of God, as no one else can. He is Gods gestions and tries to stir them to yield to
MATTHEW 3:17 10
water. And suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And now a voice came from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.
character, mind and heart. So there are not three Gods, but one only. See also 28:19; John 5:30; 14:26; 16:15; 1 Cor 12:3-6; 2 Cor 13:14; Eph 2:6; 4:4-6; Rev 1:4,5. For Old Testament indications of this truth see Gen 1:26; 16:7; etc. The Old Testament speaks of the Father (Ps 89:26), the Son (Ps 2:12), and the Spirit (Gen 1:2), but reveals that there is but one God (Deut 6:4; Isa 44:6; 45:18).
did not lead Jesus to ascend some earthly throne, but led Him into the desert to be tempted or tested (the Greek word can mean both). Is this the way to bring in a great kingdom by fasting and hunger and temptation? Not mans way surely, but Gods. His kingdom is spiritual. The character of the King had to be tested and approved, and the great enemy of Gods kingdom, Satan, had to be defeated. This temptation demonstrated that Jesus was fully obedient to the Father and truly pleased Him in all things.
Gods Spirit is not a mere influence or impersonal power coming from God, but is a divine person. Notes at John 14:16,17,26.
In those days the dove was a symbol of innocence and harmlessness and gentleness (10:16). Since then it has become a symbol of peace.
It may help us to understand the temptation if we recognize two facts: it was His human nature that was being tempted, not His divine nature (as God He could not be tempted to do wrong James 1:13); and Jesus was tempted as the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45-49). The first Adam was the progenitor of the human race and its representative. Jesus is the progenitor of a new kind of people (Rom 5:12-21). When tempted Adam fell and dragged the whole of humanity into sin with him. Jesus resisted temptation and made it possible for man to arise with Him. The fact of Jesus temptation as a man is stated in Heb 2:18; 4:15. 4:2 Compare Ex 24:18; 34:28; Deut 8:2; 1 Kings 19:8. In the Bible the number 40 is connected with a time of trial and preparation. 4:3 Tempter 1 Thess 3:5; 1 Cor 7:5. Satan wants men to sin so that he can gain power over them, so he makes evil suggestions and tries to stir them to yield to them. This temptation was for Jesus to use Gods power for His own needs, without a word of instruction from God the Father.
Jesus had been conceived by the Spirit of God (1:18), and lived His whole life up to His baptism indwelt by the Spirit. At His baptism He was anointed by the Spirit for the ministry He was about to begin. In His life and ministry He laid aside His own divine powers and privileges and depended on God the Father for everything.
This anointing of Gods Spirit enabled Him to accomplish all He accomplished. See 12:28; Luke 4:18,19; John 4:24; 5:19,30; 6:38; Acts 10:28; Phil 2:7,8; Isa 11:1-5. If this was the way of the Lord Jesus we should not vainly imagine that without Gods empowering Spirit we can live as we ought or serve God as we ought. 3:17 God here calls Jesus His Son. See Isa 9:6; Luke 1:32,35; John 1:1,14,18; 5:1823. This means He fully shared the nature of God, as no one else can. He is Gods only begotten Son (John 3:16). The Father was well pleased with Him because He was without sin of any kind, because He obeyed Him in everything, because He made it the whole business of His life to please the Father. See John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 8:29; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 7:26; 1 Pet 2:22. 4:1 Devil the Greek word for devil (diabolos) means one who accuses or slanders. It is another name for Satan, the chief of demons. Notes on Satan at 1 Chron 21:1; John 8:44; 2 Cor 11:14. In the New Testament we see that there are two unseen kingdoms which oppose one another Gods kingdom and Satans kingdom (12:22-28). Satan tries to destroy Gods kingdom, and tempting others to evil is one method he uses. In studying the temptation of Jesus we can learn a great deal of what Jesus is like, what Satan is like, and how we can gain victory in temptation.
All men need food and there is nothing wrong with trying to provide food for oneself. Temptation comes about the way to do this. For men may listen either to the voice of the devil or to the Word of God. As Gods Son the duty and privilege of Jesus was to trust His Father to meet His needs and to act only on the Word of the Father (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 8:29; Heb 10:5-7). Far better to suffer hunger in the will of God than to fill ones belly in obedience to a suggestion from Satan. And this applies to all that men need, or think they need, in this world. God has His way for men and the devil has his ways. The devil tempts us to doubt Gods provision and to take matters into our own hands and to provide for ourselves regardless of the means. Compare 6:25-33; Luke 12:16-21; Phil 4:19. Compare this temptation with Gen 3:1-6; Ex 16:1-3,28; Ps 78:17-19.
The Lord Jesus had just been anointed for His great ministry by the Spirit of God. The kingdom of heaven was at hand and the King was anointed. However, the Spirit
11 MATTHEW 4:9
4 But he answered and said, It is written,
concerning you, and they will bear you up in their hands,
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from
so that you will not at any time strike
your foot against a stone.
the mouth of God.
7 Jesus said to him, Again, it is written, You shall not test the Lord your God. 8 Again, the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, 9 and said to him, All these things I will give you, if you will fall
5 Then the devil took him up to the holy city, and had him stand on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
He will give his angels a command
willing helpers in the world 2 Cor 11:1315; Gal 1:7. Satan will take his quotations from the Bible out of context and misapply them.
4:4 The Lord Jesus in His fight against Satan used the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. And He put up the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of Satan (Eph 6:16,17). It is written Deut 8:3. Jesus knew Gods Word, understood it, loved it, believed it, and was determined to obey it at any cost. So He was able to overcome temptation and defeat the devil. In this, as in everything, He is an example to us. The importance of knowing the Bible, believing it and obeying it, cannot be overestimated. Those who are ignorant of it will often be unable to recognize Satans temptations, and they will be without their chief weapon if they do recognize them and wish to fight Satan.
The words of v 6 are taken from Ps 91:11,12. They were given to those who live in God and who accept Gods rule over their lives (Ps 91:1-9). The promises there were not given to those who act as they please for their own purposes apart from God. It is never wise to follow a suggestion of the devil, especially when he quotes from the Bible. His aim will always be to get us to act on our own apart from Gods guidance, to have us attempt things for our own reputation or pleasure or profit, and not for Gods glory.
Each of the three temptations Satan brought against Christ had to do with Christs complete submission to Gods will. Christ came to glorify God, not to win fame and name for Himself. It was not for Him to perform some spectacular miracle without moral purpose. 4:7 See Deut 6:16. Men should not get themselves into difficulties and dangers by their foolishness and presumption, expecting God to miraculously deliver them. It is mans business to believe God and obey Him, not to try to force God to do miracles. There is a big difference between presumption and faith. Observe that Jesus used a Scripture rightly interpreted to counter Satans misapplied use of Scripture. For a proper understanding of the Bible, Scripture must be compared with Scripture, and any Scripture should be studied in its context. 4:8,9 Here Satan revealed his secret desire he wants people to worship him. He is the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). As such he wants people to honor him and bow to him and obey him. And men do so, some knowingly, some unknowingly. See Lev 17:7; Deut 32:17; Ps 106:37; 1 Cor 10:20; Rev 9:20. To accomplish this he is active in all matters on earth, both secular and religious.
Every word that comes from the mouth of God where are these words to be found? Jesus was referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. Notice the importance Jesus put on every word God has spoken. In other things Jesus said we can see that He believed in the full divine inspiration of the Old Testament and of His own words, and we have His promise that Gods Spirit would guide His apostles into all truth (so that what they wrote would also be completely true).
He said that not the smallest part of a single letter of the law of Moses would pass away until all of it was fulfilled (Matt 5:18). He taught that words written by David were by the Holy Spirit of God (Mark 12:36). He said that what was spoken to the leaders of Israel was the word of God, and that the Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). He assured us that His own teachings had come directly from God the Father in heaven (John 12:49; 14:24). He said that the Holy Spirit of God would lead His apostles into all truth (John 16:13), and His apostles taught that all the Old Testament Scriptures were given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and that Old Testament prophecy came though holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). They also knew that they were of the truth and wrote the truth. 4:5 Holy city Jerusalem. 4:6 Satan too can quote from the Bible. He will try to use the sword of the Spirit against us. He will deny that the Bible is Gods Word if it suits His purpose. Or he will say it is Gods Word and then pervert its meaning, if that suits his purpose. And He has many
One way he attracts people to himself and his ways is to offer them worldly possessions and power. He can give these things because in a sense they came into his power when he caused Adam to sin. Adam was Gods person to rule the earth (see Gen 1:27,28). He was the father and representative of the human race. Satan succeeded in gaining a large measure of control over the human race because of Adams fall into sin. Compare Luke 4:6;
MATTHEW 4:10 12
down and worship me.
Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
10 Then Jesus said to him, Go away, Satan. For it is written,
Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and on those who sat in the region and
You shall worship the Lord your God,
and you shall serve only him.
11 Then the devil left him, and, at once, angels came and ministered to him.
shadow of death light has dawned.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been thrown into prison, he went to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the lake, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that there might be a fulfilment of what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
18 And Jesus, walking by the lake of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And immediately they left their nets, and followed him.
15 The land of Zebulun and the land of
Kingdom of heaven this phrase is found only in Matthew. Mark, Luke, and John all use the similar phrase kingdom of God. The teaching about Gods kingdom is a very important one in the New Testament. It is referred to nearly 50 times in Matthew and about 140 times in the NT as a whole. Some important references are 5:3-10; 6:10,33; 7:21; 13:11; 16:28; 18:3,23; 21:43; 24:14; 25:34; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:3,6; 14:22; Rom 14:17; 1 Cor 4:20; 6:9,10; 15:24,50; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5; Col 1:13; Heb 1:8; 12:28; Rev 1:9; 11:15; 12:10.
John 12:31; Eph 2:1,2; 2 Tim 2:26; 1 John 5:19. For only a little of this worlds wealth or glory or power a great many people are willing to abandon righteous principles, reject Gods truth, and follow the way of lies and deceit and selfishness and injustice, which is the way of Satan (it is a very sad thing that some of these call themselves Christians).
The difference between Christ and them is seen in this: they will abandon all principles of righteousness to gain a small piece of land, but Christ would not abandon a single principle of righteousness to gain the whole world. Christ scorned all that Satan offered. He remained determined to be true to God the Father, and do the Fathers will, though it meant poverty, suffering, and death. He is our example. 4:10 See Deut 6:13. This sets forth the limit of true worship. Only The Lord (Jehovah Ex 3:14), the God of the Bible, the Creator of the universe, the only God there is, is worthy of worship (notes at Ex 20:1-6). A clear command of God in the Bible was enough for Jesus. It meant for Him immediate, absolute, permanent obedience. And any suggestion that would lead Him away from that was to be utterly rejected. He is our example in this too. The fact that Jesus accepted worship from others and that God told angels to worship Jesus reveals that Jesus is the incarnation of God (28:17; John 20:28; Heb 1:6). 4:11 Compare Jam 4:7. See Luke 4:13. Satan had to leave for the time, but would return when he could. See here something of the work of heavens angels. See Heb 1:14. 4:12 14:3. 4:13 Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus made it His home for some time during His ministry in the province of Galilee (Mark 2:1; 9:33). 4:15,16 See Isa 9:1,2. The great light was the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Luke 2:32; John 8:12; 12:46. 4:17 Repent see note at 3:2.
Kingdom of heaven indicates a rule that is spiritual and heavenly, having its source in heaven. Kingdom of God means Gods rule among men or in mens hearts. Sometimes Gods kingdom means the outward sphere of His rule, sometimes the inner spiritual rule in the hearts of His believers. Both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus spoke of the kingdom as being near. This was because Jesus the King from heaven was on the scene and His ministry was beginning (2:2; 21:5). So there would be a new and greater manifestation of Gods rule than was known in Old Testament days (see the note on God as King at Ps 47:2; also the note at Gen 50:20; etc). 4:19 Being fishers of men does not mean catching men for ones own purposes. The work of Christs disciples was (and is) to bring men from sin to Christ and eternal salvation. This is the greatest and noblest work on earth. Observe that it is Christ who makes His disciples fishers of men it does not come out of their own hearts and they cannot accomplish it themselves. Christ makes them that as they follow Him as they take His way, obediently listen to His instructions, and receive the Spirit He gives. From the book of Acts and the letters of the apostles we can see what fishers of men they became. 4:20 Observe the power and authority of Jesus call to these men, and their immediate obedience. Here is another example of Gods sovereign choice of some from among men to be His servants (Mark 3:13,14; John 15:16; Acts 22:14,15;
13 MATTHEW 5:1
21 And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother. They were in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 And immediately they left the ship and their father, and followed him.
all over Syria. And they brought to him all who were in the grip of various diseases and acute pains, and those who were demon-possessed, and epileptics and paralytics. And he healed them. 25 And great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan, followed him.
23 And Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease among the people. 24 And his fame spread
And seeing the multitudes, he went up on a mountain, and when he was seated, his
Gen 12:1; Ex 3:4,10; Josh 1:2; Jer 1:4,5). 4:21,22 The Lord Jesus did not chose His disciples from among the priests in the temple, the learned teachers of the law, the wealthy, or the politically or socially powerful. He chose ordinary people in ordinary jobs, and then made them extraordinary in the work of Gods kingdom. Compare 1 Cor 1:26-29. This is still the method of the Lord Jesus. 4:23 Synagogues these were buildings erected by the Jews throughout the land of Israel for the purpose of worship, prayer, and religious instruction and for judging cases related to the law God gave through Moses. They were centers of the religious life of the Jews. The Lord Jesus taught the Word of God in synagogues when their leaders were willing.
over all demons and cast them out of people with a word of command (8:16,28-32). See note also at Lev 17:7. 4:25 Decapolis was a region east of the sea of Galilee and the Jordan river. 5:1 The following teaching of Jesus up to 7:28 is called The Sermon on the Mount because Jesus preached it on a mountain side. He had spoken of the nearness of the kingdom of heaven (4:17), and had preached the good news of the kingdom (4:23). This sermon shows what Jesus meant when He commanded people to repent. It reveals what entering Gods kingdom means, both in ones inner experience and outward behavior. It reveals principles which operate in the Kingdom, and those things which exclude people from the kingdom.
Also He preached to crowds on streets or hillsides or wherever they gathered around Him. His message was the good news that God was establishing His rule in human hearts. And He healed every kind of disease, sometimes with a mere word or touch. He did not do miracles for Himself (v 1-7), but in compassion did a great many for others. This was His three-fold ministry as the Messiah of Israel.
The sermon begins (both in Greek and English) with the word blessed. So we can say the sermon sets forth the blessed life who the blessed are and how they should behave. The blessed are those in the kingdom of heaven (5:3). This sermon does not give specific instructions as to how to enter Gods kingdom but shows what sort of people are in it, and what they should seek to become and do.
Let us learn that teaching and preaching Gods truth is very honorable work, one that the Son of God Himself was happy to do. Let us learn also that He set out to help individuals in every way body, soul, and spirit. He did not preach to suffering people without doing what He could do to relieve their suffering. He is our example. 4:24 Syria the land north and northwest of Galilee. It was occupied for the most part by non-Jews.
This sermon, for the most part, is for disciples of the Lord Jesus, not for everyone (v 2. But see the note there). Those who will not receive Him as their one teacher and guru, and learn from Him in all things, will not truly understand this sermon or be able to practice it. This is for those who have entered Gods kingdom through faith in the Lord Jesus, and those who are not in it cannot really put it into practice (though they may pick out a verse here and there and seem to live according to it). Any attempt they make will be imitation and not reality.
Demon-possessed possession by demons is referred to frequently in the accounts of Jesus ministry. Sometimes the New Testament calls demons unclean spirits or evil spirits. The Bible does not reveal where they came from or how they became demons, but there are hints that may lead us to believe they are fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion against God (12:24; 25:41; Rev 12:3). The Bible nowhere suggests that they are the spirits of human beings who have died.
Corrupt and fallen human nature cannot keep Gods spiritual holy laws (Rom 8:6,7). And fallen human nature is what we all have by birth see notes at Gen 8:21; Ps 51:5; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:9,23. To keep the laws and principles of Gods kingdom, we need to be changed, given new, spiritual life, and receive Gods Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus gives the Spirit to those who repent and receive Him by faith (3:11; John 7:37-39; 14:16,17). Only by living in the Spirit can we practice these spiritual principles. See Gal 5:16-25. The more we are controlled by Gods Spirit the more possible it will be to live as Christ
Demon possession is more than demonic influence on individuals from without. It means the taking over of the bodies of individuals by evil spirits who then live in them. The Lord Jesus had absolute authority
MATTHEW 5:2 14
disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
taught. Without Gods Spirit it is impossible to be truly spiritual, and all men do not have Gods Spirit (John 14:17; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 2:14; Jude 19). We cannot become Gods children and spiritual people by trying to live according to the Sermon on the Mount. But if we are Gods children we should set out by His Spirit to live according to it. For here Jesus is setting forth what it really means to be a child of God, a true believer in Himself, a real disciple. See the note on disciple at 10:1.
know their spiritual poverty and are humbled before God because of it. Why are they the blessed ones? Because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Repentance is necessary to enter Gods Kingdom (3:12; 4:17). The poor in spirit are the ones who repent. They do so because they are convicted of their sins, they see the poverty of their spiritual condition, and they know they have no righteousness, no merit to plead before God. So they humble themselves in the dust before the Lord Jesus and receive Him into their hearts and lives.
In interpreting this sermon we should always keep in mind that it is set in the context of the whole Bible, that we cannot understand it if we ignore this fact, and that the better we understand the Bible as a whole, the better we can understand this sermon. 5:2 Them means His disciples those who had left all to follow Him and learn from Him (see note at 10:1). However, it seems clear from 7:28 that many other people besides His small number of disciples came up where they were on the hillside and heard Jesus speak. Some of Jesus words, especially toward the end of these instructions, seem meant for them as well. 5:3 Blessed this is a translation of a Greek word meaning happy. However it does not mean here a feeling of happiness in the heart, but a happy state, a blessed condition, one that will mean at last eternal joy in Gods presence. This word is used 50 times in the Greek New Testament 28 times in Matthew and Luke alone, 7 times in the Revelation (see references at 11:6). Twice it is used of God 1 Tim 1:11 and 6:15, and speaks of the perfection of bliss of the Eternal One. The word when used in the NT of people speaks of spiritual blessing, the blessing that comes to those who are in Gods kingdom and ruled by God. They have a share in Gods happy condition.
This is put first of the blessings because this is the way into Gods kingdom and the only way. And they who are in Gods kingdom, every one of them, have experienced this, and so Jesus calls them blessed. These blessed ones are not those who think highly of themselves, but those who think lowly of themselves. See Luke 18:10-14. Other examples Gen 18:27; Num 12:3; Job 40:4; 42:5,6; Ps 32:5; 40:17; 51:1-5; 90:8,9; Isa 6:5; Jer 3:25; Dan 9:3-6,20; Rom 7:1825; Eph 3:8; 1 Tim 1:15. See the opposite of all this in Luke 18:9; Acts 8:9; Rev 3:17. God puts very great value on this quality of humility (18:2,3; Isa 57:15; 66:2; Jam 4:6).
The poor in spirit have true enlightenment in some measure they see themselves as they really are and God as He really is. Far from thinking they are God (as some people like to do), they feel themselves to be among the worst of people and worthy of no good thing from God. Only Gods grace can produce this quality in us. We certainly do not have it by nature. Neither this nor the quality of meekness (v 5) has anything to do with a natural sense of inadequacy, or timidity, or a feeling of inferiority. 5:4 This is like saying sad people are really the happy ones. We can see from the place Jesus gives to mourning here in this sermon that it is basic to His whole teaching, that it is a foundation stone on which His kingdom is built.
This does not mean that the blessed in Gods kingdom on earth will never know sorrow or will always experience the emotion of happiness. The fullness of their joy awaits the future. But they have a foretaste of it now, for God shares His joy with His people (John 15:11; 17:13; Rom 14:17; 15:13). True blessedness comes only when we are linked with the true God and His blessedness. The whole Bible was given that men might know of this and come to share it.
This verse is linked with the preceding one. Those who see their spiritual poverty, their sin and sinfulness, will feel sorrow, will grieve that they are such sinners. And they may, for that matter, lament the sad fallen condition of the whole human race. Jesus is not talking about the sorrow of this world, the selfish sorrow that people feel because they cant get what they want, or because they experience losses, or because their hopes are dashed. That kind of sorrow works death (2 Cor 7:10).
See other notes on blessed at Luke 11:28; Acts 3:26; Gal 3:14; Eph 1:3; Gen 12:1-3; Num 6:22-27; Deut 28:3-14; Ps 1:1; 119:1. Who are the blessed in this world? The rich? The proud and powerful? Those who are self-confident and feel very good about themselves? That is the way men think, but Gods thoughts are different from theirs (Isa 55:8,9; Luke 16:15).
The sorrow of those in Gods kingdom is a godly sorrow that works repentance, and so it leads to the happy condition of Gods kingdom. Compare Jam 4:8-10. See godly sorrow at work in psalm 51. Such people will know Gods own comfort to some extent now (Isa 40:1,2; John 14:1; 16:33; 2 Cor 1:35), and know it fully and eternally hereafter
He says the blessed ones are those who are poor in spirit. This means those who
15 MATTHEW 5:7
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
after righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
(Luke 16:25; Rev 21:4). 5:5 Meekness is not weakness. In fact, it is great strength of character. It is a quality of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Himself (11:29; 21:5; 2 Cor 10:1), and we see what it means by looking at His life. Meekness is consistent with the character of a spiritual soldier mightily fighting the battle for truth and opposing sin and Satan (Eph 6:10-17).
If this is not our experience, at least to some extent, then we may be sure we know nothing of Gods righteous kingdom. A person who has no hunger for food, no thirst for water is very sick indeed. Those who have no hunger and thirst for righteousness are spiritually dead.
The Bible does not teach renunciation of desire. On the contrary, it teaches us to have right desires and to desire passionately, hungrily, thirstily for right things. The kingdom of God is not for the self-satisfied but for the desperate, the aching, the one who wants it like the body craves for food and water. Those content with what they are, and willing to behave as everyone else in the world, will never know what true blessedness is.
Meekness is a person humbly accepting the circumstances God has brought him into. It is to be willing to suffer for God, to be slighted or despised without rage and retaliation (see 1 Pet 2:21-23). The meek are those who submit to Gods will, Gods rule over them, and endure what must be endured for His sake (compare 26:39,42; John 18:11). The meek bend their necks to bear Christs yoke and are willing to learn from Him (11:29; Luke 9:23).
See psalm 119 for an example of a man who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. To seek for righteousness means to hunger and thirst for the righteous God (see Ps 42:1,2; 63:1), and for a continual fellowship and right relationship with God. It is to hunger to be like the Lord Jesus who is the altogether Righteous One (Acts 3:14; 1 Pet 2:21,22; 3:18; 1 John 2:1). It is a strong desire to be finished with all that is dark, low, unworthy of God, and unholy. Such people will be filled. When? Progressively now in this life (2 Cor 3:18; Eph 4:24; Phil 3:12). But completely at Christs return (Rom 8:29,30; Eph 5:25-27; 1 John 3:1-3). 5:7 This verse does not teach that God will be merciful to us, save us and bring us into His Kingdom, because we are merciful to others. The mercy that saves sinners has nothing to do with whether or not they were previously merciful. See Acts 9:1-6; 1 Tim 1:13,14. Salvation comes only by repentance and faith in Christ (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Eph 2:8,9; Titus 3:3-6).
Such people are the spiritually strong of the earth now, the blessed ones who will inherit the whole earth later. The greedy and the grasping, the self-assertive, the self-willed seekers after power and property and prestige will have no part in this earth when God gives it to the meek. Compare Ps 37:1,11. That whole psalm shows the difference between those who are meek and those who are not.
How is meekness to be obtained? The same way the other spiritual qualities are obtained they can be produced only by the Holy Spirit as we yield to God. He does this by giving people a proper view of themselves and of others, and a proper attitude toward God. 5:6 Righteousness is a great word of the Bible. The words righteousness, righteous, and righteously are used more than 500 times. These words mean whatever is right and just and true and good in Gods eyes. Righteousness is opposed to all wrong and injustice and crookedness. God, His Kingdom, His aims and purposes, His works, His dealings with men, are all absolutely righteous (Ezra 9:15; Ps 11:7; 19:9; 36:6; 97:2; 145:17; Dan 9:14; John 17:25). And He requires men to be righteous if they would be in His Kingdom and His heaven.
But those who are saved by Gods mercy should show mercy to others. And such will have Gods mercy following them all the days of their lives (Ps 23:6). This verse sets forth a spiritual law of Gods kingdom which is taught elsewhere in the Bible (6:14,15; Ps 18:25,26; Gal 6:7). God does not lay aside spiritual laws with men after they experience His mercy and enter His kingdom. If people will not be merciful to others, what right have they to expect God to be merciful to them? This verse shows what real Christians should be, and indeed, what they are, to some extent. When God saves men He begins to make them what they should be. If we are not being made merciful, we reveal that He has not changed us and brought us into His merciful kingdom.
This verse does not say blessed are those who hunger and thirst after pleasure or money or even spiritual experience. Sinful men (which is what we all are by nature) need righteousness more than anything else, and it is that which they must seek if they are going to exist in a happy state with God forever. What we desire and seek reveals what kind of people we are. Those who have become the children of God by faith in Christ (John 1:12,13) will desire righteousness. They will want to be righteous themselves and to see righteousness prevail on earth. Gods Spirit will produce this desire in them.
What does it mean to be merciful? It is more than to have feelings of compassion it is to perform kind and helpful acts towards those in need (Luke 10:37; Eph 4:32; Heb 6:10; Jam 3:17). It means to forgive those who offend us and to do good