Sermon on the Mount: Part 2
This website and the ideas therein are created by the Author and creator of Creative Journey, by continuing to use this website and the contents therein you agree to the terms of use that can be found in more detail in our disclaimer page here.Matthew 5: 17-30
We are now continuing with Matthew chapter five, verses seventeen through thirty.
The last devotion we went over in Matthew 5:1-16-The Sermon on the Mount Part 1, where Jesus taught His disciples about the challenges that we may face during our lifetime, and reassurance and encouragement to get us through those times. Now, let’s continue with The Beatitudes-The Sermon on the Mount.Introduction: Setting the Scene (Matthew 5:1-2)
Verse 17-20 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (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. (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. (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.”
Law is not Void
Jesus came to fulfill the completion of God’s Law. This is confirmation from Jesus not to break the commandments. The Old Testament Law was put into place to teach us - some refer to it as the “schoolmaster,” which taught us the expectations of God.
Works Are Not Enough
The Law taught us that works alone cannot cleanse us from sin or gain eternal life. Jesus-being pure and sinless - was sent to pay the price of sin in our place. This is a gift that doesn’t require any further sacrifice or good deeds, but faith to believe in salvation through Jesus Christ.
Salvation is a Gift, It Cannot Be Earned
Salvation is simply having faith in who Jesus Christ is (The Son of God) and repentance of sin. Satan tries to keep us confused and complicate things; some organizations even try to place requirements on earning salvation. But let’s be clear: salvation cannot be earned. It is received - a gift that cost us nothing, but cost Jesus Christ His life in place of ours.
If you are unsure what Salvation is, visit The Roman Road Map of Salvation page, which has a video that explains it with Bible verses. You will learn what the Bible says to get forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life.
Matthew 5: 21-22
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement: (22) But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement: 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.”
Jesus states the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” and He compares it to being angry with one’s brother, which is also in danger of God’s judgment. There are no categories-big or small sins-In God’s sight. It is all sin.
Anger can lead to other sinful acts. When we allow anger to dwell in our minds and hearts, it grows like a root and becomes harder to remove the longer time passes.
Anger Is Sin
Jesus warns us not to be angry or kill - two characteristics that are not part of God’s nature but are of the devil. The root of anger is evil, motivated by ill intent to harm or seek revenge. Therefore, it’s best to deal with anger immediately before it grows.
Be Mindful to Be the Peacemaker
When angry, stop the argument, create space, and step back from the situation. Take quiet time to find out why the anger is present. Ask God to show you how to resolve the situation and make peace with God, yourself, and the other person. We must first look to ourselves to see how we can be the peacemaker in those situations.
Christianity -Not Perfection, it’s Practice
As Christians, we must recognize spiritual attacks early. Yes, back to the old “WWJD” reminder-but sometimes we need those baby steps to keep us grounded. Let it go and forgive-even if you’re not at fault. It’s better to forgive and have peace than to allow anger to rob you of joy and love towards others.
Be Graceful with Yourself as You Strengthen Your Faith
Don’t worry-I’m reminding myself, too! Satan likes it when we become so busy that we fail to recognize spiritual attacks. Be gracious with yourself, forgive others, and ask God to help you next time.
Strengthen you faith daily by reading God’s Word and Prayer
What Does “Raca” Mean?
Verse 22 mentions ‘RACA’ a word of contempt meaning, vain, empty, worthless, or good-for-nothing. It’s derived from a room meaning “to spit.” Source
“…whosoever shall say unto his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council…”
“…but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”
In scripture, “fool” refers to a wicked person who rejects God’s wisdom. One who acts contrary to sound wisdom in his moral behavior; who follows his own inclinations, and who prefers trifling and temporary pleasures to the service of God and eternal happiness. See Source (3)
1 Corinthians 4:10- “Also, one who is accounted or called a fool by ungodly men.”
Reconcile with Your Brethren (Verses 23-24)
“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 to thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
We don’t need to give animal sacrifice offerings, since Jesus gave His life for us through salvation. At the time of this teaching, however, this was before that occurred. The purpose of giving a sacrifice to God was for the cleansing and forgiveness of sins. If we are to have peace with God and don’t have peace with our fellow brethren, then we cannot have true repentance with God.
How Does This Apply Today?
When serving God, be sure your life reflects Jesus through words, actions, entertainment choices, relationships, and humility. A Christian is to be Christ-like, a close representation of righteous behavior in all we do.
When we maintain only the outward appearance but remain unforgiving or harbor unresolved issues with our brethren, we are not a genuine reflection of Jesus’ light.
Let us reflect daily and be sure that we don’t allow the sun to go down with wrath in our hearts. Let us resolve what we can, pray on the things that are out of our control, and trust that God will help us to make things right.
Pray without ceasing
Matthew 5:25-26
“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 to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.”
We have the example of making things right with adversary quickly while having the time to do so. By allowing conflict to continue without making things right with our brethren, we are allowing satan to sow ill spirit and influence into a situation that may not be much but if not put into check can lead to more trouble over time.
Ephesians 4:27- “Neither give place to the devil.”
1 John 3:8- He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that might destroy the works of the devil.
When we have the opportunity to set things straight, we need to take it. Sometimes hours, days, weeks or even more may have to pass before things can be resolved. Although it’s best to address the issue at hand immediately, leaving it unchecked can lead to more trouble in the future.
Do what’s right. The Holy Spirit - our conscience - lets us know when something is not right. That is our cue to find out why we have feel that conviction and how to resolve it quickly.
John 16:13- “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”
Avoiding Temptation: Adultery & Lust (Verses 27-30)
“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.”
Adultery- David and Bathsheba
The story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel Chapters 11-12) illustrates how lust leads to sin. David should have been on the battlefield, but he stayed home, saw Bathsheba, and allowed lustful desire to grow instead of turning away. This led to adultery, then led to deceit, and more sin.
God sees everything
God knows what thoughts we have, what we lust after, and what we sow in our hearts. Sin cannot be hidden by God, and eventually it is brought to light.
· Be cautious with your thoughts. Sin begins in the mind and heart.
· Avoid situations that can lead to temptation.
· Choose wisely what you watch with your eyes and what you act on with your hands.
Matthew 5:29-30
“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 thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend then 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 be cast into hell.”
This was comparing the seriousness of sin and the consequences it would pose. To sin is death, and an eternal life in hell. To avoid sin and stay far from it, to pluck an eye or to cut off a hand that would cause you to sin, whatever means to avoid sinning.
The Eye & Hand
· The eye - literally or figuratively representing vision, envy, or jealousy Source
· The hand figuratively represents power (a means of instrument) Source
When we look at them symbolically, the eye and hand represent what we have control over. We have control of what we entertain with our sight - the Eye. We must guard against the sinful things we watch or consume.
The hand represents our actions – What we do with our power of choice. Let us choose wisely in what we act upon.
Mind is the Battlefield
Sin starts as a thought. When we fill our minds with God’s Word, we leave no room for satan’s influence. Let us be purposeful with our time and actions so they reflect our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Reflection Questions
Law and Salvation Matthew 5:17-20
What does it mean to you that Jesus came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it?
Do you sometimes feel pressure to “earn” your salvation? How can you remind yourself that salvation is a gift? Once saved, always saved.
How does understanding Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law change your perspective on the Old Testament?
Anger and Reconciliation Matthew 5:21-26
How have you seen anger grow into something bigger when left unresolved? How long was it before the issue was resolved?
Is there someone you need to reconcile with right now? What small step can you take this week?
When you sense anger rising, what practices (prayer, stepping away, Scripture) help you become a peacemaker?
Adultery and Lust Matthew 5: 27-30
In what ways does our culture normalize lustful thoughts or entertainment?
What practical boundaries can you set for yourself to guard your eyes, heart, and mind?
How can filling your mind with God’s Word help you fight temptation before it takes root?
Personal Application
Which of these teachings - law, anger, reconciliation, or purity - stands out to you the most right now? Why?
What is one action step you can take this week to live more like Christ in this area?
Before you leave, will you join me in prayer?
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your precious Word. May You be with the one who has completed this Bible study, may they apply what they have learned to their daily walk as a Christ follower. Father, we ask forgiveness for our shortcomings and ask that You reveal to us in areas where we can do better. May You guide us each day that we continue stronger in our devotions and prayer. I ask You to continue this ministry, may You receive all the honor and glory. In Your Precious Holy name, Jesus Christ, Amen.
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Some Bible studies may take longer than others to get through, as I am led to explain in greater detail the verses that we come across. These blog posts are not created by AI or used with any AI-generated assistance. These comments are of my own and where God leads me to write. I am not a professional, just a southern wife, mother of four, and I have a desire to spread the truth of our loving Heavenly Father. I want you to know, He loves you and He desires to have a relationship with you. We are not expected to be perfect, but we are expected to be lead by God and I feel that He has given me so much to share, I am not here for the fame or glory, but to get the message of Gods’ Love out to you, my new friend and so many others.
God be with you!
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