Matthew 5 & 6 | The Wolfe Notes

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These Wolfe Notes Cover:

1. Matthew 5: Sermon on the Mount: Our Identity
1. Overview: General Topic, Key Themes, and Summary
2. Thoughts, Questions, and Connections
3. Exploration On how Jesus fulfilled the law.
4. Reflections On being Christian.
2. Matthew 6: Sermon on the Mount: Motivations
1. Overview: General Topic, Key Themes, and Summary
2. Thoughts, Questions, and Connections
3. Research On ending the Lord's prayer.
4. Reflections On Kingdomviews.
3. Response To Matthew 5 and 6.

Matthew 5

Winter Forest by Sonyuser at Pixabay

Overview

General Topic

Jesus addresses all who choose to listen about who we are and how we are to show it.

Key Themes

Fulfillment. Representation. Relationships.

Summary

Jesus proclaims to all who will hear that the longing of your soul will find satisfaction. He reminds us that our purpose is to draw others to truth. We are not to hide, but to live boldly for God so that others may join us in glorifying Him. We are to remember the law, to teach, and to follow it because through Jesus the law is fulfilled. We are to forge strong relationships with each other by quickly ridding ourselves of anger, running from immorality, staying committed, being trustworthy, and treating everyone with love.

Thoughts, Questions, and Connections

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, and ! a connection. Researched answers are in italics. *R communicates that in-depth research follows.

On The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)

1. ? What is the purpose of the beatitudes?
1. *To assure us that Jesus knows we are all different. We each have different longings in our soul and need Jesus in different ways. This series of statements shows us we will be rewarded according to our needs.
2. To communicate that God does not value what the world values. All of the things the world rejects as weak and undesirable He says will be rewarded. - Grant Agler

On Being Representatives (Matthew 5:13-16)

1. ? Is it possible to lose saltiness? (Matthew 5:13)
2. ? Are you seeing other people's good works? And when you do, does it draw you closer or push you further from God? Why?
3. ? What is your honest motivation behind doing good works? Is it because you "should" or is it because you honestly want to represent your Father well?

On Fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17-20)

1. How did Jesus fulfill the law? *R 
2. Are all the laws still in play?
3. ! When Matthew 5:18 (ESV [KJV]) states, "until all is accomplished [fulfilled]", I see Jesus on the cross and hear Him proclaiming, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). 
1. Yet the verse also states that the law is in effect until "heaven and earth pass". 
2. It seems there are two events that affect the law.
4. *Matthew 5:19 instructs us to continue working toward righteousness by following the commandments, and to teach them to others.

On Relationships with Others (Matthew 5:18-48)

1. *We are to restore relationships as quickly as possible by setting aside our anger (Matthew 5:22)  and doing what we need to do to set things straight (Matthew 5:25). 
1. ? What gift won't God accept until we're reconciled with our brother? What gifts do we bring to God? (Matthew 5:23-24)
2. ? Are we supposed to always approach our accusers with an attitude of "You're right and I'm wrong?" or "What can I do to make things right between us again?" or a combination of the two. (Matthew 5:25)
2. *We are to be content in what we have and not hunger for more. (Matthew 5:27-30)
1. Regarding your spouse: Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts [Also represent nurturing/provision.] satisfy you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? Proverbs 5:18-20 ESV [See Pulpit Commentary on Isaiah 60:16.]
2. *Consider also that adultery is used throughout the Bible to represent moving away from God. In that sense, we should remain content with God and seek no other religion to satisfy.
3. Generally: Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13 KJV
3. *Stay committed, unless what you are committed to is (or chooses to do) evil. If you do not stay committed, you lead the one you left into unrighteousness. (Matthew 5:31-32)
1. God divorced Israel. (Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8; Hosea 2:2 and see our research notes.)
2. ? How is marrying a divorced woman committing adultery? (Matthew 5:32) *Spiritually, a "divorced woman" represents someone who chooses not to follow Jesus. So, marrying a "divorced woman" would be choosing another faith.
3. ? How does a husband force a woman to commit adultery if he divorces her? (Matthew 5:32) *Because it forces her to look for another spouse, but marriage is eternal. Spiritually, God, our husband, won't divorce us, it would be us that would choose to divorce Him by engaging in spiritual adultery. (See our research notes.)
4. *Only agree to do something if you know you can do it. If it is outside of your control, don't make the commitment. If you make the agreement, carry it out. (Matthew 5:33-37)
1. ? Does "never take an oath" mean never make a promise? Why is it wrong to give more than a "yes" or "no"?
2. ! Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? Isaiah 66:1 KJV
5. *When people are physically aggressive and demanding, don't fight back but look them in the eyes as they mistreat you and give them more than they demand. (Matthew 5:38-42)
1. Why? *You're not reacting in anger but peacefully trusting God to care for you in the circumstance. If it is a person you're committed to, you are responsible for communicating with them about their ill-treatment of you and possibly leaving.
6. *Love everyone, always. (Matthew 5:43-48)
1. ! This section ends with an overquoted and ill-used verse: "Be ye...perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." In context, it's telling us to love everyone completely, fully, unbiasedly - not to be perfect in all our ways, which is impossible. 

Exploration

On the Fulfillment of the Law

What does fulfillment mean?

• To "fill-in" what was lacking. To explain the missing piece of the law and to shift from rules to principles.
• To fulfill prophecy and moral law through the person of Christ and His perfect embodiment of the Law, which the Old Testament pointed to all along. 
• Continued fulfillment exists through the life of His followers and His work in and through them. (See Romans 8:4.)

Thoughts: Jesus is the law embodied - perfection. We are working to get  there - sanctification - but we won't get there in this life. It's a lifelong process of triumph through hardships until, like the testing of silver, the Master knows the process is complete when He looks and sees His own reflection.

Do the Laws Still Apply?

Legally, No

There is no longer a legal binding for us to follow the laws. Christ fulfilled our legal requirement for us through His sacrifice.

• And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14 ESV
• For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV (See also our notes on Isaiah 53.)

Spiritually, Yes

The new law, is Christ's law of love. You follow Christ's teachings because of your love for Him and your love for your neighbor.

• And [Jesus] said to {a lawyer who was testing Jesus}, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:37-40 ESV
• "All the Law and the Prophets" was how they referenced the Old Testament. The "law" being the Pentateuch - the first five books - and the "Prophets" the books of the prophets, like Isaiah. 
• *If you think of the ten commandments, they support these two commandments. The first four guide your relationship with God, and the remaining six guide your relationship with others. (See Deuteronomy 5:4-21.)
• Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 KJV

*Thoughts: Jesus is the law. He is the perfect model of what following the law looks like. Because He is the fulfillment of the law, what the OT was always pointing to, He is able to explain with authority what the purpose of the laws mean. Now, He explains the laws as principles not just rules to follow, the main principle being love. The "law" we choose to follow has a deeper meaning, a deeper motivation. It is no longer words commanded or written on stones, but love letters written on our hearts. 

Sources: 

1. Commentary on Matthew 5:17 at Bible Hub
2. "The Book of James: Session 1" by Francis Chan 
3. "Is the Old Testament Law for Christians Today?" from the Clearly Podcast 
4. "Jesus Fulfilled the Law. But What Does That Mean?" by Richard Winston at Logos.

Reflections

Jesus cares for us. He wants us to know that He understands our hearts, our struggles, and what we are missing. He also wants to reassure us that what we are missing will be made complete. We will find rest eternally. This is what we believe, what keeps us running, and gives us hope so that we can be a model for Jesus here on earth (Psalm 31:24). So that His light can shine through us. 

But, it's not easy. It requires us to be present, bold, engaged, connected, and seen. When we're seen, we're judged. People know we are Christ followers, so they are watching and waiting to see who Christ is. 

We show them Christ. His love, His perfection. We refuse to stay in anger, but seek to restore every relationship. We seek to understand what the other one needs and to give it willingly. We remain content with what we have and hastily remove any desire for more. We  stay committed to our choices, unless they lead to sin or are living in sin, then we cut ties. We know that if we leave a commitment for any other reason, we're leading those who we left into sin. So, just as we know Jesus would never leave us as long as we choose to stay in Him, we stay with our choices unless they lead us away from Him. We only agree to what we have control of, only if we're willing to do it, and don't pull anyone else - God included - into the agreement. We give and don't fight back when people mistreat us and accuse us. (The point here, I think, is to not respond in anger, believing the promise of Matthew 5:11-12. It's important to note that we stay committed to people who aren't embracing sin. You need to cut ties with someone who is constantly mistreating and accusing you.) We love everyone, always. We understand that as humans we all make mistakes and that we are not the ones who are qualified to decide who was wrong. Instead, like Jesus, we act in love always and pray to our Father for even those who hurt us.

What do we show them? We show them we are Christian by our love. Cue music:🎵They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love🎶performed by Jars of Clay. 

Our perfect and complete love that is only possible through Jesus.

*Sidenote: Did you know Christian means "little Christ"? I learned that in Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer on page 14.

Matthew 6

Overview

General Topic

Jesus instructs us on pondering and altering our heart's intentions.

Key Themes

Motivation. Attention. The Kingdom.

Summary

Jesus encourages us to adopt Kingdom mindsets. We're to live out our faith quietly with God, not to receive public recognition. We're to seek restoration through forgiveness in all things. We're to relentlessly and single-mindedly pursue what pleases God. We're to trust Him to care for us in every circumstance.

Thoughts, Questions, and Connections

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, and ! a connection. Researched answers are in italics.

On Quiet Faith (Matthew 6:1-18)

1. * This section describes people who do "righteous" acts to receive public approval. They want people to think good things about them. Jesus tells us that their reward is the attention they receive and they don't need anything more from the Father.
1. "When you fast, stop looking sad like hypocrite. They put on sad faces to make it obvious that they're fasting. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. Matthew 6:16 GW (See also Matthew 6:5.)
2. ! And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 KJV
3. ! 🎵I don't wanna go through the motions / I don't wanna go one more day / Without Your all consuming passion inside of me🎶 ("The Motions" performed by Matthew West)
4. ! Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they area trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. Isaiah 1:13-14 KJV (See our notes.)
2. *Talk straight with God. Tell Him precisely what you need; don't hold back, hesitate, or think you have to say everything in a certain way. He already knows what you need! He's just waiting for you to ask, so ask Him!
1. "When you pray, don't ramble like heathens who think they'll be heard if they talk a lot. Don't be like them. Your father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:7-8 GW
2. ! And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24 KJV
3. ! Asking for your daily bread means asking God to supply you with what you need to get through the day. It could be a positive attitude, energy, or focus. - Brant Hansen (Matthew 6:11)
4. ? Why does the KJV of the Lord's prayer end differently than others? (Matthew 6:13) *R
5. ! Hypocrites were actually play actors who would dress up for a part and perform on the streets.  (Matthew 6:16) (I can't remember if I heard this from Brant Hansen or John Mark Comer, but it's  verified: Etymonline & Bible Hub)

On Kingdom Mindedness (Matthew 6:19-34)

1. ? So where is my heart? What do I treasure? (Matthew 6:21)
2. ? Why eye? How can your eye be evil or good? Is it essentially saying, "What you pay attention to matters?" (Matthew 6:22-23) Singleness of intention saves us from the snare of having a double treasure and a divided heart. The "apple of my eye" refers to the thing you are looking at, more closely translating as "little man in my eye". So, what you look at is what matters to you. - Bible Hub and our notes on Isaiah 64.
1. ! He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from the holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil. Isaiah 33:15 KJV (See cross references.)
2. ! Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 KJV
3. ! For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:20-21 KJV
4. ! No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then it's light shines on everyone in the house. Matthew 5:15 GW *So let your body be full of light by keep your eyes trained in the light.
3. ? What other master am I serving? (Matthew 6:24)
4. ! Our Father does indeed know our needs: Don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8 GW
5. *Worry about what matters to God.
1. ? How do we show concern for His kingdom? Living according to His ways: loving Him and loving others.
2. 🎵Heal my heart and make it clean / Open up my eyes to the things unseen / Show me how to love / Like You have loved me / Break my heart for what breaks Yours / Everything I am / For Your kingdom's cause🎶("Hosanna" performed by Hillsong)
3. 🎶Give me Your eyes for just one second / Give me Your eyes so I can see / Everything that I keep missing / Give me Your love for humanity🎵 ("Give Me Your Eyes" performed by Brandon Heath)

Research

The ending of the Lord's Prayer.

Variations of Matthew 6:13

• KJV: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 
• GW: Don't allow us to be tempted. Instead, rescue us from the evil one.

Exclusion Explanation

• The oldest manuscript of the New Testament does not include the ending.
• Luke's version of the Lord's prayer also excludes it:
• KJV: And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Luke 11:4 KJV
• GW: Forgive us as we forgive everyone else. Don't allow us to be tempted. Luke 11:4 GW

*Thoughts: There is plenty of debate around whether or not it is intended to be there or not to be there. It was likely added to the King James Version to provide a conclusive ending. Personally, I'm used to the ending and learned the Lord's prayer with it. It provides a circular ending, reminding us of the prayer's beginning. However, I'm not insulted in any way if someone excludes it. 

Sources: 

1. Commentaries at Bible Hub
2. "Should 'for thine is the kingdom...' be included in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:13)" at Got Questions

Reflections

Jesus tells us how to have a Kingdom mindset. He wants us to engage in His Kingdom right now. It's challenging, though, because His ways contradict many of the beliefs that are valued in this world: to seek recognition, fame, attention, or money. God wants us to serve His kingdom because we want to not because we have to. A kingdom mindset is not a list of boxes to check off, but a desire to be with God, to seek His face, to learn His ways, and to do as He asks us to do with faith. He wants us to live peacefully by trusting Him fully; to give every worry into His capable hands; and to live in a personal, intimate relationship with Him.

I wonder where my worldview clashes with His Kingdom view. Where is my heart? It simply cannot always be seeking His Kingdom because I all too often find myself worrying. I don't turn to Him for every need. I have difficulty forgiving and being in relationship with others. I obviously don't trust Him at all times because even when I read about Him promising to clothe and feed us better than the birds of the air and the flowers in the field, I doubt it. After all, some people do struggle. 

Perhaps the answer lies in the eye, as Matthew mentions. When evil, or negativity, attacks, maybe I need to capture those thoughts and investigate to discover how my problem is rooted in seeking world values instead of God values. Then, actively choose to trade my world view for a God view. 

For example, when I responded to my nephew's snarky, argumentative answers with my list of frustrations and proposed unreasonable solutions, an average Friday morning quickly transformed into one full of contention. From peace to disconnect. My worldview was one of selfishness: I expected him to interact with me in a certain way and became angry when he didn't. A transformed Kingdomview is one of selflessness: I was made to serve others. I need to ask myself how I can best serve him in this moment. Perhaps, if I focused my view on the Kingdom that morning, both of us would have left the table in love instead of discord.

Respond

Matthew 5

Connect

God has expectations for us. We are to be His light in this world. God also understands what we long for and promises fulfillment beyond our imagination.

Reflect

• Which beatitude do I most identify with at this moment?
• What would fulfillment look like for me? How might God go beyond even that?
• Where can I shine God's light even brighter? Which of the following areas need brightening in my life: 
• Forgiveness, or relationship restoration
• Purity, or resisting the pull of destructive habits - aka lust
• Faithfulness, or staying committed to others
• Integrity, or keeping promises
• Peace, or putting off anger by leaving vengeance to God
• Love, or treating others - even the ones who hate you - as God treats you.

Act

Arise and SHINE! You are God's light in this world. 

Arise; stand tall. You are precious. God sees you and will bless you abundantly.

Matthew 6

Connect

God is concerned with our motivations, the intentions behind our actions.

Reflect

• What worldview motivations do I cling to?
• How do I transform my worldviews into Kingdomviews? Consider trading:
• Public praise for God's praise.
• Routine worship for worshiping in spirit and truth.
• Seeking people's sympathy for seeking God earnestly.
• Love of money for stewardship of God's resources.
• Worry for trust.

Act

Arise and serve God's kingdom in spirit and truth.

In Closing

Father God, you want our heart. It's not about a list of rights and wrongs, it's about answering the question: do you love Me? And when we say yes, we show it by living it out. You see our hearts, You know our needs, and we trust You to meet them. Strengthen us in Your love so we can brightly shine in this, Your Kingdom come.

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Isaiah 10 | The Wolfe Notes

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