” (see Matthew 8:1). At the beginning of the first part there are the so-called beatitudes. They contain very practical and important lessons for all those who are in the kingdom of heaven. These beatitudes have a threefold bearing:
firstly, for the disciples at the time of the rejection of the Lord Jesus;
secondly, for believers in the present time during the absence of the Lord;
thirdly, for the future faithful remnant of the Jews during the great tribulation, before the Lord Jesus will appear as King.
The characteristics which the Lord names in the beatitudes are not those of a natural person; the new birth is necessary in order that they may be present. The Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”, and these characteristics can only be manifested in the life of a person who has received new and eternal life by believing on Him, and who is taught and formed by Him (John 3:3).
The expression “blessed” appears 50 times in the New Testament. It means more than being emotionally happy, because certain circumstances may produce such happiness. To be blessed is more than that. It is the state the Lord Himself gives to those who put His word into practice in their lives.
Poverty in spirit is the inward counterpart of outward poverty. This is not, as sometimes suggested, a lack of spiritual abilities or intelligence. There are other passages where the Bible talks in a very comforting way about infants and children, but here the meaning is completely different.
A believer who does not think much of himself, who sees himself in the light of God and who therefore is humble — he is poor in spirit. This attitude of mind is described in the Old Testament with the expressions “contrite spirit” and “a broken and a contrite heart” (Psalm 34:18; Psalm 51:17). In Isaiah 57:15 the following promise is connected with it: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”.
If we consider ourselves honestly in the presence and in the light of God, we will be poor in spirit, as human honour and greatness cannot continue to exist when He looks at us. Examples of such an attitude of mind are Abraham (Genesis 18:27), Job (Job 42:5-6), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-5), the publican in the temple (Luke 18:13) and Simon Peter (Luke 5:8). As long as we measure ourselves with ourselves or compare ourselves with other Christians, we will always find some reason for self-satisfaction. In the world and, sad to say, among Christians too, what mostly counts is outward success, high position and prestige. The consequence is arrogance, overestimation of one’s abilities and conceit. Only in the presence of God do we become and remain poor in spirit.
The Lord Jesus was in the full meaning of the expression poor in spirit. He did not seek to do His own will, neither did He seek His own honour, but only the glorification of His Father. Yet there is a great difference between Him and us. It is the difference between humility and humiliation. The Lord Jesus was perfectly meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). He knew no arrogance and therefore did not need to humble Himself, as is so often the need with ourselves. Our true blessing consists not only in emulating the character of our Lord, but in being and remaining near Him.
Lesson 2. Blessed are they that mourn (Matthew 5:4)
Nobody likes to mourn. Many prefer to avoid those who are mourning. It is so difficult to find words of comfort when somebody mourns the death of a relative or a friend.When the Lord Jesus Christ called them that mourn “blessed” in this second “beatitude” He was not thinking of mourning over the loss of a beloved person. No, when He said “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted”, the meaning was a completely different one.
Here we are concerned with the kingdom of God and He had come as King (see Matthew 12:28). How was He received by His people? “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). When He was born, there was no room for them in the inn, king Herod tried to kill Him, and His relatives once said that He was like one demented. Even His disciples, who were closest to Him during the three years of His public service, often did not understand Him; one denied Him, and one even betrayed Him to His enemies!
Yes, our Lord had much reason for mourning. He cried over Jerusalem and said about the city, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37-39). After His appearance in glory for the establishment of the millennium He will be joyfully welcomed by His people and will be truly “comforted”.
The believing remnant of the Jews will also go through deep mourning during the great tribulation, shortly before this appearance of Christ. They will mourn the hardened state of the hearts of the people who will follow the Antichrist, and mourn the guilt of the Jewish people and their complicity in the death of the Messiah. But they, too, will be comforted by the Lord Himself: “the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem” (Zechariah 1:17). “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:13. See also Isaiah 40:1; Isaiah 49:13; Isaiah 51:3, 12; Isaiah 61:2).
Are there not reasons for a similar mourning among God’s people in the present day? Do we see how the Lord Jesus is being dishonoured within Christendom, how the Word of God is not taken seriously even by true Christians, how hardness of heart instead of love, self-will instead of obedience, meaningless formalism instead of true dependence on the Lord, and worldliness instead of separation from evil are spreading? Do we pass by carelessly and indifferently, or are we above such things in a judging, self-righteous manner? Or do we do what is right and pleasing to our Lord: do we really mourn over the Lord being thus dishonoured?We find such a mourning in the Old Testament with Nehemiah, who said to king Artaxerxes: “why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?” (Nehemiah 2:3). We also read of Daniel and Ezra that they mourned over the unfaithfulness of God’s people and the consequences of that unfaithfulness (see Daniel 9 and Ezra 9-10). We can learn from what these men of God did. Considering their age, none of these men could be regarded as personally responsible. They were not self-righteous and did not think of themselves as above their people. They confessed their people’s sin and included themselves in their guilt. They understood that they themselves were no better and that they formed part of this people. That is why God owned them and answered them. That was their comfort.If in our day we take such an attitude, then the beatitude is valid for us as well: “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Surely this will be the case in perfection only at the Lord’s return, but even now in this prospect we have the comfort that God Himself will wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there will be no more mourning (see Revelation 21:4).
Lesson 3. Blessed are the meek (Matthew 5:5)
This is the third “beatitude” of our Lord: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth”. Whereas the promise of the first beatitude is “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, it is described more precisely here: “they shall inherit the earth”. For the listeners, whose land was under the rule of the Romans, this was a clear indication of the future time of the millennium (see Psalm 37:11).
“Meek” does also mean “kind, gentle”. In the world meekness is often regarded as weakness, and is therefore often thought little of. The recklessness, daring and lack of consideration shown by the successful of this world are more likely to be admired.
Yet the meekness in our passage is not weakness or ingratiating servility. A meek child of God can bear malice and hardness without having bitter resentment, because he knows he is supported by the One who has more strength. He enables the believer to manifest this characteristic of true discipleship.
The perfect example of meekness is the Lord Jesus Himself. He said in Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”. Just before, Israel’s leaders had called Him a glutton and wine-bibber, and He had to upbraid the cities wherein most of His mighty works were done (Matthew 11:19-24). Even in such a situation He was able to look up and say, “I praise Thee, Father … ”. The Lord Jesus was meek. We can learn meekness only from Him. If we find ourselves in a situation where we are provoked, we can pray to Him “Lord, let me show Thy mind now!”
Moses, the great man of God in the Old Testament, learned meekness form God during his forty years as a shepherd in Midian. When he was young he had in sudden and righteous anger struck an Egyptian man dead who was ill-treating an Israelite (Exodus 2:11-12; Acts 7:23-24). More than forty years later, when his sister Miriam and his brother Aaron opposed him, the Holy Spirit could bear testimony to him, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). This meekness of Moses was the result of his education in God’s school, but though he was the meekest man on earth he was not allowed to enter the land of Canaan, in contrast to the meek ones in our verse who will inherit the earth.
Let us remember that it is not said that they will acquire the earth, but that they will inherit it. Certain expositors of the “Sermon on the Mount” refer everything to the natural person, and to the present time and world, suggesting that those who act according to what the “Sermon on the Mount” says will be victorious and possess the earth in peace. That is impossible. The Lord Jesus is here talking of true disciples who have accepted Him in truth and follow Him. He is viewed as having accomplished the work of redemption, on the basis of which His inheritance is granted to them as well (see Psalm 2:7-8; Hebrews 1:2; Ephesians 1:10-11). The inheritance of the faithful remnant of Jews who will pass through the great tribulation, and who will be protected by God, will be the land of Israel in the millennium. Each one of them “shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree” (Micah 4:4). The inheritance of believers in that glorious day will be more, that is the whole earth, even the whole creation (Hebrews 2:7-8). Those who form the assembly will receive and possess this inheritance in Christ.
It might be difficult for some Christians to understand that they are on the side of the Victor and yet often have to suffer or are treated in an unfair way. Soon we will share His position of power with Him. So the Lord comforts the disciples in our verse, as He also comforted the Thessalonians by the apostle Paul who wrote: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7).
The Lord Jesus went this way. In Isaiah 53:7 Scripture says of Him: “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth”. But in verse 12 we see the results: “Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong”.
Lesson 4. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6)
In Luke 6, where the Lord addresses His disciples personally, He says in a general way: “Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled” (verse 21). The fourth of the nine “beatitudes” in Matthew 5 speaks of a particular hunger and thirst — a hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Hunger and thirst involve an intensive desire for what is vital to the preservation of life. They indicate that one has to manage without these objects of desire, or that they are not at one’s disposal.
Was there no righteousness on earth at that time? When God gave the law to His people at Sinai, He said: “ … in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” (Leviticus 19:15). But what did this people do with the Lord Jesus, the only just One? Peter had to say to the Jews: “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life … ” (Acts 3:14-15). The Romans who occupied Palestine at that time were proud of their ancient law. It still serves as a basis for laws on the statute books of many of the European states, and hence the standard of Roman righteousness continues with us to this day. However, when the Lord Jesus stood before Pilate, the Roman governor, Pilate said: “I am innocent of the blood of this just person … ” (Matthew 27:24). Yet he had Him scourged, and delivered Him to be crucified, because of the demand of the inflamed crowd. The unrighteousness of the world cannot be expressed more clearly than by the treatment of the Son of God, our Lord and Saviour.
Generally speaking, righteousness today is thought of as a principle of conduct that provides the same rights for everyone. In Scripture however, God Himself is always the source as well as the object of righteousness. He is the perfectly righteous One who always deals righteously, i.e., in accordance with Himself. God deals with mankind for the benefit and blessing of all, yet many do not understand the basis of these dealings, and therefore imagine that God is unjust. Of course, God is not unjust (see Romans 3:5; Hebrews 6:10). God’s righteousness requires that He punish sin which is, as we know, mainly directed against Himself. The perfection of God’s righteousness is seen at the cross of Calvary. There the Man Christ Jesus was punished in the place of sinful people so that God might give His righteousness to those who accept this work of Christ.
True righteousness will only begin to be experienced when we accept this by faith. Man, equipped by God with intellect and a sense of responsibility, knows human righteousness, and endeavours to practise it, but because of the sin that is in him, he is unable to fulfil even this righteousness in the different areas of life to which it applies. Quite apart from this inability, there is often an unwillingness to attempt to meet these human standards. We are living at a time when the demands of human righteousness are clearer than ever before. Think of the demands of tax and social legislation. Think of the international attempts to even out the differences between industrial nations and developing countries. Protestant churches support and motivate these endeavours, and some of these pursue this objective by becoming active politically. Yet the “Sermon on the Mount” contains no instructions to improve the condition of the world, and it is not a political programme. Rather, it describes the characteristics and the future lot of all those who, by believing, have part in the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of heaven). This is meant particularly for the believing remnant of the Jewish people, as well as for the believers from among the nations in the coming tribulation. They will experience the unrighteousness of the world at its peak, in the person of the antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:10; Isaiah 51:1, 6). They, like their Lord before them, will be unjustly persecuted and attacked. Their renewed hearts will be filled with a deep and longing desire for righteousness, and this desire will have its answer when the Lord comes at the beginning of the millennium.
“Behold, a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment” (Isaiah 32:1). When God, under the rule of Christ, lays judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, all those will be filled who earlier hungered and thirsted after righteousness (Isaiah 28:17).
Yet this is not the case at the present time. We must realise that in this world perfect righteousness will exist only when the Lord Jesus Himself introduces it in the millennium. Is not the ardent longing of mankind for righteousness (and for peace which is the work of righteousness — Isaiah 32:17), a sign that this period is soon to come? This longed-for aim will not be achieved by the efforts of those who seek it for the world, but only through the righteousness and peace of God.
This verse speaks to us as Christians too. As children of God we realise how much unrighteousness there is among the people of the world. We see that some believers have to suffer unjustly, not only because of their faith in the Lord Jesus, but simply because of their righteous conduct. And, sad to say, is there not sometimes unrighteousness even among true Christians?
How many a child of God sighs because he feels unjustly treated. The desire for righteousness in these cases is understandable. Yet this hunger and thirst will be satisfied for us all, eternally and perfectly. According to His promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). In the millennium, the Lord Jesus will reign in righteousness, yet in the new creation righteousness will abide eternally. Then the aim of God’s ways with man will be achieved.
Can we not say that our hunger and thirst after righteousness are stilled already in many respects? Has not God counted our faith for righteousness (Romans 4:5, 22)? Are we not the living proofs of the righteousness of God, because we believe in Him, whom He has made to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)? Can we not rejoice already in the moral characteristics of the Kingdom of God: “For the Kingdom of God is … righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17)? Yet we should not only rejoice in these things, but also put them into practice in our lives among our brothers and sisters in Christ, and in the world. In Matthew 6:33 the Lord says to His disciples: “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”. Are not these words a worthy motto for Christians who desire to be faithful disciples of their Lord?
Lesson 5. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7)
Solomon had already written in his proverbs: “He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he” (Proverbs 14:21). In His fifth beatitude the Lord uses similar words, but He adds a promise: “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”.
Mercy and Grace
Mercy is the emotion of the soul in the face of misery or distress, and the aid resulting from this inner emotion. Mercy is not the same as grace. Grace is rather undeserved favour granted to someone who has become a guilty offender. In Scripture a clear difference is made between these two words. In the Old Testament God had said to Moses “ … The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious … ”, and in the New Testament we read repeatedly expressions such as “ … Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father … ” (Exodus 34:6; 1 Timothy 1:2. See 2 Timothy 1:2; Hebrews 4:16; 2 John 3).
In the book of Ruth we have a moving example of godly mercy shown to a poor heathen woman, and the prophet Jonah had to recognise God’s mercy for the inhabitants of Nineveh.
GOD’S MERCY BRINGS LIFE
God shows the greatness of His mercy to all those who believe in our Lord Jesus on the basis of His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. The greatest misery of man is that he is spiritually dead in his sins and therefore completely unable to help himself. To those who are dead to Him, God in His mercy gives life, and He alone is able to do so.
In 1 Timothy 1:13 and 16 Paul remembers the mercy he himself had obtained as an example for all those who believe on the Lord Jesus to everlasting life. In the epistle to the Ephesians he writes: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ … ” (Ephesians 2:4-5). In Titus 3:4-5 it is said that God has saved us “ … according to His mercy … by the … Holy Spirit … ”. Finally, Peter writes: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope … ” (1 Peter 1:3).
“blessed are the Merciful … ”
When the Lord Jesus says “Blessed are the merciful … ”, He means those who have experienced this mercy of God and who now, as disciples of their Lord and Master, follow His example. How often we read in the Gospels that He was moved with compassion! Full of mercy and full of heartfelt sympathy, He healed the sick, gave food to the hungry and gave back her son alive to a mourning mother. Yes, He was the true merciful Samaritan, who could say to the scribe who had come to try Him, at the end of His parable, “ … Go, and do thou likewise” (Luke 10:37).
So here as well the word has a voice for us: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus … ” (Philippians 2:5). In our case mercy involves the passing on of what we have learnt from the Lord Jesus, as to both the spiritual and material realms. If we are continually in the good of what the Lord has done for us we will have the right feelings for the sorrows, miseries and needs of others — not only our brother’s and sister’s in Christ — and we will also give practical proof that we are really merciful. The Lord wants to open our hearts and strengthen our hands in order that we may show His mercy.
It is a solemn lesson indeed which He gives in the parable in Matthew 18:23-35. The unmerciful servant who owed his king 10,000 talents1 had his fellow servant who owed him 100 pence,2 cast into prison. Let us ask ourselves whether we are conscious of the great salvation which we have received, and whether we act accordingly. If we open our hearts and eyes we will find many opportunities to show sympathy and mercy, e.g. visiting those who are sick, shopping for others, driving, etc.
But let us not, in wrong narrow-mindedness, think only of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul writes to the Galatians: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). The power of our testimony for the Lord depends more on our actions than on our words! The world may not study Scripture, but often it knows how to judge our behaviour. How many a soul has been broken down, not only by the pure gospel, clearly presented, but also by the mercy shown!
Yet in many ways the teaching of the New Testament has been degraded to something merely earthly and social. Instead of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, only charity is preached, and this often with a political flavour. This, however, is not the meaning of the “Sermon on the Mount” or the gospel of the grace of God! On the other hand it is no testimony to the grace and mercy of our God if one thinks that preaching the gospel is the only task of a Christian with regard to the world. As our Lord Himself helped those in their different needs to whom He presented the good tidings, we too can tell our neighbours of Him and at the same time show them the power and blessing of our faith practically.
1The value of the 10,000 talents has been variously estimated. Whether talents of silver or of gold are referred to, it would have been a vast sum, running to many millions of pounds (£) at today’s prices.
2. A penny was the usual daily wage of a working man. 100 pence would have been the wages for 100 days.
Wisdom is necessary for showing mercy, — as it is for everything. In cases of material need, quick action is very often required. But there are also occasions when we can not show our mercy immediately. When somebody has sinned it is not always appropriate to show mercy at once. It may be necessary to wait for some time in order that a true, thorough restoration of the soul may be reached. A beautiful example is the behaviour of Joseph toward his brethren. Only during their third meeting did he reveal himself to them and granted the mercy of forgiveness to their burdened souls.
“ … for they shall obtain mercy”
When we thus follow the steps of our Lord we will be more conscious of His mercy on our path of faith day by day. 1 Timothy 1:2, Hebrews 4:16 and 2 John 3 show this. Particularly beautiful are the words in Hebrews 4:16 which show that we will obtain mercy and find grace for seasonable help when we approach the throne of grace in prayer. The Lord Jesus is there as our “merciful and faithful High Priest” (Hebrews 2:17). Thus He accompanies us, in His mercy, throughout our lives, until He comes to take us to the Father’s house. Jude connects even His coming with mercy when he writes: “ … looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 21). Yet not only He will show mercy to us, but on our way we will also receive mercy from fellow-pilgrims, for “ … whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
The last opportunity to obtain the mercy of our Lord will be when we shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ. The apostle Paul prayed for his brother Onesiphorus that “ … he may find mercy of the Lord in that day” (2 Timothy 1:18). Many might be surprised to hear of mercy in this connection. Mercy here has nothing to do with eternal salvation. Rather, it refers to service for the Lord here on earth. Even when every man will have praise of God, His mercy will exult and triumph.
Lesson 6. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8)
The sixth of the so-called beatitudes shows very clearly that the “Sermon on the Mount” is not a social or political programme. Sad to say, within some parts of Christendom it is thus understood and explained. Neither does the Lord Jesus here address the multitudes following Him as if they were unbelievers, far from Himself. He does not call them to repentance and faith, even when He speaks to them apart from the disciples. They all belonged to Israel, the earthly people of God, who were waiting for their Messiah, the King promised by God. In the first place, these principles of the Kingdom of heaven are intended for them. But they are also meant for the Lord’s disciples at all times. “Disciple” really means “pupil, apprentice”. A good pupil will always endeavour to learn as much as possible from his teacher, in order to put it into practice himself. At the same time he will willingly subject himself to his teacher and thus accept his authority. The followers of the Lord Jesus on earth were first called disciples (and not only the twelve apostles, see Luke 6:13). We frequently come across the word “disciples” in Acts too. It was obviously a common name for Christians in the beginning. In contrast to other names like “children of God”, “saints” and “brethren”, which occur very often in the epistles of the New Testament and emphasise our blessings, “disciple” rather expresses our subjection and our following after, i.e. our responsibility.
The word “disciple” is therefore a very suitable expression of the relationship of the believer with the Lord in the Kingdom of God. A merely outward or forced submission as “subjects” is not enough. Acknowledgement of the Lord and willing subjection to His authority must be coupled with faith and devotion. Even though little can be seen here below on earth of the acknowledgement of the dominion of Christ over man — rather the contrary seems the case — perhaps very soon the Kingdom of God will be visible for everyone. In the “Sermon on the Mount” the Lord now points out the characteristics that should mark His disciples, His pupils, His apprentices. But He also shows what immediate blessing as well as future reward is connected with this.
When the Lord here speaks of those who are pure in heart He does not say how man’s heart can be purified. The Word of God shows this in other passages, as for example in Acts 15:9 where Peter says that God purifies the hearts of men by faith (compare Hebrews 10:22; James 4:8; 1 Peter 1:22). The Lord simply says, “Blessed are the pure in heart … ”. He thus speaks of those whose hearts have already been purified.
In Scripture the heart is the centre of the thoughts, the affections and the will (Matthew 9:4; 12:34; 24:48), that is, the inner “switchboard” of man. This is why the writer of the Proverbs had already said, “Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). This is an important warning!
By nature nobody possesses a pure heart, not even a child. God had already said in Genesis 8:21, “ … for the thought of Man’s heart is evil from his youth” (J.N.D. Translation). In order that man may see God the wicked human heart must be completely purified.
Now the Lord Jesus says “blessed” to those who have purified their hearts by faith in Him and who keep them pure practically: “Blessed are the pure in heart”. This is the first lesson of this verse. Just as a heart can only be purified before the Holy God by believing in the Lord Jesus and His work, there is practical pureness of heart only in His presence.
One might object, “But does not this deal with the fact that those whose hearts have been purified by faith in Christ’s work of salvation will one day see God in glory? If only those will see God whose hearts are always pure practically, who could then hope to see God?”. Thanks be to God that our hope is not based on our often weak and sinful behaviour, but only on God. But let us take care not to separate these two aspects. The fact that, with regard to eternity, we are once and for all perfectly purified must consequently create the practical desire in our daily life to have a pure heart permanently.
Some comments regarding this practical purification are appropriate. When the Lord Jesus was about to wash the feet of His disciples, Peter would not have Him do so. The Lord answers, “Unless I wash thee, thou hast not part with Me”. Then Peter wanted to have his head and hands washed as well. Again the Lord answers, “He that is washed all over needs not to wash save his feet, but is wholly clean; and ye are clean” (John 13:8-10). Here the Lord makes a clear distinction between the initial purification and the repeated one. He also clearly teaches that repeated washing of the feet is necessary!
Only in the presence of our Lord do the true motives of our hearts become obvious, and only here are we led to judge them if necessary. Only here is the desire created and sustained, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10). How important therefore are the moments of quietness for our life of faith, the times when we are alone in the presence of God! This does not mean that we cannot have any fellowship with Him in our daily occupations. But for the examination and purification of our hearts we need to be alone in His presence. Only thus can we preserve the right relationship with Him and with our brothers and sisters. It is not by chance that Paul asks Timothy to seek fellowship with such believers who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart, and that Peter calls upon Christians to love one another with a pure heart fervently (or, incessantly, persistently. 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 1:22). A pure heart will therefore be a happy heart as well, desiring the glory of God and the well-being of fellow Christians.
The Lord adds here a wonderful promise to His “blessed”: “ … for they shall see God”. At the present time we live and walk by faith, not by sight. But very soon the moment will come when all whose hearts have been purified by faith will see God. 1 Timothy 6:16 does not contradict this, where it is said that God dwells in unapproachable light, and that no man has seen or is able to see Him. God in His nature is a spirit and invisible. This is clearly said in different passages of the Word of God (John 4:24; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17). But in Colossians 1:15 it is added that the eternal Son of God is the image of the invisible God. He is also the effulgence of His glory and the expression of His substance (Hebrews 1:3). He is the Word of God (John 1:1-18). These passages show that the Son, who Himself is God, is the perfect image of the triune God and His nature. When He became Man, God was manifested in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). We shall see Him who is the Son of God, who became Man to manifest God, and in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily. We shall see Him in perfect and undisturbed glory, and will worship Him eternally. We will not only be with Him eternally, but see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).
The words, “ … for they shall see God” have a special meaning for the Jews who in those days believed on the Lord Jesus, as well as for those who will soon see Him as their Messiah. In Psalm 24:3 the question was asked, “Who shall ascend into the mount of Jehovah? and who shall stand in His holy place?”. The answer is, “He that hath blameless hands and a pure heart … ”. In Isaiah 33:14-16 similar questions are asked and also answered. But then verse 17 says, “Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty; they shall behold the land that is far off”.
What moments they will be for all the different believers, to see the Son of God as their Saviour or Messiah for the first time and then to contemplate Him for ever!
Lesson 7: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children (sons) of God (Matthew 5:9)
Peace comes from God
Few thoughts move the minds of men as much as the desire for world peace. And yet, despite all the efforts to achieve peace, we constantly hear of war and of the threats and fears of men. But we know from the Bible that, perhaps soon, there will be world-wide peace. This peace will not be the result of human efforts, but will be introduced by God Himself at the beginning of the millennium. The Kingdom of God, under the visible rule of the Lord Jesus, will be a Kingdom of peace (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Those involved in politics are continually arguing with one another, while quarrels of other kinds are commonplace and are even found among believers. How difficult it is for us to live in peace with one another! According to God’s thoughts peace should also reign in the relationships between the people in His Kingdom. “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men” (Romans 14:17-18). Thus peace characterises the Kingdom of God in every aspect, be it at present or in the future.
But peace is not only the absence of war, quarrels or disagreements, but also a result of the presence of God in the life of man. He is the God of peace and His message is the gospel of peace (Romans 15:33; Ephesians 6:15). This peace comes from Golgotha, for it was there that the Lord Jesus made peace through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20). Thus He has become our peace, and then He came and preached peace to those who were afar off and to those who were nigh (Ephesians 2:14-17). Because of this, sinful men without peace are now able to obtain peace with God for their consciences and the peace of God for their hearts (Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:7). This personal peace is a gift of the grace of God for each one individually. It is also the prerequisite for true peace on earth. Yet peace among men, and among believers, is also dependent on the condition of our hearts and on our conduct. Therefore we are very often exhorted to follow or to strive after peace (Romans 14:19; 2 Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 3:11). In the Greek text the same word is used every time, meaning “to chase, run, follow”. In Ephesians 4:3 we are also told that diligence and zeal are necessary to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. If these exhortations were not necessary, God would not have had them written in His Word. Every believer is being addressed when the Lord Jesus says to His disciples, “ … have peace one with another … ” (Mark 9:50).
The prophets of the Old Testament had already spoken much about peace on earth. The word peace (Hebrew: Shalom) means the whole salvation of God on earth as it will be realised under Messiah’s reign of peace. This salvation and this peace are not yet universally present. But they can already be found in the lives of the disciples of the Lord. In this present time believers can already display the characteristics of the Kingdom of Christ (compare Romans 14:17), just as the believing remnant will do during the tribulation, before the Kingdom of God over all creation is established in power and glory.
Quarrels
Sadly, there is not peace among believers everywhere. Instead of being shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace one goes about in a spirit of criticism. Sometimes this is done under the pretence of zeal for the truth and the holiness of God. A fault with a brother then becomes an offence; an inaccurate expression becomes false doctrine. A number of these reproaches put together may result in a serious accusation against someone, who himself is not aware of any guilt and thinks he has to defend himself against these attacks. Here it is not a question of fundamental teaching, but of human imperfection and weakness. Who is able to make peace in such a situation, where everyone concerned thinks himself to be right? How good it is when a true peacemaker is found who can, with wisdom, patience, love, understanding for human weakness and waiting on the Lord, help the person attacked and dispel the doubts of the accuser.
Party spirit among believers is also a source of quarrelling. One may lack acceptance by brothers and sisters and suppose neglect by them. When human vanity is wounded in this way it can lead to someone withdrawing and gathering partisans around himself … and the result is strife. Who is then able and willing to reconcile the parties?
Quarrels can even occur in the service of the Lord, as is shown by the example of Euodias and Syntyche in Philippi. One could list many more reasons for quarrels among believers.
Peacemakers
Our verse now speaks about those who not only seek and follow peace, but who make peace. There are many who are peaceable and love peace, but who are unable to make peace once a disagreement has arisen. Yes, a person who is a lover of peace by nature might be in danger of becoming unfaithful to the Lord, “for the sake of peace and quiet”. He may think the quarrel can be done away with by “sweeping the matter under the carpet”. But it is not possible to make true peace in this way. When the peace among brothers and sisters or in an assembly has been disturbed the grace of our Lord Jesus must become active to still the waves of human passion which then often come to light, before peace can be re-established. Much self-denial and waiting on the Lord is necessary for this, as the purpose is to reconcile opposite characters, emotions, convictions and interests, in a godly manner. Yet these loving efforts must never be at the expense of the holiness and righteousness of God. He who wants to be a peacemaker needs to have sound spiritual discernment. This means that he first has to examine himself in the light of God as to whether he has a pure heart, as in the previous beatitude. James writes that the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable (James 3:17). Truth as well as grace are necessary for the right fulfilment of such a task. To make peace is therefore also a matter of prayer for clarity, neutrality, wisdom and love. Only then can mercy and truth, righteousness and peace meet in our lives practically. Time is often required in order that God may work in our consciences and hearts, since peace cannot be enforced.
Children (sons) of God
The peacemakers are also called “blessed”. It is their reward to be called sons of God. Later the Lord Jesus mentions a similar title. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who insult you and persecute you; that ye may be the sons of your Father who is in the heavens; for He makes His sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on just and unjust” (Matthew 5:44-45, J.N.D. Translation Compare Luke 6:35).
The expression “son” does not always have the same meaning in the Holy Scriptures. Here in the “sermon on the mount” where the believers are addressed as disciples in the Kingdom of God, the word has a practical, moral meaning. A son resembles the father when he acts in accordance with his will. In the family and house of God everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus is through grace forever a son positionally (compare Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15-15; Galatians 4:5-6). In contrast, those disciples of the Lord who act according to God’s own example are here called sons of God. By acting according to His mind we become morally like Him, i.e. we reveal His character and show it to the world. We are enabled to do this by means of the new birth. In addition, we have been led into His thoughts by the Holy Spirit. He is the great peacemaker, and as true disciples of the Lord we may also be peacemakers.
The moment will come when the peacemakers are called the sons of God, i.e. when they are openly recognised as such. Very often now, no appreciation of such efforts is to be seen. But one day our God and Father Himself will show His appreciation of them.
“Policy of peace”
It should be mentioned briefly that this verse must not be abused by Christians (although with good intentions) to take part in political actions like “peace initiatives”, “peace rallies”, etc. for the preservation or creation of world peace. It is true that we are in this world, (yet for how long?), but we no longer belong to it (John 17:11, 14, 16). The Lord Jesus may come at any moment. Our responsibility towards this world, which rejects our Lord and therefore heads towards destruction, is not political, but only of a spiritual character. This responsibility consists of:
Praying for all men that they will be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Being a witness personally for our beloved Lord, to all men (1 Peter 3:15).
Living in peace with all men as much as lieth in us (Romans 12:18).
Lesson 8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10)
In this eighth beatitude the Lord Jesus gives the same promise as in the first one: “theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (J.N.D. Trans.). Righteousness had also been referred to previously, in the fourth beatitude, but while the subject there is hungering and thirsting after righteousness, the Lord speaks here of those who are persecuted on account of righteousness.
Rejection
There is one distinguishing feature about this verse compared with the seven previous beatitudes. They deal with the characteristics and conduct of true disciples of the Lord Jesus, whereas here the Lord speaks about the consequences of their righteous behaviour. As long as He does not reign as King of righteousness, those living according to God’s principles and thoughts will be persecuted and suffer. This shows that from the very beginning the Lord had His rejection by Israel before His eyes, as well as the contrast between those who would receive His own in the time of His rejection and the world in its hostile attitude towards Him and them.
The fact that people hunger and thirst after righteousness proves that unrighteousness still reigns in this world. This is one of the lessons of the sixth verse. Here we are one step further on. Those who want to live righteously have to expect that they will be persecuted. Peter, one of the twelve disciples who listened to these words of the Lord, later used similar words in his first epistle which speaks so much about the sufferings of the children of God. “But if also ye should suffer for righteousness sake, blessed are ye” (1 Peter 3:14, J.N.D. Translation).
Righteousness
The practical righteousness which is mentioned here is a feature of the new nature of the believer. The Word of God had already said of Noah that he was just and perfect and walked with God (Genesis 6:9). Practical righteousness, i.e. owning and maintaining the authority and all the rights of Christ as King, is therefore also a pre-condition for entering the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20). This was the mark of all true disciples of the Lord then, and will be their mark in the future time of tribulation. He, the perfectly righteous One, also wants to instruct us today, that, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (1 Peter 3:18; Titus 2:12).
This righteousness does not only mean that we give everyone what is due to them. Practical righteousness means to live according to the Word of God and His principles. Love of the truth, honesty, faithfulness and respect towards other people are features which are appreciated in the world too. For this reason men like Joseph and Daniel in the Old Testament, and the first Christians in the New Testament era, found favour with their contemporaries. Even an unbelieving employer is normally pleased when he has a faithful and honest employee that he can rely on. But suppose he asked his Christian employee to hush up the truth in a situation that was awkward for the employer, and instead to tell a lie or co-operate in a fraudulent transaction. What will happen when the employee now says: “I can’t do this because it is inconsistent with the Word of God”? When his own honour or money are at stake, the previous friendliness of the employer can easily turn to anger. Many a believer has lost his job because he was unwilling to take part in the unrighteousness of this world.
PERSECUTION
If we own the rights of our Lord over every area of our lives, obey Him in all things and do His will, in our families, at work, in our leisure time and in all situations of our lives, we won’t always be accepted by the world. Our experience may not be exactly that of others, such as the Christian trainee nurse threatened with dismissal without notice because she refused to assist at an abortion (compare Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13). Or like the young sister who is mocked by her fellow pupils because, in contrast to the “uniform of emancipation” worn by others — jeans and short hair — she wears a skirt and has long hair. (This mockery is also a form of persecution. The Old Testament says of Ishmael, the son of Hagar, that he mocked or laughed, but the New Testament says that he persecuted Isaac — Genesis 21:9; Galatians 4:29). But take what form it may, we will come to know persecution if we own the Lord’s rights over us.
BLESSED
How good it is in such situations not to look at the persecutors and mockers, but to Him for whose sake we experience these things. He has said to His disciples, “The bondman is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My word, they will keep also yours” (John 15:20, J.N.D. Translation). When we too have to suffer on account of righteousness, let us remember whose rights and honour are being attacked. Then we will not be filled with disappointment and discouragement but with the consciousness of this “Blessed” which He Himself has promised. The words, “through sufferings to glory”, apply to our Lord and also to ourselves (1 Peter 1:11; 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 5:1). Paul encouraged the Thessalonians who were suffering persecution, by saying that the persecutions and tribulations they were experiencing were proof that they had been counted worthy of the kingdom of God. When the Lord Jesus comes again with His saints, God will make known His righteousness by recompensing tribulation to those who troubled them when they were on earth, and giving rest to those who had been troubled (2 Thessalonians 1:4-10).
Lesson 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 (Matthew 5:11-12)
Sufferings for Christ’s sake
The last of the nine beatitudes also forms the transition to the following part of the “Sermon on the Mount.” The Lord no longer speaks generally of the disciples in the third person, but addresses them directly with the personal “ye,” as He does in Luke 6:20-26 throughout. At the same time He applies to them His words of verse 10. He sees His disciples, knows already what they will have to go through and gives them a wonderful promise.
Although this beatitude is similar to the previous one, there is a difference. Here the Lord does not speak of sufferings for righteousness’ sake, but of abuses, persecutions and evil words for His sake. This is connected with the Person of our Lord and the confession of His Name. Suffering for righteousness is a consequence of our moral attitude and actions; suffering for Jesus’ sake is a consequence of our confession of Him.
confession of Jesus
In democratically ruled countries there is not official persecution of Christians as there still is in some other countries. As an example, according to the German constitution nobody may be placed at a disadvantage because of their faith and religious views; freedom of faith, of conscience and freedom of religious and ideological confession are guarded. This does not mean, however, that everyone is well disposed towards Christians. Many a young believer has experienced mockery and abuse when, upon starting work, they have confessed, “I believe in the Lord Jesus as my Saviour.” It may even be that there is not only abuse and slander, i.e. words, but acts of persecution. By using the word “when” the Lord shows that He is not hinting at something that may possibly happen, but is pointing to a fact that is certainly to be expected. Those who take the side of our Lord and Saviour, openly and courageously confessing Him, will reap contempt, mockery and scorn. Suffering for Jesus’ sake and for righteousness’ sake often coalesce. Sometimes people react with scorn and contempt when the Name of the Lord Jesus is frankly confessed. Such a confession may even be met with a pitiful smile, but as soon as the believer shows himself to be a Christian by his practical conduct as well, there is rejection and hatred.
Satan always tries to prevent the disciples of the Lord from confessing His Name. He whispers to the soul, “Is it really necessary to speak of the Lord Jesus now? You do not always have to witness to the gospel!” He doesn’t only want to prevent the confession of Christ as Lord, but also the spreading of the glad tidings of His grace. For one who really loves the Lord there should not be any silence. Neither can there be any consideration of one’s own position or the position of one’s family. Is the Lord not worthy of our unreserved confession of Himself, even if supposed disadvantages go along with it?
In Acts 4 and 5 the apostles give an example of this suffering for the sake of the Lord Jesus. After they had healed many and led them to the Lord, they were taken captive by the leaders of the Jews and told not to speak in the Name of Jesus any more (Acts 4:18; Acts 5:28). But they could not and would not be silent. And when, after their second imprisonment and miraculous deliverance, they were again attacked and even beaten, how did they depart from the presence of the council? Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonoured for the Name (Acts 5:41 — See J.N.D. Translation).
Joy
Thus the Lord Jesus adds to His beatitude: “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.” What a privilege to possess and confess Christ as Saviour and Lord! He is worthy that we should openly confess Him. For a fearful soul and for the flesh the supposedly disadvantageous consequences of a faithful confession of our Saviour carry a lot of weight. Here the Lord says something else. The disciples of the Lord should rejoice not in spite of, but because of the sufferings connected with their confession (see Romans 5:3; James 1:2). Even if the confession of the Name of the Lord does result in disadvantages here on earth — which is not always the case — the reward in the heavens which He has promised is incomparably greater! To know that we walk in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus already gives us joy, and this joy is increased by the promised reward which is not connected with earth but with heaven (Compare Matthew 6:19).
Examples
The Lord then refers to the Old Testament prophets as examples. They had once been persecuted because they witnessed for God. Elijah (1 Kings 19:2), the prophet Zechariah at the time of king Joash (2 Chronicles 24:21), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:2) and many more (compare Nehemiah 9:26; Acts 7:27; 1 Thessalonians 2:15) are examples of this. Moses too, who calls himself a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18) suffered for the sake of his God by the Egyptians as well as by his own people. In the New Testament the remarkable words are written of him that he esteemed “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense … ” (Hebrews 11:26).
It is not mentioned here in Matthew 5:11-12 that the Lord Jesus Himself was persecuted and going to be killed. Nevertheless every disciple may remind himself constantly that He is the great example of suffering and patience. By comparing His disciples, who would be persecuted for His sake, with the prophets who had been persecuted for God’s sake, He silently testifies to His deity and thus gives the highest motive for enduring persecution for His Name’s sake.
summary
This last beatitude concludes the first part of the so-called “Sermon on the Mount.” In it the Lord Jesus as the King who would soon be rejected by His own people, announces the principles of the Kingdom of God as guidelines and encouragement for His disciples. When we look at the individual utterances we see in them a clear order. In the first three beatitudes the self-knowledge and humility which are first of all necessary for the disciple of the Lord, are mentioned. In the following four verses we see the striving for righteousness and a life which is pleasing to God. Finally, in the last two we see the trial which in this world is the result of a life with the Lord Jesus, and the suffering for Him which this entails.
Lesson 10. Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men (Matthew 5:13)
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Matthew 5:13-16 represents a kind of insert. In these verses the Lord Jesus speaks about the position of His disciples in the world. When He says “ye,” He does not only mean His disciples or future leaders in the Kingdom of God, but, as in the preceding beatitudes, all His disciples at all times and therefore also us!
Here the Lord Jesus uses two illustrations: salt and light. Both are so commonly known that they do not need further explanation to be understood and yet, as is the case with almost all illustrations in the New Testament, a few considerations are appropriate. The nature of salt is to be salty and the characteristic of light is to shine. But in spiritual life nothing comes automatically! Sadly, it happens far too often that divine power is hindered or concealed by our fleshly actions. It is for this reason that we get so many exhortations in the New Testament. But without the new life in us these exhortations would not be of any use. This is why the Lord does not say, “Ye should be the salt and the light,” but, “Ye are the salt of the earth, … the light of the world.”
Salt
In ancient times salt was the most important agent for seasoning and preserving foods. Salt is pungent, bitter; but it keeps what is good and prevents corruption. In the Old Testament, the “salt of the covenant” had, on God’s order, to be added to all sacrifices (Leviticus 2:13). Thus salt is a clear symbol of the sanctifying, keeping power of God which should be expressed in us. We are not sugar or honey, but the salt of the earth. If we witness mockery concerning divine things at school, at work or in other situations and we do not ignore it, but reprimand the scoffers in the right way, and if we do not laugh at certain jokes, then we are the salt of the earth. Often our mere presence will exercise a moderating influence on unbelievers. Two further passages make clear that this “salt” should not be confounded with human pungency or even cutting remarks. The Lord says in Mark 9:50 to His disciples: “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Paul writes to the Colossians: “Let your word be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” (Colossians 4:6) Grace and peace therefore are not opposed to salt but complementary to it.
Salt is ordinary and commonplace, but it has a strong effect. This is not easily noticed outwardly, but takes place more in secret and in the long term. We might consider it useless to be the only ones in our surroundings who take a stand for the things of our Lord, but let us remember: “Ye are the salt of the earth!”
In contradistinction to the following verse, the Lord says: “Ye are the salt of the earth.” “Earth” is not the same as “world.” The Greek can mean “land” as well as “earth,” and here it seems to point to the scene where witness is borne to God. Firstly this was Israel, to which the disciples belonged. But then we can see in it also the wider sphere of the testimony to God in Christianity today, which in its broadest scope corresponds to the Kingdom of the heavens. Here where the light of the gospel and the truth of God shone brightest, the greatest apostasy of all times will take place in the future. This the Lord points out with his following words.
Useless
“But if the salt have become insipid, wherewith shall it be salted? It is no longer fit for anything, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot by men.” The salt known in ancient times did not have the purity of modern salt. In particular the salt gained from the Dead Sea contained considerable amounts of minerals. If the salt got too wet, i.e. when it was stored for a long time under wrong conditions, the salt could be washed out. Thus the salt became “insipid” because only the useless ingredients remained, which were then cast out to be carelessly trodden under foot by men.
The Lord speaks in this passage of the position of the disciples in the Kingdom of God. Salt is a picture of the influence going out from the testimony to the holiness of God. Somebody whose testimony does not have this power is useless. For this reason Jerusalem, the city that rejected its own King, will be trodden under foot by the nations (Luke 21:24). And Christendom, which for centuries possessed the tidings of grace and salvation in Christ, will apostatise from God and come under His judgment.
This passage does not deal with whether or not a born again Christian can be lost. God’s Word does not leave this question open. He who believes on the Son of God has eternal life. And nobody can or will seize out of His and the Father’s hand those to whom He has given eternal life. (John 3:36; John 10:28-29).
An admonition
The words of the Lord contain a serious admonition for each one of those who belong to Him. Is not our spiritual life and our witness often “insipid” and without power? Then we are, practically speaking, useless for the Lord! We are like the salt that has lost its taste and power. If we do not have fellowship with our Lord daily, by prayer and the reading of His Word, our spiritual life will be dry and without joy and power.
If we think we have always to be only gentle, patient and nice, the power of the salt will be lacking in us. There are situations in which we have to take a decided stand for our Lord and for His rights, even if this causes offence. We have already pointed out that in such moments grace and peace should not be forgotten.
But the greatest danger is conformity to this world. Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was a believer who settled down in the godless town of Sodom. When at the end he wanted to warn his sons-in-law of the threatening judgment of God he was in their eyes “as if he jested” (Genesis 19:14).
Some Christians think one could gather from this verse that we have to get together within Christendom and its organisations, or even with the world, and actively work together. By this means, it is said, we are able to exercise, to a greater degree, a Christian influence on the government and its legislation, and on our fellow men. But this is not meant by the words of the Lord Jesus, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” Our influence on our surroundings and our testimony for the Lord does not work through numerical strength, but through our moral behaviour in separation from evil (compare Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 2 Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 13:13).
On the other hand, our necessary separation must not degenerate into unspiritual isolation, because then we cannot be what we should be: the salt of the earth.
Lesson 11. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16)
One of the two characteristics of true disciples of the Lord in Matthew 5:13-16 is light: “Ye are the light of the world.” In our daily lives we are so dependent on light that everyone will understand the meaning and the importance of this expression. Light is synonymous with brightness and clarity, with seeing and recognising, but also with warmth and life. Think only of the source of light on which all the life on our planet depends, the sun. Without this light everything would be dark, cold and dead.
God is light
In the Bible, light is often mentioned in connection with God. We read in Psalm 36:9: “in Thy light shall we see light,” but when the Lord Jesus was teaching His disciples in Matthew chapters 5-7, the simple but striking words: “God is light,” were not yet known. John, one of the disciples, would write them decades later (1 John 1:5). The nature of God cannot be described in a shorter or clearer way. That God also dwells “in the light which no man can approach” emphasises His absolute purity, holiness and glory even more (1 Timothy 6:16). God’s light is a wonderful light. It is a light that brings life. In contrast, darkness in the New Testament always characterises sin and distance from God.
When the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: “Ye are the light of the world,” He Himself was still the true light here. The eternal Son of God, the effulgence of His glory and the expression of His substance, had come into the world as the light in order to reveal God (cf. John 1:4-9; John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46).
Everyone who accepts Him in faith is now brought out of darkness into God’s marvellous light. Furthermore, instead of darkness, he is now light in the Lord (1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 5:8).
Ye are the light
The depth of the meaning of the word “light” was certainly not yet known to the disciples when the Lord said to them: “Ye are the light of the world,” but they could understand that He meant their testimony in the world. While salt works invisibly and internally, light is visible afar off.
“A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Whether an enemy was planning an attack or a traveller was seeking accommodation, a city on a hill in Israel would be visible for everyone — during the day by the bright shining of its white walls and buildings, and by night by the lights of the houses. Thus the walk of the disciples of the Lord ought to be a light in this world, seen by everyone.
“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” The relatively small oil-lamps of ancient times, thousands of which have been found in the rubble of excavation sites, could only give poor light. Therefore they were, individually or in groups, put on a lamp-stand which was either suspended from the ceiling, fixed to the wall, or stood on the floor. The candlestick of the tabernacle, which had seven branches, was one of those lamp-stands. In this way the best possible distribution of light was effected.
How absurd it would have been to put such a light under a bushel, i.e. to hide it! A bushel was a vessel of approximately 2 gallons capacity used to measure corn. If one had put it over a lamp it would not only have hidden the small flame and thus made it ineffective, but would, in the long run, also have smothered it.
In Mark 4:21 the Lord Jesus mentions, besides the bushel, also the bed. Both would hinder the shining out of the light. Does not this contain a two-fold warning — on the one hand of business (the light under the bushel) and on the other of laziness and sleep (the light under the bed)?
Let your light shine
Like the city on the hill, the light should be visible to everyone. “Let your light so shine before men.” This light is the disciple’s confession of his Lord. By this it becomes evident to whom he belongs. Let us therefore confess Christ everywhere and in all circumstances. When we go out to a restaurant, do we confess by giving thanks before the meal without embarrassment, that we belong to Him, even if those at other tables continue their conversations loudly or show their disdain? Sometimes unbelievers ask for our opinions regarding worldly entertainments like the cinema, theatre or discotheque, or on topics such as homosexuality, relationships outside marriage or abortion. Do we then confess the Lord, or do we give evasive answers?
Are we friendly, helpful, peaceable and righteous in our dealings with colleagues, neighbours and other people? In this way we can let our light shine before men. “Do all things without murmurings and reasonings, that ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights (heavenly lights) in the world, holding forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-15 J.N.D. Translation). To let our light shine means that as well as our spoken testimony for our Lord in the world, our new nature and our position as children of God are expressed by our behaviour.
Good works
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The Lord Jesus does not speak in these verses of the preaching of the gospel for the salvation of the lost. The entire “sermon on the mount” does not deal with this, but with the Christ-like walk of the disciples of the Lord. Although the people of this world are mentioned frequently, it is not the purpose of the “sermon on the mount” that they may receive blessing or be led to the Lord, but that the character of the Kingdom of God may be expressed in His disciples.
Here, the good works are the fruit of the working of divine light in the soul. If we let our light shine, good works will also be connected with it. But they are not the focus of our attention here. In this world many good works are being done by different individuals and groups. For example, the Red Cross and other organisations providing humanitarian aid have, especially recently, been able to do much good to needy people. If we as children of God purpose to do such good works, we are not necessarily a testimony to our Lord. He wants us to be a testimony to Him. Therefore He does not exhort us here to do good works, but to let our light shine. We should not think of “our” works, but of Him. Good works will then be the result. The apostle Paul speaks of the fruit of the light which is in all goodness, righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:9).
“ … And glorify your Father which is in heaven.” If good works bear the character of heavenly, divine light, then people will not say, “What a good person this is,” but rather they may be led to glorify God. If the light shines, the actions will be seen as in connection with this light.
This is the first time in the New Testament that God is called “your Father.” The Name “Father,” standing for God, occurs also in the Old Testament but it does not refer to the personal relationship of an Israelite to God. Jehovah was the Father and Israel, the nation, was the son (cf. Exodus 4:23; Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 63:16).
Only when the Son of God came to this earth to reveal the Father could believers be brought into this wonderful relationship of children and receive the spirit of adoption by which they cry: “Abba, Father.” For this it was necessary that the Lord should die and rise again. After His resurrection he gave Mary Magdalene the wonderful message: “but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” (John 20:17). This was, at the time of the “sermon on the mount,” yet future. Nevertheless, the Lord speaks to the disciples already of “your Father which is in heaven,” although they knew neither the basis of this new relationship — the work of Christ — nor its intimacy and power through the Holy Spirit.
Lesson 12. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18)
The teaching and works of the Lord Jesus were so entirely different from those of the scribes and Pharisees that some of His audience might have thought He would put an end to everything they had known as Jews. The Lord counters these thoughts in this passage of the “sermon on the mount,” only recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, in which He speaks about the law (Matthew 5:17-48).
THE LAW OF SINAI
Before entering upon the contents of these verses, I want to occupy you briefly with the term “law,” which often occurs in the Old as well as in the New Testament. Apart from meaning “human rules or orders” (Daniel 6:8; Romans 7:1-2) the word “law” occurs in the New Testament meaning “the legal principle” (Romans 7:21; Romans 8:2). Also, in view of the divine law in the Old Testament, there are differences in meaning.
1. The law of Sinai (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:17).
2. The five books of Moses (the Torah), according to an old division, the first of the three parts of the Old Testament (Luke 24:44).
3. The entire Old Testament (John 10:34), several times also called the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17; Matthew 7:12; Matthew 11:13).
God gave the Sinaitic law to His people Israel after their liberation from Egypt. With its juridical, ceremonial and moral commandments it was from the beginning meant for that people only (Deuteronomy 4:8; Romans 9:4), just as the Old Covenant was only made with Israel. Christians often overlook this fact.
The law of Sinai was a God-given system of claims on, and promises for, His earthly people. The moral laws were, so to speak, God’s minimal claims on natural, unregenerate men. The ceremonial laws regulated the worship and service of the people and were at the same time a shadow of things to come which became reality in Christ (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10:1).
Since the law was from God, it was holy and just and good (Romans 7:12). If the Israelites had been able to keep it, it would have led them to life and righteousness (Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 5:29). But this was impossible since natural man lacks the power to fulfil God’s claims. Thus the law could only bring knowledge of sin without imparting the power to overcome it (Romans 3:20). It revealed sin and this led to death and condemnation (Romans 7:10; 8:3).
The Lord Jesus took upon Himself the curse of the law when He died upon the cross. In this way He has redeemed from its curse all those who believe in Him. Every believing Jew is therefore no longer under the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), and he is also free from the law because Christ is the end of the law for righteousness (Romans 6:14; Romans 7:4; Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:24-25).
It is contrary to God’s revealed will if Christians put themselves under the law. Usually they do not mean the whole law including its judicial and ceremonial orders, but only its moral commandments, i.e. the 10 commandments. For the observance of these the reason given is that a Christian is not allowed to kill, steal, etc. But a believer will avoid these and all other sins, not because he observes the law, but because he has received a new life and possesses the Holy Spirit as a source of strength which enables him to go beyond the minimal requirements of the law.1
Yet again and again it is taught in Christendom that although the law was given to the people of Israel, it is still valid for all peoples and therefore also for Christians, since God would not operate a double standard for mankind. Apart from Matthew 5:17-48, Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 4:5-8, Isaiah 2:2-3 and Romans 3:19 are quoted as reason, but, among other things, history and prophecy are being mixed up. God is unchangeable in His nature but His relationships to men are not at all times and in all circumstances the same.
DESTROY — FULFIL
In Matthew 5:17 the Lord Jesus spoke to those belonging to the earthly people of God. His disciples and the multitudes of men surrounding Him were Jews. The kingdom of heaven had been promised to the “sons of the kingdom.” Therefore He first turned only to this people (Matthew 15:24). As we saw when considering the beatitudes, we can apply His words also to the present time of “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” But we must not forget that the Lord Jesus first of all addressed only His own people, to whom God had once, at Sinai, given His law.
“Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). The preaching of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and his call to repentance, as well as the words of the Lord Jesus Himself, announced something completely new. But this did not mean that everything that preceeded this had become invalid. The law and the prophets (i.e. the entire Old Testament) were not destroyed by Christ. Quite the opposite, He was come to fulfil them. “Fulfilling” does not only mean obedience to the Word of God, because this could only have referred to the law, and not to the prophets. “Fulfilling” therefore means here “to confirm” and “to bring to fulfilment.” The entire Old Testament testified of Christ and He was its fulfilment (John 5:39).
1The fact that the literal fulfilment of the fourth commandment, which demands the observance of the Sabbath, is not required, is a peculiar inconsistency of Christian supporters of the law. This shows that one does not want to put oneself completely under the system of the law, but in this point resorts to the grace of God.
IOTA AND TITTLE
“For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass” (Matthew 5:18; compare Luke 16:17). In this verse the Lord Jesus speaks only of the law. This does not, as in verse 17, mean the five books of Moses, but the commandments of the law of Sinai.
Heaven and earth will pass away after the end of the thousand-year reign of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3:11). Then there will be a new creation with new heavens and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1). But before this, during the millennium, Israel as a people will be accepted again by God on the ground of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-35; Ezekiel 36:24-27). God will put His law into their inward parts and write it on their hearts, and Israel, in contrast to previous times as well as today, will be happy to observe it. Also the instructions for the feasts and the sacrifices will again be followed. But instead of being apart and separated from the nations, as previously, Israel will be the centre and model for all peoples (Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:16).
The iota is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet (like the yod in Hebrew), and the tittle is a hook-shaped mark which in Hebrew distinguishes various letters which would otherwise be the same. If according to the words of our Lord not even the smallest parts of the written law will pass away, how much less the instructions once given by God! What a testimony to the verbal inspiration of this part of the Word of God, the Bible! Nothing of the law will pass away until it has been fulfilled in the millennium in a way that has never before been the case in the history of Israel. The words “till all be fulfilled” (compare Luke 21:32) point to the future time of the glorious reign of Christ as King, in which all the Old Testament prophecies will be fulfilled and all the words of the law will be observed.
Lesson 13. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19-20)
CONTEMPT FOR THE WORD OF GOD
The Lord Jesus had explained His own relationship to the law and the prophets in verses 17-18. The word He uses here, “Whosoever,” now introduces a general and very serious appeal.
The meaning of this verse is not easy to grasp. What are the “least commandments”? Does the Lord here differentiate between the moral law (the ten commandments) and the ceremonial law, or does he refer to the iota (A.V. — jot) and the tittle of the law (verse 18)? And lastly, does He teach here that the law of Sinai is still valid for the Christian? Before we try to find answers to these questions we have to remember that the Lord Jesus here speaks to His own people and had not yet been rejected by them. When He said in verse 17 that He was not come to make void the law or the prophets but to fulfil, this must have consequences for His audience and the Jewish nation. But while the Lord Jesus said of Himself that He had come to fulfil the law and the prophets, He now speaks of practising the commandments.
Among the Jews there were teachers of the law who considered their own traditions more important than the commandments of God. He later said to them, the scribes and Pharisees, “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition” (Matthew 15:6). Just as He adds there: “Every plant which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (verse 13), He says to the Jews here that everyone who thinks he can do away with any of the law, which then was still valid, would be called the least in His kingdom. Comparing the two Scriptures we see that He speaks of mere professors who outwardly take a place in the kingdom of the heavens but have not really “entered in” (v. 20). At His appearing in glory these will be removed from His kingdom through judgment (Matthew 13:41). As long as the law was valid according to God’s will, i.e. until Christ’s death (compare Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:24; Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14), it had to be observed by the Jews, as Deuteronomy 27:26 says: “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them.”
The scribes, who counted altogether 613 commandments in the Old Testament, distinguished between what in their opinion were important and less important laws. The Lord also points out a difference when He calls the commandment to love God the great and first commandment, although He immediately puts the commandment to love one’s neighbour on the same level (Matthew 22:36-40). In Matthew 23:23 He accuses the scribes and Pharisees of leaving the more important matters of the law aside — judgment and mercy and faith — while putting great emphasis on applying the law of the tithes to such little things as garden herbs.
The scribes and Pharisees thus, on the one hand set their human traditions above the laws of God, and on the other insisted on outward observance of the smallest details of the law. But the Lord distinguishes between the mere outward observance of the law and the attitude of the heart towards the commandments of God, which is far more important. It is the ordinances which commanded love towards God and one’s neighbour which especially show that it is impossible for natural man to lead a life that is pleasing to God and that not the law but faith is the only way to God.
We who are not under law but under grace and the leading of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:14; Galatians 5:18) can receive spiritual exhortations from the Old Testament laws of God. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning” (Romans 15:4). But it is also possible that the Lord, when speaking here about “commandments,” was not thinking of the Sinaitic law but of His own new commandments which He was just about to announce in the “sermon on the mount.” Later, in Matthew 28:20, He told His disciples to teach what He had commanded them. Here in Matthew 5:19-20 He no longer speaks of the “law,” as in verses 17-18, but of “these … commandments.” They might still have seemed “least” to His audience, yet they were the guidelines for the behaviour of the disciples of Christ in the kingdom of the heavens. This explanation is supported by the words of the Lord in Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” The law may pass away with the end of the present creation (verse 18) but the words of the Lord shall never pass away.
The end of verse 19 again shows the contrast with the scribes and Pharisees. The Lord later says of them: “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not” (Matthew 23:3). In Matthew 5:19 He links His promise to the agreement between actions and doctrine.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Since the time of the Babylonian captivity a large collection of interpretations and ordinances has been added by the Talmud, in addition to the law. In the New Testament these are called “the tradition of the elders.” The scribes were those best acquainted with the law and these human ordinances, whereas the Pharisees were their strictest observers. In Matthew 23 the Lord Jesus utters a sevenfold “woe” over these men and their behaviour which was marked by egoism and emphasising outward appearance (Matthew 23:5-7, 25-28. Verse 14 is omitted in the J.N.D. Translation). They might appear pious and righteous before men but before God their attitude could not stand.
This is why the Lord says here: “except your righteousness shall exceed … ” Obviously He does not mean the righteousness of God which is imputed to those believing on Him. The Lord Jesus, in the “sermon on the mount,” does not preach the gospel to the lost, but speaks to His disciples. “Your righteousness” therefore is the practical righteousness shown in the lives of those who have been justified by faith in Him and who follow Him by doing God’s will (Matthew 7:21). This is practical righteousness and the only one that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.
For the real, born again believer, to enter into the kingdom of the heavens means to be united with the Lord as a true disciple and to be owned by Him as such. The New Testament speaks at least 14 times of entering into the kingdom.1 Some of these Scriptures clearly indicate that this is something in the future, while others are not clear as to the time. But all of them show that entering into the kingdom is reserved for the true disciples of Jesus. Unrighteous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9).
1 Matthew 5:20; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 18:3; Matthew 19:23; Matthew 21:31; Matthew 23:13; Mark 9:47; Mark 10:23-24; Luke 16:16; Luke 18:24; John 3:5; Acts 14:22; 2 Peter 1:11.
A mere religious profession and the doing of certain “good works,” even if they leave a deep impression on other people, are not sufficient to be able to stand before God. But he who feels sincere sorrow for his sins and repents, who believes that the Lord Jesus has suffered for him and his sins the righteous punishment of God on the cross of Calvary, who then leads a new life in faith, following the Lord and being obedient to the Scriptures, he will be one of the righteous that shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of the Father (Matthew 13:43).
Lesson 14. Hatred Among Brethren (Matthew 5:21-26)
In Matthew 5:21-48 the Lord Jesus gives six examples in which He warns against wrong interpretation and application of the commandments by the scribes and Pharisees. He does not set aside the law as such but in this way shows His disciples various important details.
Firstly, He reminds them that many of the commandments which God gave to Israel only referred to outward conduct.
Secondly, He points out that by their interpretations the scribes had narrowed down the application of these commandments so that sometimes little remained of their true meaning.
Thirdly, He shows them that it was not only the outward keeping of the commandments that mattered but the desire of the heart to live in accordance with God’s thoughts and to His glory.
The sixth commandment: “Thou shalt not kill”
The Lord Jesus begins the first of the six examples with the words, “Ye have heard that it was said to the ancients” (A.V. — “them of old time”). The “ancients” here are not only the contemporaries of Moses, since the following text contains an addition to the original commandment. The audience of the Lord Jesus had heard two things: First, that the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” was given by God, and second, what they knew had probably been added by the scribes since the Babylonian captivity, “and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.” It would seem that “judgment” here means the judges and officers mentioned for example in Deuteronomy 16:18 who were to be appointed in every town in Israel.
“But I say unto you”
The Lord Jesus now sets His own words over against this commandment with its human addition: “But I say unto you.” These words occur five times in this part of the fifth chapter. He speaks with the same authority as the One who had once given the law, for He is the Son of God. Yet He does not set aside the law by His words but extends its application to man’s condition of heart. Whilst the commandment only forbade the extreme manifestation of hatred, i.e. killing a person, the Lord shows that anger with a brother (which means the Jewish “brother” here) deserves the same punishment as killing itself.
If in the opinion of the Rabbis only the murderer was subject to this judgment, the Lord’s words show that the one who was angry with his brother for no reason was subject to the same judgment. The one who called his brother “Raca” (Aramaic: “reka” — fool, lunatic) was subject to be called before the Sanhedrin (the supreme Jewish court at that time), and whosoever should say “fool” was to be subject to hell (“Gehenna”): eternal damnation. If the last of these three sins, which hardly differ from one another, led to eternal damnation, then the others would do so as well. God does not look at the outward appearance but into our hearts.
The following two examples in verses 23-26 then deal with the right condition of heart. The first one shows how necessary it is to have a good conscience and the second one teaches us that time for repentance is limited.
First example: “Be reconciled to thy brother”
“Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (verses 23-24). We should remember that the Lord Jesus was addressing His disciples and still had the sacrificial system of the temple before Him. Nevertheless, His words have something to say to us too.
It cannot be pleasing to God if we come before Him in worship without having first put our relationship with our brother in order. How easily relationships can be broken! Perhaps it was only a misunderstanding, or I may have deliberately hurt a child of God, a brother or sister. Anyway, he or she has something against me. The Lord says in this case, “Go.”
The disturbed relationship between believers can only be put in order again by reconciliation and this is unlikely to be achieved without an honest confession. Only then can brotherly love flow again freely. Our fellowship with our God and Father is then restored as well: “And then come and offer thy gift.”
Second example: Use the time
“Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say to thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing” (verses 25-26).
In the past it was common to leave a convicted debtor in prison until all his debts were paid (cf. Matthew 18:30, 34). The Lord says here in symbolical language: “There is the opportunity to be reconciled with the adverse party in a peaceful manner before it is too late, even though one might find this difficult. But the time for reconciliation will cease. The one who is not prepared to act in this way, however, will have to bear the consequences.” The very serious nature of the Lord’s teaching in this place becomes clear when comparing the passage with a similar one in Matthew 18:34-35.
Wrong spiritual applications of the latter part of this example (verse 26, compare Luke 12:57-59) have lead to much confusion, of which the doctrine of “purgatory” is probably the saddest proof. Nowhere in Scripture is it taught that a man must suffer a temporal punishment of God, after his death, in order to be eternally saved. No; once death has come in the eternal destiny of the soul is decided: one is either eternally and perfectly saved or eternally lost! This verse therefore can only refer to circumstances on earth.
These words of the Lord Jesus are in agreement with various Old Testament prophecies concerning the people of Israel. When the future time of Jacob’s trouble has come to an end the word of the prophet Isaiah will be fulfilled: “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2). When their King and Saviour was with them to deliver them the Jews were not prepared to receive Him or to respond to the call to repentance. Therefore God had to reject this unbelieving people (Romans 11:25).
The setting aside of Israel, which will climax in the great tribulation, will last until He has completed His whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:12; Zechariah 13:8-9).
Lesson 15. Thou shalt not commit adultery (Matthew 5:27-30)
Following upon the other references to the law, the Lord Jesus now quotes the seventh commandment: “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). Marriage is something into which two persons enter for life, and ever since creation it has enjoyed God’s special care. According to the New Testament it is a picture of the relationship between Christ and His assembly, marked by divine love and human devotion.
But what has become of marriage through sin! It was not the will of God that Lamech, Abraham, Jacob, Solomon and other men of the Old Testament should have several wives at the same time, and this only brought distress into their families. How serious was the adultery David committed with Bathsheba! And how are things today with regard to matrimonial morals — not only in the world, but also among Christians? In recent decades Biblical standards in society have been systematically done away with in this area too.
In God’s sight immoral behaviour is so abominable that Paul had to write to Ephesus: “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” (Ephesians 5:3). This means that we should not mention these things frivolously and so make little of them. The Bible speaks very clearly as to God’s judgment about these sins. Holy Scripture not only calls prostitution fornication, but all extramarital intercourse, even where there may be the intention to get married, and even if it is done only once (cf. Genesis 34 and 38). In the world today the word fornication is only used in connection with the first meaning. In the New Testament, however, extramarital intercourse in general is called fornication, that of married persons is called adultery, and both are condemned as abominable sin (Matthew 15:19; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Hebrews 13:4).
In the Old Testament, adultery, unfaithfulness towards the spouse for the satisfaction of lust, was to be dealt with most severely. According to the law of Sinai this sin had to be punished with death (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-24). In the first place the law contained God’s regulations for the outward and social life of His earthly people, and for this reason only the accomplished offence was to be punished, even though the tenth commandment forbad the coveting of the neighbour’s wife (as well as all his possessions. Exodus 20:17). If a Jew kept the commandment not to commit adultery, he was acting according to God’s will and contributed towards the maintenance of the people’s community according to God’s order. Fear of the punishment threatened certainly contributed to this. However, the mere outward observance of this and all the other commandments could not justify him before God.
“But I say unto you”
In His own authority the Lord Jesus contrasts the commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” with His words, “But I say unto you.” He does not speak against an interpretation which is more favourable to man and a weakening of the divine commandment, (unlike verse 22), and certainly not against the commandment itself, for He was not come to destroy but to fulfil.
For that reason the Lord now says, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (v. 28). Because of the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, the Jews thought the mere outward observance of the law was the way to be justified before God. Here, the Lord points to the human heart and shows that adultery has its source there. This is not a “spiritualisation of the law,” as is sometimes said. He reveals for the first time something which had to become clear by experience to every honest Israelite, namely, that everyone who endeavoured to keep the commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” had within themselves those very lusts which led to the actions forbidden by God, and had not the strength to overcome them. The lusts were even provoked by the commandment: “ … for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet” (Romans 7:7-11).
The law of Sinai did contain commandments directed at the attitude and heart, for example the tenth commandment, “Thou shalt not covet they neighbour’s house,” etc. (Exodus 20:17). Other passages have a similar bearing: “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart … but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself … ” (Leviticus 19:17-18); “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart … ” (Deuteronomy 6:5). However, most by far of the commandments regulated the outward conduct of the Israelites.
Adultery in the heart
The Lord Jesus now explains that before God it is not just the accomplished act that is sin, but the looking with lust on a woman, for this is adultery in the heart. The word “adultery” shows that either the man or both are married. Nevertheless, no unmarried believer should think that these words of the Lord have nothing to say to him.
The Lord is not speaking here about accidental, unintentional looks which can hardly be avoided, but about the conscious covetous looking: “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her … ” The intentional look is therefore preceded by the sinful thought in the heart.
This distinction is very important. Nowadays we can hardly move in this world without, unintentionally, continually witnessing the moral depravity of our time. We are easily defiled by this. The intentional covetous and sinful look is something completely different. No Christian can avoid unclean thoughts rising up in his mind but they only become sin when instead of turning away from them he consciously gives himself to them. If covetous looks and unclean lines of thought are sin, then it is also sin if believing women and girls cause and provoke this by their dress and behaviour.
The more casual and free contact between the sexes, especially with the younger generation and the negative example of most of their peers of the world, can lead to carelessness and great dangers. God-fearing Job said: “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” (Job 31:1). However, there are also over-sensitive and over-anxious Christians whose consciences are heavily burdened by involuntary looks and thoughts. I would like to remind such of the well-known words of Martin Luther which he wrote on this verse: “I cannot prevent a bird flying over my head, but what I can prevent is it building a nest in my hair or biting off my nose.”
“And if thy right eye offend thee”
How serious the Lord judged the lustful looks and thoughts to be becomes obvious from His next words: “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” (verse 29). In the next verse He says nearly the same with regard to the right hand (compare chapter 18 verse 8).
The Lord is not calling for self-mutilation or asceticism in these words. The Creator will never demand that His creature mutilate the body he has received from Himself. Even if someone plucked out both his eyes, the lust would still remain in his heart. Rather, the Lord here extends the teaching to the question of self-judgment. The mention of the right hand points to this.
Self-judgment
The eye, the light of the body, can rightly be called the “mirror of the soul.” 1. Furthermore, in the Bible the right eye is often described as something very precious (1 Samuel 11:2; Zechariah 11:17). The right hand, the “organ of action,” is mentioned much more often in the Holy Scriptures. 2. The right eye and the right hand are symbols of attitudes and actions, but at the same time also of the precious and important things in human life. If these offend us, i.e. are a cause of sin or stumbling, then we should not even spare the most precious and important things in our lives, but honestly and strictly judge ourselves, and if necessary separate from them. Even if they are not bad in themselves, this does not mean that they are not dangerous!
1. Compare Matthew 6:22-23; Proverbs 21:4; Ecclesiastes 11:9; Ezekiel 6:9; Ezekiel 18:12; Ezekiel 20:8; 2 Peter 2:14.
2. For example Genesis 48:17; Exodus 29:20; Psalm 73:23; Psalm 121:5; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 10:5; Revelation 13:16.
The Word of God again and again points out that there are only two pathways on earth and two termini, either following the Lord Jesus with glory as the end, or a life of sin which leads to hell. It is the same here in the “sermon on the mount.” The apostle Paul was a disciple of the Lord, who recognised the consequences of completely surrendering and following the Lord and who put this into practice: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27). He wrote to the assembly at Corinth: “Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers … shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Arend Remmers
The End.
Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded 
Leave a comment