Matt5v5-7
Mens Bible Study – Matthew 5: V.5-7 – std
First Wednesday each month
Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. esv
Greek Word for ‘meek’ – praus G4239 LN88.50 – Meek Person
LN 88.50 – pertaining to being gentle and mild—‘mild, gentle, meek.’ … and learn from me because I am gentle’ Mt 11:29.
Matthew 11:29 – 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and esv
NOTE the same Greek Word, G4239 was used in both texts.
Matthew 21:5 – Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. Esv
1 Peter 3:4 – but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. Esv
NOTE – the same Greek word (praus G4239) is used in all four scriptures.
The meaning conveys humility and trust in God rather than one with a self-centered attitude.
Consequently, in whatever way various groups of people expected the Messiah to come, they did not anticipate His coming humbly and meekly.
- Yet those were the very attitudes that Jesus was both teaching and practicing.
- The idea of a meek Messiah leading meek people was far from any of their concepts of the messianic kingdom.
- The Jews understood military power and miracle power. They even understood the power of compromise, unpopular as it was.
- They did not understand the power of meekness.
These Jews attitude toward Jesus was consistent till these final words in Mathew 27:42-43. What does that reveal of their attitude toward Him?
42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” esv
How could one say that of preaching the death and resurrection of Christ was perhaps the greatest hinderance to belief in the gospel?
They disregarded such parts of His Word as Isaiah 40-60, which so clearly and vividly portrays the Messiah as the Suffering Servant as well as the conquering Lord.
Gentle is from praos, which basically means mild or soft.
- The term sometimes was used to describe a soothing medicine or a soft breeze.
- It was used of colts and other animals whose naturally wild spirits were broken by a trainer so that they could do useful work.
As a human attitude it meant being gentle of spirit, meek, submissive, quiet, tenderhearted.
The poverty in spirit focuses on our S__________________.
Whereas MEAKNESS focuses on G______ H__________.
Meekness is necessary first of all because it is required for salvation.
- Only the meek will inherit the earth, because only the meek belong to the King who will rule the future kingdom of the earth. “For the Lord takes delight in His people,” says the psalmist; “he crowns the humble with salvation” (Ps. 149:4, niv).
- When the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom, “He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matt. 18:2-4).
WHY is Meekness necessary in order to witness effectively?
How is ‘meekness’ connect to the glory of God?
WHAT would be the Result of Meekness do for us?
HUNGER and THIRST
Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied ESV
- This beatitude speaks of strong desire, of driving pursuit, of a passionate force inside the soul.
- It has to do with ambition—ambition of the right sort—whose object is to honor, obey, and glorify God by partaking of His righteousness.
- This holy ambition is in great contrast to the common ambitions of men to gratify their own lusts, accomplish their own goals, and satisfy their own egos.
Hunger – peinao – G3983 – LN25.17 – to hunger, be hungry. 1a to suffer want. 1b to be needy. 2 metaph. to crave ardently, to seek with eager desire
Thirst – dipsao – G1372, LN 25.17 – (Note the LN number the same….) to suffer thirst, suffer from thirst. 1a figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened.
LN25.17 25.17 διψάωb; πεινάωb: (figurative extensions of meaning of διψάωa ‘to thirst,’ 23.39, and πεινάωa ‘to hunger,’ 23.29) to have a strong desire to attain some goal, with the implication of an existing lack—‘to desire strongly.’ … ‘happy are those who desire intensely to do what God requires’ or ‘… to see right prevail’ Mt 5:6. In Mt 5:6 the two terms διψάω and πεινάω mutually reinforce the meaning of great desire.
What is the necessity for Spiritual Hunger?
Therefore, righteousness is required for spiritual life as food and water are for physical life.
The heart of every person in the world was created with a sense of inner emptiness and need.
Example is the parable of the ‘prodigal son’ – Luke 15:11-32
The first three beatitudes are also costly and painful.
- Becoming poor in spirit involves death to self.
- Mourning over sin involves facing up to our sinfulness.
- Becoming meek involves surrendering our power to God’s control.
What is the meaning of Spiritual hunger?
The fourth beatitude is more positive and is a consequence of the other three. Because when we put aside self, sins, and power and turn to the Lord, we are given a great desire for righteousness. The more we put aside what we have, the more we long for what God has.
What is the meaning of Spiritual hunger?
The Jews’ greatest obstacle to receiving the gospel was their self-righteousness, their confidence in their own purity and holiness, which they imagined was created by good works.
What is the Result of Spiritual Hunger? John 6:35
What marks are there for us to know we have “genuine hunter and thirst for God’s righteousness”?
First is dissatisfaction with self. Romans 7:24
Second is freedom from dependence on external things for satisfaction.
Third is craving for the Word of God, the basic spiritual food He provides His children. Jer. 15:16
Fourth is the pleasantness of the things of God. “To a famished man any bitter thing is sweet” Prov. 27:7
Fifth – the final mark of true spiritual hunger is unconditionality.
Matthew 5:7 – Merciful – Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Merciful implies what behavior of us?
The last four are outward manifestations of those attitudes.
- Those who in poverty of spirit recognize their need of mercy are led to show mercy to others (v. 7).
- Those who mourn over their sin are led to purity of heart (v. 8).
- Those who are meek always seek to make peace (v. 9).
- And those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are never unwilling to pay the price of being persecuted for righteousness’ sake (v. 10).
The Meaning of Mercy – Do we operate this way? We love those who show love to us and merch showed to those who showed it to us. Jesus answer was
Later in Matthew 5 – Jesus explains it at: Matthew 5:43-47… Wrongly interpreted this beatitude becomes just as selfish and humanistic.
A popular Roman philosopher called mercy “the disease of the soul.”
It was the supreme sign of weakness. Mercy was a sign that you did not have what it takes to be a real man and especially a real Roman. The Romans glorified manly courage, strict justice, firm discipline, and, above all, absolute power. They looked down on mercy, because mercy to them was weakness, and weakness was despised above all other human limitations.
A popular Roman philosopher called mercy “the disease of the soul.”
It was the supreme sign of weakness. Mercy was a sign that you did not have what it takes to be a real man and especially a real Roman. The Romans glorified manly courage, strict justice, firm discipline, and, above all, absolute power. They looked down on mercy, because mercy to them was weakness, and weakness was despised above all other human limitations.
During much of Roman history, a father had the right of patria opitestas, of deciding whether or not his newborn child would live or die.
Today we have the underlying motive of self-concern – Expressed today in such sayings as, “If you don’t look out for yourself, no one else will.”
JESUS – The best illustration of the most merciful human being who ever lived.
This beatitude does not teach that mercy to men brings mercy from men, but that mercy to men brings mercy from God.
It is genuine compassion expressed in genuine help, selfless concern expressed in selfless deeds.
Mercy is also to be shown in our attitudes. Mercy does not hold a grudge, harbor resentment, capitalize on another’s failure or weakness, or publicize another’s sin. On a great table at which he fed countless hundreds of people,
Mercy is also to be shown spiritually.
Jesus’ last words from the cross were words of mercy.
Second, we are to show spiritual mercy by confrontation.
Third, we are to show spiritual mercy by praying.
Fourth, we are to show spiritual mercy by proclaiming the saving gospel of Jesus Christ—the most merciful thing we can do.
The Result of Mercy
Matthew 18: 21-35 – The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant….