Jared Livesey
Member
- Dec 16, 2018
- 10
- 7
In the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared:
And Jesus repeats His warning as to how we should regard the Sermon: unless our righteousness, or obedience to the commandments of God, shall be more than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, we shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven. The scribes and Pharisees broke the commandments of God, therefore they did not enter into the kingdom of heaven themselves, and they also stopped others from entering the kingdom of heaven by teaching them to break the commandments of God (Matthew 15:1-6; Matthew 23:13-15).
As Jesus tells us later in the Sermon:
Matthew 5:19-20
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The word "called" used in verse 19 means "named," as in how we talk about someone - thus, whoever shall break one of the least of the commandments of the Sermon, and shall teach others to break it as well, he shall be talked about as "the least" by those who are in the kingdom of heaven; it will be shown that he does not enter the kingdom. On the other hand, anyone who will both do what Jesus says to do in the Sermon, and teach others to do it too, shall be talked about as "great" by those who are in the kingdom of heaven.And Jesus repeats His warning as to how we should regard the Sermon: unless our righteousness, or obedience to the commandments of God, shall be more than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, we shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven. The scribes and Pharisees broke the commandments of God, therefore they did not enter into the kingdom of heaven themselves, and they also stopped others from entering the kingdom of heaven by teaching them to break the commandments of God (Matthew 15:1-6; Matthew 23:13-15).
As Jesus tells us later in the Sermon:
Matthew 7:21-23
21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Among those who call Jesus "Lord," only those who do the will of Jesus's Father which is in heaven shall enter the kingdom of heaven. What is the will of Jesus's Father that we must do to enter the kingdom of Heaven? Jesus again tells us:John 7:16-17
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
The word "doctrine" above means "teaching" or "instruction." That is what the Sermon is, as we see here:Matthew 7:28-29
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Now we know that the Sermon is not Jesus's doctrine, but His Father's - the Sermon is the will of the Father of Jesus. Therefore, among those who call Jesus "Lord," only those who do what Jesus said to do in the Sermon shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.