English Standard Version. Sermon on the Mount. How Can I Be Blessed?

Transcription

1 English Standard Version Sermon on the Mount How Can I Be Blessed? i

2 PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT English Standard Version How Can I Be Blessed? ISBN Precept Ministries International. All rights reserved. This material is published by and is the sole property of Precept Ministries International of Chattanooga, Tennessee. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Precept, Precept Ministries International, Precept Ministries International The Inductive Bible Study People, the Plumb Bob design, Precept Upon Precept, In & Out, Sweeter than Chocolate!, Cookies on the Lower Shelf, Precepts For Life, Precepts From God s Word and Transform Student Ministries are trademarks of Precept Ministries International. Scripture taken from ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ). Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 1 st edition Printed in the United States of America ii

3 CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS L ESSONS 1 LESSON ONE: Overview 11 LESSON TWO: Matthew 5: LESSON THREE: Matthew 5:5 39 LESSON FOUR: Matthew 5: LESSON FIVE: Matthew 5: LESSON SIX: Matthew 5: LESSON SEVEN: Matthew 5: LESSON EIGHT: Matthew 6: LESSON NINE: Matthew 6 and LESSON TEN: Matthew 7:6-29 A PPENDIX 121 Observation Worksheets of Matthew Cleansing and Filling iii

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5 HELPFUL STUDY TOOLS H ELPFUL S TUDY T OOLS ARTHUR, KAY; ARTHUR, DAVID; DE LACY, PETE How to Study Your Bible Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1994/2010 The New Inductive Study Bible English Standard Version Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2013 Commentaries on Matthew (See commentary list below.) R ECOMMENDED C OMMENTARIES CARSON, D. A. The Expositor s Bible Commentary: Matthew 1 12 Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, LLOYD-JONES, D. MARTYN Studies in the Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987 MACARTHUR, JOHN The Only Way to Happiness Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1998 R ECOMMENDED S OFTWARE Logos Bible Software Powerful search engines and up to 4,000 electronic Bible study resources (commentaries, lexicons, Bible dictionaries etc.) make it fast and easy to do simple and complex searches of multiple sources, then pull materials together for orderly presentation excellent for word and topical studies based on English or original Hebrew and Greek. Available at v

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7 Precept Ministries International P.O. Box Chattanooga, TN Lesson 1, Overview LESSON ONE Overview THIS LESSON INCORPORATES Observation Worksheets on Matthew 4 7, located in the Appendix Word studies Beloved, as you begin your inductive study of the, let us share this important insight from A. W. Tozer: Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts. 1 If you will take the truths you learn from this study to heart, they will do more than just sit in your mind; they will conform you into the image of our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, Beloved, may God Himself be the very end of all your study; this is our prayer for you. DAY ONE The first thing you need to do when beginning an inductive study of God s Word is to become as thoroughly familiar with your material as possible. There is no substitute for repeated readings of the text. The more you read it, the better; so every chance you get, read Matthew 5 7, located in the Appendix. If you are alone, read it aloud. You will find yourself automatically memorizing it. 1 A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Christian Publications, Inc., 1948) pp Precept Ministries International 1

8 Lesson 1, Overview 1. Start with prayer. Truth is revealed. Unless the Spirit of God gives you understanding, all you have is information. Therefore, develop the habit of beginning each day s study with prayer. Confess your utter poverty before God; ask Him to open the eyes of your understanding and to sanctify you through the truth. His Word is truth (John 17:17). 2. Read Matthew 4:12-13; 4:23 5:2 and 7:28-29 and answer the following questions: a. What is the geographical setting of this portion of the Word of God that we call the? b. Where is this mountain or hill? c. Who is there? d. According to 5:2 and 7:28-29, what is Jesus doing? e. What does this tell you about the content of Matthew 5 7? 3. Good, we have the basic setting; now let s read the teaching of Matthew 5, 6, and 7 and note those Jesus addresses in this teaching. In light of what you observed: a. What kind of people is Jesus addressing? Precept Ministries International

9 Lesson 1, Overview b. Does His message pertain to today or to a future age? Give the reason for your answer. Well, you are off to a good start. It s quite a teaching, isn t it, and we haven t begun to plumb its depths. What riches we will discover! DAY TWO 1. Context is critical when it comes to interpreting the Word of God correctly. Therefore, we are going to begin this day by reading Matthew 1 4. As you finish each chapter, summarize below the main subjects or events covered in that particular text. a. Matthew 1 b. Matthew 2 c. Matthew 3 d. Matthew 4 2. Now read Matthew 4: a. Consult the map at the end of this lesson so you will know where these geographical locations are. You may want to double underline in green all these places. b. Also mark in a distinctive way every reference to the kingdom. You might want to draw a purple crown and color the inside blue. c. Mark every occurrence of repent. If you need a suggestion, color it yellow and put a red symbol around it like this: Precept Ministries International 3

10 Lesson 1, Overview 3. Now compare Matthew 4:17 with Matthew 3:1-2. Who is doing what in these verses? 4. Look up the Greek word for repent and record what you learn about the meaning of repent and/or repentance. If you ve never done a word study, you will find it helpful to consult How to Study Your Bible in the section It s All Greek to Me. 5. One final question and we will call it a day. If a person repented, do you think it would be known? How? DAY THREE 1. Read Matthew 5 and mark references to the kingdom of heaven as you marked kingdom yesterday. Also mark references to righteousness. You might want to color it blue. List what you learn from this chapter about the kingdom of heaven. Simply look at each place where you marked the text and see what it tells you. Next to your insight record the number of the verse. If you prefer to record the list in the margin of your Observation Worksheet rather than below, do so Precept Ministries International

11 Lesson 1, Overview 2. Now read Matthew 6 and once again mark every reference to the kingdom and to righteousness. Record new things you learn about the kingdom on the list you just started. 3. Now read Matthew 7 and mark kingdom or kingdom of heaven again. Then list what you learn from marking this one verse. 4. Look up the Greek word for righteous/righteousness and record what you learn about the meaning of this word. 5. Finally, take a few minutes to reflect on what you ve learned over these past days about the kingdom of God and about righteousness. a. How important is righteousness in the kingdom of heaven? b. How important is righteousness to you? DAY FOUR 1. Let s read Matthew 5 again. Although we will study this enlightening chapter in greater depth in a later lesson, we want you to have a good grasp of its basic content. Therefore, read the chapter again. There are two key phrases you will see repeated from verses 21 and 22 through the end of the chapter. Mark each of these in a distinctive way on your Observation Worksheet Precept Ministries International 5

12 Lesson 1, Overview 2. What is the key word repeated in Matthew 5:3-12? 3. How does Jesus describe those who are blessed in Matthew 5:13-16? 4. What does Jesus seem to be saying in His teaching beginning at verse 17 to the end of chapter 5? 5. What do you think are the main teachings of Jesus in chapter 5? Summarize them as briefly as possible and list them. 6. Now read Matthew 6:1-18. Watch for and mark the phrases that in some way say, When you.... Read 6:1 with each of these phrases. a. What seems to be the relationship of 6:1 to the phrases? b. So what three practices are dealt with in this first portion of chapter 6? List them Precept Ministries International

13 Lesson 1, Overview 7. Finally, Beloved, think about all you have observed today. How important do you think this teaching of Jesus is to you and to the church of today, or is it not relevant for our times? You have done such a valuable study this week and you are to be commended. Each of us on the staff of Precept Ministries International wants to thank you for your desire to know God and His Word and the discipline you have shown in order to achieve your goal. So many desire to be righteous but not everyone is willing to discipline themselves for the purpose of godliness. Thank you for affirming to us the value of our labors on your behalf. It s so easy to call you Beloved even as Paul, Peter, and Jude did in their epistles. DAY FIVE 1. Today we are going to finish our overview of Jesus teaching to His disciples and the multitude that joined them sometime during His teaching. We ll begin where we left off Matthew 6:19. Read verses and mark in distinctive ways: a. Do not b. But 2. Now summarize what Jesus covers in His teaching in these final verses in Matthew 6. List your insights. 3. Read Matthew 7:1-20. Watch for verses that begin with specific instructions. Underline these in red. Do you see any connection between chapter 7 and chapter 6 with respect to the teaching or flow of thought? Record your insights Precept Ministries International 7

14 Lesson 1, Overview 4. Now read Matthew 7: Without studying them in depth (we will do this at the end of our study), simply summarize what Jesus is doing at the end of His teaching. 5. If you have time, it will be very profitable to your understanding of Jesus teaching to outline its main points. To do this simply look at all you have recorded about the content of these three chapters these last two days and put it in outline form. If you don t know how to do an outline, you will find that explained in How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur. You will find a page for your outline at the end of this lesson. 6. Matthew 7:28 tells us that the multitudes were amazed at Jesus teaching. a. How has this impacted you as you ve read it over several times? b. What is your prayer, your desire as a result of bathing yourself in the water of Jesus words this week? You might want to write it out. 7. Finally, memorize Matthew 5:20, because the defines the righteousness that characterizes every true believer a righteousness that exceeds that of scribes and Pharisees Precept Ministries International

15 Lesson 1, Overview Well, Beloved, you ve taken your first step in discovering the riches of this teaching of our Lord. We are off to a wonderful start. May we encourage you to persevere. Your study will not go unchallenged, even as Jesus did not go unchallenged by the devil but you can have victory the same way He did by wielding the sword of God s Word and not yielding to the allurements of the world that will detract you from the study of His Word. Outline of Matthew Precept Ministries International 9

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17 Precept Ministries International P.O. Box Chattanooga, TN Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 LESSON TWO Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit Blessed Are Those Who Mourn THIS LESSON INCORPORATES Word studies Cross-references Happiness! Fulfillment! That deep sense of abiding satisfaction! Where is it to be found? DAY ONE 1. As you begin, lift up your study to your Lord. Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope (Psalm 119:116). 2. Look up the Greek word for blessed and write it with its definition. If you do not have these Greek study tools, use a regular dictionary, or see if your commentaries give you the Greek word and definition. However, do not read any more than necessary from commentaries; if you do, you will spoil your joy of discovery. Record what you learn about blessed. 3. Read Matthew 5:1-12 and fill in the chart, The Blessings of the Blessed, which is at the end of this lesson. As you consider when the blessing is attained, watch how the tenses of the verbs were translated into English Precept Ministries International 11

18 Lesson 2, Matthew 5: Read the blesseds again in Matthew 5:3-12. What relationship do you think these beatitudes have to salvation? Are they something one has to do in order to merit salvation? Characteristics of those who are saved? Qualities that are unattainable until Jesus comes to reign in His kingdom on earth? A combination? What are your thoughts? 5. There is some controversy among theologians regarding those to whom the was addressed and to whom it applies. Understanding this is key to the way we interpret and apply its teaching. Therefore, without thoroughly discussing each view and those who proposed each theory, let us simply state the various interpretations. If you wish to delve into the subject more thoroughly, you can read a few critical commentaries that explore these difficulties. As you read these interpretations, measure them against the plumb line of everything you ve observed to this point. The views are as follows: a. Some say that the demands of the lie beyond human capabilities and therefore cannot be expected to be literally fulfilled. Thus, the Sermon serves merely to make man aware of his sin and bring him to repentance. b. Close on the heels of the first interpretation is the thought of some that the is merely a better interpretation of the Law, having nothing to do with the Age of Grace but rather standing in opposition to salvation by faith through Christ s atoning work. c. Leaders of the Social Gospel Movement took the as their Magna Carta, saying that the kingdom can be attained by understanding and applying the principles of this Sermon to our culture. For the most part, the Social Gospel Movement was aware of Christ s ethic, but it tried to preach the ethic to those who were not possessed of Christ s life. 1 Some, called Anabaptists, took it to the point that led to 1 James Montgomery Boice, The (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), preface Precept Ministries International

19 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 the avoidance of the use of oaths, personal or military force, legal justice, and even at times the possession of personal property. 2 d. In his work The Mystery of the Kingdom of God, Albert Schweitzer said, The ethics of the is [sic] interim ethics that make one meet for the kingdom of God. 3 In other words, Schweitzer is saying this is how we are to live so that we can earn the kingdom of God. It s a works-based righteousness. e. A view adopted by ultra-dispensationalists was that the Sermon on the Mount belongs to the kingdom age, the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it has no primary application in the church age. f. The final view we want to share is one that has been popular since the prereformation period. As did his predecessors, Augustine viewed the Sermon to be the perfect measure of the Christian life and filled with all the precepts by which the Christian life is formed. For him the Sermon applied to all Christians and was without question applicable to life. 4 Luther and Calvin in essence held the same view as Augustine that the was for all Christians Now, at this point in your study, to whom do you think the Sermon on the Mount applies? Why? Think through these views in light of the sum total of Jesus teaching in Matthew 5, 6, and 7, and then write out your answer. Do not give a lengthy answer as you have yet to study the first two beatitudes. 2 Robert A. Guelich, The, A Foundation for Understanding (Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1982), p Albert Schweitzer, The Mystery of the Kingdom of God (New York: Dodd and Mead, 1914), p Robert A. Guelich, op. cit., p Guelich, in his commentary on the, stated how Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion dealt with Jesus relationship to the Law. In the Institutes he went to considerable lengths to deny that Christ was another Moses or even added to the Law. Rather, as the Law s expounder, Jesus freed it (e.g., Matt. 5:21-48) from the falsehoods of the Pharisees who focused on the external obedience to the Law. For Calvin, the Law meaning the Old Testament with its commandments and promises and the Gospel meaning the New Testament message of salvation and its demands were integrally bound by an inviolable... sacred tie seen in the confirmation of the gospel s authority by the fulfillment of the Law, p Precept Ministries International 13

20 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 DAY TWO Today we want to look at what it means to be poor in spirit. 1. Look up the Greek word for poor and record it along with its root word and its meaning. 2. Now that you have seen what poor means, let s look at poor in spirit. The word for spirit is the common word, pneuma, number 4151 in the Greek dictionary of Strong s Exhaustive Concordance. Its root comes from number 4154, pneo, which means to breathe, to blow. Poor in spirit simply means to be a beggar, a pauper in spirit, to know that you have nothing to offer. It is a lowliness which is the opposite of pride. Look up the following Old Testament verses and note how they would relate to this definition of poor in spirit. a. Psalm 34:18 b. Psalm 51:17 c. Isaiah 57:15 d. Isaiah 66: Precept Ministries International

21 Lesson 2, Matthew 5: Read Luke 18:9-14 carefully and answer the following questions: a. Describe the two main characters of Jesus parable. the Pharisee the tax collector b. Which of these men was justified? Why? c. Why did Jesus tell this parable? d. Do you see any parallel between this parable and the first beatitude, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven? Give a reason for answering as you do Precept Ministries International 15

22 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 DAY THREE 1. First John 5:17 says, All wrongdoing is sin, and Romans 1:18 tells us that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. First Corinthians 6:9 says, Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Where, then, does this leave mankind, every human being born of the seed of man upon the earth? It leaves each of us unrighteous, under the wrath of God, and unable to go to heaven. As we saw in our overview of Matthew 5 7, according to Jesus, in order to go to heaven we have to have a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). How could we ever attain to such a righteousness when we are nothing but sinners??? Read the following Scriptures and note how collectively they answer this question: a. Romans 3:10, 23 b. 1 Timothy 1:15 c. 2 Corinthians 5:21 d. Romans 4:5-8 e. Romans 7:14-18, 24-25; 8: Precept Ministries International

23 Lesson 2, Matthew 5: Read Matthew 9: How do you think this relates to being poor in spirit? What does it tell you about the Pharisees? How does this compare with what you learned about the Pharisee in Luke 18? 3. Why wasn t the Pharisee s righteousness adequate enough to get him to heaven? Read Romans 10:1-10. Then, in your own words explain what Paul is saying in these verses and how it relates to what you have seen thus far. 4. Romans 10:4 says, For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. The Law, he says elsewhere, cannot make a man righteous because of man s sinful flesh (Romans 8:3-4). Therefore, Christ makes men righteous by dying for their sins and giving them His Spirit (Romans 8:2-4). But who is qualified to lay hold of His righteousness? In light of all you have learned this week, can you answer that question from the? (One sentence will do for your answer.) 2014 Precept Ministries International 17

24 Lesson 2, Matthew 5: Why do you think Jesus began the with the beatitude, Blessed are the poor in spirit? Why didn t He begin with the pure in heart or the merciful? 6. Study the meaning of poor in light of Matthew 7:13-14: Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Do you see any parallels between the first beatitude and these verses? Write them out. 7. Read Luke 4: Do you see any parallel between Luke 4:18 and what you have learned these past three days? Explain your answer. 8. Have you ever seen or confessed your poverty of spirit your total inability to make yourself righteous, acceptable to God? Take time to meditate on what you have learned so far this week and talk to Him about it. Crushed. Humbled. Desperate. It is so painful to look at our lives in the mirror of God s Word and come face-to-face with our own arrogance and sin. But what a comfort to know that God s Word is sure, and like the tax collector, we can cry out for mercy and know that our God is near, He saves and He will revive. Don t stop here; persevere and remember, But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word (Isaiah 66:2). There is hope! Precept Ministries International

25 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 DAY FOUR 1. Today we want to begin our study of the second beatitude, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Look up the definition of the Greek word for mourn and write it below. As you study this second beatitude, you need to discern the type of sorrow to which Jesus is referring. Is it sorrow in general, or is it a specific type of sorrow that receives comfort? What is Jesus intention? Since the word for mourn does not give us any specific clues, we need to consider the word in context. Let s start there. As you read through the Beatitudes, do you think Jesus listed them randomly, or is there a progressive logical order? When people see their poverty of spirit, their total sinfulness, and their failure to please God, what does it bring to their hearts? Is it not sorrow? 2. If our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, how will we feel about sin? 3. When you have looked at your own poverty of spirit or your own sin, how have you felt? a. Have your feelings or attitudes about sin ever changed? If so, when and why? b. How have you handled those feelings? Was there any comfort offered you from God? Read Luke 7:36-50 (which follows). Mark every reference to the woman. In the margin of the text, list everything you observed from marking the references to the woman Precept Ministries International 19

26 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 Luke 7: One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee s house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he answered, Say it, Teacher. 41 A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more? 43 Simon answered, The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt. And he said to him, You have judged rightly. 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little. 48 And he said to her, Your sins are forgiven. 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, Who is this, who even forgives sins? 50 And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace. 4. If Jesus comforted the woman who saw her poverty of spirit and wept, will God not also comfort you? Read Revelation 21:1-5. What is the promise? Precept Ministries International

27 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 Richard Wurmbrand, who suffered greatly as a prisoner for thirteen years under the wicked hands of godless communists, said, I hear a lot of laughter in the United States of America, but very little weeping. O Father, break our hearts with the things that break Your heart. There is... a time to mourn (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4) DAY FIVE What do you think is the primary cause of the mourning in Matthew 5:4? Isn t it our sin, our failure to please God? Here is a quote from Kay Arthur: I know my years of independent living brought much shame and pain to the heart of God. How I distorted His image of womanhood! If it were not for His comfort, I don t think I could live with my past. As the hymn says, There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul. However, I believe that mourning can be for reasons other than sin (even though sin is one reason for mourning). We can mourn over sin, pain, suffering, injustice, and bereavement in the lives of others as well as in our own. To study all of these types of mourning at this time, however, is impossible since our course of study is so limited. Therefore, we will simply deal with mourning because of sin, since it is sin that brought pain and grief into the life of mankind. 1. Read James 4:6-10 and then answer the following questions: a. What in James 4:6-7 parallels with the poor in spirit? b. If one draws near to God and God is light, what is exposed? c. Can you see any parallel between Matthew 5:4 and James 4:9-10? Explain your answer. d. Can you see the same progression in James 4:6-10 as in the first two beatitudes? 2014 Precept Ministries International 21

28 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 e. What do you think about James 4:8-9 with respect to your walk with the Lord? What is God telling you personally? 2. Our attitude toward sin will manifest itself not only in mourning over personal sins and shortcomings, but also in grieving over sin s pernicious effects upon mankind. Those who love God, who understand His holiness, and who walk in close communion with Him cannot help but mourn over sin wherever it raises its banner. When God s children can look upon sin without mourning, something is grievously wrong! a. Read 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. What was the main cause of Paul s concern the man s sin or the church s response? How do you know? b. What does this show you about the church at Corinth? c. Why was Paul concerned? What would happen if this sin went unchecked? 3. We ve looked at sin in the Church. Now let s close out this week by observing Ezekiel 9. Compare response to sin in your country with the response of those in Judah to the abominations that were taking place in their land. But before you do, let us put the book of Ezekiel into context. Ezekiel was written during the Babylonian captivity. Daniel the prophet was taken captive as a lad in the first siege of Jerusalem. Ezekiel was taken captive during the second siege. Jerusalem at the time of Ezekiel 9, however, had not been totally destroyed; God had yet to execute a complete judgment on this sacred city. Read the chapter carefully. Then, answer the following questions: Precept Ministries International

29 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 a. Who summoned the executioners and why? b. What did the executioners have and why? c. What was the man clothed in linen with the writing case told to do? d. Why? e. Who was exempt from the judgment of either the man with the writing case or the executioners? f. Read Romans 15:4, then write out what we can learn for our own lives from the period in Judah s history recorded in Ezekiel 9. g. If God were to send a man with a writing case throughout the land to do the same that he did in Ezekiel s day, how would the man mark you? Why? 2014 Precept Ministries International 23

30 Lesson 2, Matthew 5:1-4 h. What practical lesson can you learn from this chapter? 4. Did the coming of Jesus Christ to earth in any way relate to man s sorrow or mourning? Read Isaiah 61:1-3. Do you see any comparison between these Scriptures and the second beatitude? Explain your answer. 5. Finally, memorize Matthew 5: Feel free to read what your commentaries say about the first two beatitudes. Record pertinent notes. As for you, son of man, groan; with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan before their eyes. (Ezekiel 21:6) Precept Ministries International

31 Lesson 2, The Blessings of the Blessed The Blessings of the Blessed The Blessed Result of Blessing When Blessing Attained The poor in spirit Those who mourn The meek Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness The merciful The pure in heart The peacemakers The persecuted for righteousness sake You can make a ninth blessed if you want a category for blessed when people insult Precept Ministries International 25

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33 Precept Ministries International P.O. Box Chattanooga, TN Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 LESSON THREE Blessed Are the Gentle THIS LESSON INCORPORATES Cross references Word Studies How is it that so many saints down the years have been able to live in triumph behind the [prison] bars? It is because they have discovered the secret of freedom. When a man thinks and moves independently of God, life is brimming with frustrations. Everything that does not serve his purpose is deemed a hindrance. He is always a victim of circumstances; he knows nothing of their mastery. He is at enmity with God and moving contrary to His laws and will. He is a man hemmed in and even in attempting good must find there are chains about his feet and fetters in his soul. What is the secret of freedom? It is in the conscious co-operation with the living God in the fulfillment of the pure design for which He made us. Thus all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Then, however restricted and however straitened, we can glory in the end He is working to achieve. Our emancipation is in our choosing to obey. 1 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. DAY ONE AND DAY TWO As you begin this week s study with prayer, ask God to show you the peace and power that belong to the gentle, or as the King James, New King James, and New International Bibles translate it, the meek. 1. BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH. When we study the Bible, it is important that we keep from inserting modern meanings of words instead of discovering what the original languages intended. Words such as meek or gentle often mean very different things to the modern mind than they did years ago. Sometimes, there is no single equivalent word in our language that adequately translates a Greek or 1 Geoffrey Bull, God Holds the Key (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1959), p Precept Ministries International 27

34 Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 Hebrew word in every context. To see the true meaning, we need to do word studies. a. Look up the Greek word translated meek in Matthew 5:5. Record what you learn. b. Now, in your own words, write a brief definition of meekness. It will help you crystallize your thoughts and make this information your own. When you can verbalize a truth in your own words, it shows that you understand it. 2. Now that you have the definition of meekness, can you better understand the placement of this third characteristic of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven? What do the meek inherit? 3. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic, but there is an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint that was circulated in the first century and is helpful in seeing which Greek words were used to translate the Hebrew. We can then study the various contexts in which a Hebrew word was used in the same sense. The Septuagint uses a form of the Greek word translated meek in Matthew 5:5 in the following verses. Look up each reference and next to each record what you learn about meekness or being meek. Be sure to check the context. Do not just look for information; rather ask God to show you how to learn from the One who is gentle [meek] and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29) so that you will be transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18) Precept Ministries International

35 Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 a. Numbers 12:3 From this chapter, note how Moses manifests this quality of meekness. b. Psalm 25:9 humble c. Psalm 37:11 d. Psalm 45:4 e. Psalm 76:9 humble f. Psalm 147:6 humble g. Zechariah 9:9 humble 4. At the end of this lesson, you will find a chart entitled, The Characteristics, Benefits, and Exhortations Regarding Meekness. You can use this to summarize all you learn about this concept of meekness as used in Matthew 5: Precept Ministries International 29

36 Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 5. Using these Scriptures, take what you have learned and write out a prayer to God. Make it personal. DAY THREE Look up the following Scriptures from the New Testament using the same procedure as you did on DAY ONE AND DAY TWO. They all use the same Greek word as Matthew 5:5 for gentle, although the English translation can be different. Remember to check the context of the verses, because in some cases it will be vital for a clear understanding of gentleness. If you prefer, record your insights on the chart, The Characteristics, Benefits, and Exhortations Regarding Meekness. meek 1. Matthew 5:5 2. Matthew 11:29 gentle 3. Matthew 21:5 humble Precept Ministries International

37 Lesson 3, Matthew 5: Peter 3:4 gentle meekness 5. 1 Corinthians 4:21 gentleness 6. 2 Corinthians 10:1 7. Galatians 5:23 gentleness 8. Galatians 6:1 gentleness 9. Ephesians 4:2 gentleness 10. Colossians 3: Precept Ministries International 31

38 Lesson 3, Matthew 5: Timothy 6:11 gentleness Timothy 2:25 gentleness 13. Titus 3:2 courtesy 14. James 1:21 humility 15. James 3: Peter 3:15 gentleness Precept Ministries International

39 Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 DAY FOUR 1. In Matthew 11:29 Jesus said, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. From what you know about Jesus life, how was this meekness manifested? 2. Meekness is accepting everything that comes into your life as coming from the hand of God... accepting it without resentment or retaliation. But where can it be found? How can it be attained? How is it hammered out on the anvil of life? Now, Beloved, considering all you have learned about meekness, how would you answer these questions? 3. Note the rest of this beatitude : Blessed are the meek, Let s study what it means to inherit the earth. a. In the Old Testament the land of Israel represented to the people hope and blessing from God. Go back to Psalm 37 and make a note of characteristics of those who will inherit the land. It s used five times in the psalm, and you ve already seen that Jesus quoted verse 11 in Matthew 5: Precept Ministries International 33

40 Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 b. Now read Revelation 5:8-10 and note some more characteristics. Does the promise in verse 10 agree with that in Matthew 5:5? c. According to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, what are some of the characteristics of those who will not inherit the kingdom of God? d. Explain the verb were in 1 Corinthians 6:11. While it may be possible for a believer to commit adultery, is it possible for a believer to be an adulterer (practicing adultery)? Who breaks the habitual patterns of sin (John 8:36)? 4. Read what your commentaries have to say about this third beatitude, Blessed are the meek. How do the insights you gleaned from your commentaries compare with what God has shown you in His Word? Record any new insights Precept Ministries International

41 Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 DAY FIVE Today s assignment is strictly application. Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. Has God reproved us? Shown us how to correct our behavior? Instructed us by His Spirit? 1. We have clearly seen what God s Word teaches about meekness, but has God s Word been used to reprove you? How has it encouraged, convicted, or rebuked you? What has it shown you personally about meekness in your own life? 2. Can you relate any recent incident when you chose to respond with meekness? If so, write out a brief description of that time. How did you manage to do it? 3. Just so we don t miss it, how do we know meekness is a characteristic of a child of God? Read Galatians 5: a. List the source of meekness Precept Ministries International 35

42 Lesson 3, Matthew 5:5 b. What truths do you find in this passage that explain how you can walk in meekness? c. What specific things are you going to do to help you develop or appropriate meekness? 4. Work on your memory verses adding Matthew 5:5 to verses 3 and 4. Oh, what a profitable week of study! May the blessed Holy Spirit bring these truths to mind when we re tempted to rebel and do it our way! Blessings, Beloved! Precept Ministries International

43 Lesson 3, The Characteristics, Benefits, and Exhortations Regarding Gentleness THE CHARACTERISTICS, BENEFITS, and EXHORTATIONS REGARDING MEEKNESS Characteristics of Meekness Benefits of Meekness Exhortations to Meekness 2014 Precept Ministries International 37

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45 Precept Ministries International P.O. Box Chattanooga, TN Lesson 4, Matthew 5:6-8 LESSON FOUR Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness Blessed Are the Merciful THIS LESSON INCORPORATES Cross-references Word studies Cleansing and Filling, located in the Appendix In Geoffrey Bull s biography he describes being shut up in a communist prison, cut off from all evidence of love, without any hope of release or reunion with those he loved. He was left with only one reality the Lord Jesus Christ. Divested of all, Jesus was to become everything to him. Jesus the One in whom I trusted satisfied the Godhead. If God be fed in Christ, shall I be hungry and seek elsewhere? His flesh is meat indeed and to those who trust in Him there is no longer hungering and no longer thirst. 1 Here, as a prisoner of godless men men filled with a bitter hatred for all that Christianity represented and stood for Geoffrey Bull, by feeding upon the knowledge and person of Jesus Christ, would be able to respond to his captors in mercy out of a pure heart; all because he hungered and thirsted for righteousness... and was satisfied. DAY ONE Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 1. As we begin searching out the meaning and implications of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, we again need to consider the position of this beatitude in relationship to the others. Where does it fall? Why does it come 1 Geoffrey Bull, God Holds the Key (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1959), p Precept Ministries International 39

46 Lesson 4, Matthew 5:6-8 where it does? Can any of the beatitudes be grouped together by their similarity or focus? Think about this and write your insights. 2. What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? a. What did you learn about righteousness when you looked it up in Lesson One? b. What does Jesus choice of words hunger and thirst tell you about the desires of a true child of God? c. What is the blessing promised in Matthew 5:6 to the child of God? What does such knowledge do to your heart? Precept Ministries International

47 Lesson 4, Matthew 5: Read John 7: (Note: The verbs come and drink are in the present tense in the Greek, which implies continuous or habitual action.) What insight do these verses give you with respect to hungering and thirsting after righteousness? 4. Now, let s pause for some application. a. Do you have a craving for righteousness? To what degree do you want to be right before God? b. Is there anything in your life that diminishes your craving for righteousness? Be as specific as possible. c. Is this craving being satisfied? How? d. What specific things help satisfy this craving? How do you respond to these? How are you doing? We pray that you will not weary of your studies, but that they will become such rich nourishment for you in the inner man that you won t be able to get enough! 2014 Precept Ministries International 41

48 Lesson 4, Matthew 5:6-8 DAY TWO 1. Look up Jeremiah 9:23-24 and write it out. What is worth boasting in? 2. What makes the difference between the mighty men and women of faith and those whose spiritual lives are typical of the ordinary, humdrum, occupy-apew type of Christianity? Look up the following Scriptures. Consider the lives of the men who penned them as scribes for God. What insights do you see? a. David: Psalm 27:4-6; 63:1; 143:5-6 b. Isaiah 6:1-8; 55:6-11 c. Moses: Exodus 33: Precept Ministries International

49 Lesson 4, Matthew 5:6-8 d. Paul: Philippians 3:7-14 e. You...what makes you different? What is it about you that brings pleasure and glory to your God? 3. Memorize Matthew 5:6. They did not thirst when he led them.... (Isaiah 48:21) DAY THREE Wouldn t it be wonderful to know that everything...absolutely everything was right between you and others... and you and God? It can happen... this week. 1. According to this fifth blessing, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy, what is the reward of the merciful? Do you think the reward is conditional? Explain your answer Precept Ministries International 43

50 Lesson 4, Matthew 5: What is mercy? Look up the words merciful and mercy and record the Greek words and their definitions. 3. Can you be merciful without having God Himself dwelling within? Do not answer just yes or no; explain your answer. 4. Where is mercy found? Is it an inherent (inborn) quality in man s character, or is it found outside of man? Look up the following Scriptures and note what each says about mercy: a. Luke 6:35-36 b. 2 Corinthians 1:3 c. Ephesians 2: Precept Ministries International

51 Lesson 4, Matthew 5: What s the difference between a lost person and a saved person showing mercy? 6. Read Matthew 5:13 7:27. a. Which verses relate to mercy? b. What are some practical ways you can show mercy to others? 7. What relationship does mercy have to forgiveness? Read Matthew 18: Mark any reference to mercy and then record what you learn. 8. Read James 2:13. What do you learn from this verse about mercy? 2014 Precept Ministries International 45

52 Lesson 4, Matthew 5: One last question for today. Answer it before God. Give it your full attention. It is vital to your relationship with Him. Colossians 3:12-13 says, Put on then, as God s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Is there anyone you need to show mercy to by totally forgiving them? If so, what are you going to do? How will it affect your relationship to that person? DAY FOUR Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 1. Look up the word for pure in a concordance or expository dictionary, and write its definition. 2. What does this tell you about purity of heart? 3. Look up the definition and verb tense of see in Matthew 5:8. Paul uses the same root verb twice in Romans 1:20 to explain one way we see God: For the invisible things [aorata] of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen [kathoratai], being understood.... We can t physically see God (1 Tim. 6:16), but we can mentally see (understand) Him when He explains (reveals) what He s doing in His Word. God s attributes (e.g., sovereignty, holiness, omnipresence) are invisible; we don t see, for example, any physical hands holding our world together Precept Ministries International

53 Lesson 4, Matthew 5: Read Matthew 5. Are there any verses that relate to purity of heart? What are they? 5. Now, think on one more thing before we proceed any further. If the first beatitude, poor in spirit, is what brings us into salvation so that the kingdom of heaven becomes ours, then are not all the other beatitudes an outcome of our poverty of spirit? Having seen the magnitude of our failure, of our independent spirit, we cannot help but mourn. Yet in that mourning, our Jehovah-shammah 2 is there to comfort us. Having laid aside that independent, prideful spirit, realizing the grievousness of it all to our Father, we cannot help but submit in meekness to our Lord Jesus. Lord, what pleases You pleases me. Thus, the earth, that I once tried to gain, I shall inherit as a joint-heir with Jesus Christ. Now, because I am born of His Spirit, there is a hunger and thirst for righteousness. And as I crave Him, more and more I find Him to be the deepest satisfaction of my soul. Yes, Jesus satisfies. And so as I feast on Him, it is only natural that I become more and more like Him; therefore, mercy cannot help but flow from my life to others. And as it does, more and more I experience and am overwhelmed by His great mercy to me. Being now caught up in Him, no longer having a heart of stone, but a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 3:3)...circumcised by God, there comes the knowledge that my heart must be pure if I would see Him more and more. My hunger and thirst for righteousness has revealed this to me. The greater the purity of my heart, the more intimately I will know Him, for there will be less and less to dim my spiritual vision. 2 Hebrew name for God meaning, The LORD is there Precept Ministries International 47

54 Lesson 4, Matthew 5:6-8 Take several minutes and read Psalm 15 and Psalm 24:1-6. After you read these passages, make a list of what the citizens of heaven are like. For without holiness no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). DAY FIVE 1. Memorize Matthew 5: Feel free to read what your commentaries have to say about Matthew 5:6-8, but don t go beyond this point. Record any pertinent insights Precept Ministries International

55 Lesson 4, Matthew 5: Optional: In the Appendix you will find an addendum entitled Cleansing and Filling. It is a list of questions that have been used mightily by God in the hearts of His people all across this nation to bring a genuine cleansing of heart and consequently a spiritual renewal. It is our prayer that the Spirit of God will greatly use it in your life also. a. Find a secluded place where you can be alone with God and where you will be undistracted... a closet if necessary. Shut yourself off from any outside sounds. b. Come to Him in prayer. Tell God you know that it is His will that your heart be pure and that you do His will. Tell Him you want your heart to be pure. Then begin going through Cleansing and Filling, allowing Him to search your heart to see if there be any wicked way in it. By faith refuse any thoughts from Satan or your own flesh; by faith bring every thought captive to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Then, tell God that you want Him and trust Him to speak to you. Confess any sin and ask God to show you if you need to do anything...e.g., ask someone s forgiveness, pay back what you stole, etc. After you deal with a thought, then wait before Him. Ask Him if there is anything else. Do not be in a hurry. Do not get up to do anything, fix anything, or rearrange anything. Do not answer the phone or the door. This is an appointment with God. Oh, if you will do this assignment as unto Him, it could transform your whole relationship with God. If you would develop the habit of quietly but actively sitting before the Lord to meditate upon your God and His Word, it would lift you into a whole realm of supernatural living that you thought God reserved for only a few special people. Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD... (2 Samuel 7:18). Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way (Psalm 139:23-24) Precept Ministries International 49