Sermon on the Mount: Consideration

CONSIDER BEFORE BEGINNING

Matthew’s Gospel breaks the long silence which followed the ministry of Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets. The silence extended for four hundred years, and during that time God was withdrawn from Israel.

There were no angels visiting until Gabriel announced the coming of Jesus and John. No prophet spoke from the mind of Jehovah. No divine interruptions of the silence appeared. For four centuries God shut away further written words from His chosen people. But there was always a believing remnant patiently waiting for the promised One. The first purpose of Matthew is to present Christ as the FULFILLER of the promises made to Israel and all of the prophecies that came before. This is why the word “fulfilled” is found in Matthew 15 times and why there are more quotations in Matthew from the Old Testament than in the other three Gospels combined.

The position of Matthew in the Holy Word indicates its character and scope. It is the link between the Old and the New. It is a connecting transition and the opening sentence gives the key to its contents, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” David relates to the throne and Abraham relates to the altar of sacrifice.

Even in His beginning Christ is outside of Jerusalem. There is blindness and indifference from the Jews, even though angelic hosts have fully announced His arrival. Wise men who were from a far country came with a heart for the Savior and no Jews joined them in their seeking Him and worshipping Him. The head of the civil government quickly desired to put Him to death, foretelling His crucifixion arranged by His own, who received Him not.

The ministry of Jesus had first a special application to the afflicted people of God who were in such pitiful need, both physically and spiritually. Second, it had a pointed application to His disciples who would carry on after He ascended. Third it was pointed even toward the gentiles who were considered unqualified to be close to Jehovah God by the Jews. The Sermon is initially proven to do exactly this and it first addresses those afflicted in their souls.

Then (and only then) does the Sermon address the spirituality of the Law, and it refutes the false teaching of the elders of Israel so that all could know that all are welcomed into the Kingdom. This Sermon is a new understanding, a new teaching of that which had been long corrupted by the Temple masters.