Exploring Matthew’s Gospel

1. Exploring Matthew’s Gospel Session 4 Greater Righteousness: The Sermon on the Mount

2. o ( di¿kaioj and dikaiosu/nhn • The major theme of the Sermon on the Mount is dikaiosu/nhn, or righteousness • The sermon begins with teaching on the nature of the righteous and righteousness • Moves on to teaching about the practice of righteousness

3. The Opening (5:1-2) • Shades of Sinai (cf. Exodus 24:15) • Sitting was the position of an authoritative teacher • Teaching is to disciples • Jesus is effectively portrayed as the new Moses, the new mouthpiece of God

4. The Beatitudes (5:3-12) • Eight 3rd person plural congratulatories • One 2nd person plural congratulatory • Defining the stuff of righteousness, i.e., right covenant relationships that are wholeheartedly reflective of and devoted to God • Counter to general congratulatory of the culture

5. Salt and Light (5:13-16) • The disciples reflect their reality in their conduct • You are what you do, and you do what you are • Inclusive focus of public discipleship for/to the world • Good works produce glorification of God

6. Validity of Torah, Prophets (5:17-20) • Jesus fulfills rather than abolishes true intent of Torah and Prophets • Jesus declares continuing binding validity of Torah • Greater righteousness focuses on Jesus’ fulfillment of right covenant relationships rather than mere outward obedience to Torah’s demands

7. Six Antitheses (5:21-48) • Jesus presents interpretive framework for doing greater righteousness • Jesus’ declaration/lens takes precedence over former tradition and commands • Loving concern for others rather than self-justification/rationalization at expense of others

8. Six Antitheses (5:21-48) • Perfection (te/leioi) understood not in terms of moral perfection or achievement of purity • Rather, it is living single-minded devotion to God and service to all others • Emphasis is on integrity between one’s God-given reality and one’s conduct toward all others

9. Matthew's Jesus Lens "was said" "I say" Lost Sheep of Israel Sinners The Holy The Righteous The Religious Authorities The Emmanuel Community JESUS Love, Mercy, Justice, Faith The Greater Righteousness Gentiles All nations

10. Greater Righteousness and God (6:1-18) • Jesus interprets the doing of righteousness in three areas of Jewish piety • Hypocrites are play-actors performing for the attention/applause of the audience • Disciples, on the other hand, are to do their righteousness to please God, not people

11. Alms, Prayer (6:1-15) • Almsgiving (6:1-4) • Not a performance but a personal devotion • Prayer (6:5-15) • Not a performance but a personal devotion • Focus on the reality of God’s reign • Full reliance on God • Intertwining relationships of forgiveness

12. Fasting (6:16-18) • Not a performance but a personal devotion • Put on the airs of feasting, rather than fasting • Fasting the world is feasting on devotion to God

13. False Treasures (6:19-24) • Contrast between ultimate values and less-than-ultimate • Call for integrity/conformity between inward reality (“heart condition” of disciples) and outward focus of life • The state of one’s heart and one’s way of viewing/approaching the world shape and reinforce one another

14. False Treasures (6:19-24) Inner condition Lifestyle/Worldview

15. Anxiety (6:25-34) • Overriding concern for God’s reign forms proper framework for viewing the concerns/needs of daily life • Emphasis on faith/trust in God • Emphasis also on proper ordering of perspective/priorities

16. Judging (7:1-6) • Concern for discernment and self-judgment rather than self-justification • Call to renounce habit of harshly judging others, in response to God’s overwhelming mercy to us • Exercise judgment but refrain from judgmentalism • Self-righteous judgment of others should be unthinkable

17. A Parallel: Matt. 6:12 and 7:1-6 God's forgiveness of us Our forgiveness of others God's generosity toward us Our generosity toward others

18. Assurances (7:7-12) • Wholehearted trust of God and devotion to neighbor • “Golden Rule” is the essence of the Torah and Prophets, i.e., a summary of God’s will for us and the ethics of the reign of Heaven • This requires a capacity for empathy and discernment which God will give

19. The Narrow Gate (7:13-12) • Integration of inner/outer, hearing/doing is critical • Doing greater righteousness is not “easy street” since the focus is on God and others rather than on self • This lifestyle of greater righteousness calls for self-examination, self-discipline

20. False Leaders (7:15-23) • The present is a time for alertness, diligence and discernment • Some “inside” the community will belong to the reality and practice of the “outside” • Quality of fruit is evidence of quality of tree; being determines doing, and doing is evidence of being • Obedience, not impressiveness of credentials or works, is key criteria

21. Foundations (7:24-27) • Hearing AND doing is the mark of greater righteousness • This integration of hearing and doing the word of Jesus is the foundation of life in the reign of heaven

22. The Closing (7:28-29) • Jesus has unique, astonishing authority • Sinai again echoed in 8:1 (Cf. Exodus 32:15)

23. Conclusions • Emphasis on Jesus’ reinterpretation of “righteousness” • High expectations for all disciples • Necessity of integrity between: • Inner/outer reality • Belief/action • Disposition toward God/disposition toward others

24. For Next Time: • Read the Community Discourse (ch. 18) Ahhh... Togetherness!