Division I
(Matthew 3:1 – 8:1)
3:1-4:25 Narrative: Of His Calling
3:1-12 John the Baptist’s Mission
Who Was John the Baptist?
Written not long after the death of Christ, the Gospel of Matthew does not give a backround of John the Baptist, because the people in these parts would have known who he was.
Midbar
Midbar means desert in Hebrew. There is plenty of desert area between Bethabara and Jerusalem.
Repent Ye
To repent deals with the heart, and the return to God.
You or Ye
I have chosen to use the forms of ye for the plural. Sometimes, it makes a difference if one person or a crowd is being addressed, rather than just relying on context.
Noun Case | Singular | Plural |
Subject | thou | ye |
Possessive | thy, thine | your, yours |
Object | thee | you |
Central Theme: Humility
Quite opposite of the two main religious sects of Israel, John’s clothing and food is very basic. Dressing like Elijah, John’s focus is on the Kingdom of Heaven.
Camels
There are two types of camels: The dromedary camel of Western Asia and the Bactrian camel of Eastern Asia. The dromedary has one hump and produces about 2 pounds of wool per year; and the Bactrian has two humps and produces about 11-26 pounds of wool per year. The hairs of the camel are used to make textiles. The hair of the dromedary are short and fine, and are good for warmer clothing.
Girdle
A girdle of skin is used to hold together the garments, around the loins, which are the part of the body between the lowest ribs and the hip bones.
Locust
The Greek word, ἀκρίς=akris, translates as locust. They are highly nutritious, and are considered a clean meat by Biblical standards (Leveticus 11:21-23)
Baptism
Baptism was symbolic of repentance, and was not a ceremonial cleansing.
Bethabara on the Jordan River
Where did John the Baptist baptize in the Wilderness of Judea? Near Bethabara (Bethany of the Jordan), east of Jerusalem.* Because of the silt at the southern end of the Jordan River, this location is not ideal for baptizing. However, if one were truly repentant, the silt would not be such an issue.
* John 1:28
Pharisees and Sadducces
Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes were religious sects of Judaism. However, the Pharisees and the Sadducees held the political power, but were mutually hostile to each other.
The Pharisees controlled the Synagogues, believed that oral tradition held equal authority to the written Word of God, and believed in the resurrection of the dead, in an afterlife, and a spiritual world.
The wealthier Sadducees held the central power at the Temple at Jerusalem and controlled the Sanhedrin, held that the literal interpretation of the Scripture was only valid, and rejected the resurrection of the dead, the afterlife, and a spiritual world.
Brood of Vipers
A common term to indicate those filled with malice.
Repentance
Repentance consists of confessing ones sins and producing fruits worthy of repentance. Repentance deals with the heart.
The religious leaders felt they didn’t need to repent, since they are children of Abraham. However, Abraham had a heart of repentance and was receptive to God moving in his life.
After Me
After me does not refer to time, but one who follows.
Winnowing Fan
After threshing or loosening the grain from the husks, then the grain and the chaff are winnowed or separated.
A fan is a winnowing tool for threshing grain.
Wheat refers to those who would come to God, but the chaff are those whose hearts are hard to God.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 3:1-12
1 Now in those days John the Baptist, comes besides proclaiming in the Midbar of Judea,
2 and saying, ‘Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven has brought near,’
3 for this is He, who was poured out by Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘A voice of one crying in the Midbar, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make ye straight His paths.’[1]
5 Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the country round about the Jordan were going forth to him,
6 and were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing their sins.
7 But having seen many of the Pharisees and
Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers, who secretly showed you to flee from the future wrath?
8 Therefore, produce fruit worthy of repentance,
9 and may ye not think to say in yourselves, we have a father, Abraham: for I say to ye, that God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 But already the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree not producing good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 ‘I indeed, I baptize ye with water into repentance, but he who is coming after me, is mightier than I, of whom I am not befitting to carry the sandals, he shall baptize ye in the Holy Spirit and fire,
12 whose winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he shall thoroughly purge his threshing-floor, and shall gather his wheat into the storehouse, but he shall burn down the chaff with unquenchable fire.’
3:13-17 Baptism of Jesus
Galilee
Galilee is a Roman province in northern Israel near the Sea of Tiberius (Sea of Galilee).
Roman Provinces
Parallelism
Verse 16 is parallel to verses 13-14, focusing on baptism.
Verse 17 is parallel to verse 15, focusing on righteousness.
Baptized
Jesus was identifying himself with John and his message.
What Did John Know?
John might have known he was talking to one of godly important, and possibly the future Messiah.
To Fulfill All Righteousness
To receive the divine declaration of whom He is, Jesus needed to be baptized. Righteousness is relationship with God and obedience to God.
Spirit, Voice, Son
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 3:13-17
13 Then Jesus comes besides from Galilee to the Jordan unto John to be baptized by him.
14 But John was preventing him, saying, ‘I, I have need to be baptized by Thee, and come Thou to me!’
15 But Jesus replying, said unto him, “Permit it just
now, for thus it it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness;” then he permits Him.
16 But having been baptized, Jesus went up directly from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as though a dove and coming upon Him,
17 And behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, ‘This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased.[3]
[3] Psalms 2:7; Isaiah 42:1
4:1-11 The Testings of Jesus
Midbar
There is plenty of desert area between Bethabara and Jerusalem. In this wilderness climate, drinking water is essential to combat dehydration.
Diabolos
The Jews were reading the Old Testament in the Hebrew text, or in the Greek text called the Greek Septuagint.
In the Greek Septuagint and in the Greek New Testament, διάβολος=diabolos is often translated as slanderer or Satan; whereas in the Hebrew text, the Hebrew word for enemy or Satan is employed.
40 Days and Nights
Biblically, forty is the number of testing.
Moses*, Elijah**, and Jesus*** are three who are mentioned in Scriptures as having fasted for forty days and forty nights. Although we know Moses drank no water, more than likely Elijah or Jesus did not drink water either. These would be supernatural fasts.
* Exodus 24:18, 34:28
** 1 Kings 19:8
*** Matthew 4:2
Three Areas of Testing
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.*
In Genesis, Eve was tested in those three areas: 1) the tree was good for food, 2) it was pleasant to the eyes, 3) and a tree to make one wise.**
Likewise, Jesus was tested in these three areas: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
* 1 John 2:16
** Genesis 3:6
Parallelism
The three Tests are parallel to one another: the Tester provokes each test, and Jesus responds with the word of God for each test.
First Testing: Mt. 4:3-4
In the first Test, the Tester expresses the mere possibility that Jesus is the Son of God, then He can make the stones into bread loaves. In the Jewish diet, bread was an important staple for daily sustenance. Of course, Jesus was hungry after fasting.
Jesus replies with the word of God that man couldn’t live on bread alone, but upon every word going forth by the mouth of God. This quote comes from the time of the Exodus when the Israelites were given manna from heaven.
ῥῆμα-rhema, means what is said, a word, a saying, a phrase, etc.
This first Test deals with the lust of the flesh.
Second Testing: Mt. 4:5-7
In the second Test, the devil takes Jesus to Jerusalem and sets Him on the pinnacle of the Temple, and challenges Jesus to cast Himself down. Misusing Scripture, the devil omits a line in which the purpose of the angels would be to guard the Son of God, and rather to support the challenge that the angels would save Him.
The location of the Pinnacle of the Temple would be at the busy southwest corner to impress more people than on the southeast corner. Wouldn’t it be more pleasant for people to see Jesus as some kind of superhero than to go through the ordeals of Calvary?
Jesus responds that the devil should not tempt the LORD your God.
This second Test deals with the pride of life.*
* https://www.ritmeyer.com/2010/12/07/the-pinnacle-of-the-temple/
Central Theme: 2nd Test
The second Test is the Central Theme for the entire passage. Although bread, the temple, and having their own kingdom are important to Jewish thought, the Temple at Jerusalem is the most important. The priesthood had become corrupt. Could Jesus become the new ruler and High Priest by putting himself on a miraculous display for the people to see? Definitely, the pride of life is the key dynamic in the second Test.
Third Testing: Mt. 4:8-10
In the third Test, the devil takes Jesus to a very high mountain showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. The devil no longer questions Jesus’ identity or misuses Scripture. All Jesus has to do is worship the devil to receive these kingdoms. The location of the mountain is unknown. No mountain is high enough to show all the kingdoms of the world, besides the fact that the earth is spherical. The only way for Satan to show Jesus all the kingdoms of the world would be through the imagination. Jesus could have all the kingdoms of the world by simply worshiping the devil rather than going to the Cross.
Jesus responds for Satan to go and reminds him that he shall worship and serve the LORD your God. Notice that Jesus now identifies the devil as Satan.
This third Test deals with the lust of the eyes.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 4:1-11
1 Then Jesus was led up into the Midbar by the Spirit, to be tempted by the devil.
2 And having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry.
3 And the Tester having come to Him said, ‘If thou are the Son of God, speak that these stones may become bread-loaves.’
4 But He replying, said, ‘It has been written, “Man shall not live upon bread alone, but upon every word going forth through the mouth of God.”’ [4]
5 Then the devil takes Him up into the holy city, and sets Him above the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and says to Him, ‘If thou are the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it has been written that, “He shall command his angels concerning thee, and upon their hands they shall sustain thee, lest ever thou should strike thy foot against a stone.”’ [5]
7 Jesus declared to him again, ‘It has been written, “Thou shall not tempt the LORD thy God.”’ [6]
8 Again the devil takes Him up to a very high mountain, and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them,
9 and says to Him, ‘All these things I will give to thee, if falling down thou should worship me.’
10 Then Jesus says to him, ‘Withdraw thee Satan, for it has been written, “Thou shall worship the LORD thy God, and Him alone thou shall serve.”’ [7]
11 Then the devil leaves Him alone, and behold, angels came and were ministering to Him.
4:12-17 Jesus Begins His Ministry
Zebulun and Naphtali
The land of Zebulun and Naphtali refer to the two of the twelve tribal designations of the Old Testament.
Arrest of John the Baptist
Why was John delivered up to prison? Well, Herod Antipas had John the Baptist arrested for Herodias sake. Although married to Herod Philip, Herodias was living with her brother-in-law Herod Antipas. Because John had said that their union was not lawful, Herodias pushed Herod Antipas to have John the Baptist arrested.
Capernaum
Kfar Nahum means Nahum’s village in Hebrew, and was located on the border of the tribes of Zebulun near Naphtali. The Greek is Capernaum, and is located beside the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus dwelt in Capernaum, making this his home base.
Situated on the Via Maris route, which ran from Egypt to Damascus, Capernaum was an important town.
Repent Ye
Jesus begins to proclaim John’s message of repentance.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 4:12-17
12 Whereas Jesus having heard that John was
delivered up, He withdrew into Galilee,
13 and having left Nazareth, having come He dwelt in Capernaum, which is beside the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 that it might be fulfilled which was poured out through Isaiah the prophet, saying, [8]
15 ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: 16 the people which are sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in a land and shadow of death, a light rose on them.’
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim and to say, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of the heavens has brought near.”
[8] Isaiah 9:1-2; Psalm 107:10
4:18-22 Jesus Calling His First Disciples
Fishing with a Cast Net
Jesus Boat
Fish of the Sea of Galilee
Three important fish of the Sea of Galilee were:
- Musht (includesTilapia Galilea, also known as Saint Peter’s fish.)
- Biny (includes Barbus longiceps and the Barbus Canis), part of the carp family.
- Kinneret Sardines.
www.LumoProject.com; FreeBibleimages.org
Parallelism
Verses 18-19 parallel verse 21 with Jesus calling two sets of brothers.
Verses 20 parallel verse 22 with the brothers following Jesus.
Andrew
After John the Baptist had identified Jesus as the Lamb of God, two of John’s disciples began following or trailing after Jesus. Recognizing Jesus as a Rabbi, they end up spending much of the day with Him. Then Andrew who was one of the disciples of John the Baptist, went to find his brother Simon. Andrew is the first of the disciples of Jesus to acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah.* However, they must have returned to Capernaum to fish. Only after John was arrested, did Jesus call Simon Peter and Andrew to follow Him.
* John 1:35-42
Simon Peter and Andrew
In this scenario, Simon Peter and Andrew are near the shore throwing a casting-net to fish. A casting-net is a round net which can be cast out to obtain fish. Although other means of catching fish were employed, this is what the two brothers were using on this occasion.
Come After the Rabbi
When a Rabbi would call his student to follow him, it was because that student was ready and chosen. Likewise, when Jesus comes by and calls out for Simon Peter and Andrew to come after Him, they are ready to follow Jesus, the Rabbi. This event is not unexpected, but rather an honor for these two brothers.
James and John
James and John were the sons of Zebedee and his wife Salome. Although mentioned as the mother of the sons of Zebedee at the end of the Gospel of Matthew,* she is identified as Salome in the Gospel of Mark.** Salome is a common name, and must not be confused with Herodias’ daughter.
Historically, Joseph had been married to the wife of Cleopas and had six children by her; he was much older when he married Mary. Salome was the biological daughter of Joseph, and her sons James and John, would be cousins to Jesus.***
* Matthew 27:56
** Mark 15:40
*** Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/john-19.html
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 4:18-22
18 Whereas Jesus, walking along the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a casting-net into the sea, for they were fishers,
19 and He says to them, ‘Come ye after me, and I will
make you fishers of men.’[9]
20 And they straightway, having left the nets, followed Him.
21 And having stepped forward from there, He saw two other brothers, James of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them.
22 But they straightway, having left the boat and their father, did follow Him.
[9] Jeremiah 16:16
4:23-25 Jesus Heals Great Multitudes
Ministry of Jesus
Jesus was teaching, proclaiming the good news, and healing. Good news is the gospel.
Synagogue at Capernaum
Synagogues
Synagogues are used for prayer, reading of the Tanakh (OT), study, assembly, and worship. They developed after the Babylonian exile, but did not replace the Temple until 70 AD.
Central Theme: Report of Him
News of Jesus works were heard in Syria, a Roman province north of Israel.
Healed Five Categories
Jesus healed five categories of disorders. Diseases refer to those suffering from temporary or long-term sickness; torture of disease refer to those in severe pain; possession by demons refer to those who are afflicted by the diabolical, lunatics refer to those who are afflicted with mental illness or brain disorders, and paralytics refer to those who are paralyzed or crippled.
Decapolis
Decapolis means 10 cities. They include: Damascus and Canatha in modern Syria; Capitolias (Dion), Raphana, Gadara, Pella, Gerasa, and Philadelphia (Amman) in modern Jordan; and, Hippus and Scythopolis (Beth-Shean) in modern Israel.
Beyond the Jordan
Perea, a Iudaea province on the other side of the Jordan, had been part of King Herod’s kingdom. When Herod died, his son Herod Antipas was given both Galilee and Perea.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 4:23-25
23 And Jesus was going round all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom,
and healing every disease and every weakness among the people,
24b And they brought to Him all the sick having various diseases and oppressed with torture of disease, and possessed by demons, and lunatics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
25 And great multitudes followed Him from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
5:1-8:1 Teaching: Sermon on the Mount
Structure of the Sermon of the Mount
Matthew wrote this gospel using parallelism and chiastic structure. The Sermon on the Mount is arranged in a chiastic fashion.
5:1-2 Ascending the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
Mount of Beatitudes
Mount Eremos, or Mount of the Beatitudes, is the traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount. Some remains of a Byzantine Church which was built in the 4th century are lower down the slope. The Roman Catholic Franciscan Chapel was built in the 1930’s and worth visiting.
Disciples
At this point, Jesus has four committed disciples: Andrew, Simon Peter, James, and John. There might have been other disciples, too. However, the crowd would have been farther away. I’ve heard the acoustics are fabulous here when one walks down the hillside.
Teaching Law and Kingdom Living
While Moses gave the Law, Jesus is teaching about Kingdom Living. Jesus approaches the Law with newness and stability.
Parallel Opening
Although these two verses serve as an opening passage, they parallel the closing of the Sermon on the Mount (7:28-8:1)
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:1-2
1 Whereas having seen the multitudes, He ascended into the mount; and of Him having sat down, his disciples came to Him.
2 And having opened his mouth, He was teaching them, saying:
5:3-16 Invitation to the Kingdom of God
5:3-12 Eight Beatitudes
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
Because the Sermon on the Mount is arranged chiastically, the Beatitudes are not the theme, only the introduction. They serve as an introduction to the Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Sermon.
Happy
Happy holds a different meaning than blessed. While blessed is an action verb, happy is not an action, but an abstract idea that describes the status of a man. Being happy is not dependent upon feelings, but living righteously as indicated in Psalm 1. Actually, Psalm 1 should be translated as happy.
However, Jesus took the idea of happiness to a new level. If we are blessed of God, then our status should be happy as we seek the Lord.
Eight Beatitudes
I. Poor in spirit refers to those who have put their trust in God to become rich in God. (v.3)
II. Mourning refers to those who suffer because of their loyalty to God, or mourn for sinners or the iniquity of the world. (v.4)
III. Meek refers to those who are gentle and humble. (v.5)
IV. Hungering and thirsting after righteousness refers to those who passionately desire God’s own righteousness in every aspect of one’s life. (v.6)
V. Merciful refers to those who show compassion or mercy in their deeds and actions. (v.7)
VI. Pure in heart refers to those who have been made clean within, and who love God with all their heart. (v.8)
VII. Peacemakers refers to those who guard love and peace, and guard their tongues from speaking evil and deceit. (v.9)
VIII. Persecuted for the sake of righteousness refers to those who desire justice and Christ’s truth. (v.10)
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:3-12
3 ‘Happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the Heaven.
4 ‘Happy are the mourning,
for they shall be comforted.
5 ‘Happy are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
6 ‘Happy are the hungering and thirsting after righteousness,
for they shall be filled.
7 ‘Happy are the merciful,
for they shall receive mercy.
8 ‘Happy are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.
9 ‘Happy are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Sons of God.
10 ‘Happy are those having been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the Heaven.
11 ‘Happy are ye whenever they may reproach
you, and may persecute, and may say any evil word against you, speaking falsely on account of me,[10]
12 ‘Rejoice ye and be exultant, for yourreward is great in the Heaven, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you.
[10] Isaiah 51:7
5:13-16 Salt and Light
Parallelism
Verses 13 and 14-15 run parallel to each other in the respect that we are the salt and the light.
Salt or Saltpeter
Salt doesn’t lose its flavor. Either Jesus was making an understatement for irony sake, or another type of salt is meant.
Saltpeter, or potassium nitrate, is a fertilizer for farming. When saltpeter looses its savor, it is worthless. In other words, when the nitrogen in saltpeter evaporates, the saltpeter loses its potency.
Saltpeter becomes light when ignited.
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/11/24/species-of-salt-a-historical-assessment/
Location of Cities
Cities were often built on the upper part of the hill or a man-made hill for added protection from enemies.
Lamp and Lampstand
A Jewish lamp was called a Ner; and a lampstand was called a Menorah, but it did not necessarily have 6 branches.
Modius: A Dry Measure Vessel
A modius was a Greek dry measure equivalent to a peck or 1/4 of a bushel.
Conclusion
We should not lose our saltpeter, our inner light!
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:13-16
13a ‘Ye, ye are the salt of the earth,
13b but if the salt should become insipid in what
shall it be salted? For not at all is it strong hereafter, except to be cast out, and to be trampled down by men.
14 ‘Ye, ye are the light of the world, a city being
situated on the upper part of a mount cannot be hidden;
15 nor do they light a lamp, and put it under the dry
measure vessel, but on the lampstand, and it shines
for all those in the house;
16 So let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and may magnify the your Father who is in the heavens.
5:17-48 Concerning the Law
Not only does Jesus explain his purpose of fulfilling the Law, He expounds on the Law in six areas that were being misused by many.
5:17-20 Jesus Fulfills the Law and the Prophets
Sermon on the Mount
Parallelism
Verses 17 and 19 focus not on abolishing the Law or loosening or relaxing its commands, but on Jesus being the fulfillment of the Law so mankind could be obedient from the heart to them..
Verses 18 and 20 focus on his Righteousness fulfilled, so that our righteousness could abound in Him.
The Law and the Prophets
Jesus completes and transcends the Law and the Prophets, which is a term referring to the Old Testament.
Amen, I Say To You
Amen is Hebrew for truly or verily, and was transliterated into the Greek. The phrase, ‘Amen, I say to you’ was used quite often in this Gospel.
Heaven
The word heavens is generally plural, but here heaven is singular, and might mean the solar system or the universe.
One Jot or One Tittle
Iota is Greek and means jot for the Hebrew word jod. The Hebrew jod (י) is the smallest letter.
Keraia is Greek and means horn. Tittle is similar to an apex in Latin or a stroke in the Peshitta text. The word tittle could also mean hooks or crowns on a letter.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:17-20
17 ‘Ye must not consider that I came to dissolve the Law
or the Prophets; I did not come to dissolve, but to fulfil;
18 for Amen, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth may pass by, one jot or one tittle may not pass away from the Law, till all may come to pass.
19 ‘If whoever therefore should loosen one of these
least commands, and should teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of Heaven, but whoever should do and should teach them, this one shall he be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.
20 ‘For I say to you, except that your righteousness
should abound more than the scribes and Pharisees, no ye should not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
5:21-26 Anger and Reconciliation
Structure
Opening (21) with a reference from the Torah.
Explanation (22) on anger.
Example (23-24) about loving those outside your social group.
Summary (25-26) about anger.
Ye to Thou
Ye begins this passage in the plural, since Jesus is speaking to the crowd. However, the rest of the passage, thou is singular, since Jesus is speaking to you only or to every one of you on a personal level. Convicting!
Poured Out
Poured out is used instead of said, because the connotation of ρεω-rheo means to flow or pour out; thus the words poured out from God.
Murder
Murder is prohibited; killing is not prohibited in some situations such as self-defense and war. However, the root cause of murder is anger.
Judgment
Judgment is referring to civil judgment.
Raca
Raca comes from the Aramic word, reqa, meaning ‘empty-headed’. It is used as an insult.
Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin is a court of an assembly of men who judged situations in ancient Israel. The Greater Sanhedrin consisting of 71 judges, acted as a Supreme Court in Jerusalem. The Lesser Sanhedrin of 23 judges in each city, acted as a local court.
Moron
Moron, sometimes translated as fool and can mean stupid. The word is an attack on the image of God who made all of us.
Gehenna
Gehenna is the city dump outside of Jerusalem that is continually burning, and is symbolic of the destruction at the final judgment.
Present Thy Gift
The use of the singular you makes this passage personal. Presenting gifts to God must first include being reconciled with your brother/sister, or at least attempting at reconciliation if your brother is angry with you.
Quadrans
A Quadrans was a Roman bronze coin, worth a quarter of an as. Later, the quadrans became the lowest valued coin in circulation. Some translations use penny or farthing, the lowest valued old English coin.
Augustus Quadrans
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:21-26
21 ‘Ye heard that it was poured out to the ancients: “Thou shall not murder, [11]
but whoever should murder shall be liable to the judgment;”
22 ‘But, I, I say to you, that every one who is angry
at his brother rashly shall be liable to the judgment,
but whoever may say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the Sanhedrin, but whoever may say, Moron, shall be liable into the Gehenna of fire.
23 ‘Therefore, if thou should present thy gift to the altar, and there should turn one’s mind that thy brother has some thing against thee;
24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and withdraw;
first be reconciled to thy brother, and then having come, present thy gift.
25 ‘Be well-inclined with thy opponent quickly, while
of which thou are in the way with him, lest ever the opponent may deliver thee to the judge, and the judge may deliver you up to the attendant, and thou may be cast into prison.
26 ‘Amen, I say to thee, no thou should not come out from there, until thou should pay the last Quadrans.
[11] Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17
5:27-32 Adultery and Divorce
Structure
Opening (27, 31) with a reference from the Torah.
Explanation (28, 32) on adultery and divorce.
Examples (29-30) about resisting adultery.
Adultery
Jesus is putting adultery and divorce onto a higher level of the Law than what the religious leaders were doing or expressing. Remember that Jewish society was highly patriarchal. While a man could have a concubine or another wife, the woman was expected to be faithful to her husband.
I'm Only Looking
Adultery wasn’t just engaging in the act, but looking at a woman to desire her.
Right Eye and Right Hand
The singular use of you, makes this verse very personal. Jesus uses hyperbole to achieve his point. The point is whatever sexual sin is causing your eyes or hands to stumble, to cut that sin off and cast it away.
Divorce
Jesus was addressing a problem in Jewish society of that time, in which a husband could divorce his wife for any cause. She and her children could possibly be living on the streets if she didn’t have a sufficient dowry or some family support. She might have to resort to prostitution to survive financially. Thus, Jesus was pointing the finger of responsibility on the husband.
Also, a wife could not divorce her husband.
Prostitution
The Greek word is πορνεία=porneia, and means prostitution; in the Latin, fornicatio, means whoredom or prostitution. Unchasity would be meant here.
This view of divorce on account of unchasity was the more conservative view held by many Jews.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:27-32
27 “Ye heard that is was poured out to the ancients:
‘Thou shall not commit adultery;’ [12]
28 “But I, I say to you, that every one who is looking upon a woman to desire her, did already commit adultery with her in his heart.
29 “But if thy right eye causes thee to stumble, take it out and cast it from thee;
for it is expedient to thee that one of thy limbs may perish, and not your whole body should be cast into Gehenna.
30 “And if thy right hand causes thee to stumble, cut it off and cast it from thee;
for it is expedient to thee that one of thy limbs may perish, and not thy whole body should be cast into Gehenna.
31 “But it was poured out,
‘Whoever may divorce his wife, let him give her a
writing of divorce;’ [13]
32 “But, I, I say to you, that whoever may divorce his wife, except on account of prostitution, does cause her to commit adultery; and if whoever may marry her who has been divorced does commit adultery.”
5:33-37 Oaths
Structure
Opening (33) with a reference from the Torah.
Explanation (34a) on not swearing oaths.
Examples (34b-36) of swearing.
Summary (37) of letting your word be Yes, yes; No, no.
Sermon on the Mount
Vows versus Oaths
A vow changes the status of an object, an external thing.
An oath initiates or pledges an internal change in the person swearing the oath.
Not To Swear
Oaths not made in the name of God were considered not as binding. However, Jesus differed with that idea, because anything higher than oneself is of God.
Although the dying of hair was a common practice of that era, a person could only change his outward appearance. A person is not omnipotent.
Word
Keep your word simple, so the evil one doesn’t have an entrance.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:33-37
33 “Again, ye heard that is was poured out to the ancients:
‘Thou shall not swear falsely, but thou shall pay to the LORD thy oaths;”[14]
34a “But I, I say to you, not to swear at all:
37 “But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no; but anything beyond these is of the evil one.
5:38-42 Retaliation
Structure
Opening (38) with a reference from the Torah.
Explanation (39a) on resisting evil.
Examples (39b-41) of being willing to forego personal rights over retaliation.
Summary (42) of a giving heart.
An Eye In Place Of An Eye...
These types of retributions, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, were no longer practiced in the days of Jesus, but were replaced with appropriate fines.
Whoever Slaps Thee On Your Right Jaw
Using the left hand to slap someone on the right jaw is an insult, because the left hand is used for unsanitary purposes at the latrine. As an insult, the slap upon the right jaw could initiate a fight. The insult would be equivalent to someone in our culture flipping the middle finger to provoke a fight.
Tunic and Cloak
The tunic (Jewish kethoneth, Greek chiton, or Roman tunica) is the coat or undergarment.
The cloak (Jewish simlah, the Greek himation, or the Roman pallium) is the cloak or upper garment.The cloak was forbidden to be taken by Jewish law after sunset, because it was used as a covering at night.*
* Exodus 22:26-27
Press You Into Service
The Romans often compelled the locals to serve in carrying an item(s), which this practice was hated by the Jews.
A Roman mile was a 1000 paces or 5000 Roman feet, or 4250 modern feet. However, we ended up with the statute mile as 5280 feet due Queen Elizabeth I standardizing of measurements in 1592.
Give
Although there are times not to give, our hearts should be one of giving rather than one of retaliation.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:38-42
38 “Ye heard that is was poured out:
‘An eye in place of an eye, and a tooth in place of a tooth; [17]
39a “But I, I say to you, not to oppose the evil one,
39b “but whoever slaps thee on thy right jaw, turn to him also the other;
40 “and whoever is willing to bring thee to trial and
to take thy tunic, leave to him also the cloak.
41 “And whoever shall press thee into service one mile, lead under with him two.
42 “Give to him asking of thee; and him wishing to borrow from thee, thou should not turn away.
[17] Leviticus 24:20
5:43-48 Love Your Neighbor
Structure
Opening (43) with a partial reference from the Torah.
Explanation (44-45) on loving your enemies.
Examples (46-47) about loving those outside your social group.
Summary (48) of being perfect.
Love and Hate
The part about loving your neighbor is from the Torah, but the other part about hating your enemy is from tradition.
Love
The Greek word for love used in verses 43, 44, and 46 is ἀγαπαω=agapao, which means brotherly love.
Publicans
A publican is a local person who collects taxes for the Roman government. In Israel, these Jewish tax collectors were deemed as traitors. Often they extorted more money than was owed for themselves.
Brethren
Brethren is used here to explain a social brotherhood as opposed to biological brothers. Greeting brethren was expressed by an embrace and by good will.
Perfect
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 5:43-48
44 “But I, I say to you,
Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do well to those hating you, and pray for the sake of those acting despitefully towards you and persecuting you;
45 so that ye may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven, because He does make His sun to rise on evil and good men, and He sends rain on righteous and unrighteous men.
46 “For if ye should love those loving you, what
reward have ye? Do not indeed also the Publicans do the same?
47 “And if ye should greet your brethren only,
what extraordinary thing do ye do? Do not indeed also the Publicans do the same?
32 ‘Therefore ye shall be perfect, even as your Father who in Heaven is perfect. [19]
6:1-18 Worship
Jewish worship consisted of giving of charity, prayer, and fasting.
This greater passage on Worship is the Central Theme for the Sermon on the Mount, with the Lord’s Prayer being more central.
Although the Lord’s Prayer is a familiar prayer for all of us, I did use some poetic license to translate it closer to the Greek.
6:1-4 Giving
Parallelism
Verses 1 and 3 compare doing charity openly and secretly.
Verses 2 and 4 compare the rewards for open charity and for secret charity.
Ye, Thou, Thee, and You
When Jesus is speaking to the crowd (verse 1 and the end of verse 2), He uses the plural ye and you.
However, in this passage (v.2) Jesus primarily uses the singular thou and thee, because He is speaking to each person individually.
Both the Greek and Hebrew differentiate between the singular and plural in the 2nd person.
Noun Case | Singular | Plural |
Subject | thou | ye |
Possessive | thy, thine | your, yours |
Object | thee | you |
Giving of Charity
Charity or giving of alms should be done privately.
However, in some Greek texts the word righteousness is used instead of charity. If so, doing righteousness may incorporate charity, prayer, and fasting.
Trumpet and Hypocrites
σαλπίζω=salpizo means trumpet. A trumpet or a Greek Salpinx could introduce an actor in a play.
ὑποκριτής=hupokrites means actor or pretender, from which we have borrowed the Greek word, hypocrite.
Likewise, a hypocrite who toots his own horn when doing charity in the synagogues and in the street is like an actor in a Greek play.
Salpinx
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 6:1-4
1 “Take ye heed your righteousness not to do ye charity before men, to be perceived by them, but otherwise, ye have no reward in the presence of your Father who is in Heaven;
2 “therefore, whenever thou should do charity, may
thou not sound a trumpet before thee, even as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they should be magnified by men; Amen, I say to you, they receive their reward, in full!
3 “But thou doing charity, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does;
4 “so that thy charity may be in the secret, and thy
Father who is looking on in the secret shall give back to thee in the open.”
6:5-8 Prayer
Sermon on the Mount
Hypocritical Prayers
Open display of ostentatious prayer is hypocritical.
Love
The Greek word for love in verse 5 is φιλέω=phileō, which means to treat affectionately.
Central Theme: Prayer
The Central Theme of the prayers of the humble is highlighted against passages of the prayers of the hypocrites or the pagans.
Notice that the 2nd person has shifted to the singular in the Central Theme. You in this verse becomes singular, directed to each individual.
Chamber
A chamber can also mean a treasury or inner room. In Jewish homes it might be the storeroom.
Repetitious Praying
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 6:5-8
5 “And whenever thou may pray, thou shall not be as the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the wide streets, so that they may be seen of men; Amen, I say to you, that they receive their reward in full.
6 “But thou, whenever thou may pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who looking on in secret shall give back to thee in the open.
7 “But praying, ye ought not say the same
thing over and over just as the foreigners; for they think that they will be heard in their many words;
8 therefore, be ye not like to them, for your Father
knows of those things ye have need before
you are to ask Him.”
6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer
The Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer in Hebrew
9 לכן כה תתפללו אבינו שבשמים יתקדש שמך׃
10 תבא מלכותך יעשה רצונך כאשר בשמים גם בארץ׃
11 את־לחם חקנו תן־לנו היום׃
12 ומחל־לנו על־חבותינו כאשר מחלנו גם־אנחנו לחיבינו׃
13 ואל־תביאנו לידי נסיון כי אם־תחלצנו מן־הרע כי לך הממלכה והגבורה והתפארת לעולמי עולמים אמן׃
Structure
Like the Torah, the Lord’s Prayer has five parts (see verses 9b, 10, 11, 12, 13a). Verse 11 is the central theme.
Hallowed
Central Theme: Bread
The Greek word ἐπιούσιος= epiousios is used twice in Scripture and once in the Didache, but is found no where else in Greek writings. Jerome translated this word as panem supersubstantialem, meaning supersubstantial bread, in the Latin Vulgate. However, the Aramaic uses the word anemo, meaning lasting or perpetual. While most scholars agree that the word daily is an incorrect translation, there is disagreement to what could be correct. However, the word epiousios has a spiritual nature, and is not referring to daily bread for food.
Debts
While the Greek word for debt does mean something owed or debt, the Aramaic could also mean sin or error. This same word for debt is used in Deuteronomy 24:10 in the Greek Septuagint, but translates to lend (on interest) in the Hebrew. However, the connotation of this verse in the Lord’s Prayer refers to sin or error.
Doxology
While some early MSS include the doxology, some early texts do not. Whether Jesus uttered the doxology in this prayer, or that Matthew or a scribe later added the doxology to the words of Jesus, no one can be sure. However, Matthew usually closes his passages properly.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 6:9-13
9 “Therefore in this manner pray ye:
Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
10 “Come, Thy kingdom; Come to pass, Thy will as in Heaven also upon Earth .
11 “Grant us today our bread,
sufficient for the coming day.
12 “And forgive us our debts, as also we
forgive our debtors. [20]
13 “And may Thou bring us not into a trial, but
rescue us from the evil one.”
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory unto the ages. Amen.
[20] Sirach 28:2
6:14-15 Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Parallelism
Verses 14 and 15 compare the consequences of forgiveness and unforgiveness.
These two verses also parallel verse 12. Could it be that Jesus is emphasizing the importance of forgiveness if we desire for God to hear our prayer?
Forgive
We don’t earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others. Because we are forgiven, then we are to forgive. However, should we block God’s forgiveness by refusing to forgive others?
Trespasses
To trespass is to pass over your rights, to cross the line, and may be unintentional or intentional.
To transgress is the act to willfully cross the line, that is, to disobey a law, command, or duty.
The Greek word παράπτωμα=paraptōma implies trespass.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 6:14-15
14 “For if ye may forgive men their trespasses,
your Heavenly Father also will forgive you;
15 but if ye may not forgive men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
6:16-18 Fasting
Fasting
Fasting
Fasting was important in Jewish culture. Statutory fasts such as on the Day of Atonement, and corporate and personal fasts were important. At least twice a week, strict Pharisees fasted while making others know that they were fasting by their appearances. However, Jesus was calling his disciples to a higher standard for fasting by their appearances.
Parallelism
Verses 16 and 17-18 compare fasting.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 6:16-18
16 “Whereas, whenever ye may fast, be not even as the hypocrites, of sad countenances; for they disfigure their faces,
so that they may appear to men fasting; Amen, I say to you, that they receive their reward in full.
17 “But thou, fasting, anoint with oil thy head, and wash thy face;
18 “So that thou may not appear to men fasting, but to thy Father who is in the secret; and thy Father, who is looking on in the secret, shall give back to thee in the open.”
6:19-7:12 Concerning the Law
6:19-24 Treasures in Heaven
Parallelism A
Verses 19 and 20 compare earthly treasures to heavenly treasures.
Verb Conversions
Keeping the noun to verb conversions, that is, treasure up treasures and thieves thieve, as was done in the Greek, was probably not so in the original Hebrew.
Treasure
Where you value most, your heart will be there.
Parallelism B
Verses 22 and 23 compare a sincere eye to an evil eye.
Eye
The eye is a window in which light shines to show the way or in which darkness fails to show the way.
Evil Eye
In Hebrew literature, an evil eye represented jealousy and stinginess. If darkness obscured the way, how would one find the way?
Love
The Greek word for love used here is ἀγαπαω=agapao, which means brotherly love.
Mammon
Mammon is not an original Greek word for wealth. Aramaic has mamona or mammon meaning wealth or profit. In Mishnaic Hebrew, mammon means wealth or or money. The word mammon was used in Qumrum documents.*
However, the Hebrew word matmon, מטמון (H4301), means secret treasure, and is used in five verses in the Old Testament. If mammon is connected with matmon, then this verse serves as a conclusion for this particular passage.
* 1 QS 6:2, 1 QS27 1.2.5, CD 14.20
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 6:19-24
19 “Treasure up not for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves dig through and thieve,
20 but treasure ye up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy, and where thieves do not dig through nor thieve:
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye, therefore if
thine eye may be sincere, thy whole body shall be bright,
23 but if thine eye may be evil, thy whole body
shall be in darkness;
therefore if the light that is in thee is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one is able to serve two masters, for either he
will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold on to the one, and will despise the other: Ye are not able to serve God and mammon.”
6:25-34 Do Not Be Anxious
Structure
This entire passage is chiasticly structured with verse 29 being the central theme.
Compared are three parallel parts: the birds of the sky in verses 26-27, the lilies of the field in verses 28-30, and our own anxieties in verses 31-33.
Anxious
Life is more important than being anxious about our needs.
Cubit
A cubit would be a short cubit here of 17.5 inches (44.5 cm).
Time of Life
Time of life would mean age or life-span. We cannot add a foot to our life-span or how long we can live.
Lilies of the Field
Madonna lily (lilium candidum) is now rare in Israel.
Central Theme: Solomon
King Solomon was the son of David. His kingdom was at its peak in wealth and glory, but his clothing did not compare to the lilies of the field.
Earthen Vessel
Dry grasses were thrown into the fire of a Clibanus, a small clay pot for baking small, round bread loaves. Essentially, the same idea is used when baking round bread loaves in a Dutch oven over coals.
Seek Ye First
If our priorities of seeking the Kingdom of God and seeking His righteousness are first, then He will make provision for our needs.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 6:25-34
25 “On account of this I say to you, be not anxious
about your life, what ye may eat and what ye may drink; nor for your body, what ye may put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the garment?
26 “Look ye at the birds of the sky that they do
not sow, nor do they reap, nor do they gather into storehouses, and your Heavenly Father does support them; are ye not much better than they?
27 “But who of you being anxious is able to add one cubit to his time of life?
28 “And concerning a garment, why are ye anxious?
Consider ye the lilies of the field, how they grow! They do not toil, nor do they spin:
29 “But I say to you, that not Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these.
30 “But if God so does clothe the grass of the field,
today being and tomorrow is cast into the earthen vessel, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?[21]
31 “Therefore, may ye not be anxious, saying,
What may we eat? or, What may we drink? or, What may we be clothed?
32 for all these do the nations seek after, for yourHeavenly Father has known that ye have need of these all together;
33 but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 “Therefore may ye not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious of itself; sufficient for the day is the evil of it.”
[21] Isaiah 40:6-8
7:1-6 Judge Wisely
Structure
Explanation (1-2) on judging.
Example (3-5) on judging. Notice that the 2nd person changes to the singular.
Summary (6) on discernment.
Judging
κρινω=krino can mean a condemning judgment. Everyday we may make judgments about situations and people, and civil judgments are made. However, we are not to judge in a critical condemning style.
Beware of the reciprocal principle in judging.
Chip or a Beam
A chip is something small, a mote; a bearing-beam or log supports the weight of the roof or house.
Holy
Holy things are not for the unclean. Both dogs and pigs are unclean animals to the Jews. Likewise, holy things will not be valued by those who are unclean.
We are not to judge by condemning, but to discern things that are of God or not of God.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 7:1-6
1 “Judge ye not, that ye may not be judged;
2 for in what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged;
and in what measure ye measure, it shall be measured in turn to you.
3 “But why do thou look on at the chip that is in thy brother’s eye, but the bearing-beam that is in thy own eye thou do not consider?
4 “Or how will thou ask thy brother, Permit that I may cast out the chip from thy eye; and behold, the bearing-beam is in thy eye.
5 “You Hypocrite! Cast out first the bearing-beam from thine eye, and then thou shall look straight to cast out the chip from thy brother’s eye.
6 “May ye not give that which is holy to the dogs, nor may ye cast your pearls before the pigs, lest ever they shall trample them among their feet, and having turned, may rend you.”
7:7-11 Ask, Seek, Knock
Structure
Explanation (7-8) of asking, seeking, and knocking.
Example (9-10) on good gifts.
Summary (11) on the Father giving good things to those asking Him.
Ask, Seek, Knock
Ask, seek, and knock are imperative verbs, meaning a command, and are metaphors for prayer. Because these general commands are in the 2nd person plural, they are for all believers.
Asking, Seeking, and Knocking
Asking, seeking, and knocking are present participle verbs, meaning on going. Notice that the petitioner is now the individual believer.
Central Theme: Bread and Fish
Although these two verses refer to a son asking for a good gift from a benevolent father, hidden in the context is the identity of the Son. Bread refers to the Word of God, and fish to Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 7:7-11
7 “Ask ye, and it shall be given to you;
Seek ye, and ye shall find,
Knock ye, and it shall be opened to you;
8 “for every one asking does receive;
and he seeking does find,
and to him knocking it shall be opened.
9 “Or what man is out of you, whom if his
son will ask for bread, will he not give him a stone?
10 “Or if he ask for a fish, will he not give him
a serpent?
11 “Therefore if ye being evil, ye have known to give good gifts to your children, how much more your Father who is in Heaven shall give good things to those asking Him?”
7:12 Golden Rule Fulfills the Law and the Prophets
Golden Rule
In many ancient cultures, the proverbial message or silver rule was not to do to anyone what you would not have done to you.
However, Jesus stated in the Golden Rule to do for others what we would like done for us. It’s a very positive approach.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 7:12
12 “Therefore all things, as much as if ye may wish that
men may do to you, so also ye do to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
7:13-27 Walking in the Way
7:13-14 The Narrow Gate
Parallelism
Verses 13b and 14 compare entering the wide gate and entering the narrow gate.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 7:13-14
13 “Enter ye through the narrow gate, because wide
is the gate and broad is the way that is leading away unto the destruction, and many are those entering in through it;
14 “for narrow is the gate and compressed is the way
that is leading away unto the life, and few are those finding it!”
7:15-23 A Tree and Its Fruit
Arabian Wolf
Structure
Opening (15) about false prophets.
Explanation (16-19) about natural fruit
Example (20-23) about fruit of those working lawlessness.
Working Lawlessness
Operating in the charismatic gifts is not an indicator of good fruit.
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 7:15-23
15 “Whereas, take ye heed from the false
prophets, who come unto you in sheep’s garments, but within they are rapacious wolves.
16a “From their fruits ye shall acknowledge
them. [22]
16b “Do they gather bunches of grapes from thorns?
Or figs from thistles?
17 “So every good tree produces beautiful fruits, but the rotten tree produces worthless fruits.
18 “A good tree is not able to produce worthless fruits, nor a rotten tree to produce beautiful fruits.
19 “Every tree not producing beautiful fruit is hewn down and is cast into the fire.
20 “Consequently, from their fruit ye shall
acknowledge them.
21 “Not every one who is saying to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he who is doing the will of my Father, who is in Heaven.
22 “Many will ask Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in thy name , and did we cast out demons in thy name, and did we do many mighty works in thy name.
23 “And then I shall confess to them that I never knew you; depart from Me who are working
lawlessness.”[23]
7:24-27 The House upon the Rock
Parallel Structure
A prudent man (24) is compared to a moronic man (26).
The foundation of the house is compared: rock (24) versus sand (26).
The results of the wind upon the house (25, 27) are compared, too.
Does Them
Hearing the Lord’s words must be followed by doing them.
Prudent
According to the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, prudence is “wisdom applied to practice.
Prudence implies caution in deliberating and consulting on the most suitable means to accomplish valuable purposes, and the exercise of sagacity in discerning and selecting them. prudence differs from wisdom in this, that prudence implies more caution and reserve than wisdom, or is exercised more in foreseeing and avoiding evil, than in devising and executing that which is good. It is sometimes mere caution or circumspection.”
Who Is The Rock?
πετρα=petra means a large rock.
Jesus is the Rock!
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 7:24-27
24 “Therefore every one who hears these words of Mine
and does them, shall be like a prudent man who built his house upon the rock;
25 “and the rain descended, and the streams came,
and the winds blew, and fell against that house, and it did not fall, for it had been founded firmly upon the rock.
26 “And every one who is hearing these words of mine,
and is not doing them, shall be like a moronic man who built his house upon the sand;
27 “and the rain descended, and the streams came,
and the winds blew, and struck against that house, and it fell, and great was its fall.”
7:28-8:1 Descending the Mount
7:28-8:1 Descending the Mount
Authority
Jesus’ teaching astounds the multitude.
He teaches with great authority. (see Matthew 5:2)
The passage closes with Jesus descending the mount. (see Matthew 5:1)
Parallel Closing
Although these three verses serve as a closing passage, they parallel the opening of the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5:1-2)
Scripture Reading - BPV
Mt. 7:28-8:1
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus completed these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching;
29 for he was teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes.
8:1 Whereas, of Him having descended away from the mount, great multitudes followed Him.