Adapted from Tim MacBride, To Aliens and Exiles: Preaching the New Testament as Minority-Group Rhetoric in a Post-Christendom World (Cascade, 2020), 163-67. Used with publisher’s permission. Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” While Christians in the West can’t… Continue reading Blessed are you when people insult you
Tag: Matt 5
A picture of perfection (Matt 5:48)
In Monday’s post, we looked at Jesus’ confronting command, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:48). Is Jesus calling us to do the impossible? And what did he mean by saying that he’d come to “fulfill” the law (5:17)? So far this week, we’ve seen how Jesus calls us to go beyond… Continue reading A picture of perfection (Matt 5:48)
Love for enemies (Matt 5:43-47)
In Monday’s post, we looked at Jesus’ confronting command, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:48). Is Jesus calling us to do the impossible? And what did he mean by saying that he’d come to “fulfill” the law (5:17)? So far, we’ve seen how Jesus calls us to go beyond the letter… Continue reading Love for enemies (Matt 5:43-47)
Retaliation (Matt 5:38-42)
In Monday’s post, we looked at Jesus’ confronting command, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:48). Is Jesus calling us to do the impossible? And what did he mean by saying that he’d come to “fulfill” the law (5:17)? So far, we’ve seen how Jesus calls us to go beyond the letter… Continue reading Retaliation (Matt 5:38-42)
Truthfulness (Matt 5:33-37)
In yesterday’s post, we looked at Jesus’ confronting command, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:48). Is Jesus calling us to do the impossible? And what did he mean by saying that he’d come to “fulfill” the law (5:17)? Hopefully, when you read 5:21-32 you started to see a pattern. Each time… Continue reading Truthfulness (Matt 5:33-37)
Be perfect? (Matt 5:17-48)
Continuing in our series in The Sermon on the Mount, this week we look at Matt 5:17-48. Today is a bit of an aerial overview of this section as we try to figure out what it’s all about. Let’s look at the “bookends” of this passage now. It starts with this rather confronting statement: 5:17 “Do not think that… Continue reading Be perfect? (Matt 5:17-48)
Salt and Light – Part 2 (Matt 5:13)
See yesterday’s post for part 1. Yesterday we read Matt 5:13-16 and spent some time reflecting on how well we’re being salt and light: and what we might need to change about our lives, to better reflect God to the world. But there is one part of this passage that we haven’t dealt with properly: verse 13.… Continue reading Salt and Light – Part 2 (Matt 5:13)
Salt and Light – Part 1 (Matt 5:13-16)
Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that we, his followers, are salt and light. That’s supposed to be good, right? But if you’ve ever had a bright light shone in your eyes, or been forced to eat a salt sandwich at a youth group camp, you’ll know that salt and light aren’t… Continue reading Salt and Light – Part 1 (Matt 5:13-16)
The Beatitudes – Part 2 (Matt 5:10-12)
See part one yesterday. Yesterday, we saw how the Beatitudes are essentially an announcement of good news for those in Israel who have been waiting for God to act. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Today, we look at the final two Beatitudes, which stand out from the… Continue reading The Beatitudes – Part 2 (Matt 5:10-12)
Introducing the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-9)
See yesterday’s notes for an introduction to the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount begins with what have traditionally been called the Beatitudes: nine statements in the form of blessings. (Have a quick read of them now.) Traditionally, these Beatitudes have been read as though their primary purpose were to tell us… Continue reading Introducing the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-9)
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