Audio Download

Matthew 5:1–26 The Sermon on the Mount

[Study Aired March 24, 2025]

Introduction

Today’s study focuses on the sermon that Jesus gave to His disciples after going to meet them on a mountain. The initial part of the sermon focuses on our reward. We need to know what the Lord has in store for us as we come to Him. The reward is what motivates us to pursue the path that Jesus treaded while here on earth. 

Heb 12:2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Later He shows us that He came to fulfill the law. As we go through the study, we shall come to understand what Jesus means by coming to fulfill the law. 

The Beatitudes

Mat 5:1  And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 
Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 
Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

The multitudes represent those who are not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. That is why the Lord left the multitude to meet the disciples on a mountain, which signifies the house of the Lord or the assembly of the Lord’s elect. It is in the mist of our assembly that we hear the voice of the Lord speaking to us about our inheritance. 

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

The kingdom of heaven or God refers to God’s rule and authority over His people’s lives and their world. In an age to come, it will embrace the whole of the people of the earth. In the Bible, “poor in spirit” refers to those who recognize their complete dependence on God, acknowledging their spiritual bankruptcy and seeking His mercy and grace, rather than relying on self-righteousness or material possessions. It is those who are seeking for the Lord’s grace and mercy who are recipients of the kingdom in heaven which is now manifested within the Lord’s elect. In the fullness of time, the kingdom shall be externally obvious for everyone to see, as the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. 

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 

Mat 5:4  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

The mourners here refer to the Lord’s elect who are learning obedience by the things they are suffering in this life. They are those who mourn in Zion as they are spiritually clothed with sackcloth in this age.  

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ in His life here on earth suffered, and His victory has made Him a symbol of them who mourn in Zion as we groan in this age, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling. 

2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 
2Co 5:2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 
2Co 5:3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 
2Co 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

It is we who groan that shall be comforted by the Lord in the fullness of time.

Isa 40:1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 
Isa 40:2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins. 

Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 

The question is, “Who are the meek?” The word “meek” means non-resistant. That means able to endure. It is those who embrace whatever is thrown at them in this life as part of the Lord’s wonderful plan of salvation, who are the meek and are therefore destined to reign with Christ over the kingdoms of this world in an age to come. 

Isa 30:15  For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, 
Isa 30:16 and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore, you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. (ESV)

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 

To understand this statement, let’s look at the word “righteousness” from the word of the Lord. Righteousness is not attained but imputed. With the exception of our Lord Jesus Christ, no human being has been able to live righteously. 

Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Abraham was the first man to be imputed the righteousness of God. If righteousness is therefore given, then, all we can do is to desire it. That means hungering and thirsting for it. It is those who in this life desire to be clothed with the Lord’s righteousness who will be recipients of it.   

Rom 4:1  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 
Rom 4:2  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 
Rom 4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom 4:4  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 
Rom 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 
Rom 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 

Mat 5:7  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 

The merciful are those who actively show kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, particularly towards those in need or who have wronged them. We, the Lord’s elect, are required to show mercy to others as a result of the mercy that the Lord has shown to us. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Mat 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 

The pure in heart represent individuals who are sincere, honest, and free from deceit, with a single-minded devotion to God. We may be honest and sincere, but if our mind is polluted with the false doctrines of the great harlot, Babylon, it is impossible to see God as He is, in this life.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself (gets rid of false doctrines in His heavens), even as he is pure. 

Mat 5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 

Those who bring the wonderful message of God’s peace to the world are peacemakers. We, the Lord’s elect, are the ones whose feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We are therefore the true sons of God.

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 
1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake are those who are being judged in this age by the Lord. It is in the hearts and minds of these people that the Lord is establishing His kingdom in this age. In an age to come, this kingdom shall be outward for all to see. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 

Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 
Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

The Lord’s four sore judgments involve the sword, the famine, the noisome beast and the pestilence. 

Eze 14:21  For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? 

Men reviling us and persecuting us involves the use of the word sword in a negative context. It refers to words that are spoken which destroy us. It refers to the lying words and false doctrines of the adversary. These negative words spoken is one of the tools that the Lord uses to cause people to speak bitter words to us, His elect. 

2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 
2Ti 2:18  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.   

Psa 64:2  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: 
Psa 64:3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

These persecutions we go through are part of the judgment of our old man or flesh resulting in us learning righteousness, which will qualify us to receive the joy that is set before us, even as Jesus did, and is sitting at the right hand of God. 

Salt and Light

Mat 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 

Here the elect are described as being the salt of the earth. There is a story in 2 Kings chapter 2 which makes it easier to understand our role as salt of the earth.

2Ki 2:19  Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 
2Ki 2:20  He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 
2Ki 2:21  Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 
2Ki 2:22 So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. (ESV)

This story shows us that the waters of this world make the land unfruitful. As we are aware, our bodies represent the land that is unfruitful because of the water we take in. This water is the wisdom and traditions of this world which pollute our hearts and minds, making us unfruitful. Elisha throwing salt into the water to heal it such that it does not result in death or miscarriage symbolizes that, as the salt of the earth, our role as the Lord’s elect is to bring forth the truth of the word of the Lord to those who request our assistance as they realize the unfruitfulness of the water they imbibe. That is when we indeed become the salt of the earth. However, when we are given to false doctrines, it means we have lost our savour as the salt of the earth and we are good for nothing.    

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  

Again, as the Lord’s elect, we are the light of the world. This implies that our role as the Lord’s elect involves bringing light or the truth of the word of the Lord to the people of this world. As indicated in verse 15, our role currently is giving light to those who are in the house of faith. In the fullness of time, our light will shine before men as we bring all humanity to Christ. That is when they will glorify our Father which is in heaven. 

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.  

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 
Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 
Mat 5:19  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 
Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

To fulfill the law and the prophets means to fill up what is incomplete in the law. It does not mean that Jesus Christ came to keep the law in the letter. As we are aware, Jesus broke the law of Moses by healing a man and telling him to “take up [his] bed and walk… on the sabbath day.” Thus, Jesus’ coming is to show us what is incomplete regarding the law of Moses and how He comes to fill up what is lacking in the law and the prophets.  

Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

In verse 18, the Lord tells us that we all live/have lived at a certain point in our lives by every word of the Law. In the final analysis, the Law exposed our inability to obey. This is to let us know that our inability to obey the Law must be exposed before we are given to know the Law of the Spirit of Life which sets us free from the Law of Sin and Death. 

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 
Rom 8:3  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 
Rom 8:4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

In verse 20, the Lord is saying that unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. The righteousness which comes from obeying the Law of the Spirit of Life is far higher than the Law of Sin and Death. 

Rom 8:10  But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 

Anger

Mat 5:21  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 
Mat 5:22  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 
Mat 5:23  So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 
Mat 5:24  leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 
Mat 5:25  Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 
Mat 5:26  Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 

In these verses, we see Jesus as the reformer of the Law. Jesus challenges the traditional understanding of the law of Moses as He gives guidance to how we can overcome the flesh. Particularly, the Lord is showing us that anger, which leads to all kinds of unrighteousness, must be addressed in our lives. It is through the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh that our anger are subdued by the Lord. 

1Pe 4:1  Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 
1Pe 4:2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 

In verses 23 to 26, the Lord shows us that our reconciliation with a brother is more pleasing in the sight of the Lord than our gifts and offerings to Him.   

Mat 18:15  “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 
Mat 18:16  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 
Mat 18:17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

It is in the togetherness of the brethren that the Lord’s anointing dwells as He commands His blessings upon us. 

Psa 133:1  A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! 
Psa 133:2  It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! 
Psa 133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. 

Amen!!