Matthew (Written)

Thursday, 14 November 2024

Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Blessed – the pacificatory,
For they – sons of God – they will be called” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus referred to the pure of heart. Now He next says, “Blessed – the pacificatory.”

The word is found only here in Scripture, eirénopoios. It is an adjective coming from two words meaning “to make peace.” No translations, even the most literal, however, properly use an adjective form in their translation. However, the word pacificatory is such an adjective.

The word pacificatory signifies something that tends to promote peace or is conciliatory. It was first used in the late Middle Ages, somewhere around the late 1500s. It comes from the Latin word pācificātōrius.

The words of Jesus are taken to unintended and unhealthy extremes by liberal churches. This is not speaking of battle or intensely correcting wrongdoing. Jesus has done or will do both. He vigorously rebuked those who mistreated God’s word. He went into a tirade of sorts when He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and merchants in His Father’s house. He will return again and destroy vast armies coming against Israel.

This is not an all-out call for “peace, brother” like the hippies. It is exactly what the word means, to promote peace or make conciliation. Those who work to bring peace between God and man are the particular focus. There is a state of enmity between the two. Without that being restored through a right relationship with Him, there can be no peace.

Under the Old Covenant, Malachi gives a marvelous example of this. After rebuking the priests for their unholy conduct in the presence of the Lord, he says –

“He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And urge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3

Only after there is proper mediation between God and man can the offerings of righteousness be brought before the Lord. Jesus has done this in its fullest sense through the New Covenant. Now, those who work to reconcile others through the word concerning Jesus are the truly pacificatory. They are the peacemakers that are bringing about the kingdom, one soul at a time.

Of such, Jesus next says, “For they – sons of God – they will be called.” The term “sons of God” first goes back to Genesis 6 –

“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, ² that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” Genesis 6:1, 2

This is not referring to giants walking around with knurled brows and clubbed feet. It is a reference to the godly line of Seth which is then noted repeatedly through the rest of Scripture. It is those who live by faith in what God has done for His people. Job (Job 1:6 & 2:1) is called such a son.

Those who expend themselves in making peace, through reconciling men to God will, indeed, be called sons of God.

Life application: The sons of God in Genesis 6 is one of the many highly abused descriptors in Scripture. The reason for this comes down to a single word, sensationalism. And that leads to another matter, popularity and prosperity. By mishandling the word of God through sensationalism, people are thought of as great teachers because they have an ear-tingling message.

But there is nothing sensational about mishandling the word of God. Rather, we should pay attention to the surrounding context, understand the type and form of literature being presented, and then make our evaluations based on that. Such teachings are unpopular because they require hard work and diligent study, but they will show us the heart of God as we continue through the pages of Scripture.

If you want to know more about the sons of God, two sermons in particular from the Superior Word should be viewed: Genesis 6:1-4 (The Nephilim) and Deuteronomy 14:1, 2 (Sons of the Lord God).

Be sure to rightly handle the word of God, and also be sure to be pacificatory in your walk with the Lord. Tell others about the goodness of God in Christ Jesus.

Lord God, may it be our desire and yearning to pursue You through Your word properly at all times. Help us to maintain context, and to evaluate carefully the things that we are looking into. May this be to Your Glory. Amen.

Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Blessed – the pure of heart,
For they – God they will see” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus referred to the compassionate, noting that they will be compassionated. Next, He turns to the first verse I ever memorized. It was on a refrigerator magnate, and I was probably about five. It begins with, “Blessed – the pure of heart.”

Jesus is probably referring to a Psalm of David where this thought is presented as ascending to the temple –

“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.” Psalm 24:3, 4

However, the psalm doesn’t explain how the heart is pure. Nor does Jesus address it now in the Beatitudes. This is the first use of kardia, heart, in the New Testament. One can immediately see the etymological root of our modern words such as cardiology, cardiac arrest, etc. But what is this referring to? HELPS Word Studies is a big help for our understanding –

“kardía – heart; ‘the affective center of our being’ and the capacity of moral preference … ‘desire-producer that makes us tick’ … i.e. our ‘desire-decisions’ that establish who we really are. … [it] is mentioned over 800 times in Scripture, but never referring to the literal physical pump that drives the blood. That is, ‘heart’ is only used figuratively (both in the OT and NT.]”

Moral preferences, then, give us a sense of the meaning. Are we morally geared towards the things of God or toward the things of the world? With that understood, how does one actually have his heart purified? The answer is, “To adjust our moral self to match what God expects of us.” However, more directly, the New Testament answer is, “Through faith.” That is seen several times in various ways –

“So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, ⁹ and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:8, 9

“Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8

In the last example, James is speaking to sinners. To become considered a non-sinner, one must come to God by faith. Only in Him is sin not imputed (2 Corinthians 5:19). When this occurs, our sins are no longer counted against us. Of those who have come to God by faith through Christ, Jesus next says, “For they – God they will see.”

God is Spirit. We will never actually “see” God. To see God in His fullness is not possible because He is infinite. The meaning of Jesus’ words, however, is clearly defined by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 –

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

To behold Jesus is to behold God as He ceaselessly and eternally reveals Himself to us through Him. In Christ, Paul says elsewhere –

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:19 20

To see Jesus is to see the fullness of who God is because in Him dwells the fullness of God. Jesus is the means by which we can see, know, and more fully understand the Creator.

Life application: A couple of days before typing this commentary, the “pope” claimed that all religions are a path back to God. He does not ask any to come to Christ, he tells them that following their path to destruction is ok, and he makes a mockery of what Jesus endured to reconcile us to God.

Don’t be led astray by false teachers and false prophets. If one person could come to God apart from Christ, it would render the purpose of the cross null and void. Jorge Mario Bergoglio will most likely have to stand before God at the Great White Throne, give an account for his faithlessness, and then be eternally consigned to the Lake of Fire because he lacks the faith to have his wicked heart purified.

Status, wealth, position, or fame will not get you to heaven. Only faith in Jesus Christ and His accomplished work will do so.

Lord God, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord who makes access to heaven possible through His shed blood. We glorify You for what You have done through the giving of Your Son. Now, with hearts purified, we may see You because we see His face. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Blessed – the compassionate,
For they – they will be compassionated” (CG).

Jesus continues the Beatitudes in this verse, beginning with, “Blessed – the compassionate.”

The word is eleémón, merciful or compassionate. It can even be translated as being full of pity. It is found only here and in Hebrews 2:17. It is derived from the verb eleeó, to actively have pity on or be merciful to. That will be seen in the next clause.

Both words are most commonly rendered as merciful. However, the words are so similar that to keep from adding a lot of extra words to define mercy, which is necessary in the verb form, the word compassionate makes for a simpler translation. This is seen in the words, “For they – they will be compassionated.”

A single word describes the act. But what does it mean to receive mercy or be compassionated based on one’s own conduct? A good example of this being worked out in a parable is that of the unforgiving servant of Matthew 18 –

“Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, “Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
²⁸ But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, “Pay me what you owe!” ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
³⁵ So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.’” Matthew 18:22-35

Life application: As believing Christians, we should be more aware of this than any others. We, like all humans, stood at enmity with God. We stood in a state of eternal condemnation, forever to be separated from God. But God took the first step, a step that did not need to be taken, and sent Jesus to bring us out of that state –

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10

As this is so, and because we were completely undeserving of the salvation we have been granted, shouldn’t we do our best to be merciful and compassionate to others as well? The greatest sinner is no different than you were. To withhold at least a simple explanation of Jesus to them is the exact opposite of what God in Christ had done for you.

It doesn’t matter what color their skin is, what political party they hold to, or what type of perversion they are engaged in, you were just as lost and separated from God as they are. The only difference is that someone took the time to share the gospel with you. Are you going to be like the unmerciful servant? When you stand before the Lord at the Bema seat of Christ, there will be a price to pay for your uncaring, uncompassionate heart.

Be sure not to have such a meeting. Instead, change your mind and be willing to share the good news of Jesus!

Lord God, give us wisdom on how to conduct our lives before You. We have all kinds of biases, and a cold streak can easily come up in us and get us to stop doing what we should be doing. Regardless of how we look at others, give us the eyes to look at them as You do. They are people deserving of hearing the gospel. What they do with that is up to them. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Monday, 11 November 2024

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Blessed – those famishing and thirsting righteousness,
For they – they will be filled” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the benignant inheriting the land. Now His words continue with, “Blessed – those famishing and thirsting righteousness.”

Despite most translations simply following one after the other with “hunger and thirst,” the verbs are present participles – “famishing and thirsting.” The word peinaó means to famish. To crave or hunger are only figurative meanings which cannot be the intent here.

Jesus is speaking of those who truly long for righteousness in a situation where it is obviously lacking. There is wickedness from above, and it comes from all sides. There is no place where righteousness is practiced. Like a man in a desert, he may hunger during the first days of his lack, but he eventually famishes over what he desires.

The thought is like that of Noah, who preached to a world of wickedness, longing for it to wake up from its slumber, but it was not realized. He was famished from the lack of it and his soul cried out to God over the state of the world. To supplement this and intensify it, the word dipsaó, to thirst, is added.

When facing hunger, it can be quelled temporarily with swallows of water. But when that is lacking, there is nothing to take away the agony of the human body. Jesus combines the two to show what a truly devout person longs for concerning such things. It is a hungering and thirsting with a fervent intensity.

This is something He was fully aware of, having come out of forty days and forty nights where He was deprived of the needs of the body. As it said after that time, “He was hungry.” However, despite His hunger, He craved righteousness even more than food. He wanted nothing more than to please His heavenly father and to fulfill all righteousness. Of such people, He next says, “For they – they will be filled.”

The word translated as filled, chortazó, is a word that actually signifies “to fodder,” as in grazing animals. It is used with a degree of contempt by Plato. Eventually, it came to generally signify satisfying a hunger. However, the earlier connotation would still exist in the minds of the people.

For example, we might say somewhat contemptuously of a large gathering, “Look at all those people grazing in the dining hall.” However, eventually, the word might be taken with a less sarcastic tone. And yet, we would still know the earlier meaning of what the word conveyed. This would be the thought conveyed with this word.

Jesus is saying that as a cow is fed in the stalls or is taken to the open field to dine, so would the people of God be fed with a continuous supply of righteousness. The lack they faced (again, think of Noah) will someday be replaced with an enormous abundance that will never cease as God leads His people, filling their true desire for His glorification.

The reason for this is that one can only truly hunger and thirst after these things when one has faith that God exists. Without that, any righteousness that fills the mind of the person is one that extends from himself and his idea of what righteousness means.

Life application: Depending on where you are in the world today, you will face varying degrees of unrighteousness. In Islamic countries, those who are not Muslims are forced to adhere to nutty laws that are derived from the Koran to some extent or another.

For those who live in Catholic nations, there is often a great tolerance for the allowance of other religions, and quite often, they synchronize with the Catholic doctrine, forming religions like Santeria. However, the overarching rule of Catholicism will take place. As its fundamental teachings are not in line with Scripture, those who hold to a truly literal interpretation of the Bible are actually outcasts.

In Western countries, moral perversion has almost completely taken over the thoughts of those in power. Those who speak against it are almost considered enemies of their own states. However, in hungering after what God’s word says, and in thirsting after what it proclaims, they will someday be filled to overflowing with the goodness of what God has in store for them. As it says in Revelation. 7:16, “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore.”

Hold on to the Lord and stand fast on His word. The time when wickedness shall be eliminated from this world is coming. Jesus will set all things right on that day.

Lord God, You have promised a better world to Your people. It will be a world where righteousness rules and where You alone will be exalted as the true and glorious leader of mankind. May that day be soon. Amen.

Sunday, 10 November 2024

Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Blessed – the benignant,
For they – they will inherit the land” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus noted the poor and that they would be comforted. Continuing now, it says, “Blessed – the benignant.”

Although it is a rare and almost wholly unknown word, the word meek, as almost all translations state, falls short of the intent. The word is praus. It goes beyond what one would think of as meek. HELPS Word Studies says, “This difficult-to-translate root (pra) means more than ‘meek.’ Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God’s strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness. [The English term ‘meek’ often lacks this blend – i.e. of gentleness (reserve) and strength.]”

Of this word, Dictionary.com says, “kind, especially to inferiors; gracious: a benignant sovereign.” Thus, this is the closest English word to the intent of the original. Of such who demonstrate power without undue harshness, it next says, “For they – they will inherit the earth.”

As for the meaning of the word gé, here translated as “land,” the meaning depends on the context. It can mean earth, soil, land, region, country, and so forth. Without having any context, it is difficult to know the exact intent. However, that is only in the sense of Jesus’ words themselves.

There is a context in the broader sense, that He is speaking to Israel under the law. The promise to Abraham was that of the land of Israel. The promise during the Exodus was as well. When facing exile, the promise was a hope of a return to the land of Israel. And even today, it is the hope of the Jews to inherit the land.

For two thousand years, the annual cry has been, “Next year in Jerusalem.” They have resettled in the land, but they do not fully possess the land. Someday, that will change. This was and continues to be the messianic hope of the people of Israel.

They look for their own possession in the land of Israel. And this is what will be portioned out to them in the millennium. Thus, the word “land,” rather than the commonly translated “earth,” appears to make much more sense.

Life application: As has been stated repeatedly already, when presuppositions about Jesus speaking to the church are shoved into the Beatitudes, a faulty idea of what is being said will result.

It is not the hope of the land of Israel or the earth that the church holds. Rather –

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20, 21

Thus, to cram the church into what Jesus is now saying causes a logical contradiction in one’s theology. If we are to inherit the earth, then why would we suppose we were going to inherit heaven?

Israel was promised a millennial reign where they would dwell in the land and rule the nations. This has always been their promise, and it will be realized someday. Be sure to think through why things are said. If it seems like there is a contradiction in what the Bible says elsewhere, then be sure to consider the context. In doing this, you will be in the sweet spot when it comes to avoiding errors in your theology.

Lord God, thank You for the heavenly hope we possess. We can stand firmly on it when we bury our loved ones. Instead of mourning, we can have great joy. Instead of trials, we can look at our difficulties as ways of molding us. In all things, and in all ways, we can forget the temporary when we look to the hope of the eternal. Thank You, O God, for Jesus, who has made this possible. Amen.