#22 Reaction of the People to The Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 7:28-29

1. The people were astonished at His doctrine. Matthew 7:28 says, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,”

a. The Greek word for “astonished” is ekplesso. It means that Jesus struck the people with amazement.

b. It was a feeling of surprise, admiration, awe, and amazement.

c. It was His method of teaching and His majesty, which shocked the people.

2. Matthew 7:29 says, “because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

a. Scribes almost never said “I say” or “I tell you.”

1) Scribes quoted the doctors of the law who instructed the people from the time of Ezra until the time of Christ. The doctors taught reform of idolatrous Judaism.

2) Scribes quoted Hillel, Shammai, ancient doctors, and each other, but rarely spoke in the Name of Yahweh.[1]

3) Scribes stressed adherence to the ceremonial laws.[2] Scribes dealt in trivial things such as methods of hand washing, rituals of the Law and endless Sabbath regulations.

4) Scribes added laws to laws, to show precisely how they thought one should obey each law.

5) Scribes lacked the power that one expects of a Gospel minister who has the Word of God.

6) People had forgotten how prophets spoke. It had been 400 years since the last prophet Malachi, prophesied. John the Baptist spoke with authority, but the duration of his public ministry was only one year.

7) Scribes taught the literal interpretation of the Law of Moses.

b. By contrast the Lord Jesus spoke on His own authority.

1) He said, I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery already.” Notice His use of “I.”

2) “Jesus said, ““Truly I tell you; you will not get out…” (Matthew 5:26)

3) Jesus said, ““I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things….” (Mark 11:29).

4) Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life (John 5:24). (Jesus’ authority is that of His Father. Authority is the right to act. God granted to the Lord Jesus the right to act in His stead. He always submitted to His Father.

5) Jesus also said, “Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34But I tell you not to swear at all” (Matthew 5:33-34).

6) Jesus always submitted to His Father and His word. He said, “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love” (John 15:10). So, His authority came from His Father.

7) Jesus taught the weightier matters of the law, such as judgment, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23).

8) Jesus taught precepts, principles and priorities and expected His disciples to obey and apply them. (Matthew 15:1-9).

9) Jesus taught that true obedience to ceremonial laws pointed to the cleansing of filthy sin in the heart. (He is greater than Moses, in that He can show the true intent of the laws.)

10) Not only was the Lord Jesus a priest of the highest order, but He was also the prophetic King and Prophet.[3] So, He spoke as the greatest prophet, passionately delivering God’s message.

11) The Lord Jesus taught the literal and spiritual meaning of the Law of Moses, obsoleting the literal interpretation of the Ceremonial Law and establishing its spiritual interpretation.

12) The Lord Jesus spoke with hatred of sin, love of God’s people, and especially great zeal for His Father in Heaven. It was ideal preaching.

13) Jesus had a message from God and passionately delivered it. He said, “You have heard that doctors of the law have said…. But I say unto you.” (He presented Himself as the authority. He was greater than Moses and appropriately acted it (Hebrews 3:3).

14) His teaching contained the substance and the spirit of self-authentication. He was like a King, explaining to His people what the law of the realm was, and how they must obey. He was like a mother grizzly bear protecting her cubs.

15) His teaching contained the substance and the spirit of self-authentication. He was like a King, explaining to His people what the law of His Kingdom was, and how they must obey.

16) His Father had given Him the Holy Spirit with no limit (John 3:34). So, His teaching was the epitome of passion and truth. He felt what He taught, and it moved the people. It was like He was Moses, but more than Moses, since He was the One who gave the Law to Moses.

17) Jesus ministry was that “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.”[4] His attitude was, “I am His only begotten Son. I am here to fulfill His Scriptures, atone for the sins of My people, and present them holy before my Father who sent me.

TABULAR VIEW CONTRASTING THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND THE SCRIBES

SCRIBES	LORD JESUS CHRIST
Scribes almost never said “I say” or “I tell you.”	I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery already.
	“Truly I tell you, you will not get out…” Matthew 5:26
	“I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things….” (Mark 11:29).
	“Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life John 5:24
Scribes quoted the doctors of the law who taught from the time of Ezra until the time of Christ. They taught reform of idolatrous Judaism. But they lacked the salvation to which the Law pointed (John 5:46).	Jesus said, “Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34But I tell you not to swear at all” (Matthew 5:33-34).
Scribes quoted Hillel, Shammai, ancient doctors, and each other, but rarely said, “I say that God says.”	Jesus always submitted to His Father’s word “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.” John 15:10
The people dealt in trivial things such as methods of hand washing, rituals of the Law and endless Sabbath regulations. They added laws to laws, to show precisely how to obey each law.	Jesus taught the weightier matters of the law, such as judgment, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23). He taught precepts, principles, and priorities. He expected His disciples to apply them. (Matthew 15:1-9).
Scribes stressed adherence to the ceremonial laws.[5]	Jesus taught that true defilement comes from the filthy heart, not from breaking ceremonial laws (Matthew 15:11).
Scribes had forgotten how prophets spoke. It had been 400 years since the last prophet, Malachi, prophesied. John the Baptist spoke with authority, but the duration of his public ministry was only one year.	Not only was the Lord Jesus a highest order priest. He was also a King and a Prophet. So, He spoke as the greatest prophet, passionately delivering God’s message (Matthew 22:29).
Scribes taught the literal interpretation of the Ceremonial Law of Moses.	The Lord Jesus taught the literal and spiritual meaning of the Law of Moses, obsoleting the literal interpretation of the Ceremonial Law.[6]
Scribes lacked the power that one expects of a Gospel minister who has the Word of God.	The Lord Jesus spoke with a hatred of sin, a love of God’s people, and great zeal for His Father in Heaven. It was ideal preaching (Luke 4:17-19).
Scribes tried to prove which Rabbi was right.	Jesus taught that God is right; Scripture is right; He is right. It was the difference between speculation and “Here is the truth.”

NOTES

[1] Scribes even feared to say the word “Yahweh.” God said that His Name was holy. The Scribes over-reacted to this, thinking that God did not even allow them to speak His Name. The bottom line was that the Scribes thought God was petty. God never told them not to pronounce His Name.

[2] Leviticus 7:19 says, “Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. As for any other meat, anyone who is ceremonially clean may eat it.” For the 613 Laws of Moses, please consult my Blog at the beginning of this Sermon on the Mount post in Matthew Chapter 5 (first post).

[3] Deuteronomy 18:15 says, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.”

[4] Westminster Confession of Faith, “The Definition of God” Taken from the Holy Scriptures

[5] Leviticus 7:19 says, “Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. As for any other meat, anyone who is ceremonially clean may eat it.” For the 613 Laws of Moses, please consult my Blog at the beginning of this Sermon on the Mount post in Matthew Chapter 5 (first post).

[6] The Ceremonial Law consisted of dietary laws and laws of cleansing. It had ceremonial sin and ceremonial cleansing from that sin.