What is the theme of this chapter?
The Picture of Kingdom Life.
What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 20 and 48
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?
I will keep the timeless principles found in this chapter (e.g., show mercy, be pure in heart, love my enemies, etc.) only as I walk in the Spirit.
Additional observations/questions:
I often think that we are too careless when discussing Scripture. We speak in broad generalities where Scripture is specific, or conversely, we insist on specific interpretations where Scripture speaks in generalities. Recently I came across an article entitled, "Is the Sermon on the Mount for the Church?" There are several things wrong with this title. Of course the Sermon on the Mount is for the Church. All Scripture is God-inspired and profitable. There are many truths we can learn from the Sermon on the Mount. But while all Scripture is for us, not all was written about us or addressed to us. Our private mail, so to speak, is found in the Epistles of Paul, God's appointed apostle for this time period. What the above writer should have asked is: Is the Sermon on the Mount addressed to, or meant specifically for, the obedience of the Church today, "the one new man" which Paul designates as "the Body of Christ" (Eph 2:15-16; 4:12). The answer to this question is no.
Stam says it well here:
"To understand the Sermon the Mount we should bear in mind that our Lord, while on earth, was, and taught His disciples to be subject the Law of Moses (Matt 22:2-3) ... In case after case our Lord quotes the Law of Moses, or the general teachings about the Law and then sets an even higher standard, judging the very motives of the heart. Clearly, then, 'the fullness of the time,' referred to by Paul in Gal 3:13 and 4:4-5, had not yet come, for rather than redeeming His hearers from what Paul calls 'the curse of the law,' our Lord made His precepts and prohibitions even more searching and binding. And this for a very good reason. It was meant to impress further upon men their depraved condition and the impossibility of their rendering perfect obedience to God — hence their deep need of a Saviour."
The Picture of Kingdom Life.
What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 20 and 48
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?
I will keep the timeless principles found in this chapter (e.g., show mercy, be pure in heart, love my enemies, etc.) only as I walk in the Spirit.
Additional observations/questions:
I often think that we are too careless when discussing Scripture. We speak in broad generalities where Scripture is specific, or conversely, we insist on specific interpretations where Scripture speaks in generalities. Recently I came across an article entitled, "Is the Sermon on the Mount for the Church?" There are several things wrong with this title. Of course the Sermon on the Mount is for the Church. All Scripture is God-inspired and profitable. There are many truths we can learn from the Sermon on the Mount. But while all Scripture is for us, not all was written about us or addressed to us. Our private mail, so to speak, is found in the Epistles of Paul, God's appointed apostle for this time period. What the above writer should have asked is: Is the Sermon on the Mount addressed to, or meant specifically for, the obedience of the Church today, "the one new man" which Paul designates as "the Body of Christ" (Eph 2:15-16; 4:12). The answer to this question is no.
Stam says it well here:
"To understand the Sermon the Mount we should bear in mind that our Lord, while on earth, was, and taught His disciples to be subject the Law of Moses (Matt 22:2-3) ... In case after case our Lord quotes the Law of Moses, or the general teachings about the Law and then sets an even higher standard, judging the very motives of the heart. Clearly, then, 'the fullness of the time,' referred to by Paul in Gal 3:13 and 4:4-5, had not yet come, for rather than redeeming His hearers from what Paul calls 'the curse of the law,' our Lord made His precepts and prohibitions even more searching and binding. And this for a very good reason. It was meant to impress further upon men their depraved condition and the impossibility of their rendering perfect obedience to God — hence their deep need of a Saviour."
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