Matthew 5:17-48 (The Sermon on the Mount)

Read Mt. 5:17-20 aloud

17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Read Mt. 5:21-48 silently:

How do you feel after reading this? (Pass out paper and have everyone write down their feelings but don't share. Have them hold on to these papers.)

Jesus is trying to drive home an important principle in this passage. Our goal tonight is to discover what that principle is.

In the part you read silently, that is verses 21-48, Jesus' gives six examples that make His point. Get together with the persons sitting closest to you and take the next minute or two to divide these verses into six sections or examples.

How do you know there are exactly six? (Repeated phrasing–"You have heard . . ." and "But I say to you . . .")

What do these six examples have in common? What are they all examples of?

Answer–examples of the O.T. law.

(Can quote O.T. original law passages:

Murder/Adultery: 10 Commandments; Divorce: Deut 24:1-4; Oaths: Lev 19:12, Num 30:2; Eye for eye: Ex 21:24; Love for enemies: Lev 19:18, Deut 23:6 [they added the 'hate your enemies' part, but it does say do not seek a treaty of friendship])

Apparently it's not just the 10 commandments. I've always wondered why Jesus included these particular six in His sermon. As I've begun to study the Bible inductively I've discovered how precise the Bible writers were in putting their books together. I've concluded that there's always a reason for the inclusion of every detail. Tonight we're going to discover why Matthew/Jesus chose to include these specific six, and it's going to be exciting.

But before we start unpacking these six, I want us to solidify the theme or "topic sentence" for these examples.

When Jesus introduced this section of His sermon, what did He have to say about our relationship to the law? (Verse 19)

How many categories of people does He include here? (Two)

If you were to divide this verse up into two parallel thoughts where would you put the break?

(Write it on the board)

Let's underline the parallel parts that are either similar or in contrast -

1. Anyone who 2. breaks one of the least of these commandments and 3. teaches others to do the same 4. will be called least in the kingdom of heaven

but (connecting and contrasting word)

1. whoever 2. practices ("all" is implied) and 3. teaches ("others to do the same" is implied) these commands 4. will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

How well can one's breaking or practicing of the law be separated from teaching others to do the same?

Remember there are only two categories of people here. Think carefully, and do not ignore context in your response. Into which category do we best fit? How well can we 'practice and teach' these commands?

Let's look at the first illustration to check our interpretation.

What is the relationship between murder and anger?

(Notice the progression from anger, to 'raca' (which questions a person's intelligence or competence, to 'you fool' which questions a persons worth [you're worthless, you should never have been born, we could do without you, and murder)

So it's really a heart issue, a matter of internals rather than externals. And what does the Bible say about our hearts? (They are evil) That's why this is so daunting to us. How is your heart tonight? How are you doing on practicing and teaching. Do you fit into the second category? Or are you one who has broken one of the least of these commandments? Have you felt anger toward a brother? Maybe we should have a show of hands - All who fit into category two let's raise our hands. All in category one. Congratulations, you have all failed to practice and teach Jesus' first example of the law.

So just to make sure we're all on the same page, how appropriate is it to call us 'great' in the kingdom? –and this is just one example of six!

Now that we've clearly seen our position – that of being 'least' – and the impossibility of us being "great", what is the previous verse trying to get us to see? Take a look at the previous context with your friends and tell me who is the greatest in the kingdom and why? (Verse 17)

Jesus is the greatest because He alone has practiced, taught, and fulfilled the law. (We've seen that we cannot fulfill the law because we've failed in the least already–our past already condemns us.)

Whenever God reveals our condition to us, He always couples it with one other thing, a picture of Himself. Just as the law gives us a picture of ourselves and our helpless condition, it also gives us a picture of Jesus–for He is the fulfillment of the law.

I'd like you now with your neighbors to look for six specific ways that Jesus fulfilled each of the following six examples of the law in His life.

Give hint (begin from the end and work toward the beginning examples is easiest), but let them struggle for several minutes.

I'll know you are getting it when you are jumping up and down with excitement.

Answer. These six are fulfilled all through Jesus' life, particularly the last week.

Murder:

Mk 11:18, Matt 26:4, Jn 11:53–all tell how they were plotting to murder Jesus, finally questioning His worth/value "It is better for one man to perish . . ." John 11:50; Jesus was taking His gift to the altar and tried to be reconciled to them, but was unable to be, so they took Him to court, handed him over to the judge, the officer, and threw Him into prison, and He did not get out until He paid the last penny (kodrantes, the smallest roman coin).

Did you hear that? What has Jesus already paid?

The last penny. For whom did He pay it? Me.

What does it mean that He paid the last penny? He paid for the very last sin of the least person in the kingdom.

Who is that? Me.

Adultery:

In Matt 12:39, Jesus calls them an adulterous generation. Right eye and right hand could be interpreted two different ways. They are Israel, the premier part of His body, of His people, the embodiment of His strength and skill (psa 137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, May my right hand forget her skill.) Jesus here would rather cut off Israel than lose His whole body.

There is another application for us. If my own skill and ability would cause me to go to hell, it is better for me to cut it off and throw it away. Trying to save myself by my own skill will surely land me in hell, so I should be violently opposed to trying to save myself.

Divorce:

In Matt 21:33-39 (Parable of the tenants) and Matt 23 (The Seven Woes) He gives grounds for divorce of Israel, His betrothed. Jewish weddings lasted a week. The passion week should have been a wedding, but instead on Wednesday, when the marriage ceremony should have taken place, Jesus was alone.

Oaths:

In Matt 26:31-35, 69-75 Peter's oath does not make him any more truthful. And in Matt 26:63-64 Jesus when questioned under oath simply says, "It is as you say."

Eye for Eye:

Matt 27:30 is where Jesus does not resist, even when they strike him on the cheek. They took his shirt and his coat, and one archaeologist whom we talked with says it's probably about two miles from the Antonia where Jesus would have been tried to Golgotha.

Love enemies section:

Take a look now at verse 20.

What do you think Jesus is getting at with that statement? Remember He is talking about internal rather than external righteousness. We must first ask, is it possible to enter the kingdom of heaven? Then in what way could our righteousness exceed that of the pharisees and teachers of the law?

So if we were to sum up the theme or principle of this study, what would it be? (We are least, we have failed already; but Jesus is great, He has succeeded.)

What do you think of this God you worship? Will you let Him be your righteousness, or are you struggling to establish your own righteousness?

Now at the beginning of this study, I had you write down how you felt. I want you to write again. Say how you feel now. You might want to write your feelings as a prayer to God. Talk to Him; tell Him how you feel about Him; write down what you'd like to say to Him if He were physically present. (Share)