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The Code of Righteousness: Vengeance
A subtle shift of focus occurs begins with vs. 38. In the words of Paul Earnhart, “He has now moved from dealing with the problem of evil in ourselves to the challenge of wrestling with evil in others. It is one thing for the kingdom citizen to withhold all injury from the innocent, but what…
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The Code of Righteousness: Love
Forsaking one’s right for vengeance and retribution (vss. 43-47) would have seemed radical enough for those brought up on the Pharisees’ skewed notion of righteousness, but Jesus was not content to stop there. The righteousness He demands requires citizens of His Kingdom to do the most radical thing of all: love their enemies. 43 “You…
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The Code of Humility: Charity & Fasting
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6.1) Righteousness is the major theme of Jesus’ sermon in Matthew 5. His people are those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (vs. 6) and are persecuted as a…
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The Code of Humility: Prayer
Shortly after David fled from Saul he sought refuge at the Philistine city of Gath. However, David was forced to feign insanity in order to escape the Philistine King (see 1Samuel 21.10-15). David’s life was in peril; he could not go home, but his military successes meant that no other nation would grant him refuge.…
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The Code of Priorities: God vs. Wants
The ultimate reward for the disciple of Jesus is “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5.3,10). Within His sermon Jesus has warned about various snares that might prevent someone from attaining the Kingdom. Adhering to a false standard of righteousness would prevent someone from entering the Kingdom (Matthew 5.20), and those who do righteous deeds out…
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The Code of Priorities: God vs. Needs
Most times we assume materialism is a problem reserved for the rich, or at the least for those with “comfortable” lives. The Scriptures certainly warn these to be on their guard against “the love of money” (1Timothy 6.10), that they not “fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches” (1Timothy 6.17) and that they “store…
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The Code of Others: Judgment & Hypocrisy
Given that Jesus already rebuked the psuedo-righteousness of the Pharisees several times in His sermon (see 5.20; 6.1-2,5,16), it may be that He had them in mind when issuing His warnings regarding judging others in 7.1-5. After all, the Pharisees were quick to point out the sins and faults of others while they themselves were…
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The Code of Others: The Golden Rule
Upon first reading, vss. 7-12 might seem to consist of “random” teachings which find no cohesion with what Jesus said earlier in the sermon. However, upon close examination we can pick up the thread of Jesus’ argument. In vss. 1-5 Jesus dealt with what many would classify as a Pharisaical mindset. That is certainly a…
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The Code of Truth: The Narrow Way
“Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom…” (Matthew 4.23). The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is our most complete account of the message Jesus proclaimed, the gospel of the kingdom. Within the sermon Jesus reveals what kind of people are in the Kingdom (5.3-12)…
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The Code of Truth: Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing
The “way” to eternal life is, according to Jesus, narrow. And certainly it must be, for it has one aim: to become “perfect, as you heavenly father is perfect” (5.48). There can be no deviation from this path, for any straying would lead us away from His nature, and thus away from Him. Thus, truth…