Matthew 6:25-34

Anxiety is something I am abundantly familiar with. Everyone gets anxious about something. For me, the majority of my anxiety stems from the fear that I’m never enough. I worry that I could be doing more, that others don’t think I do a good job at what I do, or that I am falling short of what God wants from me. For others, their anxiety comes from looking at a full calendar, feeling no control over their circumstances, fear of losing what is most valuable to them, or even worrying about what will go wrong in the coming week. Everyone gets anxious.

So what’s the cure? Is it antidepressants? Is it years of counseling? Is it psychotherapy, fitness goals, a new diet, etc? How can we stop being so anxious? Certainly, all of these things are gifts from God in the battle to overcome our anxieties and live more meaningful and peaceful lives. Many have the unfortunate experience of battling with mental illnesses and anxiety disorders, and must rely on these avenues to find any comfort at all.

But none of these things brings resolution to our problem with anxiety. Yes, they help us cope, but to truly overcome our anxiousness, the fear driving the anxiety must be removed entirely. How can a woman not be anxious when her health is on the line? Wouldn’t you? How can a man not be anxious when he fears the loss of his job by telling the truth about his failure to complete a task? Unless we are told that we have nothing to worry about, we will worry until our uncertainty is resolved.

So what has become the result of our society’s common struggle with worry? Anxiety has become so common in our age that we practically treat it as a personality trait; something to laugh about, something to medicate, something to manage. However, scripture treats it differently; not as a fun label to ascribe ourselves to and to coexist with us, but rather, something to be extinguished and retaliated against. In his words in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls his followers to a higher standard; not just one of outward compliance, but of inner transformation. Jesus makes sure that the listener understands: the life he is inviting them into is one of relief from anxiety.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25, ESV).

Jesus turns to this subject of worry with a directness that is startling. He does not say, “Try to worry less.“ He does not offer a breathing exercise or a gratitude journal. He says, “Do not be anxious about your life.” The command is clear, and it lands with the full weight of his authority.

But how, Jesus? How do we let our worries go? How do we find relief when there are so many things we must take care of to stay afloat in this life? Jesus’ answer is where the relief we’ve all been searching for is truly found.

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30).

His answer is simple. You can rest because God has it under his control. You can rest because he is the one who supports and sustains all things, and on whom all things rely. Your life is not within the realm of your control as it is. Do not be anxious over what is not yours to govern. God rules all, and he will take care of you.

Now, while these should be some of the most comforting and life-changing words in scripture, they are turned to far too little to see the change they warrant. I admit, I am guilty of the same. It seems that many would rather turn what has been given by God as a tool for battle against anxiety into the source of their comfort. Whether it be therapy, medication, work, sex, etc, our utilities become nothing more than vices when the true source of provision is forgotten and neglected. As Augustine rightly said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you” (Augustine 1.1.1).

So, what is our dilemma? Why do we struggle to turn our mind to the one of whom it is said, “In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also”? (Psalm 95:4). I presume Jesus’ message to be so neglected because the five verses which proceed these words (Matthew 6:19-24) are overlooked. As verse 25 indicates, Jesus begins his call for a worry-free people with the word, “therefore.” In other words, his exhortation proceeds from his words in verses 19-24, which state,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 5:19-24).

A life that revolves around earthly treasures comes with the fear of losing these treasures. Moths and rust destroy, and thieves steal. That’s the reality of this life. Nothing temporary is guaranteed. Either you’ll lose it, or you’ll die before you do. Therefore, we can’t expect to live anxiety-free lives when what we treasure above all else are earthly things. Whether it be popularity, wealth, health, food, clothing, you name it, it’s all temporary and therefore subject to loss.

Jesus calls us to a greater treasure. Not one that fades and fizzles with time, trends, or popularity, but rather, one that has infinite and eternal value. Jesus calls us to value God above all else. This is the power by which he states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these thing will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

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Conclusion:

So, what is Jesus’ cure to anxiety? Treasuring above all what cannot be lost. When we value our walk with God, his kingdom, our heavenly reward, and the fruit that comes from our lives above all else, we are freed from anxiety. Why? Because it is he who secures and holds these treasures for us. Not our own effort or merit.

As long as we value the temporary over the eternal, we will be anxious about anything and everything. So, fight anxiety with the knowledge of your superior treasure. Every moment of worry is an opportunity to remind yourself of the superior and infinitely valuable wealth granted to you and secured by Christ. Don’t accept your anxiety. Accept the greater treasure - God himself.

The kingdom of Heaven was a major focus of Jesus’ ministry. Over and over again Jesus teaches about this kingdom and in Matthew 6:19-24, that is no different. In fact, as you read these verses, it is almost like you are reading the end of the book of Eccestiaes or some of the Proverbs. Jesus is teaching of the importance of making the kindom of Heaven focus of ones life. And he does this in three different proverb type sayings.

““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Matthew 6:19-24 ESV

The first way that Jesus teaches one to prusue heaven is by focusing on the ultimate ruin of worldly prusutes and treasures. The things of earth are temporary. Solomon makes note of that in Ecclesiastes 1:2 when he says, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. Solomon is focused on a life without eternity in mind and when the kingdom is not in focus, all will seem vain as it is all temporary. Jesus uses the temporal nature of earthy things as he teaches one to prusue the Kingdom. He teaches what Solomon teaches then says to prusue that which is not temporary but rather eternal. He says to pursue a place where the treasure lasts.

Next Jesus teaches that it is noticable when one has their heart set on heaven. He does this by teaching about the light that is sought out and grows within. He teaches that the eye is the lamp of the body and shows where one’s desire is placed. If it is on good things than light grows within but, if it is on worldly prusuits than the darkness that is inside is evident. Make sure that the light that is growing inside is not dark and place your prusuit on the kingdom of heaven.

The final way that Jesus teaches to prusue heaven is by teaching that one can only have one master. One can only truly love and therefore serve one thing. The example that he uses is money and God. We can only prioritize and prusue one thing. We must make a choice will we prusue our desires and the wealth and treasures of the earth or, will we prusue a live that places God first and a immperishable treasure? We must make our decision. I challenge us all to pursue God, placing him first in our lives, living a life where light grows within and true treasure is found in heaven.

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The Lord’s Prayer is probably one of the most famous prayers that has ever been recorded. Jesus takes the opportunity to teach prayer as he is teaching the disciples and the crowds that have gathered to listen to him teach. I think that this is a prayer that we should spend more time with and pray in our individual lives because of what it is. Because it is the model prayer that should be not only used to structure our prayers off of but also to pray verbatium as we go to God. Jesus says,

“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:9-15 ESV

I want to first notice the structure of the prayer. Jesus opens the model prayer with focusing on God. God is to come first. This concept is one that Jesus teaches throughout the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6:33 is an example of this teaching, seek God first as he should be the most important thing in your life. This is reflected in the model prayer. As we pray, God is recognized first as he is most important. We pray first recognizing who we are praying to then pray that his will is done. We pray in such a way that we place God and his will higher than any of our desires as he and his will should be our desire.

After we have prayed, recognizing God and asking that his will be done in all things, the focus shifts. Matthew Henry writes, “we pray for the needful supports and comforts of this present life.” The focus becomes what our needs are. We pray for our deliverance from temptation, that we have the needs for each day, and that we are forgiven for our shortcomings. The forgiveness is prayed for in light of the forgiveness that we have given. The focus is our relationship to God. We focus on God from the beginning, and at the end of the prayer, our focus is being right with God.

Jesus then focuses in on forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is talked about in the light of the forgiveness that we extend. Are we forgiving people who, when someone has wronged us, are willing and do forgive the wrong that is done against us? God calls us to be forgiving, just as he is forgiving, and when we are forgiving, we are then forgiven.

The prayer that Jesus teaches is one where God and our relationship with God are emphasized. We pray to God with him and his will as our focus, and we pray that we live in accordance with his will, being kept from evil and forgiven so as to remain in a right relationship with God. The model prayer is all about God and is a picture of what our prayers and life should look like; that is, praying and living in a manner that is all about God.

BIBLOGRIPHY

Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2000.

Many people struggle heavily with pride. They want to make money, they want the attention on them, they look out for themselves and how they can advance themselves. One of the most popular careers that people pursue today is being a social media influencer. People want to be seen and recognized as an influence in how people live. The motivation is to be seen by others and set trends that the rest of society follows. Jesus teaches us about what our motivation should be. If we look back in Matthew 5:13-16, he calls Christians to a life of good works that glorify God. We are to be seen by others, but we should not be the focus; God should be. As we move into Matthew 6:1-8; 16-18, we find that Jesus again teaches on motivation.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

- Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18 ESV

The very first word that we read as we dig into this passage is the word “beware.” As we think about this word, I want to think about it in this way: Jesus is teaching us to watch the way we live. We are to be aware, be weary, pay attention to why we do the things that we do. We are to live in a manner that is righteous and humble, not seeking the attention for ourselves but giving glory to God. We are not to practice our Christian living for the purpose of personal advancement, success, promotion, or fame. We are to walk as a Christian, practicing righteousness to glorify God, promote Him, make Him famous. It may be tempting to seek the reward of the attention that is given to us when others notice us and continue to pursue that reward so that we become the focus. However, that is what Jesus is warning us of as he teaches us to be aware of why we live Christian lives. And he says that there is a reward, given by God, that those whose motivation remains holy.

Within these verses, Jesus then goes and gives three examples of what practicing one’s righteousness with a right motivation looks like. He uses the example first of giving. Second, Jesus looks at the example of prayer. And in Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus uses the example of fasting. It is in these three examples that we can find the principle of living righteous lives not to be seen by others, or not to promote ourselves, is lived out.

Giving is something that we all should be doing. In fact, in giving, we are reflecting the love of God as Christ gave his life out of love (John 3:16; John 15:12-13). In our giving, we must be careful not to become prideful. In Mark 12:41-44, we encounter the story of the widow and her two mites. This story came after Jesus had observed others giving and making a clamor so that others would notice. It would be like me walking around waving a $100 bill before placing it in the collection basket on Sunday morning. But, the widow gives silently and sacrificially. Not drawing attention to herself, she gives all she has. Jesus teaches the importance of not living a life that says, “look at me and how good I am,” but rather a life that says, “what giving are you talking about?”

Prayer is his next thing that Jesus begins to use as an example of living a life with the right motivation, and he does so in two different ways. First, he refers to the hypocrites who pray on the street corners. In the Jewish culture, there was a time of prayer and at the same time, every day, everyone would pray at the same time. Some would intentionally go and stand on the street corner and pray as loudly as they could so that others could hear them and give them props for an eloquent prayer that sounded super righteous. These hypocrites prayed so that they would receive attention and not honor God with their prayer. Jesus teaches that if there is intention to be somewhere to pray, it should be the inner room where no one can see you. Take some private time with God as he can see what you do wherever you do it. Second, Jesus refers to the Gentiles who use many words. A prayer doesn’t need to be such that it is long and drawn out; it can be simple and short. The important part is that God is honored and lifted up as the focus.

Fasting is the final example. Jesus very clearly explains what the hypocrites would do when they would fast. As they would make it clear that they were not eating by adjusting their figure. Jesus teaches that they do this so that they receive attention. It is the attention from others that in each of these examples is the reward for the one who seeks that attention. Jesus, however, teaches that there is a greater reward for the one who doesn’t seek that attention. The one who makes their motivation the glorification of God and doesn’t parade around what they do is rewarded by God.

It is easy to want to have the attention on ourselves. However, in our service to God, seen or unseen by others, we ought to be glorifying God. We live to serve Him, not ourselves and our desires. As we serve God, others will notice, and it is important that we continually point to God and give Him the honor and glory that He deserves.

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“…walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” These are the words of Paul as he is writing to the Church in Ephesus. Those who follow Jesus have been called to a higher calling, to live a life that is above reproach, and to pursue righteousness. In the last article, my friend explained that Jesus, in Matthew 5:20, is calling people to pursue a life of righteousness. It is in the verses that follow that we see how one is to live a life that pursues righteousness. In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus takes sayings from the Law found in the Old Testament and explores what righteous living is through a deeper obedience to those laws. It is not even so much a deeper obedience as it is how you are to live. It is a higher calling in life than just to obey the law; it is an upright character way of life, not so much an adherence to the law way of life. Ultimately, an upright character way of life ties to love, which Jesus talks about in vs. 43-48. Everything is tied to love. Another important thing to recognize is that pursuing righteousness and living this upright character way of life is achieved through following Jesus and striving to be like him. Jesus lived this way, and if we make him our focus, then we also live a life that is like his. There are two repeated phrases in the text that we are going to look at. These phrases are, “You have heard that it was said,” and “But I say to you.” Following every “you have heard that it was said,” there is a Law from the Old Testament that Jesus refers to. The same goes for what is said after “but I say to you,” except this is what Jesus teaches about living a life that is pursuing righteousness.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 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. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 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. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” - Matthew 5:21-26

We will be breaking down each section within our text and exploring Jesus’ teaching. Here in vs. 21-26 we see that “do not murder” is the law that Jesus first talks about. Through the first few of these it is pretty clear that what has been said in the Old Testament is obviously wrong. Murder is a prime example of this, everyone knows that it is wrong to kill someone. Another thing that you may notice is that Jesus, on many of the things that he talks about, is concerned with the root of the action that the Law forbids. In the case of murder, that is anger with your brother. In order to live a life that is of upright character you must live your life in a peaceful way. When things happen that may frustrate you or cause you to become angry with someone you need to relax. Your character is affected by your becoming angry. Jesus wants us to live at peace with everyone and to do so without others’ introjection.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” - Matthew 5:27-30

Again, we see Jesus going to the root of the law that he references. Instead of committing adultery, he talks about lust. Lust is the intention of doing something you shouldn’t. Jesus says that when you lust after someone, “you have already committed adultery with that person in your heart.” Then Jesus talks about what you should do if something causes you to sin. He uses a pretty gruesome example talking about tearing out your eye and cutting off your hand, but there is a principle there. Whatever is causing you to sin, remove that from the situation. DON’T ACTUALLY CUT OFF YOUR HAND OR TEAR OUT YOUR EYE! However, you can remove yourself or an item from a situation that causes you to sin.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” - Matthew 5:31-32

This is something that I am very unqualified to talk about. As a young, single man, divorce is not something that I have any experience with. This being the case, I will keep my comments short. Scripture is pretty clear: you cannot just go around getting married and then divorced just because. There are valid reasons for divorce, but please try to work things out and choose who you marry carefully. That is all I have to say about that.

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“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. - Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus teaches the importance of having a good name that is worth your word. He teaches us to do what we say we are going to do and not swear by anything that we are going to do. Just let what you say you are going to do be what you are going to do.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. - Matthew 5:38-42

Revenge is a hard thing to handle. It is easy to hit back or respond to that targeting commit. However, Jesus teaches us to just let it go or even let them keep coming. It is not just about letting it go but helping even those who hurt you and do wrong to you. It is hard, but it shows what it means to do what Jesus talks about next and what everything about living in an upright character manner points to, that being love.

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“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matthew 5:43-48

Finally, we have come to what all of Jesus’ teaching on living with an upright character points to: love. Love is the main thing; it is for love that Jesus came, it is for love that he died, love is the culmination of morality and Christian living, and God is love. If you want to live in an upright manner pursuing righteousness, then pursue love. Notice I said pursue love, not just to love others. Loving others is important, and if you love others, then you will succeed in doing all the other aspects of living in an upright manner. However, if you truly want to be successful in pursuing righteousness and live uprightly, then you should pursue love. Meaning, pursue the one who defines love, pursue God, strive to be like Jesus. That is our higher calling. Jesus was sinless; he successfully lived what he taught, and if we want to live a righteous life, then we must pursue Christ. Our higher calling is to live and pursue Christ. At the very end of chapter 5 we see that God calls us to live perfectly just as our heavenly Father is perfect. We can only do this if we pursue he who is perfect, our heavenly Father!

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-20)

These words of our Lord are some of the most difficult and misunderstood in all of Scripture. I once had a professor claim, on the basis of these verses, that we are to follow all the Old Testament laws which are not explicitly repealed in the New Testament. I nearly raised my hand to ask if his suit coat today was made of two different kinds of fabric, but I decided to bite my tongue. In all seriousness, though, this surely cannot be a correct interpretation. For one thing, that sort of Christianity would look far more like orthodox Judaism than Christianity. For another, what are we to do with the broader scope of the New Testament? How are we, for example, to deal with “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete.” (Hebrews 8:13)? Or what about Paul’s statements, particularly from Romans and Galatians? “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16) and “you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14) are just two of many examples. As Christians, we certainly affirm that Jesus and Paul did not disagree on this issue. But how then do we square the above teaching of Christ with the letters of Paul and the Hebrews writer?

Given the controversial nature of this passage, I think it would do us good to decide what it doesn’t mean before focusing on what it does. The way I see it, there are three questions that need to be answered by any adequate interpretation of Matthew 5:17-20.

1. What does it mean to “fulfill”?

2. To what does “until all is accomplished?” refer?

3. What are “these commandments”?

As for the first question, the Greek word that Matthew uses for “fulfill” means “to complete, fill, fulfill.” Of course this particular instance of the word should be translated “fulfill” rather than “complete” or “fill”, but this doesn’t get us very far. What does Matthew mean by “fulfill”? Matthew uses this word 16 times in his gospel, including this particular instance. 2 times it clearly means “to fill (up)”. 12 times it refers to the fulfilling of prophecy. Only one time is this word translated “fulfill” when not in the case of prophecy fulfillment, and this is when Jesus tells John that his baptism is fitting to “fulfill all righteousness.” I think it can be safely said that the occurrence of the word translated “fulfill” in Matthew 5:17 can be grouped with the prophecy fulfillment passages in Matthew. So now we must ask what it means to fulfill a prophecy. In short, it means that it has been brought to completion, the prediction has come to pass, and we no longer wait for the prediction to come true - it already has. If we input a similar definition into Matthew 5:17, we see that what Jesus is saying is that the entire Law and prophets find their culmination in Him. They are complete, and rather than having to complete them ourselves, we look to the one who fulfilled them. Matthew’s use of “fulfill” certainly sheds some light on Jesus’ statement here.

As for the second question, the phrase “all is accomplished” is not so easy to understand. It seems to me as though it could mean two things: until the end of the world, or until the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. However, I think we can do better than pure guesswork. The word Matthew uses for “accomplished” is ginomai. Matthew uses the word many times throughout his gospel, as it is a very common word, but one time stands out and is helpful here. In Matthew 27:54, Matthew writes, “When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place (ginomai), they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” Given the fact that Matthew uses this term liberally throughout his gospel, this is not a proof that ginomai (“accomplished”) in Matthew 5:18 refers to the crucifixion. However, when combined with Matthew’s account of the temple curtain being torn in two, which suggests a change in covenants, it does make it very likely that Matthew 5:18 refers to the crucifixion.

However, the third question is crucial: what does Jesus mean by “these commandments” when he says that whoever relaxes one of the least of them will be least in the kingdom? While I don’t want to make this a grammar lesson (which I am unqualified to give and which no one wants anyway), I do happen to know that the demonstrative pronoun “these” which Jesus uses implies close proximity. Thus, the more natural interpretation of “these commandments” refers to the commandments which Jesus is about to give in his sermon, not the entirety of the Law. This interpretation also makes more sense in light of his following statement, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” He is about to show them what a “righteousness that exceeds” looks like, in his statements, “You have heard that it was said… but I say to you…”. It seems as though “these commandments” refers to his commandments in the sermon.

It is unfortunate that we must spend so much time talking about what this verse doesn’t mean before we talk about what it does mean, because what it does mean is powerful. It means, firstly, that Jesus the the culmination of the entire Old Testament. It’s hard to truly explain how electrifying this claim would have been for Jesus’ Jewish audience. He has just said that all their Scriptures, the entire Law and all the Prophets, are brought to completion in his person. Thus, when he is crucified, “it is finished,” or perhaps, “all is accomplished.”

Secondly, these words of Christ mean that Christ fulfilled the Law so we don’t have to. Christ is the one person to ever follow the Law perfectly. Through Adam’s sin, death came into the world, but through Christ’s righteousness, we are made righteous by our faith in him. As Paul says, “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19). It is because of this that we are now justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Through our faith, we fulfill the Law (Romans 3:31), because Christ’s perfect fulfillment is imputed to us.

Thirdly, it means that obedience is a matter of the heart. Again, Jesus goes on to expound upon how our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. In his “you have heard that it was said…” statements, he takes commands and makes the Law a matter of the heart. For instance, he says that they have heard it said, “Do not murder,” but that he says to them that whoever hates his brother in his heart is guilty. The scribes and Pharisees were quite good at keeping the letter of the Law. Their attitude, however, is evident from Jesus’ statement about them in Matthew 23:23 - “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” The picture Jesus paints here is of the Pharisees counting out mint and dill and cumin, tiny herbs, to make sure that they get exactly a tenth, while ignoring the matters of the heart: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They were getting the smaller parts of the law (the gnats) correct, while paying no attention to the more important parts (the camels, the matters of the heart). Perhaps it is for this reason that Jesus quotes Isaiah the prophet, who says, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” How often do we get caught up in “going through the motions” and forget to truly follow the greatest commands in our daily walk: love God, and love your neighbor? May we never be so convinced that we are “getting it right” because we go to church three times a week that we forget to be people of love, mercy, patience, and kindness.

To God be the glory, who sent His Son to be the perfect fulfillment of the Law on our behalf, so that through faith in Him we are counted righteous! May we always be people who follow the commands of Jesus and love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.

Sometimes there are things in this life that stick out like a sore thumb; they are noticeable. For example, that yellow car that the neighbor has. There are not many yellow cars on the road. In the United States, only 0.1% of cars are yellow. They are so rare that my family plays a game when we are going places that every time one of us sees a yellow car, we call it by yelling, “Yogert!” and hitting the roof of the car. At the end of the drive, the person with the most yellow cars is the winner. By the way, if you are wanting to play this game, it is important to know that school busses, construction equipment, and trailers not attached to trucks do not count. Also, at least half of the vehicle has to be yellow. Anyway, some things stick out and are noticeable, and when reading Matthew 5:13-16, I cannot help but think that that is how we are supposed to be. We are supposed to stick out.

Jesus continuing to preach the Sermon on the Mount says,

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:13-16

I love this section of scripture because it, like the beatitudes before it, calls us to be different than the world around us. Really, in view of all scripture, it calls us to be like Jesus, who is the light of the world (John 8:12). Jesus stands out, and as his followers, we should also stand out.

Jesus gives two examples of things that we should stand out like. The first of these is “you are the salt of the earth.” When thinking about being the salt of the earth, it is important to look at what salt was used for. In today’s world, salt is primarily used to flavor food. During the time of Jesus, salt had a very different purpose, a purpose more along the lines of what a refrigerator or freezer would do today. Salt was used to preserve food. Now, food that has salt on it still has the flavor of salt even if that salt was put on to preserve the food. This being the case, I think that we can look at being salt two ways. First, as Christians, we should stand out to the world like salt does on food. We should be distinct, our “flavor” should be identifiable and consistent. Everyone knows what salt tastes like, and everyone should know how a Christian acts, that being like Jesus. We also see salt as that preservative, and we as Christians should also be that to those in the world. The way that salt preserves is interesting. It is spread on meat to act as a barrier from bacteria. The sodium chloride, which makes an ionic compound and is salt, makes an environment that is toxic to bacteria. Now, salt cannot preserve forever, but it can for a time. As Christians, we should be spread throughout the world to create environments where others can grow. They are not able to be reached by decay because of a barrier that we put up, and we create an environment where they are preserved and do not have to fight off the attacks of the evil one. We are to preserve the earth.

Jesus doesn’t just stop by saying that we should be the salt of the world. He asks about salt that has lost its taste. In a sense, Jesus is talking about the importance of Christians preserving themselves and keeping their flavor. As I mentioned earlier, salt is an ionic compound called sodium chloride. This compound is made up of sodium and a negatively charged ion of chlorine. These things together are what make salt, nothing else. If salt then loses its taste, it is no longer salt because the sodium and chlorine ion have broken apart and are then nothing. This makes the “salt” useless; it cannot preserve as it no longer creates a toxic environment and it has no taste and cannot flavor food. Jesus says the same thing, that salt that has lost its taste is no longer good and should be thrown out and trampled upon. In other words, Christians are to keep their distinct flavor.

The second example of how a Christian is to stand out is to be a light. Jesus says that we are “the light of the world.” Light stands out in everything that is not light itself. It is light that is used to warn ships of impending danger when they are sailing at night. It is light that is used to allow people to see where they are going. Light is extremely important. Jesus says that we are to be like a city set on a hill. It is hard to hide something like that. As Christians, we are supposed to be seen; we are not supposed to hide or to be there one day and gone the next. We are set on a hill; we are visible and active. We are to also be like a lamp that gives light to all. We are not to be covered up or turned off; we are supposed to shine. Light is something that expels darkness. A lighthouse is used to warn ships by shining a light to indicate danger. The light is visible at night because it expels the darkness that exists. We are to be the same; we are to be lights expelling the darkness of the world and showing the true light of Jesus to others. We do this by obeying what God wants us to do and living our lives not as the world. When we do this, people will notice that we are different. It is then that we must give the glory to God. Jesus calls us to be noticeable; he calls us salt and light. When we are these things, people will notice. It is then that we must point to God, giving him the glory. It is not our place to take the credit or the glory for ourselves; the glory needs to go to God.

It seems to me that it is very fitting to begin these articles by looking at Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. The reason for this is that in this sermon, Jesus is directing his message to the crowds that have gathered, which includes his disciples.

Matthew 5:1-12 is where we are really going to set our focus, as it is where Jesus first begins his sermon by identifying his audience and drawing in the crowds.

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Matthew 5:1-12

The first thing that we will notice is Jesus. He recognizes that people are around him, and he takes advantage of this opportunity to teach. The lesson that he teaches is not just for people who follow Jesus but for everyone. Christians are supposed to follow what is taught, but this message is also a draw to those who have never heard the good news. The word of God is both very instructive and intriguing. It catches people’s attention. This sermon in particular is attractive to people who don’t already follow Jesus. The reason has to do with it being a countercultural message. We see this in verses 2-12 when Jesus identifies those who are listening and hooks his listeners with a message that is different from what was being taught at that time and is even taught today. Jesus was a different teacher, and his message was different than the other teachers at the time. Matthew 7:28-29 show this by saying, “When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”

Now, regarding this introduction to this sermon and its message, Jesus is teaching about the kingdom of heaven and who the kingdom is for. People who we often say deserve things or get things are people who have done something or are popular. In our world, to be somebody is extremely important. This was also true at the time that Jesus gave this lesson. The religious leaders thought themselves to be somebody and required others to follow their example. They wanted others to become like them, and when people didn’t become like them, they were put down as being unworthy. Jesus in this sermon flips that point of view on its head. He begins doing this with this introduction that we call the beatitudes.

While I will not go into each one of the beatitudes in great detail, I will recommend listening to the Through the Eyes of Jesus Podcast on the beatitudes. It is very helpful in understanding each of these that Jesus talks about in these few verses. What I want you to see is how Jesus’ message is opposite that of the world. The world promotes violence, riches, power, and many other things. Jesus teaches humility, peace, rest, and things like these. One of the coolest things about the beatitudes is this: Jesus is describing himself. We are to become like Jesus. The world wants us to be like them, be the movie star, have the new car or phone, do this event, have so much money. These things are not necessarily bad, but when they become our focus and we are no longer like Jesus who describes himself here in Matthew 5, we have missed the point. We are to pursue a relationship with God first and foremost; that is what matters.

“Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and His disciples,” -Matthew 23:1

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.” -Matthew 5:1

“But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words.” -Acts 2:14

“So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.” -Acts 17:22

I want to welcome you to reading To the Crowds. The four verses above are just a few that inspired this newsletter to be named To the Crowds. Jesus, Peter, Paul, and many others taught the crowds about the kingdom of heaven, how to be saved, who Jesus was, and how Christians should live. My goal with this newsletter is to do the same, teaching what the Bible says, and giving hope and encouragement to the crowds.

In Him

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