4:5-7 The second temptation took place in the holy city (Jerusalem) on the pinnacle of the temple, which towered
above the Kidron Valley. Evidently, Jesus was transported there by satan's power, and this time the devil quoted
Scripture (out of context) in order to get Him to sin and ultimately shake His faith in the Word, satan used Psalm
91:11, 12 urging Jesus to cast thyself down. Again, Jesus replied with Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:16) that was not to
tempt...God by such a presumptuous action. The very passage of Scripture quoted by satan actually goes on to
promise God's ultimate victory over him!
4:8 The third temptation takes place on an exceeding high mountain. The mountain is clearly real in the text, though
its exact location is unidentified. Despite the grandeur of this temptation, nothing in the passage itself indicates that
these temptations were only in the mind of Christ. Clearly, they are depicted as real experiences that actually
occurred in the human life of the Messiah. That satan, the usurper, would attempt to give the kingdoms of the world
to Jesus, the Messiah, the rightful King, is the height of absurdity!
4:9-11 For Christ to fall down and worship satan would have been to acknowledge the devil's lordship over Him. In
His direct rebuke Get thee hence, satan, Jesus clearly asserts His lordship over the old serpent whose head He will
soon crush. Matthew's statement that satan leaveth him shows that his order of the temptations is the chronological
one (Luke 4:1-13).
4:12-16 Matthew designates four clear geographical areas in relation to the ministry of Christ: Galilee (4:12), Perea
("beyond Jordan," 19:1), Judea (4:25), and Jerusalem (21:1). The author then omits some of the early Judean
ministry and begins with Jesus at Capernaum in Galilee where he first met Christ (9:9). John was cast into prison:
The circumstances of the arrest and eventual beheading of John the Baptist are recorded in chapter 14. Apparently
a widespread persecution of the followers of John and Jesus took place at this time. Luke 4:16-31 explains that the
reason for Jesus leaving Nazareth was an attempt on His life after a synagogue service at Nazareth. From this point
on, Capernaum became the headquarters of Jesus' ministry to the house of Israel. This city was a Roman settlement
near the Sea of Galilee and was the center of the Roman government of the northern provinces of Israel. That it
might be fulfilled (verses 14-16) refers to the coming of Christ into Galilee in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1,
2 "beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light." Jesus
Himself was that great Light that now would shine forth in His earthly ministry to the people of Galilee, who had so
long been despised by their southern Judean cousins.
4:17 Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand: The message of John the Baptist is now clearly proclaimed by
Jesus Christ. However, Jesus, as the Messiah, is not calling on His listeners to prepare for the coming of the
kingdom but rather announces that the kingdom is here. The kingdom blessings promised in Isaiah 35:5, 6, to be
fulfilled in a future kingdom, here become the credentials of the King at His first coming.
4:18-20 Simon called Peter, and Andrew became the first two disciples called publicly by Jesus. Andrew had
introduced his brother to Jesus on an earlier occasion (John 1:40). The invitation, Follow me, called these earlier
believers into a permanent ministry to be shared with Christ. I will make you fishers of men clearly indicates the
nature of this ministry. They would receive special training in bringing men into the kingdom. Having left their nets,
these disciples entered into a new relationship and would never again be able to fully return to the occupation they
once held so dear.
4:21,22 James and John were also brothers and fishing partners with Simon and Andrew, Matthew and Mark agree
that they were mending their nets, but Luke seems to differ. The two accounts can be harmonized simply: As two
men were mending their nets, the other two were fishing. Jesus then came upon them and called them all to follow
Him. The statement in verse 22 that they immediately responded to His call gives us a perfect picture of true
obedience to the lordship of Christ.
4:23-25 The closing verses of the chapter summarize and survey the Galilean ministry of Jesus. This ministry
concentrated on a presentation of the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews. Jesus as the Messiah had arrived to set
up the long-awaited kingdom. Accompanying this announcement were miracles of healing. Going from city to city
throughout Galilee caused His fame to spread quickly, so that great multitudes of people (verse 25) followed Him.
This is no insignificant feat when one realizes that no prophet had arisen in Israel for over four hundred years. The
silence of this period between the Testaments had been broken by the proclamation of the Good News of the
kingdom!
Matthew chapter 5
5:1, 2 The opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount indicate that this message deals with the inner state of mind
and hear that is the indispensable absolute of true Christian discipleship. It delineates the outward manifestations of
character and conduct of true believers and genuine disciples. Thus, the life of the believer, described by Jesus in
the Sermon on the Mount, is a life of grace and glory, which comes from God alone. To make this quality of life the
product of man's human efforts (as does the liberal) is the height of overestimation of man's ability and
underestimation of his depravity. To relegate this entire message, Jesus' longest recorded sermon, to a Jewish-only
life-style, as do some dispensationalists, is to rob the church of her greatest statement of true Christian living. In the
Sermon on the Mount Jesus states the spiritual character and quality of the kingdom He would establish, and the
basic qualities of this kingdom are fulfilled in the church He would establish. Virtually every section of this message is
repeated in substance elsewhere in the New Testament. Nothing here indicates that this message is repeated in
substance elsewhere in the New Testament. Nothing here indicates that this message is to be limited in its
application.to the people of Israel only. Notice in the opening verse that his disciples had come to Jesus and
he...taught them the following message.
5:3 Blessed means "happy." This is a basic description of the believers' inner condition as a result of the work of
God. These Beatitudes, like Psalm 1, do not show a man how to be saved, but rather describe the characteristics of
one who has been saved. The poor in spirit are the opposite of the proud or haughty in spirit. They have been
humbled by the grace of God and have acknowledged their sin and therefore their dependence upon God to save
them. They will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Kingdom of heaven is a general designation of the dwelling place of
the saved.
5:4 Those that mourn...shall be comforted. The depth of the promise of these statements is almost inexhaustible.
Those who mourn for sin shall be comforted in confession. Those who mourn for human anguish of the lost shall be
comforted by the compassion of God.
5:5 The meek.shall inherit the earth refers again to those who have been humbled before God and will not only
inherit the blessedness of heaven, but also will ultimately share in the kingdom of God on earth. Here, in the opening
statements of the Sermon on the Mount, is the balance between the physical and spiritual promise of the kingdom.
The kingdom of which Jesus preached is both "in you" and is yet "to come."
5:6 These future possessors of the earth are its presently installed rightful heirs, and even now they hunger and
thirst after righteousness. They experience a deep desire for personal righteousness, which in itself is a proof of
their spiritual rebirth. Those who are poor and empty in their own spiritual poverty recognize the depth of their need,
and they hunger and thirst for that which only God can give them. They shall be filled (Greek chortazo) refers to a
complete satisfaction. The psalmist proclaimed: "He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with
goodness" (107:9).
5:7 Those who are merciful...shall obtain mercy has reference to those who have been born again by the mercy of
God. Because divine love has been extended to them, they have the work of the Holy Spirit in them producing a
mercy that defies explanation by unregenerate men. Jesus Himself became the ultimate example of this when He
cried from the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).
5:8 Those who are truly saved shall see God. These are the pure in heart. Their lives have been transformed by the
grace of God. They are not yet sinless but their position before God has been changed. They have the New Birth,
saving faith, and holiness. The process of sanctification is ever conforming them to the image of Christ (Romans
8:29), which image consists in "righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).
5:9 The next description deals with the peacemakers. They are at peace with God and desire to live in peace with all
men (Romans 5:1). Their peace with Christ enables them to be ambassadors of God's message to a troubled world.
Hence, they shall be called the children of God. Throughout the Beatitudes Jesus clearly underscores that only
those who have the qualities of a changed life, herein described, are citizens of His kingdom.
5:10 As Jesus develops His message, He clearly teaches that such a life causes His people to be in direct contrast
to the world in which they live. Therefore He reminds us, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness'
sake. The plural use of "ye" in verse 11 indicates that He foresaw this persecution as touch all His followers. Notice 2
Timothy 3:12, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
5:11 Again, Jesus warns that men shall revile you, and persecute you. This became true during His own ministry, in
the lives of the apostles, and throughout the history of the church. The persecution spoken of here is twofold. First,
it involves a physical pursuing of the persecuted, and second, a personal attack of slander against them.
5:12 Rejoice is the command that grows out of the blessedness of the believer. The phrase Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad means even more, exult! Great is you reward in heaven focuses attention on the eternal destiny of
all things. If God is as real as He claims, if the Bible is true, if heaven is to be gained, then no temporary earthly
trouble or persecution can dispossess the child of God of joy in the prospect of the eternal glory that lies ahead.
5:13 The Beatitudes are followed by a summary statement of the basic character of the Christian's life as salt and
light. Ye are the salt of the earth: Again the phrase "ye are" indicates that only the genuinely born-again person is
salt and can help meet the needs of the world. Salt adds flavoring, acts as a preservative, melts coldness, and heals
wounds. Thus it is a very appropriate description of the believer in his relationship to the world in which he lives.
5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world describes the essential mission of the Christian to the world. He is the condition
(salt) to meet the world's needs and he has a mission (light) to the world. His light is to clearly shine forth into the
darkness of human depravity. He is to set his light upon a candlestick, not hide it under a bushel, that is, a basket.
Darkness is the absence of light; and darkness alone cannot dispel the light, but the smallest light can dispel the
greatest darkness.
5:17 Having laid the foundation of the message in the summary statements of the Beatitudes, Jesus now proceeds
to show the superiority of His message to that of the law of Moses. He makes it clear that He had not...come to
destroy the law. That is, the New Testament gospel is not contradictory to the Old Testament Law; rather it is the
ultimate fulfillment of the spiritual intention of the law. Where the law had degenerated into legalism among the
Pharisees, Jesus now takes the law beyond mere outward observance to the inner spiritual of God.
5:18 Verily I say is a unique form used by Jesus throughout His preaching to draw attention to the authority of His
message. Verily (Greek amen) means "truly" or "certainly." It is used as a designation of authoritative teaching. One
jot or one tittle refers to the most minute letter and marks of the Hebrew alphabet. He explained that even the
smallest statement in the law must be fulfilled. A "jot" (yodh) is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It functions
as a Y in English and looks similar to an apostrophe. A tittle is a small projection on the edge of certain Hebrew
letters to distinguish them from one another.
5:19 Because of the seriousness of the law, Jesus emphasizes the importance of keeping even its smallest details.
However, in the ultimate plan of God, the law was not to become an extra burden on the souls of men. Rather than
pointing the way to salvation, the law convinced men of the need of the Savior. Therefore, whoever shall teach men
so but shall not live what he teaches, he shall be made least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and
teach the principles and precepts of the law shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. This simply means that
God will reward the faithfulness and effectiveness of our lives, and there will be varying degrees of blessing and
reward in the kingdom.
5:20 Because of the necessity of righteousness as a requirement to enter heaven, Jesus then declares that except
their righteousness should exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees they could not enter heaven. The
significance of this is seen in the fact that the Jews of Jesus' day considered these people to be the most religious in
all Israel. However, their religion was largely an outward show of self-righteousness. In communicating the depth of
His message, Jesus used a series of contrasts between the outward behavior demanded by the law and the inner
attitude of the heart desired by God. Here we discover the practical application of genuine Christian character to
true spiritual living. Here we see the gospel in action:
Law Spirit
No murder No anger
No adultery No lust
No divorce Commitment
No oath-taking Speak the truth
No retaliation Forgiveness
Hatred for your enemy Love for your enemy
(Tradition allowed it) (commanded