602
December 1929
T h e
K i n g ’ s
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ermen, you will know just what kind of men Peter and Andrew, James and John were. In our last story, you will remember that we saw the Lord Jesus in the wil derness, tempted of Satan. (Review les son.) After He left the wilderness and the Jordan, He went to His Nazareth home, but not to stay long, for having heard that John the Baptist had been put into prison (tell of his imprisonment), He left for Capernaum. What a beautiful city Capernaum must have been with its lovely trees and gar dens! Here, too, was the Sea of Galilee, fringed about with oleander trees. The Sea of Galilee was known not only for its beauty, but also for its fishing. Here Peter and Andrew lived, and also Zebe- dee and his two sons, James and John. These men made their living by fishing. So in this beautiful city of Capernaum, Jesus began His earthly ministry and went about preaching, “ Repent : for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Of course Jesus wanted some friends who would follow Him everywhere He went and who would be willing to go about giving the “good news” of the Gospel. While walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee one day, Jesus saw Peter and Andrew just casting their nets (for detail, read Luke 5:1-11). Jesus drew near and said, ‘‘Follow me, and 1 will make you fishers of men.” This meant giving up their fishing business, their friends and home; but I am glad to tell you, boys and girls, that these two brothers did not hesitate to give their answer. They had seen Jesus before, and had even spent some time with Him, and knew and believed that He was the Son of God (John 1:35-51). So Peter and An drew " straightway” left their nets and followed Jesus. Then, going on a little farther, Jesus saw other fishermen. These were James and John, who were brothers. They were in a ship with their father, Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called to them, and they “immediately” left their father and hired servants and their fishing busi ness to follow Jesus. It was not easy for these fishermen to leave the work they liked, and their friends and loved ones; but they loved Jesus more than any of these and were willing to forsake all to follow Him. I' am sure they were never, never sorry. These fishermen became Jesus’ first fol lowers or disciples. Today, boys and girls, Jesus is saying, “Follow me,” as He did to Peter and An drew and James and John. Are you will ing to follow Him wherever He would like to have you go ? How happy the Lord Jesus would be today if you would take Him as your own Saviour and fol low Him anywhere He leads you. (Speak of “what it means to follow Jesus.”) Prayer.
be satisfied in Messiah’s kingdom (Isa. 55:1; 65:13). Jesus uses the idea in a spiritual sense. Hunger and thirst are words expressing intense desire. The “righteousness” to be sought by His citi zens is personal, not imputed righteous ness. Filled. The complete fulfillment of this promise will come in “the new heav ens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Pet. 3:13). V. 7. The merciful. Tholuck observes that Jesus, after mentioning righteous ness, describes three elements of right eousness: pity, purity and peace. To be merciful, means to be compassionate (Heb. 2:17). A merciful spirit is re warded; a merciless disposition is pun ished (Matt. 18:23-25). ^ ;■V. 8 . Pure in heart. God desires “truth in the inward parts” (Psa. 51:6). The scribes and Pharisees were scrupulous about ceremonial cleansings but gave no thought to heart purity (cf. Matt. 23:25- 28). They were not single hearted (cf. James 4:8). Shall see God. It is a rare privilege to see an earthly monarch face to face (cf. Esther 1 :14). As only the pure in heart were permitted to “ascend into the hill of the Lord” (Psa. 24:3; cf. Heb. 12:14), so in the day of the coming of the Lord, only those who have purified themselves will see Him and be like Him (1 John 3:2, 3). V. 9. The peacemakers. Messiah is the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). The heaven ly host announced the birth of Jesus with the words, “on earth peace" (Luke 2:14). God is the God of peace (Rom. 15:33). The Christian’s message is the Gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15). II. Jesus and the Law (17-20). V. 17. Think not. Jesus did not come to tear down but to build up; He did not abrogate the law or contradict the proph ets. To fulfil. The word signifies to com plete or to make full. The idea may be that He came to develop the spiritual meaning and content of the law and the prophets; or, as many expositors explain, He fulfilled by performing what the law required (cf. 3:15; Rom. 13:8; Eph. 2: 15). V. 18. Verily. Literally, amen. As an adverb, it means truly. Till heaven and earth pass. A proverbial expression which signifies never (cf. Jer. 33:20, 21). One jot or tittle. Jot signifies the Hebrew letter yod, which is written very small. The tittle was a slight projection at the corner of some Hebrew letters. This ex pression might be compared with the English saying “not the dot of an I or the cross of a T.” Till all things be ac complished. Every type and shadow in the Old Testament must have its cor responding reality in Christ. Every com mandment of the law was kept by Him (John 8:46). V. 19. Whosoever shall break. The word signifies “loose,” that is, release from obligation to the law. Least com mandments. The Jews made unwarranted distinctions between greater and less commandments. Jesus makes them all binding (cf. 23:23). Least . . . great. Disobedience degrades; strict obedience elevates citizens of the kingdom. V. 20. Except your righteousness. The scribes and Pharisees claimed to be right eous, but Jesus demanded a righteousness better than theirs, both in degree and in kind (cf. James 1:25). III. The Divine Law of Love (43-48).
I. The Beatitudes. Vs. 1-9. II. Special Blessing to the Persecuted Rejoicing Disciples. Vs. 10-12. III. The Christian Influence in and Re lation to the World illustrated by the Parables of Salt and Light. Vs. 13-16. IV. The Righteousness of C h r.i s t Higher than that of the Law (Vs. 17-20) in regard to : 1. Murder. Vs. 21-26. 2. Adultery. Vs. 27-32. 3. The Taking of Oaths. Vs. 33-37. 4. Retaliation. Vs. 38-42. 5. Attitude towards Strangers and Enemies. Vs. 43-48. —o— TT is a question much discussed whether the Sermon on the Mount contains say ings of Jesus which were spoken on va rious occasions and gathered together by seems clear. Jesus, in language similar to that used by John, had been calling the people to repentance that they might en ter the kingdom of heaven. He flung Himself against popular religious ideas when He said: “Except your righteous ness shall exceed the righteousness o f the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (5: 20). True citizens must possess certain marked characteristics, different from those displayed by the proud sons of Abraham according to the flesh. Yet there is not in these new laws or principles Christian doctrine, strictly speaking. “The Sermon on the Mount forms the point of transition from the law to the Gospel.” I. The Citizen’s Character (3-9). V. 3. Poor in spirit. Luke (6:20) says, “Blessed be ye poor.” Matthew defines the poverty of which he speaks; it is poverty in the sphere of the spirit, con sciousness of sin and need (cf. Psa. 34: 18; 51:17). Theirs is the kingdom. They enter into the privileges and honors of Messiah’s reign (cf. Matt. 18:3; Luke 18:14). The promise is for the present and also for the future life. V. 4. They that mourn. Particularly those who have godly sorrow for sin (2 Cor. 7:9, 10). Comforted. Christ is sent “to comfort all that mourn” (Isa. 16:2). His coming brought “the consolation of. Israel” (Luke 2:25). Through Him alone can the joy of salvation be found (John 16:20; Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17). V. 5. The meek. Meekness is similar to, but goes farther than, poverty of spir it. It includes the idea of gentleness (Matt. 11:29; 1 Cor. 4:2) and of humil ity (Matt. 21:5). Shall inherit the earth. Under the old dispensation this promise referred particularly to temporal bless ings (Psa. 37:11). Jesus gives to the promise a more spiritual meaning. True, the Christian does receive earthly bless ings which are sufficient and satisfactory, but his highest rewards are spiritual and heavenly. V. 6 . Hunger and thirst. It had been prophesied that hunger and thirst would Matthew, or was a u n i t e d discourse. Equally difficult is the attempt to de termine w h e t h e r L u k e (6:20-49) gives the same dis course. The design of th e discourse
January 26, 1930. Standards of the Kingdom
Lesson : Matthew 5:1-48 (Lesson T e x t : Matt. 5:3-9, 17-20, 43- 48). L esson in O utline Introduction: Historical Setting—in Galilee during first half of the second full year of the Lord’s Ministry.
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