Matthew 5

Thought on This Chapter

MT 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.

MT 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Contrary to what TV preachers say God does not promise His children a life of health, wealth, and popularity. In fact He promises persecution.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Jesus uses the prophets that went before them as an example. They were great men of God. God was well pleased with them, but they were reviled by men and greatly persecuted and many of them were killed.

Jesus said not if, He said when men shall revile you and persecute you. It is going to come. And Jesus said when it does that you are to rejoice. Jesus said, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.

God is faithful and just. If you are persecuted for His names sake, then He will reward you for it. But notice where the reward is given. "for great is your reward in heaven".

After setting down this principle Jesus then says,

MT 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.

MT 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

MT 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.

MT 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

You should see a basic truth here. Reviling will come, but witness anyway. Persecution will come, but witness anyway. When they say all matter of evil against you, witness anyway. When they tell lies about you, witness anyway. Let your light shine before men regardless of what they say or do to you. And Jesus promises that you will receive reward for it in heaven.

Thought On This Chapter

MT 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

MT 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Jesus put a premium on teaching the word of God. Time and again you see Jesus teaching. We see Him teaching His disciples, and we see Him teaching the multitudes. Sometimes we see Jesus teaching like He is here in Chapter 5, and sometimes we see Jesus preaching repent. It has been well said that in all good teaching there is an element of preaching and in all good preaching there is an element of teaching. Teaching can be done in a variety of methods. It can be done one on one, like with the woman at the well, it can be done in groups like here in Chapter 5. It can be done in a building or on a hillside. Teaching can be done by plainly stating the truth, and teaching can be done by using stories and illustrations. Jesus even used miracles to teach spiritual lessons. There are many methods to teaching and we see Jesus using them all.

His focus was on teaching. What you do not see Jesus doing ever is entertaining. Nowhere in the Bible do you see entertainment as part of God's program to reach people. What God has chosen is preaching and teaching.

1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

We see it thru the example of Jesus, and we have it clearly declared in the Bible, preaching is God's vehicle to reach people. This is contrary to current popular opinion. All too many are trying to use light shows and drum sets. Others who are still using good Christ honoring music do not emphasize the preaching like they should. The people in the pew don't pray for the preaching like they should. Too many preachers don't spend enough time prayerfully preparing to preach and some people sit in the pew and look at their watch. To have God's power work in a church, the preaching and teaching of God's word MUST be a top priority.

We are not to be in the entertainment business! This is a big problem today, but it is not new to today. Look at this quote from long ago.

“The Devil has seldom done a cleverer thing that hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. Providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that is sets men afire.” - Charles Spurgeon

King James Bible Main Index:

Matthew 5 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]

MT 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

MT 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

MT 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MT 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.

MT 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

MT 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.

MT 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

MT 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.

MT 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

MT 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

MT 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.

MT 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.

MT 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.

MT 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

MT 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

MT 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

MT 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

MT 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

MT 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

MT 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

MT 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

MT 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

MT 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

MT 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

MT 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

MT 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

MT 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

MT 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

MT 5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

MT 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

MT 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

MT 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

MT 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

MT 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

MT 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

MT 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

MT 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

MT 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

MT 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

MT 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

MT 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Outline of Matthew Ch. 5

Chapter 5 starts what is called the Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon Jesus sets forth the principles of conduct for Kingdom citizens.

I. Principles of conduct for Kingdom citizens
A. Characteristics and Attitudes of Kingdom citizens
1. Poor in spirit
2. Mourn
3. Meek
4. Hunger after righteousness
5. Merciful
6. Pure in heart
7. Peacemakers
8. Persecuted
9. Reviled for Christ's sake
10. Falsely accused
11. Rewarded in heaven
12. The prophets were also persecuted
B. Witness of Kingdom citizens
1. Ye are the salt of the earth
2. If salt has lost it's savour it is good for nothing.
3. Ye are the light of the world
4. Your light is not to be hid.
a. Like a city on a hill
b. Candles are not to be put under baskets
5. Let your light shine before men
a. So they can see your good works
b. So that glory will be given to the Father in heaven
C. Kingdom principles in relation to the law and the prophets
1. Christ came to fulfill the law
2. Nothing will pass from the law until all is fulfilled. (God's Word will not pass out of existence)
3. Whosoever breaks commandments and teaches so, is called the least in the kingdom of heaven. (notice he is still in the kingdom. Salvation is not by works)
4. Whosoever does God's commandments and teaches them, is called great in the kingdom of heaven. vs. 19
5. Your Righteousness cannot get you into heaven. vs. 20
D. Jesus expounds on the Law. vs. 21-48
1. Killing and anger
a. Law says Thou shalt not kill
b. Law says killers in danger of the judgment
c. Jesus says whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of the judgment
d. Therefore before you give a gift to God, get right with your brother
e. Agree with your adversary quickly
1. Before he delivers you to the judge
2. Before you get put into prison.
2. Adultery
a. The law said thou shalt not commit adultery
b. Jesus says if you lust for a woman you have committed adultery already.
3. Divorce
a. They said let him give her a writing of divorcement
b. Jesus said only in cases of fornicaiton
c. Jesus said whosoever marries her that is divorced commits adultery
4. Oaths
a. They said preform thine oaths
b. Jesus said don't swear at all
1. Swear not on God's throne.
2. Swear not by the earth
3. Swear not by Jerusalem
4. Swear not by you own head
c. Instead just say yes or no
5. Treatment of others
a. Those that persecute you
1. Let them smite you.
2. If they sue you and take your coat, let them have your cloak to
3. If they make you go a mile, go extra, and go with them two miles.
b. Give to those that ask
c. Love your enemies
1. Bless them that curse you
2. Do good to them that hate you
3. Pray for those who despitefully use you
4. Pray for them who persecute you
5. Be like your heavenly father.
a. He makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good
b. He sends the rain on the just and the unjust
c. Don't just love them that love you (Rom 5:8)
d. Don't just salute your brethren
e. Love like your Heavenly Father (John 3:16)

This chapter is NOT talking about how to act to get saved.

This chapter is talking about how those that are saved should act.