Lesson Outline

• i. Introduction
• ii. Jesus' relation to the Law of Moses (matt. 5:17-20)
• iii. Teaching against murder (matt. 5:21-26)
• iv. Teaching against adultery and divorce (Matt. 5:27-32)
• v. Teaching against oaths and retaliation (matt. 5:33-42)
• vi. The principle of love (matt. 5:43-48)
• vii. Application and conclusion

A. Introduction

• Jesus said "You have heard…." (Matt. 5:17-48, Luke 6:27-30, 32,36). The longest section of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17-48, which contrasts the law of Moses and related to man-made traditions with Jesus teaching, it was essential that Christ's disciples have a clear understanding of his relationship to the law and also his attitude toward the multiplicity of traditions that men had attached to the law.

• The introductory statement is very important. Jesus began, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophet: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one little shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matt. 5:17-18). The fact that Jesus came not "to destroy but fulfill" the law has led some to believe that we are still under the Old Testament today. This interpretation of Christ's words would make him contradict the plan of teaching of his inspired apostles. Paul concurs as he reminds the church at Rome. For Christ is the end of the law (law of Moses) for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Rev. 10:4). Paul wrote about Jesus, "Abolishing in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained is ordinance; for to make in himself of twain one new man" (Eph. 2:15). The apostle also spoke about "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us." That is what Jesus said in Matthew: "He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross" (Col. 3:14). You can understand Matt. 5:17-18 better if you remember that the Old Testament was a deal between God and the Jews. (Deut. 4:13, 5:2–3).

• They, alone, were God's covenant people, which is to say that anyone outside of the covenant relationship with the Lord God was an alien or stranger in that they were uncircumcised (Gen17:9-14). Think of the Old Testament as a contract between God and Israel. Jesus did not come to destroy; here the word "destroy" means loosen down, to dissolve, or undo. Jesus did not come to abrogate or set aside the law and the prophets, but to fulfill. He fulfilled the prophecies, he kept the demands of the law, and accomplished the law"s purposes (Gal. 3:19, 5:14).

• At the time Jesus preached on the mount, the law was still in force. As long as that was the case, throughout his life, Jesus kept the Law of Moses, but not the traditions of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who had adulterated the Law given to them by God through Moses. They had perverted the law by their man-made traditions, which was one of the root causes of confrontation with Jesus and why he approved.

• Christ taught his disciples to honour the demands of the Law (Matt. 5:19-20). His objection was not to the law, but to Jewish misinterpretation of the law. Jesus kept the very letter of the law and made His position clear in the Sermon on the Mount, when declared, “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophet....” (Matt. 5:17-20). In the verses that follow, Jesus explained several commandments of the law to include the attitude of the heart essential to keeping the law. He also contrasted his way with what the people had taught by the scribe and Pharisees.

B. The new standard.

I. Teaching against murder (Matt. 5:21-26).

The anger that is not allowed in this first example of the new standard that Jesus set. The old law said, "You shall not kill"(Exo. 20:13), but Jesus said that even being angry at a brother is wrong. Not only should you not hit a man, but you shouldn't even want to hit him or have bad feelings towards him in your heart. Jesus says that all selfish anger is wrong. The Bible plainly says that anger is wrong. James said, "The anger of man does not work the righteousness of God."(James 1:20). Paul told his people to stop being angry (Col3:8). Jesus forbade the anger that broods, the anger that won't go away, the anger that won't be calmed down, and the anger that wants revenge. Jesus goes on to talk about two times when anger leads to rude words. (Psa109:1-3, Deu19:16-18) (Deut19:11-12). It is also wrong for a man to speak in anger. Jesus says that the person who ruined his brother's name and reputation is the one who will be judged most harshly, by the fire of Gehenna.

II. Teaching against adultery and lust (Matt. 5:31-32):

The forbidden desire you have heard that it been said: "You must not commit adultery. Here is Jesus' second example of a new standard. The law laid it down you shall not commit adultery (Exo. 20:14). So seriously a view did the Jewish teacher take of adultery that the guilty parties could be punished by nothing less than death (Lev. 20:10); but once again Jesus lays it down that not only the forbidden action but also the forbidden thought is guilty in the sight of God. We must understand what Jesus is saying here. He is not speaking of the natural, normal desire which is part of human instinct and human nature. According to the literal meaning of the Greek, the man who is condemned is the man who looks at a woman with the deliberate intention of lusting after her. The man who is condemned is the man who deliberately uses his eyes to awaken his lust, the man who looks in such a way that passion is awakened and desire deliberately stimulated. Verses 29 and 30 provide a cure.

III. Teaching against oaths and retaliation (5:33 - 37):

In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus teaches against taking oaths and retaliation, emphasizing honesty and non-violent responses. He instructs:

• Don't swear by heaven, earth, or Jerusalem (v34-35)
• Say "yes" or "no" plainly (v37)
• Don't retaliate with evil (v38-42)

Jesus' message:

• Promotes simplicity and truthfulness in speech
• Discourages using oaths to manipulate or deceive
• Encourages non-resistance and turning the other cheek

This teaching is about integrity, trust, and responding to evil with kindness.

Revenge (Matt. 5:43-48): This teaching emphasizes Christian love. Meaning of it, and the reason for it (vs45-48)

Conclusion:

These teaching of Jesus were to make his disciples pure, holy, true doers of good, that ye may be sons of your father who is in heaven.