Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Matthew 5

Mat 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

went up into a mountain

Cf. Mat 17:1; 8:1.

Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

And he opened his mouth

Having announced the kingdom of heaven as "at hand," the King, in Mat 5—Mat 7, declares the principles of the kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount has a twofold application:

1. Literally to the kingdom. In this sense it gives the divine constitution for the righteous government of the earth. Whenever the kingdom of heaven is established on earth it will be according to that constitution, which may be regarded as an explanation of the word "righteousness" as used by the prophets in describing the kingdom (e.g. Isa 11:4, 5; 32:1; Dan 9:24). In this sense the Sermon on the Mount is pure law, and transfers the offence from the overt act to the motive (Mat 5:21, 22, 27, 28). Here lies the deeper reason why the Jews rejected the kingdom. They had reduced "righteousness" to mere ceremonialism, and the Old Testament idea of the kingdom to a mere affair of outward splendour and power. They were never rebuked for expecting a visible and powerful kingdom, but the words of the prophets should have prepared them to expect also that only the poor in spirit and the meek could share in it (e.g. Isa 11:4). The seventy-second Psalm, which was universally received by them as a description of the kingdom, was full of this. For these reasons the Sermon on the Mount in its primary application gives neither the privilege nor the duty of the Church. These are found in the Epistles. Under the law of the kingdom, for example, no one may hope for forgiveness who has not first forgiven (Mat 6:12, 14, 15). Under grace the Christian is exhorted to forgive because he is already forgiven (Eph 4:30-32).
2. But there is a beautiful moral application to the Christian. It always remains true that the poor in spirit, rather than the proud, are blessed, and those who mourn because of their sins, and who are meek in the consciousness of them, will hunger and thirst after righteousness, and hungering, will be filled. The merciful are "blessed," the pure in heart do "see God." These principles fundamentally reappear in the teaching of the Epistles.

Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed

Psa 1:1; 32:1; 119:1.

in spirit

The beatific character, unattainable by effort, is wrought in the believer by the Spirit (Gal 5:22, 23).

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

hunger and thirst

Isa 55:1; Luk 1:53; 15:17.

Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

kingdom of heaven

Scofield Matthew 3:2, note.

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

reward

Rewards. Mat 6:1-4. (Dan 12:3; 1 Cor 3:14.)

Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt 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.

salt of the earth

Parables (N.T.). Mat 5:13-16; 7:24-27. (Mat 5:13-16; Luk 21:29-31).

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

world

kosmos (Scofield Matthew 4:8, note) = mankind.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

I am not come to destroy

Christ's relation to the law of Moses may be thus summarized:

1. He was made under the law (Gal 4:4);
2. He lived in perfect obedience to the law (Jhn 8:46; Mat 17:5; 1Pe 2:21-23);
3. He was a minister of the law to the Jews, clearing it from rabbinical sophistries, enforcing it in all its pitiless severity upon those who professed to obey it (e.g. Luk 10:25-37), but confirming the promises made to the fathers under the Mosaic Covenant (Rom 15:8);
4. He fulfilled the types of the law by His holy life and sacrificial death (Heb 9:11-26);
5. He bore, vicariously, the curse of the law that the Abrahamic Covenant might avail all who believe (Gal 3:13, 14);
6. He brought out by His redemption all who believe from the place of servants under the law into the place of sons (Gal 4:1-7);
7. He mediated by His blood the New Covenant of assurance and grace in which all believers stand (Rom 5:2; Heb 8:6-13), so establishing the "law of Christ" (Scofield Galatians 6:2; refs.) with its precepts of higher exaltation made possible by the indwelling Spirit.

Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

one jot or one tittle

Inspiration. Mat 5:17, 18; Mat 10:14. (Exo 4:15; Rev 22:19.)

the law

Law (of Moses). Mat 22:36-39. (Exodus 19:1; Galatians 3:1-29).

Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

righteousness

Righteousness. Mat 5:6, 10, 20; Scofield Romans 10:10, note.

Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Thou shalt not kill

Exo 20:13.

Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

hell

Greek Geenna = Gehenna, the place in the valley of Hinnom where, anciently, human sacrifices were offered (2Ch 33:6; Jer 7:31). The word occurs, Mat 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mar 9:43, 45, 47; Luk 12:5; Jas 3:6. In every instance except the last the word comes from the lips of Jesus Christ in most solemn warning of the consequences of sin. He describes it as the place where "their" worm never dies and of fire never to be quenched. The expression is identical in meaning with "lake of fire" (Rev 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15). See "Death, the second" (Scofield Jhn 8:24; Revelation 21:8); also Scofield Luke 16:23, note.

Mat 5:25 Agree 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.

adversary

Luk 12:58, 59. Cf. Pro 25:8; Lam 2:4, 5.

Mat 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

paid

Cf. Isaiah 40:2; Ruth 1:21, 22

farthing

One fourth of a cent.

Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Thou shalt not commit adultery

Exo 20:14.

Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

looketh on a woman to lust…committed adultery

Job 31:1; 2Sa 11:2-5; Jas 1:14, 15; Mat 15:19.

Mat 5:29 And if thy right eye offend 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 hell.

offend thee

Literally is causing thee to offend.

Mat 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

writing of divorcement

Gen 2:23, 24; Deu 24:1; Jer 3:1.

Mat 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

causeth her to commit adultery

Mat 19:3-9; Mar 10:2-12; Luk 16:18; 1Co 7:10, 11; 8:12.

Mat 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

Thou shalt not forswear thyself

Lev 19:12.

Lord

Jehovah. Deu 23:23.

Mat 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

Swear not at all

Cf. Mat 26:63; 2Co 2:17; 1Th 2:5.

Mat 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

the city of the great King

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 6:10. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).

Psa 48:2.

Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

evil

Or, the evil one.

Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

An eye for an eye

Exo 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deu 19:21.

Mat 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Give to him that asketh

Deu 15:7-11; Luk 6:30, 34; 1Ti 6:18.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy

Lev 19:18; Deu 23:3-6.

Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

bless

pray for.

Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust

Act 14:17; Psa 65:9-13; Luk 12:16, 17.

Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

publicans

tax-gatherers.

Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

perfect

The word implies full development, growth into maturity of godliness, not sinless perfection. See Eph 4:12, 13. In this passage the Father's kindness, not His sinlessness, is the point in question. Cf. Luk 6:35, 36.