New Testament Commentary - Matthew 5

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 5 Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount—Its teachings replace and transcend some aspects of the Law of Moses—Men are commanded to be perfect like their Father in heaven. (See 3 Nephi 12)
1 ^aAND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them^a, saying,	2^a he opened his mouth, and taught them Now the gospel of Matthew hath stated that Christ was the source of great light to them which sat in darkness according to the prophecy of Isaiah (Matthew 4:14-17). This was Christ's first and very particular sermon and message to the people. Doubtless he repeated these teaching regularly throughout his ministry as it is the basic foundations of his everlasting Gospel. It is also significant that this is the precise sermon delivered to the Nephites when he made his appearance unto to them. And thus surely, if Christ was that great light of the gospel which he did preach throughout all the regions of the land, we need not suppose that he taught one thing in one place and another in another, but that he did declare his gospel unto them in whatsoever place he taught, entering into to their places of worship and upon the hills of the country side and in their cities. Yea, we must fully considered that the preaching of sermons such as this was but the common representative gospel of which he did preach to all men everywhere that he taught them. Indeed, it is the same which he taught them in the Americas when he did come and visit them after his resurrection (3 Nephi 12-14, etc.). As Matthew has done, he has taken this one instance as the example of Christ's gospel which he spake to all men verywhere and not just upon this one occasion. And like the sermon which was delivered in America, certainly there is an openning invitation and 'be or do attitude' which consists of coming unto Him, giving heed unto His words, and entering into His fellowship by way of the waters of baptism.	1^a 3 Ne. 12:1 (1-48)
3 ^aBlessed are the ^bpoor in spirit: for theirs is the ^ckingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that ^amourn: for they shall be ^bcomforted. 5 Blessed are the ^ameek: for they shall inherit the ^bearth.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
6 Blessed are they which do ^ahunger and thirst after ^brighteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the ^amerciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the ^apure in ^bheart: for they shall ^csee God.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
9 Blessed are the ^apeacemakers: for they shall be called the ^bchildren of God. 10 Blessed are they which are ^apersecuted for ^brighteousness' sake: for ^ctheirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall ^arevile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of ^bevil against you falsely, ^cfor my sake. 12 ^aRejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your ^breward in heaven: for so ^cpersecuted they the prophets which were before you.
13 ¶ Ye are the ^asalt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the ^alight of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a ^acandle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your ^alight so shine before men, that they may see your good ^bworks, and ^cglorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 ¶ Think not that I am come to ^adestroy the ^blaw, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the ^alaw, till all be ^bfulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall ^abreak one of these least commandments, ^band shall ^cteach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and ^dteach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your ^arighteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the ^bscribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou ^ashalt not ^bkill; and whosoever shall kill shall be ^cin danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is ^aangry with his brother ^bwithout a cause shall be ^cin danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, ^dRaca, shall be ^ein danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be ^areconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 ^aAgree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid ^athe uttermost farthing.
27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit ^aadultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever ^alooketh on a ^bwoman to ^clust after her hath committed ^dadultery with her already in his heart.
29 And if thy right eye ^aoffend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into ^bhell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into ^ahell.
31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of ^adivorcement: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall ^aput away his ^bwife, saving for the cause of ^cfornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
33 ¶ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not ^aforswear thyself, but shalt ^bperform unto the Lord thine ^coaths: 34 But I say unto you, ^aSwear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's ^bthrone: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his ^afootstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the ^bcity of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ^acommunication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh ^aof evil.
38 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An ^aeye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not ^aevil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right ^bcheek, ^cturn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 ^aGive to him that asketh thee, and from him that would ^bborrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt ^alove thy ^bneighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, ^aLove your ^benemies, ^cbless them that ^dcurse you, do ^egood to them that ^fhate you, and ^gpray for them which despitefully use you, and ^hpersecute you; 45 That ye ^amay be the ^bchildren of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth ^crain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye ^alove them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 ^aBe ye therefore ^bperfect^a, even as your ^cFather which is in heaven is ^dperfect^b.	48^a Be ye therefore perfect This is such an overwhelming commandment, and it is a commandment which the JST version confirms (JST Matthew 5:50), that many don't even make an attempt to try to be 'perfect' for they know they cannot become such. These are they which tend to be 'commandment counters' and checklist monitors. The Jews have over 600 such laws and commandments which they must keep if they expect to obtain salvation by their 'works'. And while men are expected to keep the commandments of God, this is not the manner or order of perfection. For it is also said that the letter of the law killeth, while the spirit of the law is what gives life. And herein lies the meat of the matter. For God gives no commandment unto the children of men save he prepares the way whereby they may keep and accomplish the thing which he has commanded them (1 Nephi 3:7). So wherein is the 'way' so provided? It is the same way in which Jesus himself further progressed while he was here upon this earth. It is the way which the gospel plan provides oh so simply unto men to follow. After the exercise of faith and repentance, men are commanded to be baptized 'for the remission of sins'. And this is to be baptized by 'water' and by the 'spirit'. After that initial sequence, men may renew all their covenants with the Lord by partaking of the sacrament. And in that simple process, within those two prayers lays the secret to perfection. We promise to take his name upon us, to always remember him, and to keep his commandments which he has given unto us. In return the 'only' thing which the Lord covenants unto us is that the 'Spirit' will always be with us. And therein is the secret, the secret to obtaining heaven, the secret to exaltation, the secrect to being perfect, the secret to becoming 'one' with God. And that is to learn to 'live by the spirit'. It is by the spirit that we are sanctified. It is by the spirit that we are taught all things that we must do and are necessary for our perfection in and oneness with God. When Jesus came into the world with the vail drawn upon him, as it is upon all of us. He had to progress grace upon grace, line upon line, precept upon precept. And that which the Father place upon him, to dwell within him, was the Spirit (Isaiah 42:1-4). God the Father was not Jesus' constantant companion personally, for he continued to dwell in that yonder Celestial Heaven in which he lives. But his presence was ever present in that the 'Spirit' was placed upon him, and it abode upon him, teaching him all things. And that is the same process for any of us. And in that, is the manner and order of becoming 'one' even as they are 'one', meaning God and Jesus Christ. When we learn to so 'live' by the promptings and according to that spirit given unto us, even as it was given unto Christ. Then the power has been given in us, that we might become even as God Is. Into that same 'perfect' by which God does live. Yes it entails living the commandments as God gives them to us. But the emphasis is upon the process of being guided and directed by the spirit, as the spirit is what communicates to our soul the very mind and will of God at any and every such moment that is needful for us to be so directed of him. In comparison, the law is but the 'dead' words of 'past' history, while the workings of the spirit are ever present and concurrent with us at the very time. There is not timelier manner whereby men might live and come unto the Father, but by 'living by the spirit'. 48^b even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect At the time that Jesus taught his gospel sermon to those of Galilee in person, he was not yet 'perfect' in God himself. Yes he was sinless. But he was not yet complete, for he had not yet been resurrected and obtained that completion of the Celestial tabernacle of immortal flesh and bones. But when he appears unto those in America, after his resurrection and 'completion', being glorified of the Father again to that Celestial glory which was before the world was (John 17:1-5), He states this a bit diferently. There rather than for us to be perfect even as the Father is perfect, Jesus adds himself; that we are to be perfect even as he and the Father are perfect (3 Nephi 12:48). For now is Jesus also made 'perfect' in and with the Father. And that process by which he so became was that process of 'living by and according to the spirit', which is to live according to the mind and will of the Father in all things, even to live as the Father, thus becoming even as the Father Is. And this is how Jesus is one in the Father and the Father in him, and how it is that we might also become one even as they are one (John 17).