INTRODUCTION

15/03/24
It's March of 2024 and it seems everyone is studying the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters five through seven. I struggled with a possible shift in the message and it caused me to dig deeper. Even though I teach on how to study the Bible, it's amazing how we can fall victim to the very devises we warn about. Read More…

TO THE POINT

15/03/24
After a couple weeks I noticed the end of each "Blessed" and noticed it was future tense verbs. Things were looking clearer but I still felt a struggle. One Sunday morning, when in the circles group, the chiasm of the beatitudes jumped out when I notices the “FOR”s. After the seeking spoke about by Christ there is a “For”… “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. I noticed that verses 3 and 10 were a direct quote off of each other. Read More…

WHO ARE THOSE?

14/03/24
As a general rule, almost all modern teaching of this sermon starts with the premise that Y'shua was teaching the crowd (multitudes) that gathered; but let's take a look at the people that gathered. Read More…

THE WRONG TITLE

13/03/24
In my last two lessons we looked at the audience of what is being called the sermon on the mount. We saw that there were a variety of peoples, beliefs, angers, sins, etc that were present and I said it was obvious that the beginning of this sermon was directed towards Y'shua's disciples. Upon further examination and meditation on this three chapter talk, I don't believe any of it was directed at or spoken to the crowds. Read More…

SALT AND LIGHT

12/03/24
Now that we know who the multitudes are and who Messiah Y'shua was talking to, His disciples, He's telling them that they will be bringing the gentiles, pagans, those they hate, into the Kingdom. They will be the salt and light of the world that will do it. Returning back to Genesis 1, they will be the image of God to the lost. Salt is good for flavor, it is also good for purification and curing. They are to be the salt, the flavor of God, that will show the purification of God, curing the division and bringing them into the Kingdom. They will be the light on the hill that chases away darkness. They will be the beacon that they see in the dark world they abide in. They will be the one the lost will go to for light. They will be the shining light of God in the world and to the world.

FULFILL THE LAW

11/03/24

“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. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-20

There's long been a couple confusions about this portion of text and understanding of what is happening in the crowd helps clarify it somewhat.

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