ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version
Luke 2:14
Luke 10:21
Jesus Rejoices in the Father's Will
21 d In that same hour e he rejoiced f in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, g Lord of heaven and earth, that h you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and i revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for j such was your gracious will. [2]
Matthew 6:10
Matthew 28:18
John 17:4
Acts 7:49
Ephesians 3:15
Colossians 1:16
16 For by [5] him all things were created, l in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether m thrones or n dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created o through him and for him.
Colossians 1:20
20 and w through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, x making peace y by the blood of his cross.
Revelation 5:13
13 And I heard b every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
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Matt. 5:1–7:29 The Authoritative Message of the Messiah: Kingdom Life for His Disciples. This is the first of five major discourses in Matthew (chs. 5–7; 10; 13; 18–20; 24–25). Speaking to his disciples (5:1), Jesus expounds the reality of discipleship lived in the presence and power of the kingdom of God but within the everyday world. Some interpreters have thought the purpose of this sermon was to describe a moral standard so impossibly high that it is relevant only for a future millennial kingdom. Others have thought its primary purpose was to portray the absoluteness of God's moral perfection and thereby to drive people to despair of their own righteousness, so they will trust in the imputed righteousness of Christ. Both views fail to recognize that these teachings, rightly understood, form a challenging but practical ethic that Jesus expects his followers to live by in this present age. The sermon, commonly called the “Sermon on the Mount,” is probably a summary of a longer message, but the structure is a unified whole. It has similarities to the “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke 6:17–49, but there are also significant differences. The three main theories about their relationship are: (1) they record the same sermon but Matthew and Luke give summaries that report different sections and emphases; (2) they record two different sermons, given on different occasions but repeating much of the same content, as itinerant preachers often do; and (3) either Matthew or Luke, or both, have collected sayings that Jesus gave on different occasions and put them together in a sermon format. View (3) seems to make Matthew's presentation of this as a single historical event untruthful (cf. Matt. 5:1–2 with 7:28–29; 8:1; and Luke 6:17, 20 with Luke 7:1), and evangelical commentators have not generally adopted it. Views (1) and (2) are both possible, and it is difficult to decide between them.
Matt. 6:1–7:12 The Development of Kingdom Life in the Real World. Jesus sets forth principles for spirituality in religious life (6:1–18), everyday life (6:19–34), and community relationships (7:1–12).
Matt. 6:1–18 Jesus gives examples of how a person's faith can be expressed in a hypocritical way, when giving to the needy (vv. 2–4), praying (vv. 5–15), and fasting (vv. 16–18).
Matt. 6:5–15 Prayer was a pillar of Jewish piety. Public prayer, said aloud in the morning, afternoon, and evening, was common.
Matt. 6:9–13 Jesus gives his disciples an example to follow when praying. The prayer has a beginning invocation and six petitions that give proper priorities. The first three petitions focus on the preeminence of God while the final three focus on personal needs in a community context.
Matt. 6:10 Christians are called to pray and work for the continual advance of God's kingdom on earth (the second petition; see note on vv. 9–13). The presence of God's kingdom in this age refers to the reign of Christ in the hearts and lives of believers, and to the reigning presence of Christ in his body, the church—so that they increasingly reflect his love, obey his laws, honor him, do good for all people, and proclaim the good news of the kingdom. The third petition speaks of God's will. This means God's “revealed will” (see note on Eph. 5:17), which involves conduct that is pleasing to him as revealed in Scripture. Just as God's will is perfectly experienced in heaven, Jesus prays that it will be experienced on earth. The will of God will be expressed in its fullness only when God's kingdom comes in its final form, when Christ returns in power and great glory (see Matt. 24:30; cf. Rom. 8:18–25; Rev. 20:1–10), but it will increasingly be seen in this age as well (Matt. 13:31–33).
Matt. 28:1–20 The Resurrection and Commission of the Messiah. Matthew's concluding chapter recounts Jesus' resurrection from the dead. His resurrection confirms his identity and that his accomplishment at the cross was accepted by God the Father. Jesus now lives as the faithful companion, master, and Lord of those who respond to his great commission (vv. 16–20).
Matt. 28:16–20 The Risen Jesus' Great Commission. As the resurrected Lord, Jesus calls upon his followers to make disciples of all people groups through the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom.
Matt. 28:18 All authority. In his risen state, Jesus exercises absolute authority throughout heaven and earth, which shows his deity. His authority has been given by the Father, which indicates that he remains subject to the Father (see note on 1 Cor. 15:28).
