What does it mean to be meek? Campus minister Derek Rishmawy asserts: “We don’t understand the virtue of meekness and tend to think it indicates weakness. Meekness is a gentleness that restrains us from anger. Meekness is not something we can achieve in our own earthly strength. It is something only Jesus can give.”

The “meek” or gentle are the third group of people named as blessed or happy in the Beatitudes (v. 5; Ps. 37:11). The blessings in the Beatitudes, including meekness, are blessings we can and should pray for; they are also qualities or virtues to which we should aspire. Commentator Frederick Dale Bruner describes the meek as “those who make no claims for themselves before God or before other people.” Surprisingly, for reasons similar to those implied in verse 3, they will “inherit the earth,” despite not being aggressive or ambitious. The earth is the Lord’s to do with as He chooses.

The fourth group are people who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (v. 6). They are in fact starving for righteousness. They desire to be utterly free from the power of sin and completely conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). These people will be “filled” or satisfied, which can only happen through the work of our righteous God.

The fifth group who are blessed or happy are the “merciful” (v. 7). Augustine interpreted this quality specifically as coming to the aid of the poor and needy. Appropriately, they themselves “will be shown mercy.”

The sixth group are the “pure in heart” (v. 8). According to D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, this phrase means genuine, sincere, and single-minded in one’s devotion to God. Such people “will see God,” an incredible blessing and promise.

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The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most highly esteemed honors in the world, given to an organization or a person who has worked tirelessly for peace, reconciliation, human rights, or justice. In 2014, Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for championing the rights of all children to receive an education.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus taught that blessed are the peacemakers (v. 9). This is the seventh group highlighted by Jesus as blessed or happy. Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, doesn’t just mean the absence of war or conflict. It signifies overall well-being and can be applied to any set of social relationships, from nations to families and friendships. Those who contribute to peace in this sense “will be called children of God,” a result that focuses on redemption and the gospel (Rom. 5:1, 10).

The eighth group of people who are blessed or happy are “those who are persecuted because of righteousness” (v. 10). This is further defined as those who are insulted or mocked, lied about, and persecuted for the sake of Christ (v. 11). Satan and the world have always persecuted worshipers of God and will continue to do so until Christ returns. Like the “poor in spirit” (v. 3), this group will receive the kingdom of heaven.

Followers of Christ should rejoice when they’re being persecuted (v. 12)! Why? One reason is because it shows we’re on the right track. The world will treat us as it treated our Master, and we should follow His example while enduring such treatment (1 Peter 2:21–24). Another reason is we will receive a “reward in heaven.” We stand in a long historical line of faithful worshipers of God who have been persecuted, including the Old Testament prophets (Matt. 23:29–31).

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In post-Christian America, an increasing percentage of children are born to couples who are cohabiting but not married. According to the Institute for Family Studies, “such children are approximately twice as likely to see their parents break up by the time they turn 12.” Researchers have also studied the long-term detrimental effects family instability has on these children.

Marriage is not simply a social institution, but a moral and spiritual relationship instituted by God (Gen. 2:24). That’s why divorce is a serious issue. The Mosaic Law did allow for divorce in certain circumstances (v. 31; Deut. 24:1–4). But in Matthew 5, Jesus once again raised the bar saying the only legitimate justification is sexual unfaithfulness (v. 32). What’s more, a man who divorces his wife for any other reason makes her a victim of adultery, and to marry a wrongly divorced woman is to commit adultery. In other words, divorce doesn’t automatically open the door to remarriage. In the early church, as the gospel went out to the Gentile world, the apostle Paul indicated that spousal abandonment due to an unbelieving spouse being unwilling to live with a believer is also potential grounds for divorce (1 Cor. 7:12–15).

In our permissive society, these teachings sound harsh and are often ignored, even by Christians. But the text is clear: We are to take seriously the divine origin of marriage. Jesus spoke in Matthew 19:1–12 on the created sanctity of marriage (vv. 4–6). Both marriage and singleness are callings (vv. 11–12). Moses allowed divorce not because it was God’s desire but because people’s hearts were spiritually hard (v. 8). Jesus taught against divorce, except in the case of sexual unfaithfulness (v. 9). Like many today, His disciples thought this teaching was a difficult one to accept.

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Salt adds flavor to our food, but it is such a flavorful additive that we tend to overindulge. A high percentage of Americans consume more than the recommended daily amount of sodium. If we could cut salt intake by even 10 percent, we could prevent hundreds of thousands of heart attacks and strokes over time. But salt doesn’t just add flavor, it acts as a preservative. Jesus may have had both these meanings in mind when He called His followers “the salt of the earth” (v. 13).

A second metaphor Jesus used for His followers was “the light of the world” (vv. 14–16). This image emphasizes the need for light to see by; we help others “see” by doing good deeds and bringing glory to God (see Eph. 2:10). This makes sense since Christ is the original Light of the World (John 8:12). Our light depends on His light.

Both salt and light are transformative by nature. Adding salt to a dish changes the taste of the food. When we light a lamp, the look and feel of a room are changed. Both metaphors also highlight qualities that can be lost, or purposes that can fail to be fulfilled. Good deeds, for example, can be done for our own glory (Matt. 6:1). Salt can lose its flavor; light can be hidden. Moral and spiritual uselessness is tragic.

We don’t need to try to become salt or light. Jesus simply said that we are salt and light. One implication is that we became salt and light when we trusted Christ for salvation. Another is that we have a responsibility to remain salt and light and not become useless. How can we do so? By faithfully following Christ. In a dark and sinful world, such a person will stand out!

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What did Jesus mean when He said that “not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen” will disappear from the Law (Matt. 5:18)? The King James Version translates this phrase as “one jot or one tittle.” A “jot” is literally the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, while a “tittle” is a tiny mark or stroke that distinguishes between similar letters.

Today, we might say that “not even one apostrophe” will disappear from the Law until all is fulfilled. The question Jesus addresses is the relationship between His teachings and the Mosaic Law. Were they in conflict? No. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (v. 17). That is, He would not delete it but accomplish it (v. 18). How? As the only human being who never sinned, Jesus was the only person ever to obey the Law—including the Prophets, meaning all of Scripture—perfectly.

Therefore, the Old Testament should not be “set aside” (v. 19), or as other translations have it, “relaxed,” “ignored,” “broken,” or “trivialized.” Some advocate this position, claiming that the Old Testament is no longer relevant. According to Jesus, however, there is an ongoing responsibility to teach and practice Scripture’s moral and spiritual principles.

God’s standards for holiness did not change in the new covenant. Perfect righteousness is needed to enter the kingdom of heaven (v. 20; Deut. 26:16). Jesus’ listeners would have known this was humanly impossible. Knowing we are sinners is the first step in understanding and receiving the gospel. We can have eternal life only when Christ’s righteousness is credited to us (Rom. 4:24; Gal. 3:23–24). While the Law (from God) is good, legalism and hypocrisy (from people) are bad (Matt. 23:23–24). In the rest of chapter 5 Jesus contrasts “You have heard” with “But I tell you.”

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The first anger recorded in Scripture led directly to the first murder (Gen. 4:1–15). When God accepted Abel’s sacrifice but not Cain’s, Cain became angry. God warned him to be on guard because sin was “crouching at your door” (v. 7), but he didn’t listen and murdered his brother. God therefore put a curse on him and exiled him from his community.

The sixth commandment forbids murder (Matt. 5:21; Exod. 20:13). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus raises the bar and connects murder to anger (v. 22). The three statements in verse 22 indicate the same sin: To be angry at someone, to call them “Raca”—a term of contempt, meaning “empty head” or “good-for-nothing” or simply “jerk”—and to insult them are all equivalent actions. As Proverbs indicates, the sin of anger multiplies out to other related sins (Prov. 29:22; 30:33).

To be angry in this context means to desire to harm, damage, or destroy, the opposite of loving our neighbor. One commentator explains that the anger here is ongoing or continuing anger, not a momentary emotion but a deliberate and resentful choice to remain angry. If we have been angry in this way, including feeling scorn or hatred for another or expressing derision or disrespect for them, we have broken the sixth commandment. That is, we have broken the spirit of the commandment, God’s standard of true holiness, and are deserving of judgment and hell.

As followers of Christ, we must therefore rid ourselves of anger and rage (Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8). As with Cain, this sin crouches at our door and waits for us to yield to temptation. Godly love, by contrast, is “not easily angered” (1 Cor. 13:5). In James’s practical words: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).

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In the classic novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Jane is an orphan taken in unwillingly by her aunt. The woman treats Jane unfairly in comparison with her own spoiled children. Jane is a sensitive, passionate child with a keen sense of justice, and is often angry at her aunt. As a young adult, however, she learns about grace and forgiveness. When Jane is called to her aunt’s deathbed, she forgives her, even though her aunt hadn’t changed at all.

In today’s reading, Jesus addresses the topic of reconciliation. Jesus tells us that seeking reconciliation should be a high priority (vv. 23–24). “Therefore” (v. 23) essentially means “so that you don’t harbor ongoing anger or resentment in your heart and thus come under judgment.” We might be about to worship, but if we remember such a situation, no matter how small, we should leave and go repair the relationship (Matt. 5:9). Any sin, including anger, interferes with worship. Once peace has been made, then we can return to the altar.

In general, we are to keep short accounts and not allow anger to fester (vv. 25–26). This makes sense even at a practical level. If anger is left unchecked, we might find ourselves taken to court or thrown in jail. Obviously, it is best to seek reconciliation quickly. To “settle matters” does not mean just to come to terms or stop fighting. Literally it means to “make friends.”

Since any conflict with fellow believers hinders our worship of God, settling the matter is urgent. After all, since Christ reconciled us to God (Rom. 5:10–11), should we deny reconciliation with another? How otherwise can we have a “ministry of reconciliation” or credibly proclaim the “message of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18–19)?

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“I am a sexual sinner,” pastor and author Ray Ortlund told his church one Sunday morning. There was a shocked silence. “I’m not cheating on my wife. I’m not looking at porn. But I am a sexual sinner. If all of the thoughts that went through my head this week were put up on the screens this morning, none of you would want to be my friend.”

Rev. Ortlund understood the high standards for sexual purity taught by Jesus. Here Jesus quoted the seventh commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exod. 20:14). But in Matthew 5, Jesus raised the bar: To even look at a woman lustfully is morally equivalent to committing adultery (v. 28). The “look” is a sustained “stare” that turns her into a sexual object.

We are to fight temptation, and other sins, passionately and fiercely (vv. 29–30). The exaggerated actions suggested here were used to make a point: If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out; if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. Sin is serious because the destiny of our souls is at stake. We should do whatever it takes, with God’s help, to resist temptation and pursue righteousness (Matt. 5:6). Frederick Bruner puts it this way: “Take decisive action against that habit, thing, or person that, though pleasurable and perhaps even seemingly indispensable for living, is in fact ruining our lives.”

God called Job “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8). To uphold his sexual purity, Job “made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman” (Job 31:1). He understood that sin often begins with the eyes.

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