0 SAB Matthew 5

He answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 12:48

Trivia: What did Jesus's disciples say after hearing his teaching on divorce?

Matthew

CHAPTER 5

The beatitudes
5:1-12, Cf. Lk 6:20-23

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

2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Jesus went up on a mountain [1] and began to speak to the multitude, saying,

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

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

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [2]

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

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

Blessed are the meek.[3]

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

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

Blessed are the merciful.

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

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

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.

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

Blessed are the peacemakers. [4]
Salt of the earth, light of the world
5:13-16, Cf. Mk 9:49-50, Lk 14:34-35

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.

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

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.

You're the salt of the earth

and the light of the world.

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

Let others see your good works. [5]
Obey the law of Moses (every jot and tittle)
5:17-20, Cf. Lk 16:16-17

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

Don't think that I've come to destroy the law Moses or the prophets. I haven't come to destroy, but to fulfill. [6]

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.

19Whosoever 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.

Until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or tittle will pass from the law [7], until all is fulfilled.

So whoever breaks even one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do so, will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys the law and teaches others to do so will be great in the kingdom of heaven. [8]

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.

You won't get to heaven unless you are more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees. [9]

Moses says this, but I say that
(Name-callers go to hell)
Prophecy5:21-24

21Ye 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:

You've heard about the law of Moses that says ... But I say to you.... [10]

22But 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.

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

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.

Whoever is angry with anyone (without cause?) is in danger of going to hell. [11]

As is anyone who calls someone a fool. [12]

Some legal advice
5:25-26, Cf. Lk 12:58-59

25Agree 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.

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

If you get in a dispute with someone,

settle as soon as possible.

Otherwise the judge will throw you in jail,

and you'll stay there until you pay every last penny.

Lust = adultery
5:27-28

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

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.

You've heard about the law of Moses that says, "Don't commit adultery."

But I say that if a man looks at a woman with lust, he has already committed adultery in his heart. [13]

Pluck out your eye, cut off your hand
5:29-30, Cf. 18:7-9, Mk 9:42-50

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.

If your right eye causes you to sin, cut it out. Because it's better to lose an eye than to be cast into hell. [14]

30And 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.

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off. Because it's better to lose a hand than to be cast into hell.
Divorce
5:31-32, Cf. Mk 10:1-12, Lk 16:18

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

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.

Whoever divorces his wife,

except for when she has committed fornication,

causes her to commit adultery,

and whoever marries a divorced woman

commits adultery. [15]

Don't swear
5:33-37

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:

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

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

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

Don't swear. [16]

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

Answer "Yes" or "No". It's evil to say more than that.

Turn the other cheek
5:38-39, Cf. Lk 6:29

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

You've heard it said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."

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

But I say, "Don't resist evil with evil.

If someone smites you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Give to anyone who asks
5:40-42, Cf. Lk 6:30

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

If someone sues you to take away your coat, give him your cloak as well.

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

If someone forces you to walk a mile with him, walk with him two miles.

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

If someone asks you to give him something, give it to him.

Never refuse when someone asks to borrow something from you.

Love your enemies
5:43-47, Cf. Lk 6:27-28 , 32-35

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

You've heard it said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."

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;

But I say, Love your enemies and do good to those that hate you. [17]

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.

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

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

Because God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good,

and sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. [18]

Be perfect
5:48

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

So be perfect, like God is perfect. [19]
Mac9 months ago

Matthew 5:28….only men can commit thought adultery, lol….hmmm, the all-knowing god obviously never gave any thought to women! Interesting that this construct of the “law” would actually provide a perfect loophole for an acquittal. Come to think of it many of the commandments are male orientated. Just more proof that the bible is human-authored and reflects the male misogyny of that period, amongst other things :)

Steve Wells9 months ago

That's a good point, Mac.
Jesus's focus seems to be entirely on men here. What happens if a woman looks at a man with lust? Is that adultery too?

«
»

Copyright © 1999-2024
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible

Send comments to Steve Wells
at swwells(at)gmail.com