Sermon on the Mount part 1

In this podcast episode, the host, Barb, discusses the Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew. She explains that Matthew is emphasizing Jesus as the new Moses and the structure of Matthew's book. The Sermon on the Mount is considered the most famous speech in history and was attended by various groups of people, including Roman soldiers, common folk, religious leaders, zealots, and disciples. Barb focuses on the six teachings where Jesus says, "You have heard it said, but I say to you." She explains that Jesus is introducing his kingdom and offering deliverance and grace. The first teaching is about anger, where Jesus addresses the vicious cycle of anger and urges prioritizing relationships and reconciliation. He also advises making friends with opponents to avoid negative consequences. Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Biblically Wired podcast. I am the host. My name is Barb. And today we're going to get right into Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount. So our focus today is going to be on six different teachings Jesus gives in the Sermon on the Mount. These are all related to our Christian life. These are often misread or misconstrued or overemphasized or wrongly emphasized. So I wanted to dig into them and really help us amplify what is Jesus's main point and help us see it from the perspective of the original crowd. Now we've already discussed Matthew, who he is, how he set up his book in a talk we did on miracles. So I'm not going to redo stuff for my frequent listeners. But I do want to remind you that Matthew is the first book of the New Testament. It is the perfect bridge between the Old and New. Matthew's focus is to reveal Jesus as the Messiah and the new Moses. So as we look at the structure of Matthew, he has five big sections on Jesus's teaching. Each of those five sections ends with the same words. For example, the end of the Sermon on the Mount, chapter 7, verse 28 says, when Jesus had finished teaching. So you will find five of those when Jesus has finished speaking, when Jesus has finished teaching. If you want to find the five different sections related to the teaching of Jesus that Matthew was trying to emphasize. And why five? Five because Moses has five books of the Bible. And again, Matthew is emphasizing that Jesus is the new Moses. So, okay. Now, the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chose as the first one of the five. And it is similar to Genesis in the fact that what Jesus is doing is he is revealing a new kingdom. In the book of Matthew to this point in the first four chapters, Matthew has seven different places where it says Jesus fulfilled something. So we know seven is complete in a heavenly way. Three is complete in a manly way, three days of walking, three more days I'm in prison. There's a ton of those. Seven is complete in a heavenly way. So Matthew included these seven fulfillment sentences prior to this, announcing Jesus's majesty through numbers. And then he goes on to the Sermon on the Mount, directly after Jesus does a ton of healing here in Northern Galilee. People come from all over. People come from Syria, they come all the way down southeast from Jordan, and from the east side of the River Jordan where there's 10 cities. So Matthew describes large, large crowds that came upon the city of Capernaum. Capernaum is on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee. This is Jesus's HQ. And it's kind of interesting because it's also a Roman army camp. So the Romans were there, Jesus and the disciples were there. This is an area that had more Gentiles. Jerusalem has more percentage of Israelites at this time. This area had a lot more Gentiles, and this is where Jesus starts out and begins his ministry. So the Sermon on the Mount is considered the most famous speech in the history of the world. It is the most quoted, it is the most written about speech in the world. Okay, so who was present for the Sermon on the Mount? Okay, first of all, we know there were Roman soldiers that were present because they were there to keep the crowds calm and to keep peace in the area. If Rome heard of any unrest and stuff, they would be in big trouble. So this is where maybe the Roman centurion who gets healed in our nine healings to have Matthew choose this, this might be where he came upon Jesus and became a believer. This is also where people came from all over the land. So we picture farmers and vineyard workers, servants, slaves, the common folk of the land. That is where Jesus' heart would be at this time. Also, we've got a picture that the religious were in the crowd, and that is the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes, which all make up the Sanhedrin, the official court council. We should also realize there are zealots in the crowd, and these are Jewish people that were against Rome. And there was Herodians, Jewish people who were for King Herod. And we've got the disciples, which were called Amherets. So they were people of the land. They were fishermen. They were people of the land. And they were not upheld as some amazing citizens that knew the Mosaic law and followed the tradition of the Israelites to a T. So we have them present. And it's quite a mixed crowd. And when we dissect Jesus' teaching, it's really cool to try to picture what that meant. What did it mean to the orphan and the widow? What did it mean to the person who was paralyzed? What did these things mean to the Romans or to the religious people? So it's super cool. So what we have here in the Sermon on the Mount is many different ways you can break down the numbers. But the portion we're going to talk about today is a portion of the 14 teachings that Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount. So Matthew places these 14 teachings here, and each of them is a biblical triad. A biblical triad is something that scholars have named a portion of the text because it is grouped in three and it helps the reader understand the main point, which is usually the climax, which is the end of the three-part piece. Remember, three is complete for man. So each part would be a complete teaching for the Christian life or Christian walk. So we have 14 sets of three, 14 being double complete, and three being complete for man. So we're going to get to something really good here. Hang with me. We're going to talk about these six places where Jesus says, you have heard it said, and then, but I say to you. And these are six in a row. But we've got to emphasize what Jesus is doing, setting up these six teachings for the Christian life. Jesus is all about introducing his kingdom. Jesus is coming with a new kingdom. It will be obviously amplified after his death and resurrection. This will be amplified. But right now, Jesus is emphasizing his kingdom and the reign of God. What is it like to live under the reign of God? So I looked into an article by, and I wish I knew the school this person was from. It's a very intense article looking at the Greek, the imperatives. Imperatives are basically do this, do that. A lot of the way that the Greek is set up with the verbs and the way it is stressed gives that Jesus is teaching a little bit different spin than we can offer in English. And we're going to go through that because it is incredible. So Jesus is introducing his kingdom. We see starting in chapter five, it says that he sits down to teach. That was the way of a rabbi in that time. And then it says he opened his mouth. And you've heard this from me before. If it's ever written where someone opens their mouth, that means they're beginning to say an oracle, something that you cannot argue against. It's an oracle. So he's going to open his mouth and something good is coming, something important. And that's what it meant in Greek writing at the time. So what we see also in these biblical triads is that Jesus is offering deliverance and grace in these portions that don't look that way in English. And what Jesus is centering on is these vicious cycles of sin that we get into. And he is trying to allow a way out. And we're going to be talking about anger and lost and loving your enemies and all that good stuff. All right. So the first one we got is anger. It's interesting because we label this as anger in our Bible, but it's about murder, but not really. Anger is the root of murder. And so Jesus attacks that first. Okay. Chapter 5, starting in verse 21. You have heard that the ancients were told, you shall not commit murder. And whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court. And whoever says to his brother, you good-for-nothing shall be guilty before the Supreme Court. And whoever says you fool shall be guilty to hell. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Those are some strong statements, right? Okay. So we know Jesus is talking about his kingdom. So what is his actual application here? So what the Greek shows us is that Jesus is talking about a vicious cycle of anger. First of all, someone's angry and they're guilty of going to court. Then they throw insults, which is worse. And then they actually call someone a total fool, which is worse. And we get caught up in this cycle of anger, of temperament, of temper tantrums. And the person is actually caught in a cycle of sin. And this is the way the Greek words are set up here. In this cycle of sin, this vicious cycle leads to judgment and it leads to destruction for the person who's stuck in anger. It leads to alienation from God and others. So what does Jesus say to do? He gives some application. He gives some application and he says, Therefore, if you're presenting your offering at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there and go. Be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your offering. So he's saying prioritize your relationship. There's no time to lose. Even if you are about to give an offering to me, something that's biblically so important, something that's so pleasing to God. No, set that down. Your priority is your relationship and there's no time to lose. If you have something against your brother, you have been angry and temperamental, and you did not handle that with self-control, make it right. Make it right. And then he gives another way outside of this cycle of anger and says, make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with them on the way so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer and you'd be thrown into prison. So there's three bad things that can happen to you. And this is something similar in this day and age when someone owed money and would not pay it. Jesus is saying, do your best in your relationship to not be angry or cause anger. And do your best to get along with all people, make amends, pay your debts, make friends quickly. In other words, if you have an enemy, turn him over. And we know he wasn't just never be angry. We know that's impossible. But what do we do, right? We reconcile. This is the heart of God. And guys, remember, Jesus is talking about now being under God's kingdom of peace. Peace is a priority. Jesus is demonstrating the difference between the kingdom they're in now and the kingdom that he brings about. So this one about lust totally makes sense to me now that we see this in a vicious cycle. It's a continuous action. It is in Greek what's called a continuous action present participle. And I'm not going to explain that all to you. But it says here the verb is look. But I want you to think of the verb as continuous looking. What are you looking at? That's a continuous verb. You are busy looking. And this is what this lust is about. It is something that's on your mind. You're looking at this person. This person is in your mind all the time. You're maybe touching this person. You're maybe close to going way, way, way far over the fence into adultery. This lust is taking you out. Here he says, you have heard that it was said you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust, and this is looking, this is continuous, for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. This isn't just quick, glance at some woman you think is attractive on the street. He is talking about a continuous cycle, a temptation that is before you that is almost taking you down. This is why he gives this huge hyperbole of figurative actions to take. He gives four imperatives, take it out, throw it away, and that comes to the I. And cut it off and throw it away. And that's the right hand. Oh, my goodness. So take it out, throw it away. Why does he have to include throw it away? Throw it away? Isn't that similar to what they do when they put someone outside the gates of their city for sinning? Get it away from you, as far away from you as possible. It's not good enough to take the I out. You need it away from you. So what Jesus is doing, he is emphasizing not actually taking out your I or cutting off your hand. No, he's emphasizing the radical action that needs to be taken when someone is deep into lust and fantasy. Basically, guys, he is trying to help someone get out of the cycle. And his advice is do any radical change needed to take this away. So the emphasis is, go, run, get a new job, move, get accountability partners, tell your wife, do everything in your power to get away from this. And get away from this lustful looking and leering, this fantasy cycle that you're in. Move and groove, get going. So Jesus isn't just over here, hey, if you do this, cut out your eyeball. No, he's trying to show you a way out, a way out of sin. All right, so we are going to move on to divorce. And it's very fascinating here, guys. And this is something I found in the article I aforementioned, Glenn Stastin. If you want this article, you can email me at biblicallywiredatgmail.com. It's super long, but if you love Greek, like I do, you're going to love it. But here we go. Okay, so in this portion is the one time that we don't get Jesus' way out. We don't get Jesus' way out in this little part. And it's very interesting that Matthew did not put in the answer here. And it has scholars perplexed. Because in all the other areas, Jesus does fill the triad to the fullness. But here we go. So divorce. It was said, whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce. This is talking about divorce that's spoken about in Deuteronomy 24, where they say a woman can be put away or put aside if she has indecency. But what was going on in the community, you guys? People were having, yes, again, a vicious cycle of divorce and remarriage. Divorce and remarriage. Divorce and remarriage. They were sending their wives out and felt they were able to for anything they called indecent. But what Jesus comes along to say here is, no, no, no, no. Indecency is adultery. And that is the only reason for divorce. Now, I love how people have looked into what could Jesus have possibly given for the way out. And in 1 Corinthians 7, Apostle Paul gives these rules for husbands and wives in divorce. And he says that the Lord, not him, gives this order. And it's oral tradition at this point. He gives these rules that the wife should not leave her husband and the husband not divorce her wife. If the wife does stay away, she should not remarry or she should be reconciled to her husband. So, it is assumed, we don't know for sure, but it is assumed that probably what Jesus would say here is be reconciled. Don't remarry, but be reconciled. If you want to marry, be reconciled to your first love. Okay, so that is anger, lust, and divorce. And we're going to get through three more. The next one, I've always seen it as vows, but it's really about telling the truth. This is talking about someone who's in a vicious cycle of lying, deceit, people lack trust in him or her at this point. Maybe they've been a false witness in court. And this needs to be something that would lead to judgment. So, it's pretty wicked, maybe even using God's name as a false witness or in deceit. There's a lot about that in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. So, what is Jesus' emphasis here? What is the way out? Truthfulness. Tell the truth. Tell the truth. Begin to tell the truth. Anytime you say anything, make sure it's the truth. Truthfulness is a kingdom quality in the reign of God. So, the Christian church back in the day kind of made a big deal thinking the main point is that you should never make an oath. But that's not what Jesus is saying at all. It's basically, if you're going to lie or be in deceit, I don't want you making any oath. Not by heaven or by the throne of God is what Jesus says. But, if you're going to tell the truth, go ahead and make an oath, but make sure it's the truth. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. That's all he's saying. So, the next one is retaliation. And this is where we get the eye for an eye, the tooth for a tooth. So, what's going on here? This is the turn of the other cheek part, you guys, that's often misconstrued. And this is cool. I want you to hear this. You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other cheek also. Okay, so a slap on the right cheek in the Mishnah and in this culture is a bad insult. So, a slap on the cheek in the Mishnah and in this culture is a bad insult. So, Jesus is like, if someone gives you a bad insult, rather than retaliating back, where they're going to retaliate back, turn the other cheek. Okay, and then he goes on to say, if anyone wants to sue you for your shirt, let them have your coat also. And this is shocking, because nobody in court or that wants to collect a debt from you was able to take your tunic under God's law and the Mosaic law. But Jesus is saying, if they ask for your shirt, give your tunic too. But that's totally overboard. Totally overboard to the crowd. So, Jesus has got them literally on the tip of their toes. Whoever forces you to go a mile, go too. Give to him who asks of you and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. Now, this is not Jesus telling you to give up all your rights, lay down, be a doormat, get kicked around. No, remember, this is talking about a cycle, a vicious cycle of violence. They retaliate, you retaliate. This is talking about abusive relationships. They go at you, you go back at them. They slap you, you slap them back. And Jesus is saying, stop the violence and the counter-violence and do something surprising for peace. Do something very surprising for peace. He is not emphasizing lack of your rights, but he is telling you how to be creative when you need to bring peace to a situation that's gotten way out of control. He's giving a creative way out to stop the violence. Isn't that cool, you guys? So, Jesus is saying, look at this back and forth, back and forth, knick-knack, paddy-whack. No, do something dramatic. Turn the other cheek. Give them your tunic. Do whatever it takes for peace. You are in God's kingdom. This is how our kingdom works. And Paul, in Romans 12, goes on to talk about this, do not repay evil with evil and overcome evil with good, goes on to talk about, you know, giving your enemy food if he's hungry and water when he's thirsty. So, Jesus is introducing a radical kingdom here, right? He is introducing a way out, a way for a peaceful kingdom. A way out of anger, a way out of that lust that's almost adultery. A way out of divorce, a way out of your lying tendencies, your literally hypochondriac attitudes where everyone around you doesn't believe a word you say anymore. Jesus is trying to give people a way out so that they can be better. So that they can be better and they're not risking judgment and consequences that come on earth. And they're not alienating themselves from God and from the people around them. Okay, the next one is, da-da-da-da-da-da, drum roll please, loving our enemies. Okay, so loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you. So, this is revealing almost a breakthrough of abundance you can have in God's kingdom. If you want a breakthrough of abundance, living in God's kingdom, Jesus keeps giving you a way to find that and have peace, have peace in your life. So, loving your enemies. What is the cycle that people are in when they're not loving their enemies? Well, Jesus says, you have heard that it was said you shall not love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you, and I want to reflect on the fact, this is why Jesus speaks with authority. The prophets said, but says the Lord, right? The rabbis in their day all said, the prophet Isaiah said, or Moses wrote, or another rabbi said. Nobody ever says, for I said. But Jesus did. Jesus came and said, all these ancients, all these prophets, all these other people have said, but I say to you. And he amped up the game, right? So, love your enemy. So, here's the vicious cycle. You are caught in this vicious cycle if this is you. If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? So, basically, if you are treating well and loving all the people like you, you're a far left person and you just love the far left people. You're a far right person and you love the far right people. Jesus says, what credit is that to you? Everybody loves people who agree with them, right? I want you to love the people that don't agree with you. And in that, there will be peace. And you will get yourself out of a vicious cycle that actually keeps you from a close relationship with God and with other people. And it limits your ministry big time. So, in Jesus's kingdom, he wants us to love our enemies. And in the end, you guys, of these six things, Jesus gives a therefore. And we know circle therefore, right? Therefore is the steak on the meal plate. Therefore what, Jesus? Therefore what? You are to be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. So, I've seen this analyzed as hyperbole, as a way for the people there to realize, oh my gosh, I could never measure up to the law of Moses. Jesus is even taking it farther than the law of Moses. And it is giving the crowds the realization that they need a savior. And that definitely can be another purpose in the way Jesus teaches. But what Jesus is saying here is that the heavenly father is perfect. Another demonstration of the word perfect is whole, W-H-O-L-E, complete, and in love with all people. And what Jesus stresses is, God brings the rain on the evil and the good. When it comes to the weather, we all get the blessing or curses of weather together, right? When God blesses a nation, because of followers or believers, the people who don't follow him are blessed too, with a good economy, with water, with great farmland, blah, blah, blah. So, where the people that love God are, the people around them will be blessed. And what he is saying here is, we can, by the power of the Holy Spirit, be complete, be whole, and be fair and just to the people around us. So, there we go. Those are six teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. We're going to continue with the next six coming up in 10 days or so. I absolutely love this. I love how much Jesus says in a few words. And this is Jesus speaking, you guys. This is Jesus bringing down the house, dropping the mic. Literally, you guys, the shock on the people's faces. Are you kidding me? This is good stuff. Now, I want to reiterate that the Sermon on the Mount is not considered to be just a one-time thing. We'll see in Luke, he uses the Sermon on the Mount in possibly a different location. Jesus was bringing this teaching throughout the area for many days at a time. People coming, large crowds coming, lots of healing in between. And we've got to see this as a collection of Jesus' teaching, these five different sections in the book of Matthew, and really think into what Jesus is saying about his new kingdom, the one that we're part of now. And how does that inspire us today? And what does that mean to them then? So, I hope that was enlightening to you. I hope that helped give some background to some of these sticky situations, some of these literal translations of things Jesus said that appear harsh and kind of cold, really, kind of scary, something that we couldn't even imagine attaining. And Jesus is asking me to do that. Now, Jesus uses a lot of different forms of teaching, and we really need to assess what he's doing. So, thank you for listening. I hope you'll tune in to the next teaching on Matthew's Sermon on the Mount. I'm glad to be with you today. I hope you'll share this with somebody. I certainly appreciate the listens. I'm super humbled because I've got to get this stuff off my chest. I know, guys, that sometimes we are in rougher seasons than most. I hope you're in a very blessed season. But if you're not, my prayer is that you keep your chin up out there in Jesus' name.