THE STORY OF JESUS
Matthew,
Mark, Luke, John rearranged by Subject & in Date order
Part
16 -
SERMON ON THE MOUNT
and
SIMILAR TEACHING
The renowned Sermon on the Mount is from Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 5:1-7:29). Some of the passages are also found in Luke's shorter "Sermon on the Plain" (Luke 6:20-49). Other similar short teaching from Matthew and Luke, and also from Mark are included
Sections 1-40 of Part 16 bring together all the relevant verses from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - in that order.
16.1 THE SERMON
Matthew 5:1 - This is the first of Matthew's Five Discourses, concluding at verse 7:28 with "When Jesus had finished ...":
When Jesus (as he continued teaching and healing in Galilee) saw the vast crowds he went up the hill-side and after he had sat down his disciples came to him.
16.2 TRUE HAPPINESS AND SORROW - "THE BEATITUDES"
(Matthew 5:2-12; Luke 6:20-26)
Matthew 5:2-12 - Then he began his teaching by saying to them,
"How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs!
"How happy are those who know what sorrow means for they will be given courage and comfort!
"Happy are those who claim nothing, for the whole earth will belong to them!
"Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be fully satisfied!
"Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them!
"Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God!
"Happy are those who make peace, for they will be sons of God!
"Happy are those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs!
"And what happiness will be yours when people blame you and ill-treat you and say all kinds of slanderous things against you for my sake! Be glad then, yes, be tremendously glad - for your reward in Heaven is magnificent. They persecuted the prophets before your time in exactly the same way.
Luke 6:20-26 - Then Jesus (after coming down a hillside in Luke's shortened account) looked steadily at his disciples and said,
"How happy are you who own nothing, for the kingdom of God is yours!
"How happy are you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied!
"How happy are you who weep now, for you are going to laugh!
"How happy you are when men hate you and turn you out of their company; when they slander you and detest all that you stand for because you are loyal to the Son of Man. Be glad when that happens and jump for joy - your reward in Heaven is magnificent. For that is exactly how their fathers treated the prophets.
"But how miserable for you who are rich, for you have had all your comforts!
"How miserable for you who have all you want, for you are going to be hungry!
"How miserable for you who are laughing now, for you will know sorrow and tears!
"How miserable for you when everybody says nice things about you, for that is exactly how their fathers treated the false prophets.
16.3 PARABLE: LIVING AS WITNESSES TO JESUS CHRIST - "SALT, AND THE SALT OF THE EARTH"
(Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34-35)
Matthew 5:13 - "You are the earth's salt. But if the salt should become tasteless, what can make it salt again? It is completely useless and can only be thrown out of doors and stamped under foot."
Mark 9:50 - "Salt is a very good thing; but if it should lose its saltiness, what can you do to restore its flavour? You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with each other."
Luke 14:34-35 - "Salt is a very good thing, but if salt loses its flavour, what can you use to restore it? It is no good for the ground and no good as manure. People just throw it away. Every man who has ears should use them!"
16.4 PARABLE: LIVING AS WITNESSES TO JESUS CHRIST -
"LIGHT, AND THE LAMP ON THE STAND"(Matthew 5:14-16; Mark 4:21-23; Luke 8:16-17; 11:33)
Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the world's light - it is impossible to hide a town built on the top of a hill. Men do not light a lamp and put it under a bucket. They put it on a lamp-stand and it gives light for everybody in the house.
"Let your light shine like that in the sight of men. Let them see the good things you do and praise your Father in Heaven."
Mark 4:21-23 - Then he said to them, "Is a lamp brought into the room to be put under a bucket or underneath the bed? Surely its place is on the lamp-stand! There is nothing hidden which is not meant to be made perfectly plain one day, and there are no secrets which are not meant one day to be common knowledge. If a man has ears he should use them!"
Luke 8:16-17 - "Nobody lights a lamp and covers it with a basin or puts it under the bed. No, a man puts his lamp on a lamp-stand so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden now which will not become perfectly plain and there are no secrets now which will not become as clear as daylight."
Luke 11:33 - "No one takes a lamp and puts it in a cupboard or under a bucket, but on a lamp-stand, so that those who come in can see the light."
16.5 JESUS HAS COME NOT TO ABOLISH THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS, BUT TO COMPLETE THEM
(Matthew 5:17-20; Luke 16:16-17)
Matthew 5:17-20 - "You must not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to complete them. Indeed, I assure you that, while Heaven and earth last, the Law will not lose a single dot or comma until its purpose is complete. This means that whoever now relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men to do the same will himself be called least in Heaven. But whoever teaches and practises them will be called great in the kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that your goodness must be a far better thing then the goodness of the scribes and Pharisees before you can set foot in the kingdom of Heaven at all!
Luke 16:16-17 - "The Law and the Prophets were in force until John's day. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed and men are forcing their way into it.
"Yet it would be easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for a single point of the Law to become a dead letter."
16.6 ANGER AND RECONCILIATION
Matthew 5:21-24 - "You have heard that it was said to the people in the old days, 'You shall not murder', and anyone who does must stand his trial. But I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother must stand his trial; anyone who contemptuously calls his brother a fool must face the supreme court; and anyone who looks on his brother as a lost soul is himself heading straight for the fire of destruction.
"So that if, while you are offering your gift at the altar, you should remember that your brother has something against you, you must leave your gift there before the altar and go away. Make your peace with your brother first, then come and offer your gift."
16.7 SETTLING DISAGREEMENTS WISELY
(Matthew 5:25-26; Luke 12:57-59)
Matthew 5:25-26 - "Come to terms quickly with your opponent while you have the chance, or else he may hand you over to the judge and the judge in turn hand you over to the officer of the court and you will be thrown into prison. Believe me, you will never get out again till you have paid your last farthing!"
Luke 12:57-59 - "And why can't you decide for yourselves what is right? For instance, when you are going before the magistrate with your opponent, do your best to come to terms with him while you have the chance, or he may rush you off to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the police-officer, and the police-officer throw you into prison. I tell you will never get out again until you have paid your last farthing."
16.8 ADULTERY AND LUST
Matthew 5:27-28 - "You have heard that it was said to the people in the old days, 'You shall not commit adultery'.
But I say to you that every man who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her - in his heart.
16.9 GETTING RID OF TEMPTATION - "THE OFFENDING 'EYE', 'HAND', 'FOOT'"
(Matthew 5:29-30;18:8-9; Mark 9:43-49)
- These are not literal commands to mutilate ourselves as some sects have and still do in various parts of the world. The aim is to emphasise the importance of getting rid of or avoiding any temptations that may lead us away from the narrow Christian path:
Matthew 5:29-30 - "Yes, if your right eye leads you astray pluck it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than that your whole body should be thrown on to the rubbish-heap.
"Yes, if your right hand leads you astray cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than that your whole body should go to the rubbish-heap.
Matthew 18:8-9 - "If your hand or your foot is a hindrance to your faith, cut it off and throw it away. It is a good thing to go into life maimed or crippled - rather than to have both hands and feet and be thrown on to the everlasting fire. Yes, and if your eye leads you astray, tear it out and throw it away. It is a good thing to go one-eyed into life - rather than to have both your eyes and be thrown on the fire of the rubbish heap.
Mark 9:43-49 - "Indeed, if it is your own hand that spoils your faith, you must cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to keep both your hands and go to the rubbish-heap, If your foot spoils your faith, you must cut it off. It is better to enter life on one foot than to keep both your feet and be thrown on to the rubbish-heap. And if your eye leads you astray, pluck it out. It is better for you to go one-eyed into the kingdom of God than to keep both eyes and be thrown on to the rubbish-heap, where 'their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched'.
16.10 DIVORCE AND ADULTERY
(Matthew 5:31-32; Luke 16:18)
Matthew 5:31-32 - "It also used to be said that 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce'.
But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife except on the ground of unfaithfulness is making her an adulteress. And whoever marries the woman who has been divorced also commits adultery.
Luke 16:18 - "Any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. And so does any man who marries the woman who was divorced from her husband."
16.11 SWEARING AND MAKING VOWS
Matthew 5:33-37 - "Again, you have heard that the people in the old days were told - 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord', but I say to you, don't use an oath at all. Don't swear by Heaven for it is God's throne, nor by the earth for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king. No, and don't swear by your own head, for you cannot make a single hair - white or black! Whatever you have to say let your 'yes' be a plain 'yes' and your 'no' a plain 'no' - anything more than this has a taint of evil.
16.12 DON'T TAKE REVENGE - "TURN THE OTHER CHEEK"
(Matthew 5:38-39; Luke 6:29a)
Matthew 5:38-39 - "You have heard that it used to be said 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth', but I tell you, don't resist the man who wants to harm you. If a man hits your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.
Luke 6:29a - "As for the man who hits you on one cheek, offer him the other one as well!
16.13 DON'T SET LIMITS ON HOW MUCH YOU SERVE - "GO THE EXTRA MILE"
(Matthew 5:40-42; Luke 6:29b-30)
Matthew 5:40-42 - "If a man wants to sue you for your coat, let him have it and your overcoat as well. If anybody forces you to go a mile with him, do more - go two miles with him. Give to the man who asks anything from you, and don't turn away from the man who wants to borrow."
Luke 6:29b-30 - And if a man is taking away your coat, do not stop him from taking your shirt as well. Give to everyone who asks you, and when a man has taken what belongs to you, don't demand it back."
16.14 DON'T HATE - "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES"
(Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-28;32-36)
Matthew 5:43-48 - "You have heard that it used to be said, 'You shall love your neighbour', and 'hate your enemy', but I tell you, Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Heavenly Father. For he makes the sun rise upon evil men as well as good, and he sends his rain upon honest and dishonest men alike.
For if you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even tax-collectors do that! And if you exchange greetings only with your own circle, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do that much. No, you are to be perfect, like your Heavenly Father.
Luke 6:27-28,32-36 - "But I say to all of you who will listen to me: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who treat you badly.
(Verse 32 ....) "If you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that, And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get your money back, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners and expect to get their money back. No, you are to love your enemies and do good and lend without hope of return. Your reward will be wonderful and you will be sons of the most high. For he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked!
"You must be merciful, as your father in Heaven is merciful."
16.15 GIVING GENEROUSLY WITHOUT SHOWING OFF
Matthew 6:1-4 - "Beware of doing your good deeds conspicuously to catch men's eyes or you will miss the reward of your Heavenly Father.
"So, when you do good to other people, don't hire a trumpeter to go in front of you - like those play-actors (the scribes and Pharisees) in the synagogues and streets who make sure that men admire them. Believe me, they have had all the reward they are going to get! No, when you give to charity, don't even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be secret. Your Father who knows all secrets will reward you.
16.16 A PATTERN FOR PRAYER - "THE LORD'S PRAYER"
(Matthew 6:5-13; Luke 11:1-4)
- The Matthew and Luke versions of the Lord's Prayer differ, suggesting a pattern for Christian prayer rather than a rigid form of worship:
Matthew 6:5-13 - "And then, when you pray, don't be like the play-actors. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at street-corners so that people may see them at it. Believe me, they have had all the reward they are going to get. But when you pray, go into your own room, shut your door and pray to your Father privately. Your Father who sees all private things will reward you. And when you pray don't rattle off long prayers like the pagans who think they will be heard because they use so many words. Don't be like them. After all, God, who is your Father, knows your needs before you ask him. Pray then like this -
'Our Heavenly Father, may your name be honoured;
May your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day the bread we need,
Forgive us what we owe to you, as we have also forgiven those who owe anything to us.
Keep us clear of temptation, and save us from evil'."
Luke 11:1-4 - One day it happened that Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said, "Lord, teach us how to pray, as John used to teach his disciples."
"When you pray," returned Jesus, "you should say,
'Father, may your name be honoured -
may your kingdom come!
Give us each day the bread we need,
and forgive us our sins, for we forgive anyone who owes anything to us;
16.17 LEARNING TO FORGIVE, IF WE WANT TO BE FORGIVEN
Matthew 6:14-15 - "... if you forgive other people their failures, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you will not forgive other people, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you your failures."
16.18 FASTING WITHOUT SHOWING OFF
Matthew 6:16-18 - ".... when you fast, don't look like those miserable play-actors! For they deliberately disfigure their faces so that people may see that they are fasting. Believe me, they have had all their reward. No, when you fast, brush your hair and wash your face so that nobody knows that you are fasting - let it be a secret between you and your Father. And your Father who knows all secrets will reward you.
16.19 REAL SECURITY IN LIFE - "NOT FROM MOTH-EATEN AND RUSTING TREASURES ON EARTH"
(Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:32-34)
Matthew 6:19-21 - "Don't pile up treasures on earth, where moth and rust can spoil them and thieves can break in and steal. But keep your treasure in Heaven where there is neither moth nor rust to spoil it and nobody can break in and steal. For wherever your treasure is, you may be certain that your heart will be there too!"
Luke 12:32-34 - "Don't be afraid, you tiny flock! Your Father plans to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give the money away. Get yourselves purses that never grow old, inexhaustible treasure in Heaven, where no thief can ever reach it, or moth ruin it. For wherever your treasure is, you may be certain that your heart will be there too!"
16.20 PARABLE: OUR EYES AS A GUIDE TO OUR INNER BEING - "THE INWARD LIGHT"
(Matthew 6:22-23; Luke 11:34-36)
Matthew 6:22-23 - "The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If all the light you have is darkness, it is dark indeed!"
Luke 11:34-36 - "The lamp of your body is your eye. When your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light, but when your eye is evil, your whole body is full of darkness. So be very careful that your light never becomes darkness. For if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in shadow, it will all be radiant - it will be like having a bright lamp to give you light."
16.21 WE CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MONEY AT THE SAME TIME
(Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13)
Matthew 6:24 - "No one can be loyal to two masters. He is bound to hate one and love the other, or support one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and the power of money at the same time."
Luke 16:13 - "No servant can serve two masters. He is bound to hate one and love the other, or give his loyalty to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and the power of money at the same time."
16.22 WORRYING ABOUT MONEY AND POSSESSIONS -
"HOW GOD PROVIDES FOR THE BIRDS AND THE FLOWERS"(Matthew 6:25-33; Luke 12:22-31)
Matthew 6:25-33 - "That is why I say to you, don't worry about living - wondering what you are going to eat or drink, or what you are going to wear. Surely life is more important than food, and the body more important than the clothes you wear. Look at the birds in the sky. They never sow nor reap nor store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you much more valuable to him than they are? Can any of you, however much he worries, make himself an inch taller? And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They neither work nor weave, but I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was never arrayed like one of these! Now if God so clothes the flowers of the field, which are alive today and burnt in the stove tomorrow, is he not much more likely to clothe you, you 'little-faiths'?
"So don't worry and don't keep saying, 'What shall we eat, what shall we drink or what shall we wear?! That is what pagans are always looking for; your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your heart on the kingdom and his goodness, and all these things will come to you as a matter of course.
Luke 12:22-31 - And then he added to the disciples, "That is why I tell you, don't worry about life, wondering what you are going to eat. And stop bothering about what clothes you will need. Life is much more important than food, and the body more important than clothes. Think of the ravens. They neither sow nor reap, and they have neither store nor barn, but God feeds them. And how much more valuable do you think you are than birds? Can any of you make himself an inch taller however much he worries about it? And if you can't manage a little thing like this, why do you worry about anything else? Think of the wild flowers, and how they neither work nor weave. Yet I tell you that Solomon in all his glory was never arrayed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass, which flowers in the field today and is burnt in the stove tomorrow, is he not much more likely to clothe you, you little-faiths? You must not set your heart on what you eat or drink, nor must you live in a state of anxiety. The whole heathen world is busy about getting food and drink, and your Father knows well enough that you need such things. No, set your heart on his kingdom, and your food and drink will come as a matter of course."
16.23 DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE - "THERE ARE ENOUGH TROUBLES FOR TODAY"
Matthew 6:34 - "Don't worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself! One day's trouble is enough for one day."
16.24 THE PRICE OF CRITICISM AND TREATING OTHERS BADLY - "MEASURE FOR MEASURE"
(Matthew 7:1-2; Mark 4:24-25; Luke 6:37-38; 8:18)
Matthew 7:1-2 - "Don't criticise people, and you will not be criticised. For you will be judged by the way you criticise others, and the measure you give will be the measure you receive."
Mark 4:24-25 - "Be careful how you listen," he said to them. "Whatever measure you use will be used towards you, and even more than that. For the man who has something will receive more. As for the man who has nothing, even his nothing will be taken away."
Luke 6:37-38 - "Don't judge other people and you will not be judged yourselves. Don't condemn and you will not be condemned. Make allowances for others and people will make allowances for you. Give and men will give to you - yes, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will they pour into your lap. For whatever measure you use with other people, they will use in their dealings with you."
Luke 8:18 - "So take care how you listen - more will be given to the man who has something already, but the man who has nothing will lose even what he thinks he has."
16.25 THE HYPOCRISY OF JUDGING OTHERS - "THE PLANK OF WOOD IN OUR OWN EYE"
(Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42)
Matthew 7:3-5 - "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me get the speck out of your eye', when there is a plank in your own? You fraud! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother's speck of dust."
Luke 6:41-42 - "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye' when you cannot see the plank in your own? You fraud, take the plank out of your own eye first and then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother's speck."
16.26 BE WISE WHEN DEALING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THE THINGS OF GOD -
"CASTING PEARLS BEFORE 'SWINE' "Matthew 7:6 - "You must not give holy things to dogs, nor must you throw your pearls before pigs - or they may trample them underfoot and turn and attack you."
16.27 GOD'S GIFTS ARE FREELY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE - "ASK! SEEK! KNOCK!"
(Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10)
Matthew 7:7-8 - "Ask and it will be given to you. Search and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened for you. The one who asks will always receive; the one who is searching will always find, and the door is opened to the man who knocks."
Luke 11:9-10 - And so I tell you, ask and it will be given you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. The one who asks will always receive; the one who is searching will always find, and the door is opened to the man who knocks."
16.28 ASKING IN PRAYER; HOW GOD MEETS OUR REAL NEEDS -
"THE BREAD AND THE STONE, THE FISH AND THE SNAKE"(Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13)
Matthew 7:9-11 - "If any of you were asked by his son for bread would you be likely to give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish would you give him a snake? If you then, for all your evil, quite naturally give good things to your children, how much more likely is it that your Heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him?"
Luke 11:11-13 - "Some of you are fathers, and if your son asks you for some fish, would you give him a snake instead, or if he asks you for an egg, would you make him a present of a scorpion? So, if you, for all your evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more likely is it that your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
16.29 DOING TO OTHERS AS WE WOULD HAVE THEM DO TO US -
"THE GOLDEN RULE" IN THE POSITIVE FORM(Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31)
Matthew 7:12 - "Treat other people exactly as you would like to be treated by them - this is the essence of all true religion."
Luke 6:31 - "Treat men exactly as you would like them to treat you."
16.30 CHOOSING THE PATH TO TAKE THROUGH LIFE - "THE BROAD AND NARROW WAYS"
Matthew 7:13-14 - "Go in by the narrow gate. For the wide gate has a broad road which leads to disaster and there are many people going that way. The narrow gate and the hard road lead out into life and only a few are finding it."
16.31 BEING KNOWN BY WHAT WE DO AND SAY - "THE GOOD AND BAD FRUIT TREES"
(Matthew 7:15-20;12:33-37; Luke 6:43-45)
Matthew 7:15-20 - "Be on your guard against false religious teachers, who come to you dressed up as sheep but are really greedy wolves. You can tell them by their fruit. Do you pick a bunch of grapes from a thorn-bush or figs from a clump of thistles? Every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree is incapable of producing bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. The tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and burnt. So you may know men by their fruit."
Matthew 12:33-37 - "You must choose between having a good tree with good fruit and a rotten tree with rotten fruit. For you can tell a tree at once by its fruit.
"You serpent's brood (Pharisees, who later accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil), how can you say anything good out of your evil hearts? For a man's words depend on what fills his heart. A good man gives out good - from the goodness stored in his heart; a bad man gives out evil - from his store of evil. I tell you that men will have to answer at the day of judgment for every careless word they utter - for it is your words that will acquit you, and your words that will condemn you."
Luke 6:43-45 - "It is impossible for a good tree to produce bad fruit - as impossible as it is for a bad tree to produce good fruit. Do not men know what a tree is by its fruit? You cannot pick figs from briars, or gather a bunch of grapes from a blackberry bush! A good man produces good things from the good stored up in his heart, and a bad man produce evil things from his own stores of evil. For a man's words will always express what has been treasured in his heart."
16.32 ARE WE REALLY DOING GOD'S WILL? or WILL JESUS SAY "I NEVER KNEW YOU!"
(Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46;13:22-30)
Matthew 7:21-23 - "It is not everyone who keeps saying to me 'Lord, Lord' who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the man who actually does my Heavenly Father's will.
"In 'that day' many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we preach in your name, didn't we cast out devils in your name, and do many great things in your name?' Then I shall tell them plainly, 'I have never known you. Go away from me, you have worked on the side of evil!'"
Luke 6:46;13:22-30 - "And what is the point of calling me, 'Lord, Lord', without doing what I tell you to do?" .....
(Chapter 13:22 .....) So he (Jesus) went on his way through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way towards Jerusalem. Someone remarked, "Lord, are only a few men to be saved?"
And Jesus told them, "You must do your utmost to get in through the narrow door, for many, I assure you, will try to do so and will not succeed, once the master of the house has got up and shut the door. Then you may find yourselves standing outside and knocking at the door crying, 'Lord, please open the door for us.' He will reply to you, 'I don't know who you are or where you come from.' 'But ...' you will protest, 'we have had meals with you, and you taught in our streets!' Yet he will say to you, 'I tell you I do not know where you have come from. Be off, you scoundrels!' At that time there will be tears and bitter regret - to see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets inside the kingdom of God, and you yourselves excluded, outside! Yes, and people will come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and take their seats in the kingdom of God. There are some at the back now who will be in the front then, and there are some in front now who will then be far behind."
16.33 WE CAN ONLY TEACH WHAT WE KNOW AND PRACTISE - "THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND"
(Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39-40)
- These verses are included in Luke's Sermon on the Plain, but not Matthew's Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 15:14 - "Let them (the Pharisees) alone. They are blind guides, and when one blind man leads another blind man they will both end up in the ditch!"
Luke 6:39-40 - Then he gave them an illustration - "Can one blind man be guide to another blind man? Surely they will both fall into the ditch together. A disciple is not above his teacher, but when he is fully trained he will be like his teacher."
16.34 PARABLE: THE ONLY REAL SECURITY IS IN JESUS - "THE HOUSE BUILT ON THE ROCK"
(Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49)
Matthew 7:24-27 - "Everyone then who hears these words of mine (the Sermon on the Mount) and puts them into practice is like a sensible man who builds his house on the rock. Down came the rain and up came the floods, while the winds blew and roared upon that house - and it did not fall because its foundations were on the rock.
"And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not follow them can be compared with a foolish man who built his house on sand. Down came the rain and up came the floods, while the winds blew and battered that house till it collapsed, and fell with a great crash."
Luke 6:47-49 - "Let me show you what the man who comes to me, hears what I have to say, and puts it into practice, is really like. He is like a man building a house, who dug down to rock-bottom and laid the foundation of his house upon it. Then when the flood came and flood-water swept down upon that house, it could not shift it because it was properly built. But the man who hears me and does nothing about it is like a man who built his house with its foundation upon the soft earth. When the flood-water swept down upon it, it collapsed and the whole house crashed down in ruins."
16.35 THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
Matthew 7:28-29 - When Jesus had finished these words (at the end of Matthew's First Discourse, "The Sermon on the Mount") the crowd were astonished at the power behind his teaching. For his words had the ring of authority, quite unlike those of the scribes.
Short teaching statements found elsewhere in the Gospels, mainly in Matthew:
16.36 THE REST JESUS OFFERS THE WEARY AND BURDENED
Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all of you who are weary and over-burdened, and I will give you rest! Put on my yoke and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
16.37 LEADING OTHERS INTO SIN - "THE MILLSTONE AROUND THE NECK"
(Matthew 18:6-7; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:1-3a)
Matthew 18:6-7 - "... if anyone leads astray one of these little children who believe in me he would be better off thrown into the depths of the sea with a mill-stone hung round his neck! Alas for the world with its pitfalls! In the nature of things there must be pitfalls. yet alas for the man who is responsible for them!
Mark 9:42 - "... I tell you too, that the man who disturbs the faith of one of the humblest of those who believe in me would be better off if he were thrown into the sea with a great mill-stone hung round his neck!"
Luke 17:1-3a - .... Jesus said to his disciples, "It is inevitable that there should be pitfalls, but alas for the man who is responsible for them! It would be better for that man to have a mill-stone hung round his neck and be thrown into the sea, than that he should trip up one of these little ones. So be careful how you live.
16.38 DISPUTES BETWEEN CHRISTIANS
Matthew 18:15-17 - "But if your brother wrongs you, go and have it out with him at once - just between the two of you. If he will listen to you, you have won him back as your brother. But if he will not listen to you, take one or two others with you so that everything that is said may have the support of two or three witnesses. And if he still won't pay any attention, tell the matter to the church. And if he won't even listen to the church then he must be to you just like a pagan - or a tax-collector!
16.39 THE STANDARDS OF HEAVEN MUST BE THE STANDARDS FOR LIVING ON EARTH
Matthew 18:18 - "Believe me, whatever you forbid upon earth will be what is forbidden in Heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be what is permitted in Heaven."
16.40 THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH - "WHEN TWO OR THREE COME TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS"
Matthew 18:19-20 - "And I tell you once more that if two of you on earth agree in asking for anything it will be granted to you by my Heavenly Father. For wherever two or three people come together in my name, I am there, right among you!"
- The last four Parts 13-16 have brought together stories that demonstrate Jesus' power over nature and with words. The next three Parts show his relationships - good and bad - with the people of his time, and the inevitable outcome of his ministry on earth:
Part 17 - Followers of Jesus: their relationship with him; and what following Jesus means;
Part 18 - Opponents of Jesus, his confrontations with religious thinking and behaviour;
Part 19 - Jesus prophesies his fate and his glory
on to Part 17 - FOLLOWERS OF JESUS OR back to Harmony of Jesus