Jesus not only taught the people about the coming kingdom of God but also instructed them how to live lives to qualify them for places in that kingdom. Only those who follow his instructions are the truly blessed, i.e. happy. They are meek, merciful and pure; they hunger after righteousness; and they are blessed because theirs is the kingdom of God and they will inherit the earth.
The kingdom of God existed in Israel in the past, as the Old Testament describes, but it was overturned by God because his people turned away from righteousness to wickedness and idolatry. The laws of that kingdom, given through Moses, were still in force in Israel when Jesus lived obediently among them, and he told them that even the minutest element of the law would not fail until all was fulfilled.
That law was designed for the regulation of the nation, but more is required of individuals who hope to enjoy eternal life in God’s kingdom when it is established. For example, the law said "Thou shalt not kill" but Jesus commanded his disciples not even to be angry with fellow believers without a cause. As another example, the Jews said that it was right not only to love their neighbour but also to hate their enemies, but Jesus commanded to "Love your enemies".
We have an altar, our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we can bring offerings and sacrifices to God with which he is well pleased. So, we can keep Jesus' commandment to be reconciled to an offended brother before making offerings to the Father.
By the teaching of Christ, divorcing one's wife and marrying another is committing adultery and causes the wife and anyone who marries her to commit adultery also. Jesus gave one exception - the cause of fornication. This is different from the provision under the Law by which fornication and adultery were punishable by death. The one legitimate cause for divorce was “uncleanness” (H6172) in the newly wed wife, Deuteronomy 24:1,Waiting for response for Deuteronomy 24:1 such as menstruation. Leviticus 20:18;Waiting for response for Leviticus 20:18 Matthew 9:20.Waiting for response for Matthew 9:20 The husband should have shown compassion in this situation but, despite the hardness of heart, God permitted the giving of a bill of divorcement. Mark 10:5Waiting for response for Mark 10:5
The Jews were also disinclined to express their affirmations and negations with a simple yes or no but embellished them with oaths on sacred places, such as swearing by heaven. But Jesus commanded them not to swear at all, not for example by Jerusalem “because it is the city of the great King.” Here Jesus was quoting from Psalm 48 which provides a vision of Jerusalem when it becomes the capital of the future kingdom of God, confirming the prophecy and identifying himself as the great king who will reign there.
You will note that the commands of Christ have the purpose of developing a Godlike character in his disciples: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”.
Verse 1
Waiting for response for Matthew 5:1Jesus is teaching his disciples, not the multitude of Jews as some assert, for "his disciples came to him and he taught them". So, all his commandments here apply to us, requiring us to serve the Lord in newness of spirit, and not the oldness of the letter of the Law, Romans 7:6,Waiting for response for Romans 7:6 manifesting "the weightier matters of the Law such as judgment and mercy. Matthew 23:23Waiting for response for Matthew 23:23