The Sermon On the Mount
Matthew, Chapter 5
Part I
Matthew 5:1-3) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
(BBE) And seeing great masses of people he went up into the mountain; and when he was seated his disciples came to him.
(CEV) When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down. Jesus’ disciples gathered around him,
(GNB) Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him,
Matthew 4:23-25) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24) And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
25) And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and [from] Decapolis, and [from] Jerusalem, and [from] Judaea, and [from] beyond Jordan.
NOTE: Jesus had just assembled those who would follow Him as the 12 disciples. He then began publicly teaching and “healing all manner of sickness” and disease. Consequently, the word got out and multitudes came to see what was going on.
Regarding “when he was set,”
“After the manner of the rabbis, he seated himself ere he began to teach” [Vincent].
In regards to this verse,
“This sermon is not a presentation of the plan of salvation; nor is its teaching intended for unsaved people. It was addressed to the disciples (5:1, 2) and was intended to be the constitution, or the system of laws and principles, which was to govern the King’s subjects during His reign” [BBC].
2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Concerning this verse,
“not his disciples only, but the whole multitude, who heard him with astonishment; see Mat_7:28. Some things in the following discourse are directed to the disciples in particular, and others regard the multitude in general” [Gill].
3) Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 6:20) And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [be ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
Concerning “blessed,”
“blessed, happy” [Thayer].
“supremely blest; by extension fortunate, well off” [Strong’s].
In regards to “poor in spirit,”
“Luke says simply, Blessed are the poor. It has been disputed whether Christ meant the poor in reference to the things of this life, or to the humble. The gospel is said to be preached to the poor, Luk_4:18; Mat_11:5. It was predicted that the Messiah would preach to the poor, Isa_61:1. It is said that they have special facilities for being saved, Mat_19:23; Luk_18:24. The state of such persons is therefore comparatively blessed, or happy. Riches produce care, anxiety, and dangers, and not the least is the danger of losing heaven by them” [Barnes].
“The poor in spirit are those who acknowledge their own helplessness and rely on God’s omnipotence. They sense their spiritual need and find it supplied in the Lord. The kingdom of heaven, where self-sufficiency is no virtue and self-exaltation is a vice, belongs to such people” [BBC].
“The humble, in contrast with the haughty; those sensible of spiritual destitution” [PNT].
“The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual “assets.” They know they are spiritually bankrupt” [Guzik].
(CEV) God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!
(GNB) “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
(GW) “Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
(MSG) “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.