Lesson 9

Matthew 5; Luke 6  Lesson 6

Matthew 5:1-12. Jesus Teaches the Beatitudes

1.        What is the relationship between the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in Matthew and the Sermon on the Plain, recorded in Luke?  The Sermon on the Plain was delivered right after the calling of the twelve apostles.  Likewise the Nephite version was delivered right after the calling of the Nephite 12 apostles.  Parts were given expressly to those apostolic ministers rather than to the multitude in general.  The Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain are one and the same.

2.       How are the Beatitudes interrelated?  As taught by Pres. Harold B. Lee, the Sermon on the Mount gives us 8 distinct ways by which we might receive joy.  They are referred to as the Beatitudes and are the preparation necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  He terms them as “The Constitution for a Perfect Life.”

3.       Who are today’s “peacemakers” and why does Matthew call them “the children of God”?  McConkie teaches that those who believe and spread the fullness of the gospel are peacemakers within the perfect meaning of this Beatitude.  Why?  Because the gospel is the message of peace to all mankind.  We become the children of God when we are adopted into the family of God by our devotion to the truth.  This is the course that makes us heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.

4.       In what way does the Lord’s warning about persecution apply in our dispensation?  Persecution for Jesus Christ’s name and mission is the heritage of the faithful.  We should rejoice in persecution because it is evidence of our forsaking the world and coming unto Christ, if we want to be future inheritors of the fullness of the Father’s kingdom.

Matthew 5:13-48.  The Law of Moses if Fulfilled in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

1.        Why did the Savior liken His covenant people to salt?  We use salt to flavor our food.  Salt was part of the offerings prescribed in the Law of Moses and represented the covenant.  It was used to preserve food and to keep it from spoiling.  It is a remedy for infection.  Salt was greatly valued in the time of Christ.  A bag of salt was reckoned as precious as a man’s life. In the Greek “to lose its savor” means to become foolish.

2.       How do we become a light to the world?  It has been suggested on numerous occasions that we become the light of the world we must live the standards given to us and qualify for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.  The example we set and the light in our eyes will influence others and they will desire to be like you. 

3.       Where do we get this light?  The Lord is the light and the Spirit enlightens every man.  A divine light comes into our eyes and countenances when we draw close to the Father and his son, Jesus, the Christ.

4.       What was the purpose of the Law of Moses? It was a schoolmaster for the Israelites to prepare them for the gospel fullness men enjoyed before the day of Moses.  This law was a lesser order.  Jesus came to build upon the foundation of the Law of Moses.  The people did not embrace change.  They thought he was destroying what they had become comfortable doing.

5.       What are jots and tittles?  A jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet (yodh).  It is almost identical to our apostrophe.  Used figuratively the jot would signify something miniscule.  A tittle is a small, horn-shaped mark used to indicate accent in Hebrew.

6.       What does “Raca” mean?  There are two meanings:  a word suggesting contempt or derision in both Aramaic and Greek and it also means imbecile or fool.  It is any expression with the intent to convey improper feelings about another.

Matthew 5:22-44. Jesus’ New Law Transcends the Old

If we compare the Old Law (Moses) and the New Law (Jesus) we are given the standard for living a higher and in a more holy sphere.

                Law of Moses                                                                    New Law

1.       Thou shalt not kill.                                                          Thou shalt not get angry.

2.       Thou shalt not commit adultery.                              Thou shalt not have lustful thoughts.

3.       Divorce is allowed for minor reasons.                    Do not divorce except for adultery.

4.       Do not break oaths made in God’s name.             Do not take God’s name in vain, even in oath

                                                                                       making.

5.       Take an eye for an eye—justice.                              Turn the other cheek—mercy.

6.       Hate enemies.                                                                  Love enemies.

A cunning part of Satan’s attack strategy is to dissociate anger from agency, making us believe that we are victims of an emotion we cannot control.  The Lord wants us to not become angry as anger is yielding to Satan’s influence by surrendering our self-control.  It is a sin that leads to hostile feelings or behavior.

7.        What does it mean to “agree with thine adversary quickly”?  Jesus was saying to avoid law suits and entangling legal difficulties which could result in fines and imprisonment.  This is directed particularly to apostles and missionaries as they carry the gospel message to a wicked world.  It simply means resolve matters sooner rather than later.  To wait means the passions of the moment will escalate into physical or emotional cruelty, and we fall captive to our anger.  This really applies in our families.  Fix the hurt before it can’t be fixed.

8.       How does violation of this teaching lead a person away from God?   We are responsible for our thoughts. Our lives are the sum total of our thoughts.  We become what we think about.  If we want a celestial kingdom, we must have celestial kingdom thoughts.

9.       What does cutting off the right hand represent?  If a situation or circumstance exists which might lead to sin, avoid it—nip it in the bud—cut it out of your life immediately rather than allow it to infect the entire body.  The hand, foot, and eye represent people who are evil and we should separate ourselves from them immediately.

10.   Why would the Savior teach that marrying a divorced woman was adulterous?  The message is she must have a document of divorcement.  If he man simply walks away and does not give her a bill of divorcement, and she remarries, then she has not gone through the legal steps to remarry and has a sexual relationship, then this action becomes adultery.  A divorce is a permanent separation.

11.   What are ways in which we can live a higher law?  If we are offended, we turn the other cheek and if someone asks for help,  we give and give.

12.   What does it mean to go the second mile?  Jesus was talking about the Roman law which authorized troops passing a district to commandeer the people and compel them to carry their luggage.  To comply to this law often resulted in great inconvenience.  The application is we should pay our taxes, abide by the law of the land, and submit to those public burdens that come with citizenship.

13.   Whom should we love?  Our hearts should be open to everyone.  We must love even the neighbor who is difficult to love.  Love should have no boundary—no narrow loyalties.

14.   How do we become perfect like our Heavenly Father?  The Lord gives no commandments that are impossible to obey.  The process of perfection includes challenges to overcome and steps to repentance that may be very painful.  The term perfect was translated from the Greek teleios, which means complete—to be fully developed, to consummate, or to finish.  It does not mean “freedom from error.”  It means achieving a distant objective.  The atonement fulfilled the purpose for which Christ had come to earth.  When he said on Calvary, “It is finished,” he was referring to the culmination of his assignment.  The Greek word from which finished was derived is teleios.  Resurrection is essential for eternal perfection.  Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, our bodies will become incorruptible.  Perfection is gaining eternal life.

Luke 6:1-11.  Jesus heals on the Sabbath.

1.        Why did the Pharisees claim it was unlawful for the disciples to pluck and eat corn on the Sabbath?  The rabbis had developed many rules about what could be done on the Sabbath.  Oddly enough, the Law of Moses permitted a person walking through a field to pick some grain by hand as long as he did not use a sickle to harvest what was not his.  But the Pharisees had an oral law which went further than this.  The handpicking of grain on the Sabbath was forbidden.  Thus the disciples had broken the law.

2.       How was Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath?  Jesus instituted the law and ordained the Sabbath thus making him the only Lord thereof.

3.       What were the ramifications of having a withered right hand in this era of time?  Withered referred to atrophy or paralysis.  The left hand was considered to be unclean.  Thus this malady made the man a social outcast.  A worshiper had to lean the right hand on a sacrificial animal before giving it to the priest to offer at the temple.  This precluded him from participating in certain ceremonies, and so he had no access to the temple and its services.

4.       How can we determine what is good to do on the Sabbath day? Pres. Nelson told us to ask this question:  “What sign do I want to communicate to God by my Sunday activity?” (paraphrased)  It is a matter of doing those things which shows the Lord we love him by spending time doing more meaningful things.  We are to perform good deeds on the Sabbath—faith, charity and using the gifts of the Spirit.  We must govern ourselves by our conscience.  We offer all of our heart, our soul, and our mind.

Luke 6:12-16.  The Savior Calls His Apostles

1.        Why did Jesus pray all night before choosing his 12 apostles?  He had to find those who were among the noble and great spirits seen by Abraham.  They were foreordained and there must not be a mistake made.  He wanted direction from on high so he could choose only those the Father had foreordained to the work.

2.       What is the meaning of apostle?  It means “one sent forth.”  They are special witnesses of the name of Christ.  They have a personal witness of the Lord’s divinity.  They will raise their voices in testimony and have done so in the past.  In addition they must have as their one chief concern the advancement of the work of God on the earth.  They must also have the welfare of God’s children—all of them in their heart—members and non-members alike.  They must give comfort to those who mourn and give strength to those who are weak, and encouragement to those who suffer from paralyzing discouragement, to be friends to the friendless, to nurture the destitute, to bless the sick.

Luke 6:17-49.  Jesus teaches the Sermon on the Plain

1.        Where was this sermon given?  It was in the plain with a great multitude.  It was likely the el-Ghuwayer Plain, the Valley of Ginosar, and the Valley of Gennesaret.

2.       Are the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain the same sermon?  We do not know.  It is speculated that the Sermon on the Mount was given to the disciples after they were called and the Sermon on the Plain was given to the disciples and a multitude.  Notice the instruction to the disciples to not worry about food and clothing and the references to the salt of the earth and the light of the world are not found in Luke’s account.  This would be proper if the Sermon on the Plain was given to the multitude generally and not to the 12 specifically.

3.       Are there distinctive elements of the Sermon on the Plain? There are.  The Beatitudes recorded by Luke are followed by contrasting woes that do not appear in Matthew.  An example:  “Blessed are ye that hunger now.”  This is followed by “Woe unto you that are full!” This likely means that those who are full of a sense of their own righteousness will not hunger and thirst after Him.  “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!”  Those who are striving to act righteously will often offend those seeking to do evil.  These teachings were included because Luke continuously emphasized that Jesus Christ came to correct the unjust conditions of a fallen world.  This sermon also taught lessons on lending, showing mercy, and giving generously.

4.       How do the woes relate to the earlier Beatitudes declaring “blessed are ye”?  The beatitudes are blessings upon the things the world rejects and the woes pronounce judgment upon those things the world loves and finds desirable.  They could be rewritten in negative form to the woes that result from taking an opposite course to that which Jesus counseled.

5.       Why did the Lord issue a serious warning to the rich?  He is saying it is okay to be rich if you seek riches for the right reasons—to do good things for the betterment of others.

6.       Why does the Lord warn us about men speaking well of us? It is okay to be honored for things attained through righteous living.  As wickedness increases it is likely to attain worldly success it will be necessary to join the wicked.  This is not good.

7.       Why does the Lord put such importance on forgiving and showing mercy to others?  We are generously given the opportunity to repent and we should allow others to have the blessing of repenting.  Peace can only be achieved when both are forgiven.  Being merciful is the beginning synonym for the perfection God has and for which we must also strive.  Mercy and forgiveness are at the heart of the atonement and the plan of salvation.  Everything taught in the gospel teaches us that we can change when we need to do so.  We can be helped if we truly want to be helped, and we can be made whole, regardless of the problems we have had in the past.

8.       Verse 38:  What is meant by “good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over” being given “into your bosom”?  This is from a commentary, as I did not understand it.  “The word bosom refers to the upper part of a robe or outer garment that can naturally fold to form a sling or pocket.  The good measure refers to a generous measure of grain poured into one’s robe or lap, which is pressed down and shaken, allowing the grain to settle so that more can be given until it is mounded and running over.  The message behind this image is that we give mercy, forgiveness, and generosity to others, we will receive not only the same, but an overflowing measure of these blessings in return from the Lord.

Elder Dieter F. Uchdorf stated in regard to this promise:  “Shouldn’t this promise be enough to always focus our efforts on acts of kindness, forgiveness, and charity instead of on any negative behavior?  Remember in the end, it is the merciful who obtain mercy.  Heaven is filled with those who have this in common:  They are forgiven.  And they forgive.  Let go of judgment.  Allow Christ’s Atonement to change and heal your heart.  Love one another.  Forgive one another.  The merciful will obtain mercy.”

9.       How do the things we say and do reflect the condition of our hearts?  We are not here to just check things off a list.  The gospel plan shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.  We can each perform good works and we may be motivated to do so based upon our perspective.  That ranges from earthly reward to fear of punishment to loyalty, to duty, to hope of eternal reward, to charity.  It is through the cultivation of the Spirit of God in our lives, this sacred influence will over time educate our desires, strengthen our conscience, will buttress or reinforce our personal judgment, enhance our wisdom, refine our character, strengthen our hope in Christ, and we will be transformed as to why we do what we do.  This should be seen as a divine metamorphosis—one in which we gain the mind of Christ. 

There is a snowball effect.  We attend church because we yearn to partake of the sacrament and to commune with our Father.  We search the scriptures because we experience feeling much like worship as this time is a time of private devotion.  It causes us to shun those things that are inappropriate because we desire to be like the Man of Holiness.  We truly love our Father and Jesus Christ and we desire to keep the commandments as an expression of love and unceasing gratitude.  Keeping the commandments is not grievous, oppressive or burdensome.

10.    What is the relationship between worshipping the Lord and doing what He commands?  The Lord does not want us to simply worship and adore Him.  He wants us to do service for many people.  It is hard to get the gospel from our minds to our hearts.  It is easy to talk about good things.  It is much harder to be practitioners of the word.