Mat 4:23-9:38 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 4:23-25: 4:23-25 This summary marks the central theme of the section (4:23–9:38 ): the ministry and message of the Messiah. In ancient writings, chapter divisions were unknown; authors would instead begin and end a section with the same expression (called an inclusio ; see 9:35 ). 4:23 The Messiah’s ministry has three main features: teaching , announcing . . . the Kingdom , and healing. • The synagogues were centers for prayer, study, and exposition of Scripture and tradition. They were the social centers of many Jewish villages. The hypocrisy and hostility of the Jewish leaders was evident at the synagogues (6:2 , 5 ; 10:17 ; 12:9-14 ; 13:54 ; 23:6 , 34 ). • Announcing the Good News means presenting the message about the Kingdom of Heaven (9:35 ; 24:14 ; 26:13 ; also Mark 1:1 ; Rom 1:16 ). Most often, the message evokes hostility (see Matt 9:32-34 ; 10:27-28 ; 13:1-9 , 18-23 ).

Summary for Matt 4:23-25: 4:23-25 ^a This summary marks the central theme of the section (4:23–9:38 ^b): the ministry and message of the Messiah. In ancient writings, chapter divisions were unknown; authors would instead begin and end a section with the same expression (called an inclusio; see 9:35 ^c). 4:23 ^d The Messiah’s ministry has three main features: teaching, announcing . . . the Kingdom, and healing.

• The synagogues were centers for prayer, study, and exposition of Scripture and tradition. They were the social centers of many Jewish villages. The hypocrisy and hostility of the Jewish leaders was evident at the synagogues (6:2 ^e, 5 ^f; 10:17 ^g; 12:9-14 ^h; 13:54 ⁱ; 23:6 ^j, 34 ^k).

• Announcing the Good News means presenting the message about the Kingdom of Heaven (9:35 ^l; 24:14 ^m; 26:13 ⁿ; also Mark 1:1 ^o; Rom 1:16 ^p). Most often, the message evokes hostility (see Matt 9:32-34 ^q; 10:27-28 ^r; 13:1-9 ^s, 18-23 ^t).
Summary for Matt 4:24-25: 4:24-25 ^u During Jesus’ day, much of Palestine was in the Roman jurisdiction of Syria (a term that could refer to the entire eastern shore of the Mediterranean). Matthew mentions Syria to show how widespread the news of Jesus was.

• The word translated epileptic refers to epilepsy or demonic oppression. In 17:15 ^v, one so described “falls into fire and water,” that is, the boy was unable to control himself.

• The Ten Towns was a federation of ten cities, most of which were east of the Jordan and southeast of the Sea of Galilee (Damascus, Raphana, Hippos, Abila [or Canatha], Gadara, Scythopolis, Pella, Dion, Gerasa, and Philadelphia [Amman]). These cities were predominantly Gentile and Hellenistic in culture.

‏ Matthew 5

Summary for Matt 5:1-2: 5:1–7:29 ^w This is the first of five lengthy discourses in Matthew (see also 9:35–11:1 ^x; 13:1-53 ^y; 18:1–19:2 ^z; 23:1–26:1 ^aa). The theme of the Sermon on the Mount is the Messiah’s call to righteousness. Paul understood righteousness in terms of God’s saving acts and of a person’s standing before God. Jesus uses the term for moral behavior that conforms to God’s will, as James does. Specifically, righteousness is doing the will of God as Jesus reveals it. This “revelation of righteousness” unifies the entire Sermon.
5:3 ^ab poor and realize their need for him (literally poor in spirit; cp. Luke 6:20 ^ac, 24 ^ad): In the Old Testament, the poor are often depicted as especially pious because oppression by the wealthy leads them to trust in the Lord for salvation and deliverance rather than relying on the power of wealth (Matt 11:5 ^ae; Pss 37:14-15 ^af; 40:17 ^ag; 69:28-33 ^ah; Isa 61:1 ^ai; 66:2 ^aj). In both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts, the “poor” are indeed physically poor, but their trust in God, not their poverty, is what makes them blessed (Isa 57:15 ^ak; 66:2 ^al).
5:4 ^am Those who mourn were those who lamented the spiritual and national condition of Israel (see 23:37-39 ^an; Isa 61:2-3 ^ao; Joel 1:8-13 ^ap; 2:12-13 ^aq, 18-19 ^ar; Rom 9:1-5 ^as; 1 Cor 5:2 ^at; Jas 4:9 ^au). Personal grief, whether caused by sin or tragedy, may also be in view (Mark 16:10 ^av; Rev 18:11 ^aw, 19 ^ax).

• will be comforted: The passive voice is used out of reverence for the holy name of God; the phrase could also be rendered God will comfort them (see also Matt 5:6-7 ^ay, 9 ^az). Comfort will accompany the fulfillment of all that God has promised (Isa 40:1-2 ^ba; 61:2-3 ^bb).
5:5 ^bc those who are humble: See Ps 37:11 ^bd, which Jesus practically quotes here. Elsewhere, Jesus describes himself in similar terms—in contrast to other teachers (Matt 11:29 ^be) and as one who shuns pride (12:17-21 ^bf; 21:5 ^bg). This trait of Jesus is exemplified in his death on the cross (1 Pet 2:23 ^bh; 3:9 ^bi).

• The whole earth could also be rendered the land, thus referring to God’s promise of land to Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12:7 ^bj; 17:8 ^bk; see Isa 60:21 ^bl). A wider sense may also be intended, such as God’s reign over the entire earth (Matt 19:28 ^bm; 28:18-20 ^bn; Ps 115:16 ^bo).
5:6 ^bp those who hunger and thirst for justice (or for righteousness): This refers either to the follower of Jesus whose driving purpose in life is to obey the Lord (cp. 3:15 ^bq; 5:10 ^br, 20 ^bs) or to the disciple’s desire to see justice for all people (Pss 11:7 ^bt; 85:10-12 ^bu; Isa 11:1-4 ^bv; Jer 23:5-6 ^bw; 33:16 ^bx). One with such a longing often prays, “May your will be done on earth” (Matt 6:10 ^by).

• Christ has brought justice and righteousness (Rom 3:21-22 ^bz; 5:1 ^ca); the disciples will be satisfied with it (cp. Pss 42:1-2 ^cb; 63:1-2 ^cc).
5:7 ^cd Jesus made a cardinal virtue of being merciful, that is, showing kindness to those in distress (see 6:12 ^ce, 14-15 ^cf; 9:13 ^cg; 12:7 ^ch; 18:23-35 ^ci; 23:23 ^cj; 25:31-46 ^ck). Those who are merciful now will find God’s mercy in the final judgment.
5:8 ^cl Those whose hearts are pure (see Pss 24:3-5 ^cm; 51:7 ^cn; Isa 6:5 ^co) are contrasted with those who thought that they had satisfied God’s will through ceremonial conformity to tradition (Matt 23:25-26 ^cp). Jesus insisted on simple, true heart-righteousness (see 6:1-24 ^cq; 15:1-20 ^cr; 23:23-28 ^cs; Deut 6:5 ^ct).

• They will see God and thereby attain even more than Moses did (see Exod 33:18-23 ^cu; 34:5-7 ^cv; see also Ps 73:1 ^cw).
5:9 ^cx This beatitude probably targeted zealots—Jewish revolutionaries who advocated the overthrow of Roman domination through violent resistance. The Messiah’s Kingdom would be established by other means.

• those who work for peace: Jesus is not calling for pacifism per se, but rather a different kind of activism.

• Peace is the absence of enmity and the presence of God’s salvation (Lev 26:6 ^cy; 1 Sam 16:4-5 ^cz; Isa 9:5-6 ^da; Zech 8:16 ^db; Eph 2:14 ^dc; Col 1:20 ^dd). Jesus’ disciples are to work for justice, righteousness, reconciliation, and mercy as the effects of God’s salvation through Christ (Matt 5:43-47 ^de; Luke 10:5-6 ^df).
Summary for Matt 5:10-11: 5:10-11 ^dg Jesus’ first disciples were persecuted by hostile Jewish leaders who were offended by Jesus’ new and authoritative revelation (see 10:17-23 ^dh; 11:2-6 ^di; 12:1-8 ^dj; 15:1-20 ^dk; 23:34-36 ^dl). Since then, doing right by associating with Jesus and obeying his teachings has often been a source of persecution (10:24-25 ^dm; 2 Tim 3:12 ^dn).
5:12 ^do The great reward Jesus mentions is not something earned by suffering for doing right; it is God’s blessing to those who have expressed his grace to others (see 10:41-42 ^dp; 20:1-16 ^dq).

• The ancient prophets are closely connected with the New Testament apostles (see also 13:16-17 ^dr; 23:29-36 ^ds; Eph 2:20 ^dt).
Summary for Matt 5:13-16: 5:13-16 ^du The disciples’ good deeds will have profoundly positive effects on the world around them, to the glory of God. With this comes a warning from Jesus: Do nothing that might jeopardize that positive influence. 5:13 ^dv Salt was used for cleansing and preservation from decay (Ezek 16:4 ^dw), in forming covenants (Lev 2:13 ^dx; Num 18:19 ^dy; see study note on 2 Chr 13:5), and as flavor (Job 6:6 ^dz; Mark 9:50 ^ea).

• Salt that lost its flavor became useless, insipid, or dull (see Mark 9:50 ^eb; Luke 14:34 ^ec).
5:14 ^ed light of the world ... city on a hilltop: The attractive quality of the disciples’ lives will draw other people to live similarly and to glorify God (see Isa 2:2-5 ^ee; 42:6 ^ef; 49:6 ^eg; 51:4 ^eh; 56:6-8 ^ei; 60:1-3 ^ej; Phil 2:15 ^ek).
5:16 ^el praise your heavenly Father: Religious hypocrites seek praise for themselves; Jesus’ disciples should seek praise for God (see 1 Pet 2:12 ^em).
5:17 ^en Abolish would mean to eliminate and replace the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets (i.e., the whole Old Testament) as the revelation of God’s will.

• Accomplish their purpose might mean to obey them perfectly, to complete their teaching, or to bring about the fulfillment of their prophecies (see 1:22 ^eo; 2:15 ^ep, 17 ^eq, 23 ^er). Jesus himself is the realization of all that both the Prophets and the Law taught and expected. Now that Christ, the fulfillment, has come, the Old Testament must be understood in light of him (Luke 24:26 ^es, 44 ^et).
5:19 ^eu The realization of the law in Christ means that obedience to all of his commands (see 28:20 ^ev) is the only acceptable response for his disciples.

• Commandment refers to the Old Testament commands (5:18 ^ew) as now fulfilled in Christ’s teaching (see 5:21-48 ^ex).

• the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: Jesus may mean that such an individual will enter the Kingdom, but only barely and with low status; alternatively, some Jewish evidence suggests that he is referring to damnation (cp. 8:12 ^ey, where “those for whom the Kingdom was prepared” are eternally excluded).
5:20 ^ez unless your righteousness is better: Jesus’ disciples must have the substantially new kind of righteousness that Jesus teaches and makes possible (illustrated in 5:21-47 ^fa and summed up in 5:48 ^fb); it is both quantitatively and qualitatively distinct. Just as Jesus is greater than the Temple (12:6 ^fc) and Jonah (12:41 ^fd), so the righteousness of his followers far outstrips that of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees (see 3:7-9 ^fe).
Summary for Matt 5:21-47: 5:21-47 ^ff You have heard. ... But I say: Jesus contrasts his own teaching to six misinterpretations of the law. Each antithesis provides an example of the surpassing righteousness of Jesus. Jesus reveals the will of God as it contrasts with traditions. 5:21 ^fg our ancestors were told: The expression refers to the traditional interpretation of the teachers of religious law and Pharisees. Though their traditions prohibited murder, they did not prohibit hatred. The surpassing righteousness of Jesus demands reconciliation (5:23-24 ^fh); merely refraining from committing murder is not sufficient (5:22 ^fi).
5:22 ^fj judgment ... the court ... hell: The second and third punishments are more severe than would have been typical in Jesus’ day, emphasizing the surpassing righteousness of Jesus and his followers (see 5:20 ^fk). They did not tolerate unreconciled relationships or any devaluation of others.

• If you call someone an idiot: The Aramaic term reqa’ (transliterated as raca) means something like “empty head,” and the clause probably means the same as if you curse someone (literally if you say, ‘You fool’; cp. Jas 2:20 ^fl). Devaluation of people is a sin that manifests itself in various ways.
Summary for Matt 5:23-26: 5:23-26 ^fm Jesus gives two illustrations of reconciliation in community and society.
Summary for Matt 5:27-30: 5:27-30 ^fn Jesus’ righteousness uncovers sin at a deeper level than the external; he reveals the true intent of the law.
Summary for Matt 5:29-30: 5:29-30 ^fo good eye ... gouge it out ... stronger hand ... cut it off: These graphic images call for radical separation from sin. But even self-mutilation, radical as it would be, cannot stop a lustful mind. Jesus is calling for the surpassing righteousness that only he can bring. 5:29 ^fp hell (Greek Gehenna): Gehenna originally referred to a valley outside Jerusalem where some of the kings of Judah worshiped idols and performed human sacrifice by fire (2 Chr 28:3 ^fq; 33:6 ^fr; Jer 7:31 ^fs; 32:35 ^ft). The site was eventually destroyed by Josiah (2 Kgs 23:10 ^fu). In the New Testament, Gehenna describes the place of punishment by God. Unless disciples have surpassing righteousness, they will not enter the Kingdom (Matt 5:20 ^fv) but will be punished eternally (5:22 ^fw; 23:33 ^fx).
Summary for Matt 5:31-32: 5:31-32 ^fy Jesus challenges the misapplication of the Old Testament provision for divorce (see Deut 24:1-4 ^fz; cp. Matt 19:3-9 ^ga): Following the rules does not make divorce acceptable. Jesus allows only one legitimate reason for divorce, sexual infidelity, and forbids casual divorce (see also 1 Cor 7:10-11 ^gb). 5:31 ^gc A notice of divorce is a document stating the legality of a divorce. Evidence suggests that such a document permitted remarriage. “The essential formula in the notice of divorce is, ‘Lo, you are free to marry any man.’ ... The essential formula in a writ of emancipation is, ‘Lo, you are a freedwoman: lo, you belong to yourself’” (Mishnah Gittin 9:3).
5:32 ^gd The exception clause permits but does not demand divorce when one partner has been unfaithful (see also 19:9 ^ge). Notably, Jesus does not demand death for the guilty party (see Deut 22:21-22 ^gf).

• The implication seems to be that by divorcing his wife for illegitimate reasons, the man causes her to commit adultery by wrongly putting her in a situation where she remarries and so breaks the law.

• anyone who marries a divorced woman: It is not clear whether Jesus is referring to any woman who is divorced, regardless of the reason, or only to a woman who is divorced without an acceptable reason (unfaithfulness). The underlying assumption in Jewish divorce law was simple: Legitimate divorces permitted remarriage.
Summary for Matt 5:33-37: 5:33-37 ^gg Jesus here summarizes the Old Testament teaching on oaths (Lev 19:12 ^gh; Num 30:2-4 ^gi; Deut 23:21-23 ^gj; Ps 50:14 ^gk; Zech 8:17 ^gl). The Pharisees had degrees of commitment for oaths—for example, ones that did not mention God were not as binding. Jesus shows that because God is related to all things (heaven, earth, Jerusalem, my head; see also Matt 23:16-22 ^gm), breaking any oath breaks God’s command (see Exod 20:7 ^gn). The point is that one must be altogether truthful. Jesus’ righteousness elevates the disciple’s everyday yes and no to the level of binding oath. Oaths become superfluous to the honest person (Jas 5:12 ^go).
Summary for Matt 5:38-42: 5:38-42 ^gp The Old Testament permitted proportionate retribution (Exod 21:24-25 ^gq; Deut 19:16-21 ^gr), which was to prevent punishments from far exceeding the severity of the offense. Jesus, however, does not permit personal retaliation at all among his followers. Jesus’ way is not to insist on justice but to find victory through suffering and the cross (1 Pet 2:23 ^gs). Some have taken this passage as a guide for all of life (including politics). Others understand it merely as the willingness to forgo one’s personal rights and to forgive as God has forgiven (see Matt 5:48 ^gt; 18:23-35 ^gu). Like the servant in Isa 50:4-9 ^gv and 53:7 ^gw (see also Matt 12:15-21 ^gx), Jesus’ followers are to apply the same virtue to honor, possessions, time, or property. Righteousness does not insist on its own way.
5:41 ^gy Forced labor was a humiliating fact of Roman occupation (see 27:32 ^gz); Jesus turned it into an occasion for exuberant service to God. This saying shows Jesus’ opposition to Jewish revolutionaries, who advocated violent resistance (see 5:9 ^ha).
5:42 ^hb See Deut 15:7-11 ^hc.
Summary for Matt 5:43-47: 5:43-47 ^hd hate your enemy: Jesus is opposing not the Old Testament, but a traditional, though mistaken (cp. Exod 23:4-5 ^he), interpretation of the Old Testament. The “hate” clause is not in the Old Testament (but see Ps 139:21-22 ^hf).
5:45 ^hg By loving all people, Jesus’ followers would not become children of God; they would show by their actions that they are indeed God’s true children, according to his nature and will (see Deut 10:18-19 ^hh).
5:47 ^hi If you are kind only to your friends (literally, If you greet only your brothers): Jews were instructed to greet Gentiles for the sake of maintaining peaceful relations, but such greetings were not the same as those for “brothers”—i.e., fellow Jews.
5:48 ^hj This verse ties 5:20-48 ^hk together as a unit (see study note on 4:23-25).

• you are to be perfect: The term rendered “perfect” means maturity and wholeness in response to Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom, and complete consecration to God (19:21 ^hl; Eph 4:13 ^hm; Phil 3:15 ^hn; Col 1:28 ^ho; 4:12 ^hp; 1 Jn 4:18 ^hq). Perfection has love at its core (see Luke 6:36 ^hr).

‏ Matthew 6

6:1 ^hs This verse introduces the theme of 6:2-18 ^ht, that righteousness should not be done for public recognition but as a service to God.

• Good deeds are acts that conform to God’s pattern for proper behavior: e.g., gift giving (6:2-4 ^hu), prayer (6:5-15 ^hv), and fasting (6:16-18 ^hw). Jesus urges secrecy to counteract the human propensity to seek praise for oneself rather than for God (cp. 5:16 ^hx).
6:2 ^hy the hypocrites: See study note on 23:13.

• The blowing of trumpets accompanied major rituals, including public fasts.
6:4 ^hz your Father ... will reward you: Both now and at the final judgment at the end of history (25:31-46 ^ia).
6:5 ^ib When you pray: Jews prayed regularly at 9 am and 3 pm (see Acts 3:1 ^ic) and had frequent times of public prayer. Hypocrites deliberately sought to be in public places at such times, to be seen by all.
6:6 ^id go away by yourself: Jesus is not prohibiting corporate prayer (see 18:19-20 ^ie; Luke 11:2-4 ^if) but is instructing his followers to avoid using prayer as a means of drawing attention to themselves.
Summary for Matt 6:7-8: 6:7-8 ^ig God cannot be coaxed by endless repetition. The Lord’s Prayer (6:9-13 ^ih) is a model of simplicity in contrast with pagan wordiness.
Summary for Matt 6:9-13: 6:9-13 ⁱⁱ The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 ^ij Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8 ^ik), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity.

• Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34 ^il).

• may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24 ^im; Jer 34:15-16 ⁱⁿ; Ezek 39:7 ^io; Amos 2:7 ^ip).
6:10 ^iq In praying for God’s Kingdom to come soon, Jesus’ disciples pray for his justice, righteousness, peace, and mercy to be established.

• Outside God’s will, no person will be permitted into God’s presence (7:21 ^ir; 12:50 ^is; 21:28-32 ^it).

• on earth, as it is in heaven: This probably refers to all of the first three petitions, not just the third.
6:11 ^iu Give us today the food we need: The disciple, after confidently asking God to provide for daily needs, can go about Kingdom ministry relieved of care (6:25-34 ^iv).
6:12 ^iw as we have forgiven (see also 6:14-15 ^ix; 18:21-35 ^iy): Forgiving others is a reflection of a repentant, regenerate heart, which makes our own forgiveness possible. Those who have experienced God’s forgiveness will forgive. Jesus implies that those who are unwilling to forgive have not perceived God’s mercy, and perhaps have never truly repented.
6:13 ^iz And don’t let us yield to temptation: Just as Jesus was tested (4:1-11 ^ja), temptation will test the disciple’s character. Jesus urges prayer for God’s enabling to stand the test (see 26:41 ^jb; Ps 141:4 ^jc).

• from the evil one: Or from evil. The alternate reading refers to sin in general; the NLT reading refers to Satan, the tempter (see Jas 1:13 ^jd).

• The doxology appended to some manuscripts was added later (probably based on 1 Chr 29:11-13 ^je) to tailor the prayer to the liturgy.
6:16 ^jf Prayer and fasting are frequently connected (Lev 23:27-32 ^jg; Neh 9:1-2 ^jh; Zech 7:3-5 ^ji; 8:19 ^jj; Luke 18:12 ^jk). The practice had been abused before Jesus’ time (Isa 58:3-12 ^jl).
6:20 ^jm treasures in heaven: This was a common image for Jews of Jesus’ day; doing God’s commands became virtually equivalent to accumulating treasures with God. The context (6:19 ^jn; Luke 12:33 ^jo) suggests that Jesus primarily had acts of charity in mind.
6:22 ^jp Your eye is like a lamp: It gives light to the body and so enlightens the entire person.

• Healthy means morally healthy, with simple, wholehearted devotion to God (6:24 ^jq). Here it connotes generosity.
6:24 ^jr The term for money (traditionally mammon) is an Aramaic term for profits or material possessions. Since God tolerates no rivals, Jesus repeatedly warns of the danger of accumulating riches (13:22 ^js; 19:16-30 ^jt; 26:14-16 ^ju; 27:3-10 ^jv; 28:11-15 ^jw), which can be an idol (see Eph 5:5 ^jx; Col 3:5 ^jy). We must trust God to meet our needs (Matt 4:3-4 ^jz; 6:8 ^ka, 11 ^kb, 25-34 ^kc; 7:7-11 ^kd; 10:9-14 ^ke; 14:15-21 ^kf; 15:32-38 ^kg), and the community of disciples is to be mutually supportive (6:2-4 ^kh; 10:40-42 ^ki; 19:21 ^kj; 23:23-24 ^kk; 25:31-46 ^kl; 26:6-13 ^km; 27:57-61 ^kn).
Summary for Matt 6:25-34: 6:25-34 ^ko Jesus taught an anxiety-free existence of simple trust in God for provisions. Jesus’ disciples had abandoned all (4:18-22 ^kp; 9:9 ^kq; 10:5-14 ^kr); Jesus gave them comforting reassurance that God would provide for their needs.
6:26 ^ks Jesus’ logic progresses from lesser to greater: If the Father tends to birds (the lesser), and the disciple is far more valuable to him (the greater), then he will certainly tend to the disciples’ needs (see also 10:29-31 ^kt).
6:30 ^ku Little faith results from the failure to understand one’s value to God and the extent of God’s providential protection.
6:32 ^kv unbelievers (literally Gentiles): Those who fail to know God and follow his will (see also 20:19 ^kw).

• your heavenly Father already knows: Prayer does not inform God about needs; it expresses trust in his provision.
6:33 ^kx Here Jesus gives the positive alternative to worrying. Single-minded commitment to God and seeking his reign through Christ (see 6:19-24 ^ky) must be the primary concern of Jesus’ disciples.

‏ Matthew 7

7:1 ^kz Mercy is a dominant theme in Jesus’ teaching and practice (9:9-13 ^la; 12:1-7 ^lb), but not at the expense of clear opposition to sin (see 18:15-20 ^lc; 23:13-33 ^ld). At the same time, Jesus calls for people to stop oppressively controlling others in the name of pastoral concern. The judgment Jesus prohibits often involves rigorous scrutiny of trivial matters (see 23:23-24 ^le). God alone has the right to judge (see Jas 4:11-12 ^lf).

• you will not be judged: This might refer to God’s judgment at the end of history (see Matt 5:7 ^lg). God measures us by our treatment of others (see 6:12 ^lh; 18:21-35 ^li).
Summary for Matt 7:3-5: 7:3-5 ^lj Jesus exhorts his disciples to minister to others rather than condemning them. Reference to a speck (speck of dust, chip of wood) versus a log in the eye is hyperbolic imagery, intended to heighten the contrast (see 5:29 ^lk; 23:23-24 ^ll; cp. Mic 6:6-8 ^lm).
7:6 ^ln Rabbis often referred to important ideas or Scripture verses as pearls. The mysteries of the Kingdom (13:11 ^lo) are holy (see Exod 29:33 ^lp; Lev 2:3 ^lq; 22:10-16 ^lr; Num 18:8-10 ^ls).

• Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy: Literally Don’t give the sacred to dogs. Jews often referred to Gentiles as dogs (see Matt 15:26 ^lt; see Ps 22:16 ^lu, 20 ^lv) or pigs because those animals were unclean (Lev 11 ^lw). Some interpreters understand this statement as warning that the message of the Kingdom would not be well received by many Gentiles. Others see it as a warning about offering the message of the Kingdom to the resistant Jewish leaders (see Matt 5:20 ^lx; 10:11-14 ^ly; see also Heb 10:29 ^lz) or to unbelievers in general (see Matt 18:17 ^ma; see also 1 Cor 2:13-16 ^mb; 2 Pet 2:21-22 ^mc).
Summary for Matt 7:7-8: 7:7-8 ^md This passage teaches persistence in prayer, but Jesus does not teach that God will grant extravagant desires. God’s people are to seek daily provision and spiritual blessing (6:10-11 ^me).
7:12 ^mf the law and the prophets: The teaching of Jesus in 5:21–7:6 ^mg is the goal and true expression of the law of Moses. Love is at the core of discipleship (see also Gal 5:13-14 ^mh, 18 ^mi).
Summary for Matt 7:13-27: 7:13-27 ^mj The Sermon on the Mount closes with a call to decide about Jesus and his teaching (see 4:23 ^mk; 9:35 ^ml). Those who hear Jesus’ message regarding the Kingdom must follow him to obtain eternal life or disown him and experience God’s condemnation. There is no middle way (Deut 30:15-20 ^mm; Ps 1 ^mn; Prov 12:28 ^mo; Jer 21:8 ^mp). 7:13 ^mq Entering through the narrow gate refers to the decision to follow Jesus as the Messiah. The wide gate and broad highway refer to the decision not to follow Jesus and his teachings.

• Hell refers to being thrown into the fire, not entering the Kingdom of Heaven, being banished from the presence of Jesus, and being ruined (7:19-23 ^mr, 27 ^ms).
7:14 ^mt Few people come to the light that is revealed in Christ (see 19:23 ^mu; 20:16 ^mv; 22:14 ^mw; see also John 3:19 ^mx; 6:66-71 ^my).
Summary for Matt 7:15-20: 7:15-20 ^mz False prophets speak what people want to hear rather than calling people to live according to God’s will. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 ^na and 18:21-22 ^nb set standards for evaluating a prophet’s truthfulness: His words must conform to God’s word, and his predictions must come true. Jesus unpacks the first requirement: A prophet’s actions must match his words in order to be believable; accordingly, a true prophet’s actions will also match God’s word. Just as the fruit indicates the nature of a tree, so one’s life indicates either a regenerate or unregenerate heart. False prophets are expected at the end of the age (see Matt 24:11 ^nc, 24 ^nd; Acts 20:28-35 ^ne; Rev 13:11-18 ^nf; 16:13 ^ng; 19:20 ^nh; 20:10 ⁿⁱ). In order not to be deceived, Christians must be discerning (see 1 Cor 12:10 ^nj; 14:29 ^nk; 1 Thes 5:21 ^nl; 1 Jn 4:1-3 ^nm; Rev 2:20 ⁿⁿ).
Summary for Matt 7:16-17: 7:16-17 ^no Good and bad fruit refers to moral behavior (see 3:8 ^np, 10 ^nq; 12:33-37 ^nr; 13:8 ^ns; 21:43 ^nt; Gal 5:19-23 ^nu).
7:18 ^nv Spiritual rebirth is absolutely necessary if one is to produce the good fruit that Jesus demands. Good works flow from faith; good works and faith cannot be separated (see Jas 2:14-26 ^nw).
7:21 ^nx The will of my Father is expressed in Jesus’ teachings (see also 12:50 ^ny; 21:28-32 ^nz; Rom 2:13 ^oa; Jas 1:22-27 ^ob).
7:22 ^oc judgment day: The Old Testament concept behind this notion is the “day of the Lord,” when God will come to rescue the faithful and judge the oppressors (Isa 13–14 ^od; Joel 2:1-32 ^oe; Zeph 1:14-16 ^of). In Jesus’ teaching, this day is when all will be judged for their response to him (see Matt 10:15 ^og; 11:20-24 ^oh; 12:36 ^oi; 24:19-50 ^oj; 25:13 ^ok, 31-46 ^ol; Acts 17:31 ^om; Rom 2:16 ^on).

• Neither charismatic gifts nor public accomplishments in Jesus’ name will necessarily bring God’s acceptance; the decisive issue is obedience (Matt 7:21 ^oo).
7:23 ^op I never knew you: These people were never converted, even though they did great things in God’s name. They break God’s laws through rejection of the Father’s will as taught by Jesus. Having never known Christ, they never learned to do what he commanded.
Summary for Matt 7:24-27: 7:24-27 ^oq The emphasis in this whole sermon (5:3–7:27 ^or) is on doing what Jesus teaches by walking in righteousness (5:20 ^os). To hear and not obey is to choose the wide gate and the broad highway that lead to destruction (Jas 1:22-25 ^ot; 2:14-26 ^ou). Decision is necessary in light of what has been revealed. See Lev 26 ^ov; Deut 28 ^ow, 30 ^ox. 7:24 ^oy A wise ... person perceives that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament promises, willingly submits to him, and walks the path that ultimately leads to blessing (5:3-12 ^oz; 7:13-14 ^pa).

• Building a house directly on rock provides a much stronger foundation than would a dry, sandy riverbed or floodplain (7:26 ^pb).
Summary for Matt 7:25-27: 7:25-27 ^pc The storm is a metaphor for God’s all-knowing judgment (see Jer 23:19 ^pd; Ezek 1:4 ^pe).
Summary for Matt 7:28-29: 7:28-29 ^pf Jesus began teaching only his disciples (5:1 ^pg), but crowds had followed up the mountainside as well.

• Unlike the teachers of religious law, whose authority was derived from the Scriptures they quoted or from the teachings of previous scholars, Jesus taught with real—that is, direct—authority. He quoted Scripture in the Sermon, but his teaching was based on his own authority as the Messiah.

‏ Matthew 8

Summary for Matt 8:1-9:34: 8:1–9:34 ^ph Here the Kingdom of God is manifested with supernatural power (see 4:23-25 ^pi; 11:2-6 ^pj). It reaches people who had been excluded from the blessing of God: Gentiles, lepers, blind people, sick women, demoniacs, tax collectors, those with a chronic hemorrhage, and the dead. Jesus shows compassion, but the religious leaders are provoked to opposition. Jesus calls his followers to faith and discipleship.
8:2 ^pk Leprosy refers to various skin diseases. Lepers were ceremonially unclean; they were excluded from society unless they became symptom-free and a priest pronounced them clean (see 8:4 ^pl; Lev 14:2-32 ^pm). On some occasions, leprosy was a judgment from God (Num 12:9-15 ^pn; 2 Kgs 5:27 ^po; 15:5 ^pp).
8:3 ^pq Be healed: Jesus’ healing of lepers was tangible evidence of the Kingdom in his person and ministry (11:2-6 ^pr).
8:4 ^ps The leper’s healing would be a public testimony—either that the religious leaders were wrong not to trust in the Messiah (10:18 ^pt) or that Jesus was not against the law of Moses (5:17 ^pu).
Summary for Matt 8:5-13: 8:5-13 ^pv Jesus once again ministered to the marginalized or ostracized. The centurion was a Gentile soldier, and ministry to him would have evoked strong resentment from both the nationalistic and the separatist wings of Jewish society. 8:5 ^pw Capernaum is located on the Sea of Galilee, about two and a half miles west of the Jordan River outlet. In Jesus’ day, it was a prosperous fishing village. Standing at a crucial junction on the Great Trunk Road linking Mesopotamia and Egypt, it was an international village, and much of Jesus’ Galilean ministry was based there (e.g., 4:13 ^px; 8:14-17 ^py).

• a Roman officer (Greek a centurion): A centurion, one of sixty commanders in a legion, commanded 100 Roman soldiers (see also Mark 15:39 ^pz; Acts 10:1 ^qa; 27:1 ^qb).
8:7 ^qc I will come (cp. Acts 10:9-35 ^qd; Gal 2:11-14 ^qe): Some have rendered this as a question: Shall I [a Jew] come [into the house of a Gentile, risking defilement] and heal him?
Summary for Matt 8:8-10: 8:8-10 ^qf The centurion recognized Jesus’ authority. From his own experience, he knew that when he gave orders, they were quickly obeyed. He perceived that God had entrusted Jesus with authority to work miracles. The centurion’s faith shows that the Kingdom of God includes Gentiles (8:11 ^qg).
Summary for Matt 8:11-12: 8:11-12 ^qh The influx of Gentiles fulfills Old Testament promises (Isa 2:2-3 ^qi). God’s promise to Abraham included being a blessing to many nations (Gen 18:18 ^qj). Christ fulfills this promise (Gal 3:8 ^qk, 16 ^ql).
Summary for Matt 8:16-17: 8:16-17 ^qm Jesus is the authoritative Lord over every disease and demon. 8:16 ^qn with a simple command: Jesus’ authority extended beyond touch; his words brought healing and life.
8:17 ^qo He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases: When he took the sins of humanity, the Messiah also took our sickness. Sickness exists because sin is in the world, and one of the effects of Jesus’ taking our sin on the cross is physical healing (1 Pet 2:24 ^qp). Jesus’ healings and exorcisms demonstrated, in fulfillment of Scripture, that he is the Messiah (see Matt 11:2-6 ^qq; 12:28 ^qr; 1 Cor 11:29-30 ^qs; Jas 5:13-16 ^qt).
Summary for Matt 8:18-22: 8:18-22 ^qu Jesus confronted two would-be followers with what it truly means to follow him.
8:19 ^qv The teachers of religious law had a prestigious vocation of preserving, learning, and interpreting the Scriptures for the good of society. The way to God was thought to be through them (15:13-14 ^qw; 23:13 ^qx).
8:20 ^qy Following Jesus is not easy; it involves more than intellectual mastery. Following Jesus entails being willing to forgo life’s normal comforts.
8:21 ^qz Another of his disciples: This statement suggests that the teacher of 8:19 ^ra was a disciple as well. Lord suggests a stronger commitment to Jesus.

• bury my father: This was one of the highest religious duties in Judaism, but Jesus requires total commitment to him.
8:22 ^rb Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead: Jesus’ opponents would have misconstrued this instruction as blatant disregard for the fifth commandment to honor one’s parents (Exod 20:12 ^rc), but in essence it is a restatement of the first commandment (Exod 20:1-3 ^rd). It was warranted by Jesus’ messianic authority and the impact of the Kingdom upon normal human life, including family ties and commitments (see Matt 10:34-39 ^re; 12:46-50 ^rf; 19:29 ^rg; Zech 13:3 ^rh; Luke 14:26-27 ^ri).
Summary for Matt 8:23-27: 8:23-27 ^rj The episode at sea extends the theme of what true discipleship involves. The storm challenged the disciples to entrust their very lives to Jesus for protection and deliverance. Jesus even has authority over dangerous weather and the sea (see Job 38:8-11 ^rk; Pss 29 ^rl; 65:1-13 ^rm; 89:9 ^rn; 107:23-32 ^ro).
8:24 ^rp a fierce storm struck the lake: Sudden squalls are common on the Sea of Galilee, which is among mountains.
8:27 ^rq Who is this man? Salvation requires a proper answer to this question and active faith in him. Jesus’ disciples had still failed to understand.
Summary for Matt 8:28-34: 8:28-34 ^rr This episode focuses on Jesus’ authority as well as on the cost of following him; those who walk by faith will, like the Messiah, also experience opposition. 8:28 ^rs possessed by demons ... so violent: Demon-possession was often accompanied by violence, revulsion at the presence of the Son of God (8:29 ^rt), inability to speak (9:32 ^ru; 12:22 ^rv), blindness (12:22 ^rw), seizures (17:15 ^rx), and self-destructive behavior (17:15 ^ry). With Jesus’ exorcisms, the power of the Kingdom broke into human history (12:28 ^rz).
8:29 ^sa Those controlled by Satan immediately recognized Jesus’ true identity as the Son of God (see Mark 1:24 ^sb) and answered the question asked by Jesus’ disciples when he had calmed the storm (Matt 8:27 ^sc). Elsewhere, Jesus’ true nature and identity are acknowledged by the Father (3:17 ^sd; 17:5 ^se), Satan (4:3 ^sf, 6 ^sg), humans (14:33 ^sh; 16:16 ^si; 27:54 ^sj), and Christ himself (11:27 ^sk; 24:36 ^sl; 28:19 ^sm).

• God’s appointed time is the final, eternal damnation of all who oppose God (see Jude 1:6 ^sn; Rev 20:10 ^so).
8:31 ^sp The demons were no match for Jesus’ authority; they desperately begged to avoid imminent doom.
8:32 ^sq Jesus’ word had sufficient authority to expel demons.

• drowned: Jesus had begun to defeat the enemy (12:28 ^sr; Luke 10:17-20 ^ss; Rom 16:20 ^st; Col 2:15 ^su).
8:34 ^sv The tragedy of the incident is that those who witnessed the Son of God’s power to give salvation feared having their world upset, so they rejected him.

‏ Matthew 9

Summary for Matt 9:1-17: 9:1-17 ^sw Controversy ensued among Jesus’ opponents, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees (9:1-13 ^sx), and among the disciples of John the Baptist (9:14-17 ^sy). 9:1 ^sz His own town was Capernaum (Mark 2:1 ^ta), where he apparently relocated from Nazareth after being rejected there (Matt 4:13 ^tb; Luke 4:16-31 ^tc).
9:3 ^td Does he think he’s God? God alone could forgive sins (Ps 103:3 ^te; Isa 43:25 ^tf; Jer 50:20 ^tg). The teachers of religious law failed to comprehend Jesus’ mission as God’s incarnate Son (Matt 3:17 ^th; 11:25-27 ^ti). As God’s Messiah (1:1 ^tj; 11:2-6 ^tk), he was saving mankind (8:17 ^tl; 26:26-28 ^tm).
9:5 ^tn It is easier for Jesus to pronounce forgiveness, since that might have no verifiable effects; it is harder to enable a paralytic to walk. The miracle, visible to all, corroborates Jesus’ authority to forgive sins and forces all who witness it to decide about Jesus.
9:6 ^to So I will prove: Jesus performed the miracle to reveal his authority and identity as God’s Messiah (see 11:2-6 ^tp; 12:28 ^tq).
9:8 ^tr The mixture of fear and praise in the crowd’s response corresponds to the awesome truth they perceived about Jesus. He is indeed the Son of God who has authority on earth to forgive sins (9:6 ^ts).
Summary for Matt 9:9-13: 9:9-13 ^tt Jesus, as Lord and Messiah, tore down the barriers that prevented righteous Jews from intermingling with those who were unclean or sinful. 9:9 ^tu Matthew was also called Levi (Mark 2:14 ^tv). Matthew might have had two names, or he might have been given a new name by Jesus.
9:10 ^tw The Jewish people despised Jewish tax collectors (5:46-47 ^tx; 18:15-20 ^ty), who cooperated with Roman oppressors and were considered betrayers of the Israelite nation. Many also considered them unclean because of their frequent contact with Gentiles and because of the idolatrous images on Roman coins. Tax-collection was a private enterprise. In each district, Rome granted the right to collect taxes to the highest bidder (cp. Luke 19:1-10 ^tz). Anything collected above the bid was profit for the collectors, who, driven by greed, often used extortion.
9:13 ^ua I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices: God’s desire is applied to the question of table fellowship with sinners; Jesus’ mercy in eating with sinners contrasts with the Pharisees’ separation from sinners (symbolized as sacrifices).

• Jesus revealed the true spiritual condition of the Pharisees, who think they are righteous; they failed to recognize that they were in fact unrighteous and in need of the Messiah’s salvation. See 7:1-5 ^ub; 8:11-12 ^uc; 19:30 ^ud; 20:16 ^ue; 21:43 ^uf.
9:14 ^ug fast: Fasting expressed personal humility and repentance (2 Sam 12:16-23 ^uh; Dan 9:3 ^ui). It called attention to the national need for repentance (Lev 16:29-31 ^uj; Neh 9:1 ^uk) and probably sought to hasten the arrival of the Messiah through purification. The fact that Jesus and his disciples did not fast (Matt 11:18-19 ^ul) subtly proclaimed that the Messiah had already arrived (see also 6:16 ^um).
9:15 ^un wedding guests ... groom: John the Baptist had also described the Messiah and his disciples in this way (John 3:29 ^uo), drawing on Old Testament imagery to reveal Jesus’ status (see Matt 25:1-13 ^up; Isa 54:5-6 ^uq).

• taken away: This is Jesus’ first prediction of his violent death (see Matt 16:21 ^ur; 17:12 ^us, 22-23 ^ut; 20:18-19 ^uu; 26:2 ^uv, 26-35 ^uw; Isa 53:8 ^ux).

• then they will fast: Jesus may be referring to the disciples’ sorrow immediately after his crucifixion, or to the disciples’ lifestyle after his death and resurrection (see Acts 9:9 ^uy; 13:2-3 ^uz; 14:23 ^va; 27:9 ^vb, 33 ^vc).
Summary for Matt 9:16-17: 9:16-17 ^vd These riddle-like parables contrast the new covenant that Jesus has established (26:26-29 ^ve) with the old covenant, especially in relation to such rituals as fasting. Jesus consummates, but does not abolish, the law (5:17-20 ^vf; see Gal 2:21 ^vg; 5:4 ^vh). Yet the new covenant requires new practices.
Summary for Matt 9:18-34: 9:18-34 ^vi Jesus is the Messiah whose power knows no boundaries. He calls people to have faith in him. 9:18 ^vj lay your hand on her: The laying-on of hands is a visible symbol of prayer for God’s power to flow into someone, often resulting in new life or ministries (19:13 ^vk; Num 27:18-23 ^vl; Deut 34:9 ^vm).

• The man believed that Jesus had the power to raise the dead (cp. 1 Kgs 17:8-24 ^vn; 2 Kgs 4:18-37 ^vo).
9:20 ^vp The woman’s constant bleeding rendered her always ceremonially unclean and made whoever she touched unclean as well (Lev 15:25-30 ^vq). But instead of rendering Jesus unclean, her touching him made her clean, a stunning reversal that illustrates Jesus’ power to redeem and sanctify (see Matt 14:36 ^vr; Mark 3:10 ^vs).

• fringe: The tassels at the bottom of a tunic (Matt 23:5 ^vt; Num 15:37-41 ^vu) reminded Jews to live in accord with God’s law.
9:22 ^vv Your faith has made you well (literally has saved you): Physical healing demonstrated her spiritual salvation (see 8:17 ^vw).
9:23 ^vx noisy crowd ... funeral music: Sorrow over the death of a family member was publicly expressed, with musical accompaniment and dirges by professional mourners. “Even the poorest in Israel should hire not less than two flutes and one wailing woman” (Mishnah Ketubbot 4:4 ^vy).
9:24 ^vz Though she was physically dead, from Jesus’ perspective the girl was just asleep—she would soon be raised back to life (see Isa 26:19 ^wa; John 11:11-14 ^wb, 25 ^wc; 1 Thes 4:14 ^wd).
9:27 ^we Eye diseases were common in the ancient world. Blindness was often considered to be divine punishment (see Exod 4:11 ^wf; Deut 28:28 ^wg; 2 Kgs 6:18 ^wh; John 9:2-3 ^wi). The Old Testament predicts that the Messiah’s coming would bring restoration of sight for the blind (Matt 11:4-5 ^wj; Isa 29:18-19 ^wk; 35:5-6 ^wl).

• Son of David is a messianic title particularly associated with miraculous healings (see Matt 1:1 ^wm; 12:23 ^wn; 15:22 ^wo; 20:30-31 ^wp; 2 Sam 7:12-16 ^wq).
9:28 ^wr Jesus intended his question to elicit confessions of faith from the two men.
Summary for Matt 9:32-34: 9:32-34 ^ws The Messiah’s acts invoke faith, astonishment, and derisive rejection. 9:32 ^wt Enabling the deaf to hear and the mute to speak is a sign of the Kingdom of God (11:4-5 ^wu; Isa 35:5-6 ^wv).
Summary for Matt 9:35-11:1: 9:35–11:1 ^ww Jesus here extends his ministry (shown in 4:23–9:34 ^wx) to others within Israel through his disciples (10:5-6 ^wy). Jesus’ instructions to his disciples (10:5-42 ^wz) focus on missionary activity and its consequent opposition and hardship. 9:35 ^xa This verse connects with the section begun at 4:23 ^xb. Matthew has presented Jesus to his readers as the Messiah who teaches, preaches, heals, casts out demons, and calls for a decisive response of faith.
9:36 ^xc like sheep without a shepherd: Jesus lamented the Pharisees’ pastoral negligence (see 12:11-12 ^xd; 18:12 ^xe). Their attacks against Jesus were a clear indication of their hard-hearted rejection of God. The crowds languished due to pastoral neglect and mistreatment (10:5-6 ^xf; 15:12-14 ^xg; 23:4 ^xh; Zech 11:16 ^xi).
Summary for Matt 9:37-38: 9:37-38 ^xj Harvest refers to the multitudes (see also 13:24-30 ^xk, 36-43 ^xl; Mark 4:26-29 ^xm; John 4:35-38 ^xn; Rev 14:15-20 ^xo).

• the Lord who is in charge of the harvest: All ministries are ultimately under God’s call (see Matt 23:8-10 ^xp, 13 ^xq), so Jesus urges his disciples to pray for God himself to call more workers.