Jesus was the greatest teacher

JESUS WAS THE GREATEST TEACHER
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 7:29 29becausehe taught as one who had
authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Distinguishing Feature Of Christ's Teaching
Matthew 7:29
R. Tuck
As a rule, the scribe hardly ever gave his expositionwithout at leastbeginning
by what had been said by Hillel or Shammai, by Rabbi Josephor Rabbi Meir,
depending almostor altogetherupon what had thus been ruled before, as
much as an English lawyerdepends upon his precedents. Geikie mentions one
of the rabbis who "boastedthat every verse of the Bible was capable ofsix
hundred thousand different interpretations." But on such principles who
could hope to know or find the truth? To venture on originality and
independence in teaching was something hitherto unknown; and the
difference betweenthe method of Jesus and the method of the scribes forcibly
impressed the people. The point which may be profitably opened, illustrated,
and impressedis the difference in powerexerted by those who must be classed
under the term "scribe," and, those who may be classedalong with the Lord
Jesus. And all our teachers, in home, school, church, society, literature, will
thus divide.

I. THE POWER OF THE SCRIBE-LIKE TEACHER. A very small power.
Such men often do more harm than goodby their pettiness, narrow
limitations, quibbles, interest in trifles, and uncertainties of mere verbal
interpretation. They are always seriouslyaffectedby the prejudices of the
schools to which they belong. They find it impossible to graspor to apply
great, comprehensive principles. Such are dangerous teachers still.
II. THE POWER OF THE CHRIST-LIKE TEACHER. NO doubt Christ had
an authority arising from his office which was unique; but we can recognize
also an authority in respectof which we may be like him. He was strong in
unquestioning, unwavering, convictions of the truth. That is the kind of
authority that is still needed. Prophet-like authority. The age needs men, like
Christ, who can speak with the "accentof conviction." Our fellow-men - and
we ourselves - are always best helped by those who hold truth with a great
graspof faith, and have no quavering in their voice as they speak to us the
messageofGod. They are not stubborn men, but believing men. What they
say to us is this, "I believe; therefore have I spoken." - R.T.
Biblical Illustrator
Having authority.
Matthew 7:29
The greatauthority
U. P. Philpot, M. A.
There resides in what is called an " authority " a powerwhich we shall do
well to contemplate. By it I mean that position as an adviser which is gained
only by diligent study and habitual practical research;or else by the inherent
endowment or specialgifts of a superior nature. The medicine man, the legal
man, gain authority by study. The importance of finding in Jesus the
authority in the affairs of the soul, and also of the mind when brought up
againsteternalquestions. There is a class ofmind which takes delight to

fathom the unfathomable. Faith is as much an integral part as our ignorance,
in our imperfect condition. It is the aim of faith to turn ignorance into bliss in
the perplexities of life, with respectto most of which it were folly to be wise.
What a calamity if in this half-fledged condition we knew all about ourselves
and God. We should shake our dispositions with thoughts beyond the reaches
of our souls. Christ knows. He is the authority for the soul.
(U. P. Philpot, M. A.)
Authority His result of knowledge
U. P. Philpot, M. A.
We have lately learned among the laws of solarlight which have been revealed
to us — for science also has its late and lagging revelations — the astonishing
fact, that beyond the atmosphere of our world, as of all other worlds, all is
blackness anddarkness, eventill the eye againreaches the airy envelopes of
other worlds, and catches the bright particular stars which are the sources,
direct or mediate, of the rays that play upon its tiny pupil. And so we find it to
be round all the circle of science, round every world of knowledge there is also
a darkness which no knowledge canpenetrate. We live and move and have
our being upon the edge of a ring of precipitous and abysmal darkness. But,
as we have seento be the case in the fiery- citadels of heaven, so we Christians
believe it to be in the moral world; that, dark as its surroundings are -in
respectof the origin and workings ofevil, and all the problems that hang
about this inquiry, there abides above and beyond all a Paternalsource of
Light. "Godis a central and PersonalSun, Who gives light to all, and borrows
none from any, and in Whom," as Jesus showsHim to us, "is no darkness at
all." In that light Jesus dwells, "having no part dark," and from that light He
speaks to us, and teaches withan authority which is unique.
(U. P. Philpot, M. A.)
Divine audacity

J. Parker, D. D.
Audacity, in reverent sense, betterexpresses the word than authority. This He
did —
1. In declaring His pre-existence.
2. In declaring His identity with the Godhead.
3. In assuming Divine prerogatives.
4. In arrogating exclusive rights, and exhausting in Himself the similitude of
things.Lessons:
1. A proof that Christ was what He professedto be.
2. This was the only consistentcourse.
3. An audacious Christ should have an audacious Church.
(J. Parker, D. D.)
Authority of our Saviour as a teacher
F. W. P. Greenwood, D. D.
The nature of this authority.
1. It was the authority of truth. There was no artifice or affectationin His
manner; no excess;solemnity. Earnestness ofconvictionapparent.
2. It was derived from the intrinsic truth of the doctrines which Jesus
communicated, as from the sincerity with which they were taught.
3. It arose from the purity of His character. It was the authority of a goodlife.
4. It was the authority of heaven. The Divine assistancewas affordedto Jesus;
God confirmed what He said, and miracles were wrought. We are too familiar
with Christ's doctrine to be astonishedat it.
(F. W. P. Greenwood, D. D.)

Truth, not beauty, gives authority to doctrine
Hare.
The question is not whether a doctrine is beautiful, but whether it is true.
When we want to go to a place, we don't ask whether the road leads through a
pretty country, but whether it is the right road, the road pointed out by
authority, the turnpike-road.
(Hare.)
Christ an unconventional but model preacher
D. Thomas, D. D.
I. HE was A MODELAS TO THE MATTER OF HIS PREACHING, which
was unconventional. Christ taught Himself.
1. He had nothing higher to representthan Himself.
2. He had nothing that the world required more than Himself.
II. HE was A MODEL AS TO THE MANNER OF HIS TEACHING, which
was unconventional.
1. His positiveness.
2. His self-assurance.
3. His naturalness.
4. His freshness.
5. His suggestiveness.
6. His definiteness.
7. His tenderness.

8. His faithfulness.
9. His consistency.
10. His devoutness.
(D. Thomas, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(29) He taught them.—The Greek implies continuity, He was teaching.
As one having authority, and not as the scribes.—Some instanceshave been
already pointed out: the “I say unto you,” which is contrastedwith what had
been said “to them of old time”; the assumption that He, the speaker, was the
Head of the divine kingdom and the Judge of quick and dead. More striking
still is the entire absence ofany reference by name to the teaching of other
interpreters of the Law. As a rule, the scribe hardly ever gave his exposition
without at leastbeginning by what had been said by Hillel or by Shammai, by
Rabbi Josephor Rabbi Meir, depending almost or altogetherupon what had
thus been ruled before, as much as an Englishlawyer depends on his
precedents. In contrastwith all this, our Lord fills the people with amazement
by speaking to them as One who has a direct messagefrom God. It is the
prophet, or rather, perhaps, the king, who speaks,and not the scribe.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
7:21-29 Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our
Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessaryto our happiness that we
believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one
another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in

outward privileges and doings, lestwe deceive ourselves, andperish eternally,
as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand. Let every one that names the
name of Christ, depart from all sin. There are others, whose religionrests in
bare hearing, and it goes no further; their heads are filled with empty notions.
These two sorts of hearers are representedas two builders. This parable
teaches us to hear and do the sayings of the Lord Jesus:some may seemhard
to flesh and blood, but they must be done. Christ is laid for a foundation, and
every thing besides Christ is sand. Some build their hopes upon worldly
prosperity; others upon an outward professionof religion. Upon these they
venture; but they are all sand, too weak to bear such a fabric as our hopes of
heaven. There is a storm coming that will try every man's work. When God
takes awaythe soul, where is the hope of the hypocrite? The house fell in the
storm, when the builder had most need of it, and expectedit would be a
shelter to him. It fell when it was too late to build another. May the Lord
make us wise builders for eternity. Then nothing shall separate us from the
love of Christ Jesus. The multitudes were astonishedat the wisdomand power
of Christ's doctrine. And this sermon, ever so often read over, is always new.
Every word proves its Author to be Divine. Let us be more and more decided
and earnest, making some one or other of these blessednesses andChristian
graces the main subject of our thoughts, even for weeks together. Letus not
rest in generaland confuseddesires afterthem, whereby we graspat all, but
catchnothing.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
His doctrine - His teaching.
As one having authority, and not as the scribes - The scribes were the learned
people and teachers of the Jewishnation, and were principally Pharisees.
They taught chiefly the sentiments of their Rabbis, and the traditions which
had been delivered; they consumed much of their time in uselessdisputes and
"vain jangling." Jesus was open, plain, grave, useful, delivering truth as
"became" the oracles ofGod; not spending his time in trifling disputes and
debating questions of no importance, but confirming his doctrine by miracles
and argument; teaching "as having power," as it is in the original, and not in
the vain and foolish manner of the Jewishdoctors. He showedthat he had

authority to explain, to enforce, and to "change"the ceremoniallaws of the
Jews. He came with authority such as no "man" could have, and it is not
remarkable that his explanations astonishedthem. From this chapter we may
learn,
1. The evil of censorious judging, Matthew 7:1-5. We cannot see the heart. We
have ourselves possiblygreaterfaults than the persons that we condemn. They
may possibly be of a different kind; but it is nevertheless not uncommon for
persons to he very censorious towardfaults in others, which they have to
much greaterextent themselves.
2. We see how we are to treat people who are opposers ofthe gospel, Matthew
7:6. We are not to present it to them when we know they will despise it and
abuse us. We should, however, be cautious in forming that opinion of them.
Many people may be far more ready to hear the gospelthan we imagine, and
a word seasonablyand kindly spokenmay be the means of saving them,
Proverbs 25:11; Ecclesiastes11:6. We should not meet violent and wicked
opposers ofthe gospelwith a harsh, overbearing, and lordly spirit - a spirit of
dogmatizing and anger; nor should we violate the laws of socialcontactunder
the idea of "faithfulness." Religiongains nothing by outraging the established
laws of sociallife, 1 Peter3:8. If people will not hear us when we speak to
them kindly and respectfully, we may be sure they will not when we abuse
them and become angry. We harden them againstthe truth, and confirm
them in the opinion that religion is of no value. Our Saviour was always mild
and kind, "and in not a single instance did he do violence to the laws of social
intercourse, or fail in the respectdue from one man to another." When with
harshness people speak to their superiors;when they abuse them with unkind
words, coarse epithets, and unfeeling denunciations; when children and youth
forgettheir station, and speak in harsh, authoritative tones to the aged, they
are violating the very first principles of the gospel - meekness,respect, and
love. Give honor to whom honor is due, and be kind, be courteous.
3. Christ gives specialencouragementto prayer, Matthew 7:7-11. Especially
his remarks apply to the young. What child is there that would not go to his
parent and ask him for things which were necessary? Whatchild doubts the
willingness of a kind parent to give what he thinks will be best for him? But

God is more willing to give than the best parent. We need of "him" gifts of far
more importance than we evercan of an earthly father. None but God can
forgive, enlighten, sanctify, and save us. How strange that many ask favors of
an "earthly" parent daily and hourly, and never ask of the GreatUniversal
Father a single blessing for time or eternity!
4. There is danger of losing the soul, Matthew 7:13-14. The way to ruin is
broad; the path to heaven is narrow. People naturally and readily go in the
former; they never go in the latter without design. When we enter on the
journey of life, we naturally fall into the broad and thronged wayto ruin. Our
original propensity, our native depravity, our disinclination to God and
religion, leadus to that, and we never leave it without effort. How much more
natural to tread in a way in which multitudes go, than in one where there are
few travelers, and which requires an effort to find it! And how much danger is
there that we shall continue to walk in that way until it terminates in our ruin!
No one is saved without effort. No one enters on the narrow way without
design; no one by following his natural inclination and propensities. And yet
how indisposed we are to effort! how unwilling to listen to the exhortations
which would call us from the broad path to a narrower and less frequented
course!How prone are people to feel that they are safe if they are with the
many, and that the multitude that attend them constitute a safeguardfrom
danger!
"Encompassedby a throng,
On 'numbers' they depend;
They say so many can't be wrong,
And miss a happy end."
Yet did God ever spare a guilty city because it was large? Did he save the
army of Sennacherib from the destroying angelbecause it was mighty? Does
he hesitate to cut people down by the plague, the pestilence, and by famine,
because they are numerous? Is he deterred from consigning people to the
grave because they swarm upon the earth, and because a mighty throng is
going to death? So in the way to hell. Notnumbers, nor power, nor might, nor

talent will make that way safe;nor will the path to heaven be a dangerous
road because few are seentraveling there. The Saviour knew and felt that
people are in danger; and hence, with much solemnity, he warned them when
he lived, and now warns us, to strive to enter in at the narrow gate.
5. Sincerity is necessaryin religion, Matthew 7:15-23. Professionis of no value
without it. God sees the heart, and the day is near when He will cut down and
destroy all those who do not bring forth the fruits of righteousness intheir
lives. If in anything we should be honestand sincere, surely it should be in the
things of religion. God is never deceivedGalatians 6:7, and the things of
eternity are of too much consequence, to be lost by deluding ourselves or
others. We may deceive our fellowmen, but we do not deceive our Maker;and
soonHe will strip off our thin covering, and show us as we are to the universe.
If anything is of prominent value in religion, it is "honesty" - honesty to
ourselves, to our fellow-men, and to God. Be willing to know the worstof your
case. Be willing to be thought of, by God and people, "as you are." Assume
nothing which you do not possess, andpretend to nothing which you have not.
Judge of yourselves as you do of others - not by words and promises, but by
the life. Judge of yourselves as you do of trees;not by leaves and flowers, but
by the fruit.
6. We may learn the importance of building our hopes of heaven on a firm
foundation, Matthew 7:24-27. No other foundation canany man lay than that
which is laid, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 3:11. He is the tried Corner
Stone, 1 Peter2:6; Ephesians 2:20. On an edifice raisedon that foundation the
storms of persecutionand calamity will beat in vain. Hopes thus rearedwill
sustain us in every adversity, will remain unshakenby the terrors of death,
and will secure us from the tempests of wrath that shall beatupon the guilty.
How awful, in the day of judgment, will it be to have been deceived! How
dreadful the shock to find then that the house has been built on the sand! How
dreadful the emotions, to see our hopes totter on the brink of ruin; to see sand
after sand washedaway, and the dwelling reel over the heaving deep, and fall
into the abyss to rise no more! Ruin, awful and eternal ruin, awaits those who
thus deceive themselves, and who trust to a name to live, while they are dead.

7. Under what obligations are we for this "Sermon on the Mount!" In all
languages there is not a discourse to be found that canbe comparedwith it for
purity, and truth, and beauty, and dignity. Were there no other evidence of
the divine mission of Christ, this alone would be sufficient to prove that he
was sent from God. Were these doctrines obeyed and loved, how pure and
peaceful would be the world! How would hypocrisy be abashedand
confounded! How would impurity hang its head! How would peace reign in
every family and nation! How would angerand wrath flee! And how would
the race - the lost and benighted tribes of people, the poor, and needy, and
sorrowful - bend themselves before their common Father, and seek peaceand
eternal life at the hands of a merciful and faithful God!
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
29. For he taught them as one having authority—The word "one," whichour
translators have here inserted, only weakens the statement.
and not as the scribes—The consciousness ofdivine authority, as Lawgiver,
Expounder and Judge, so beamed through His teaching, that the scribes'
teaching could not but appeardrivelling in such a light.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Ver. 28,29. The same words also are repeated, Mark 1:22 Luke 4:32. They
declare the effectof this and other of our Saviour’s sermons upon the hearts
of those that heard him, and the reasonof it. They
were astonished, affectedwith an admiration at what they heard him in this
and other sermons deliver: the Divine verities revealedin his discourses,the
purity of his doctrine, the convincing power that attended it, his bold and free
speechwithout respectof persons, the simplicity of his phrase, the gravity of
his matter, the majesty he showedin his discourses, affectedthe people, and
made him appear to them one sent of God, and clothed with his authority. He
did not teachas the scribes, the ordinary teachers amongstthe Jews, from
whom they had the discourses abouttraditions, and rites and ceremonies, cold
and dull discourses,oflittle or no tendency to their eternal salvation.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
For he taught them, as one having authority,.... This does not so much respect
the subjectmatter of his ministry, the gravity, weight, and solidity of his
doctrine; which, to be sure, was greatly different from that of the Scribes,
which chiefly lay in proposing and handling things trivial, and of no moment;
such as the rituals of the law, the traditions of the elders, or washing of the
hands and cups, &c. nor merely the manner of his delivery, which was with
greataffection, ardour, and fervency of spirit, with much liberty and
utterance of speech, and with wonderful perspicuity and majesty; in which
also he differed from the Scribes, who taught in a cold and lifeless manner,
without any spirit and power;but this chiefly regards the method he used in
preaching, which was by delivering truths of himself in his ownname, and by
his ownauthority; often using those words, "but I sayunto you": he spoke as
a lawgiver, as one that had authority from heaven, and not from men;
and not as the Scribes, who used to say, when they delivered any thing to the
people, "our Rabbins", or "our wise men say" so and so:such as were on the
side of Hillell made use of his name; and those who were on the side of
Shammai made use of his name; scarce everwould they venture to say
anything of themselves, but said, the ancientdoctors say thus and thus: almost
innumerable instances might be given, out of the Talmud, in which one Rabbi
speaks in the name of another; but our Lord spoke boldly, of himself, in his
own name, and did not go about to support his doctrine by the testimony of
the elders;but spake, as having receivedpowerand authority, as man, from
his Father, "and not as the Scribes". Some copies add, and Pharisees;these
generallygoing together;and so read the Vulgate Latin, the Syriac, the Persic
versions, and the Hebrew edition of Matthew by Munster.

Why Was Jesus Called“Teacher”?
Ray Pritchard
It may interest you to know that Jesus was a teacher. Other words come more
quickly to mind—Lord, Savior, Master, and Redeemer. But here’s an
amazing fact. Of the 90 times Jesus was addresseddirectlyin the gospels, 60
times he was calledTeacher. This was the word the multitudes used. This was
how the disciples referred to him. Jesus himself used the term when he said,
“You call me Teacherand Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am” (John
13:13). When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, he said, “We know that you
are a teacherwho has come from God” (John 3:2).
History has echoedthe truth of that verdict. ScottishtheologianJames Stuart
said, “The teaching of Jesus has had a powerand an effectwith which the
influence of no other teachercan even for a moment be compared.” When
Jesus had finished giving the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew tells us the
crowds were so amazed at his teaching because “he taught as one having
authority, not as the teachers of the law” (Matthew 7:29). The rabbis quoted
eachother, but Jesus spoke the true and authoritative words of God.
He never entered a classroomas we know a classroom. He never had a degree
as we understand an educationaldegree, yet all the world was his classroom.
No degreedteacherdid anything greaterthan what Jesus Christ did. He was
truly and absolutelythe MasterTeacherand the greatestteacherofall time
Was Jesus a teacherand did he teachwell? Considerhis final words, his last
instructions, his ultimate command as given to us in the King James Version:
“Go ye into all the world and teachall nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things
whatsoeverI have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19 KJV). His final
command was a teaching command.

How well did it work? Look around you. Two thousand years have passedand
today across the world over two billion people bear his name. Christianity has
spread from Jerusalemto every cornerof the globe. At this very moment
multiplied thousands of missionaries are doing what Jesus saidto do: teaching
all nations. If the success ofthe students is the measure of the teacher, then no
teacherwas everso successfulas the one and only MasterTeacher, Jesus
Christ.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed
at His teaching;(NASB: Lockman)
Greek:Kai egeneto (3SAMI)hote etelesen(3SAAI) o Iesous tous logous
toutous exeplessonto (3PIPI)oi ochloiepi te didache autou;
Amplified: When Jesus had finished these sayings [the Sermon on the Mount],
the crowds were astonishedand overwhelmedwith bewildered wonder at His
teaching, (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: And it came to pass, whenJesus had ended these sayings, the people
were astonishedat his doctrine:
NLT: After Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at his teaching
(NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: When Jesus had finished these words the crowdwere astonishedat
the powerbehind his teaching. (New Testamentin Modern English)

Wuest: And it came to pass that when Jesus brought these words to a close,
the crowds were struck with astonishmentto the point of the loss of self-
control by His teaching. (Eerdmans)
Young's: And it came to pass, whenJesus ended these words, the multitudes
were astonishedat his teaching
When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His
teaching:Kai egeneto (3SAMI)hote etelesen(3SAAI) o Iesous tous logous
toutous exeplessonto (3PIPI)oi ochloiepi te didache autou
Mt 13:54;Ps 45:2; Mk 1:22; 6:2; Lk 4:22,32;19:48;Jn 7:15,46)
When Jesus had finished - More literally this reads "And it came to pass,
when Jesus ended...."
Finished (5055)(teleo from telos = end, goal)means to complete something
and bring to an end. The idea of teleo is not merely to end it, but to bring it to
perfection or its destined goal. The Sermon on the Mount had been achieved
His goal, not only terminating His discourse but carrying it out to the full.
Teleo means to accomplishan obligation or demand in the sense ofto bring
about a result by effort. The idea is to achieve a goalor to conclude it
successfully. This meaning is especiallypoignant in the context of Jesus'life
purpose which was to die on the Cross, the purpose He pointed to and which
He accomplished("It is finished" John 19:30). This same meaning of fulfilling
or bringing about the completion or achievementof a goalor objective is also
a prominent meaning in the Revelation(e.g. Re 11:7-note;Re 17:17-note)
The crowds were amazed- John records a parallel incident with the temple
soldiers who had been sentto arrestJesus but returned empty handed...
John 7:43 So there arose a division in the multitude because ofHim (Jesus). 44
And some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45 The
officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, andthey said to
them, "Why did you not bring Him?" 46 The officers answered, "Neverdid a
man speak the way this man speaks."
I Stand Amazed in the Presence

by Charles H Gabriel
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.
Refrain
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall everbe:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
Spurgeonwrites...
He touched their conscience;his teaching came home to them; they could not
help feeling that it was true. Besides,he did not keepon quoting Rabbi This
and Rabbi That, but he spoke from his own knowledge:“He taught them as
one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Not quoting Rabbi So-and-so, to show how wellhe was acquaintedwith his
writings, but speaking as one who knew what he had to say, and who spoke,
out of the fullness of his heart, truth that was evidently inspired; end his
hearers felt the force of the solemn messagewhichhe thus delivered.
The Gospels and Acts also use another Greek wordthat is translated amazed
which presents a great word picture of what it means to be amazed or
astounded. The Greek word is existemi (1839)(ek = out of + histemi = to
stand) which literally means to stand out of. In the NT existemi is used
figuratively to describe "standing out of one's mind", being "beside" oneself,
put out of one's wits, amazed or astounded. If you have time study the 17 uses
of existemi in context (Matthew, Mark 4x, Luke 3x, Acts 8x, 2 Corinthians)

Amazed (1605)(ekplessofrom ek = out + plesso = strike) (imperfect tense)
means strike out, expel by a blow, drive out or away, force out or castoff by a
blow.
Some versions render it astonishedwhich is a goodtranslation of ekplesso.It
is interesting to note that our English word "astonish" whichis derived from
the Latin word extonare meaning to strike with thunder! What a picture of
Jesus'radicalmessagewhich must have struck His hearers like thunder!
Figuratively ekplesso means to drive out of one's senses by a sudden shock or
strong feeling, or "to be exceedinglystruck in mind". It means to cause to be
filled with amazement to the point of being overwhelmed (struck out of one's
senses). Itencompassesthe ideas of wonder, astonishment or amazement.
Ekplesso expressesa stunned amazement that leaves the subject unable to
graspwhat is happening.
Thayer writes that ekplessois "common in Greek from Homer down;
properly, to strike out, expel by a blow, drive out or away;to castoff by a
blow, to drive out; commonly, to strike one out of self-possession, to strike
with panic, shock, astonish;passive to be struck with astonishment,
astonished, amazed."
Vincent has this note on Jesus'parent's astonishment in Luke 2:48-note
writing that amazedis "a very strong word; the verb meaning, literally, to
strike out or drive away from; and so to drive out of one’s senses. Hence in the
generalsense ofgreatamazement. Amaze is to throw into a maze or
labyrinth; and so is closelyakinto the Greek word here, and is a faithful
rendering."
The audience was astounded, overwhelmed, besides themselves, totally
dumbfounded by Jesus'words. So was John Newton(Brief bio)...
Amazing Grace
Amazing grace!How sweetthe sound
That saveda wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;

Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace thattaught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised goodto me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soondissolve like snow,

The sun forbearto shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
When we the readers today really comprehend what Jesus is saying in the
Sermon on the Mount, we should be amazedand astonishedalso by His
gracious (grace filled) word! If we aren't astonishedat the revolutionary
characterof Jesus'sermon, then frankly we have probably not truly heard or
truly graspedJesus'intended meaning! As Jesus said repeatedlyin the letters
to the sevenchurches of the Revelation...
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (see note
Revelation2:7)
It is notable that most of the 13 NT uses (see below)of ekplesso are a reaction
(most often of an uncommitted listener) to Jesus'teaching eventhe passagein
Acts 13:12 in which Luke records...
Then the proconsulbelieved when he saw what had happened (Acts 13:8
Elymas the magician blinded by Paul), being amazed (ekplesso)atthe
teaching of the Lord (Note that it was Paul who was teaching and yet the
phrase "teaching ofthe Lord" as if the Lord were teaching through him.
Would it be that every pastor had a similar dynamic when they spoke from
the pulpit)
Ekplesso is used13 times in the NT (see below) and is translated:amazed, 5;
astonished, 8. There are 4 uses in the Apocrypha and one in the Septuagint
(LXX) (Eccl7:16)

Here are all the NT uses for your review (read the context or surrounding
passagesto understand why there was amazement or astonishment)...
Matthew 7:28 The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the
multitudes were amazed at His teaching;
Matthew 13:54 And coming to His home town He beganteaching them in
their synagogue, so that they became astonished, and said, "Where did this
man getthis wisdom, and these miraculous powers? Readonfor more
reactions...
Matthew 13:55 "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called
Mary, and His brothers, James and Josephand Simon and Judas? 56 "And
His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man getall these
things?" 57 And they took offense (verb skandalizo - see noun skandalon=
stumbling block)at Him. But Jesus saidto them, "A prophet is not without
honor except in his home town, and in his own household." 58 And He did not
do many miracles there because oftheir unbelief.
Matthew 19:25 And when the disciples heard this (Jesus'teaching that "it is
easierfor a camelto go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God"), they were very astonishedand said, "Then who
can be saved?"
Matthew 22:33 And when the multitudes heard this (Jesus'teaching that God
said "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob
'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."), they were astonishedat
His teaching.
Mark 1:22 And they were amazed at His teaching;for He was teaching them
as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 6:2 And when the Sabbath had come, He beganto teach in the
synagogue;and the many listeners were astonished, saying, "Where did this
man getthese things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles
as these performed by His hands?

Mark 7:37 And they were utterly (huperperissos = beyond all measure,
exceedingly)astonished, saying, "He has done all things well; He makes even
the deafto hear, and the dumb to speak."
Mark 10:26 And they (His own disciples)were even more astonishedand said
to Him, "Thenwho can be saved?"
Mark 11:18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began
seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for all the multitude
was astonishedat His teaching.
Notice why the chief priests reactedthis way: Mark 11:17 And He beganto
teachand say to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED
A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS'? But you have made it a
ROBBERS'DEN."
Luke 2:48 And when they saw Him, they were astonished(they were
"dumbfounded"!); and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated
us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You."
Luke 4:32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with
authority.
Luke 9:43 And they were all amazed at the greatness ofGod. But while
everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples,
Acts 13:12 Then the proconsulbelieved when he saw what had happened
(Acts 13:8 Elymas the magician blinded by Paul), being amazed at the
teaching of the Lord.
Note that it was Paul who was teaching and yet the phrase teaching of the
Lord indicates it was as if the Lord Jesus were teaching through Paul! God let
it be so, that every pastor reading these words humbly depends on a similar
spiritual dynamic when they speak Thy truth to their flock. Amen.
NIDNTT notes that...
The primary meaning of ekplesso is to strike out or expel. The verb is found
with this sense in classicalGreek (e.g. “enjoymentbanishes grief”,

Thucydides), but it occurs far more frequently with its derived meaning of
astound or amaze (i.e. drive out of one’s sensesby a sudden shock). Among
the sources ofamazement expressedby ekplesso in non-biblical literature are
fear, desire, love, joy and pleasure. Josephus uses ekplesso severaltimes to
express amazement or overwhelming fear. (Brown, Colin, Editor. New
International Dictionaryof NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan)
A T Robertsoncommenting on ekplessowrites that Jesus'audience...
listened spell-bound to the end and were left amazed. Note the imperfect tense
-- a buzz of astonishment. The verb means literally “were struck out of
themselves.” (Matthew 7)
Wuest has similar comments noting that...
ekplessois a very strong word meaning, “to strike out, expel by a blow, drive
out or away, to strike one out of self-possession, to strike with panic, shock” in
a passive sense “to be struck with astonishment, amazed.” The verb is in the
pictorial imperfect, describing the prolonged amazement of the audience. It is
in the passive voice, showing that this amazement was causedby an outside
influence, the tremendous impact that the Messiahmade upon them by the
new type of teacherand teaching that met their eyes and ears.
The teaching of our Lord was in such contrastto that of the Jewishleaders,
that the people saw the difference at once, and were almost beside themselves
because ofit. What a commentary upon the type of teaching they had been
receiving, dry, formal, stereotyped, without power, above their heads, and the
powerful, simple, interesting thought-arresting teaching of our Lord.
(Commenting on the use of ekplesso in Mark 6:2) "to strike out, expel by a
blow, to strike one out of self-possession,”in a passive sense, “to be struck
with astonishment.” The discourse and the miracles of our Lord struck them
so forcibly that they were astonishedto the point of losing control of
themselves. The verb is imperfect, showing that this condition of being beside
themselves with amazement continued for some time. It is, “they were
continuing to be beside themselves with amazement.” The prefixed
preposition ek meaning “out,” shows an exhausted state of affairs. It reminds

one of an automobile tire that has been deflated. Their astonishment was so
greatthat their self-possessionwas exhausted. In the language ofWebster,
they were completely flabbergasted. (Wuest's WordStudies from the Greek
New Testament)
Vincent has a similar analysis of ekplesso, writing that it...
Often meant to drive one out of his senses by a sudden shock, and therefore
here of amazement. They were astounded. We have a similar expression,
though not so strong:“I was struck with this or that remarkable thing.”
(Vincent, M. R.. Word Studies in the New Testament)
Crowds (3793)(ochlos)is a gathering of a relatively large number of people, a
multitude of men who have flockedtogetherin some place, a throng of people
milling around or closelypressedtogether.
Teaching (1322)(didache from didasko = to give instruction in a formal or
informal setting with the highest possible development of the pupil as the goal;
English = didactic = intended to teach, particularly in having moral
instruction as an ulterior motive) is a noun which describes the activity of
teaching (instruction).
See studies on relatedwords - Teach(teaching, taught) (1321)didasko and
Teaching (instruction) (1319)didaskalia
In the passive sense didache speaks ofthe content of what is taught or the
doctrine. Ralph Earle (Word Meanings in the NT) writes that "today doctrine
has a formal, theologicalsensethat didache does not have."
Didache or "the teaching" was that instruction which elucidatedthe meaning
of the facts which were proclaimed. The idea of didache then is to impart
knowledge to or instruct someone, for example in how to do something, etc.
Teaching or doctrine is that which communicates to another the knowledge of
that which heretofore that personwas ignorant or ill informed.
In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, didache refers both to Jesus'
content (which is primarily ethical instruction - contrastkerugma -
proclamation, as of the gospel)and the manner of His instruction -- no doubt

the crowds were astonishedatboth. Unfortunately their astonishmentsays
nothing about their personalheart commitment to His Word of Truth and/or
their belief in Jesus as Saviorand Redeemer.
As an aside the early Church compiled its first service order book which was
entitled The Didache, or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. The Didache
dates back to shortly after 100AD.
Didache is used 30 times in the NT -
Matthew 7:28 The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the
multitudes were amazed at His teaching;
Matthew 16:12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the
leavenof bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees andSadducees.
Matthew 22:33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonishedat
His teaching.
Mark 1:22 And they were amazed at His teaching;for He was teaching them
as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves,
saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the
unclean spirits, and they obey Him."
Mark 4:2 And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying
to them in His teaching,
Mark 11:18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began
seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for all the multitude
was astonishedat His teaching.
Mark 12:38 And in His teaching He was saying:"Beware ofthe scribes who
like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market
places,
Luke 4:32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with
authority.

John 7:16 Jesus therefore answeredthem, and said, "My teaching is not Mine,
but His who sent Me.
John 7:17 "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching,
whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.
John 18:19 The high priest therefore questioned Jesus aboutHis disciples, and
about His teaching.
Acts 2:42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles'
teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 5:28 saying, "We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this
name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalemwith your teaching, and intend to
bring this man's blood upon us."
Acts 13:12 Then the proconsulbelieved when he saw what had happened,
being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
Acts 17:19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying,
"Maywe know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you
became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were
committed,
Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, keepyour eye on those who cause
dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and
turn awayfrom them.
1Corinthians 14:6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues,
what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of
knowledge orof prophecy or of teaching?
1 Corinthians 14:26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble,
eachone has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an
interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
2 Timothy 4:2 preachthe word; be ready in seasonand out of season;reprove,
rebuke, exhort, with greatpatience and instruction.

Titus 1:9 holding fastthe faithful word which is in accordancewith the
teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute
those who contradict.
Hebrews 6:2 of instruction about washings, and laying on of hands, and the
resurrectionof the dead, and eternal judgment.
Hebrews 13:9 Do not be carriedawayby varied and strange teachings;for it
is goodfor the heart to be strengthenedby grace, notby foods, through which
those who were thus occupiedwere not benefited.
2John1:9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of
Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the
Father and the Son.
2John1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not
receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
Revelation2:14 'But I have a few things againstyou, because youhave there
some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a
stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificedto idols, and
to commit acts of immorality.
Revelation2:15 'Thus you also have some who in the same way hold the
teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Revelation2:24 'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not
hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call
them-- I place no other burden on you.
There is only one use of didache in the Septuagint...
Psalm60:1 For the choir director; according to Shushan Eduth. A Mikhtam
of David, to teach;when he struggledwith Aram-naharaim and with Aram-
zobah, and Joabreturned, and smote twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley
of Salt. O God, Thou hast rejectedus. Thou hast brokenus; Thou hast been
angry; O, restore us.
As MacArthur observes the crowds...

had never heard such comprehensive, insightful words of wisdom, depth,
insight, and profundity. They had never heard such straightforwardand
fearless denunciationof the scribes and Pharisees orsuch a black and white
presentationof the way of salvation. They had never heard such a fearful
warning about the consequencesofturning awayfrom God. They had never
heard such a powerful and demanding description of true righteousness or
such a relentless descriptionand condemnation of self-righteousness.
(MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 Macarthur New TestamentCommentary
Chicago:Moody Press)
Charles Simeon
Matthew 7:28, 28
Effectof our Lord's Preaching
IT has been thought by many, that this which is called the Sermon on the
Mount, was not delivered at one time, but is only a collectionof sayings which
at different times were used by our Lord. But, as our Lord went through all
the cities, towns, and villages of Judæa, instructing the people, it is reasonable
to suppose, that he should frequently deliver the same truths in nearly the
same expressions, becausethe same instructions were necessaryforall. The
repetition of them therefore, at different times, and at distant places, is no
reasonat all why they should not now have been delivered all at once, when so
greata multitude was attending his ministry, and he had gone up upon a
mountain for the purpose of addressing them to more advantage. Moreover,
the words before us clearlyshew, that this was one continued sermon; or
rather, that these were the chief topics contained in it, togetherwith the
principal illustrations of them.
Having successivelyconsideredallthe different parts of this sermon, we now
come to notice,
I. The peculiar characterof our Lord’s preaching—
We shall not enter upon the subject of his ministry at large, but confine our
attention to the discourse before us; which, both in the matter and in the

manner, appears to have been well calculatedto make a deep impression on
his audience.
The things with which they appearto have been particularly affected, were,
1. His wisdom—
[There was an astonishing depth in all that he spoke. His knowledge ofthe
divine law was such, as infinitely surpassedall that even their most eminent
prophets had ever manifested. David had acknowledgedhis inability to
explore its depth: “I have seenan end of all perfection;but thy commandment
is exceeding broad.” But the height, and depth, and length, and breadth of it
were open to the view of Jesus, who saw it in all its spirituality, and in its
utmost perfection. He was able to expose and refute all the false glosseswith
which their most learned teachers had obscuredthe law; and to setit forth as
reaching, no less to the thoughts and intents of the heart than to the most open
actions of the life.
There was also a luminousness in his statements, which, like the light of the
sun, carried its own evidence along with it. And his illustrations were so apt,
so easy, so familiar, so convincing, that every one who was open to conviction
was constrainedto assentto every word he spoke. Nordid he ever, like the
Scribes, dwell upon matters that were altogetheruselessandunedifying; but
he was always on subjects of prime importance, the knowledge ofwhich was
necessaryfor the salvationof the soul. In a word, as at an early period of his
life the doctors in the temple “were astonishedat his understanding and
answers,”so now, on this and many subsequent occasions,his hearers
wondered; “How knoweththis man letters (the Scriptures), having never
learned,” or had a learned education?]
2. His faithfulness—
[He flattered not the people by countenancing for a moment their expectation
of a temporal Messiah, but shewedthe spiritual nature of that kingdom which
he was come to establish. Moreover, in his reproofs he sparednot any: the
greatestand the wisestamong the people were rather the more exposedto his
censures, onaccountof the influence which they exertedover the minds of

others. The fallacyof their reasonings, the defectivenessoftheir morals, and
the hypocrisy of their religious acts, (their alms, their prayers, their fastings,)
were held up to universal reprobation; and all the multitude were warned
plainly, that “unless their righteousness shouldexceedthe righteousness ofthe
Scribes and Pharisees, they should in no case enterinto the kingdom of
heaven.” They were warned too that they must yield a cordial and unreserved
obedience to his instructions; that the retaining of any bosom lust would
infallibly destroy their souls for ever: that every sinful affection, though dear
as a right eye, or apparently necessaryas a right hand, must be cut off; or else
they would assuredly take their portion “in hell-fire.”
These were plain truths; not such as the people had been accustomedto hear
from their teachers, who only “prophesiedsmooth things, or amused them
with deceits:” they were such truths as commended themselves to the
consciencesofall, and made them feel that they were sinners before God.
Every person that heard him bore him witness, that “truly he was full of
powerby the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare
unto Jacobhis transgressions, andto Israel his sin.”]
3. His authority—
[The Scribes were in the habit of founding their instructions on their own
fallacious reasonings,oron the dogmas of some of the more learned Rabbins.
But our Lord appealedto no authority above his own. He reasonedindeed for
the convictionof his hearers;but the ground on which he required every word
of his to be received, was his own authority; “I say unto you; I sayunto you.”
In this he differed from all the prophets that had gone before him: they
delivered their messages, as from Jehovah;“Thus saith the Lord:”—but
Jesus, being himself “Godmanifest in the flesh, assumeda right to dictate as
from himself;” “Ye have heard from others” suchor such a thing; but “I say
unto you” the very reverse;and require you to receive the word on my
authority. To this his hearers were ready to submit: for the miracles which he
had already wrought without number had evinced his almighty powerand
Godhead, and were a standing testimony, that his every word was to be
receivedwith implicit faith and unreserved obedience.

Doubtless there were many other things conspicuous in his ministrations: his
gracefulness andease, his tenderness and compassion, his zeal and diligence,
could not fail of attracting notice; but the points above specified, are those
which seemmore particularly adverted to in the words of our text.]
Such was the preaching of our Lord. Let us now consider,
II. The effectproduced by it on his hearers—
They appear to have been exceedinglystruck with his address;yet not so
affectedas we might have hoped. We shall endeavour to point out,
1. How far the effectwas good—
[The word which we translate “astonished.” does certainlyimply a very deep
impression made upon their minds. This impression consistedpartly in
admiration, with which they were filled; and partly in conviction, with which
they were penetrated; a conviction of the truth, the importance, and the
beneficialtendency of all he had spoken. The novelty, united with the
circumstances before mentioned, made his ministry appear as superior to that
of others, as the effulgence of the sun is to the light of a twinkling star. One
sentiment evidently pervaded the whole multitude, “Neverman spake like this
man.” At the same time they felt in their consciences, that, if this was religion,
they had hitherto been ignorant of it in their minds, and destitute of it in their
hearts.
Now these two feelings were doubtless good, inasmuch as they argued an
openness of mind, a freedom from offence, and a desire of further instruction:
and accordinglywe find, that, “when he came down from the mountain, great
multitudes followedhim.” But, from all that is recorded, we have no reasonto
conclude that the impressionmade upon them was altogethersuchas might
have been wished.]
2. Wherein it was defective—
[They should have been “prickedto their hearts” with a deep sense of their
wickedness, andshould have been led to cry out, like those on the day of
Pentecost, “Whatshall we do to be saved?” Without such humiliation as this

they could never be truly penitent: they never could abhor themselves, as
every penitent must do, in dust and ashes.
They should have also given up themselves entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He required all to take up their cross and follow him: but this was effected
only to a very small extent, even to the hour of his death: the whole number of
his followers amountedat the last to no more than one hundred and twenty.
Hence it is evident, that, whatevereffects were produced on this audience,
they were only transient; and, consequently, that the word preached did not
profit the people, “not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”
They should have been brought to a new and heavenly life. Every thing that
falls short of this is in vain. We must “obeyfrom the heart that form of
doctrine into which we are delivered;” just as metal, that assumes the shape of
the mould whereinto it is poured. But we see not in this audience any such
tenderness of spirit, such melting of heart, such surrender of their souls, such
transformation of their lives. They appear only to have been like Ezekiel’s
hearers, who were delighted with his oratory, but were uninfluenced by his
reproofs.]
Learn then from hence,
1. How ineffectualis the word without the Spirit—
[If any words could of themselves convert the souls of men, surely the words
of our Lord Jesus Christ would have produced this effect. But even his
discourses were oftenas waterspilled upon the ground. So it was also when
his disciples preached:“Paul might plant, and Apollos water, but God alone
can give the increase.”The truth is, that nothing everhas been done, or ever
can, for the saving of immortal souls, but by the operationof the Spirit of
God. It is the Spirit that quickenethus from the dead: it is the Spirit that
opens the understanding and the heart: it is “the Spirit that enables us to
mortify the deeds of the body,” and that renews us altogetherafter the Divine
image. When, therefore, we come up to the house of God, let us look, through
the means, to Him who alone can render the means effectualfor our good. Let
us remember, that the ministry of Christ himself will produce no saving
effects without the Spirit; and that the word, by whomsoeverdelivered, if

accompaniedwith the Holy Ghostsent down from heaven, shall be sharper
than a two-edgedsword, and be more powerful than “the hammer that
breakeththe rock in pieces.”]
2. In what a lamentable state are the generality of hearers—
[Multitudes, where the Gospelis preached with fidelity, will approve the
word, and perhaps admire the preacher;but they are apt to put those feelings
in the place of true conversion. Surely this is a point that deserves to be well
considered. We should judge ourselves, not by our feelings towards the word,
or towards him that ministers it to us, but by the radical and abiding effects
produced upon our hearts and lives. Let it be a matter then of serious inquiry,
Wherein does my receptionof the word differ from that manifested by the
auditors of our Lord? Perhaps I have been often struck, yea, “exceedingly
struck,” with admiration and conviction: but have I been brought to the
exercise ofdeep contrition, of lively faith, of universal holiness? Know ye,
beloved, that unless the word have this effect upon you, instead of being to you
“a savour of life unto life, it will be a savour of death unto death;” yea, your
state will be less tolerable than even that of Sodom and Gomorrha.]
3. What reasonwe have for thankfulness that we possessthe written word—
[Many of Christ’s hearers probably regrettedthat they could not retain his
discourse in their memory, and that they had it not in their hands for
subsequent perusal. And the generalityamongst us have reasonto lament our
inability to remember what we hear, even when the discourse embraces
perhaps only a single point of that which was so diffusively treatedby our
Lord. But, whether this forgetfulness is our misfortune or our fault, we have
this consolationatleast, that the sermon of our blessedLord is in our hands;
that we may hear him preach it over to us, as it were, againand again;yea,
that we may even ask him to explain to us every point in it. What an
advantage is this! What a value should we set upon it, if now, for the first
time, his sermon were put into our hands! But, alas!because it is accessible at
all times, we are apt to make light of it: and not a few are blind enough to
disregardit, because it refers rather to the precepts than the doctrines of the
Gospel. Let us not howeverso slight our privileges: let us study this portion of

Holy Writ with peculiar attention: and let us endeavour to getevery precept
wrought into our hearts, and exhibited in our lives. Then shall we be indeed
improved by it, and shew forth the excellence ofChristianity in all its
perfection.]
Matthew 7:29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as
their scribes (NASB: Lockman)
Greek:en (3SIAI) gar didaskon(PAPMSN)autous os ecousianechon
(PAPMSN)kaiouch os oi grammateis auton
Amplified: ForHe was teaching as One Who had [and was]authority, and not
as [did] the scribes. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes
NLT: for he taught as one who had real authority—quite unlike the teachers
of religious law. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: For his words had the ring of authority, quite unlike those of the
scribes. (New Testamentin Modern English)
Wuest: for He was teaching them in the manner of one who possesses
authority, and not in the manner of their men learned in the sacredwritings.
(Eerdmans)
Young's: for he was teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes.
for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes:en
(3SIAI) gardidaskon (PAPMSN)autous os ecousianechon(PAPMSN)kai
ouch os oi grammateis auton:
Authority Mt 5:20,28,32,44;21:23-27;28:18;Dt 18:18,19;Eccl8:4; Is 50:4; Je
23:28,29;Mic 3:8; Lk 21:15;Ac 3:22,23;6:10; He 4:12,13
Scribes Mt 15:1-9; 23:2, 3, 4, 5, 6,15-24;Mk 7:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 13; Lk
20:8,46,47)

For (gar) introduces an explanation. When you encountera "for", always
take a moment to stop and query "What for?" Here Matthew is explaining
why the crowds were so taken aback by His words and His delivery.
Teaching (1321)(didasko)(presenttense) means providing instruction in a
formal or informal setting. Of some 95 instances, almosttwo thirds are in the
Gospels and Acts (and only ten in Paul). The unambiguous meaning is “to
teach.”
Robertsoncomments that the audience
They had heard many sermons before from the regular rabbis in the
synagogues. We have specimens of these discourses preservedin the Mishna
and Gemara, the JewishTalmud when both were completed, the driest,
dullest collectionofdisjointed comments upon every conceivable problem in
the history of mankind. The scribes quoted the rabbis before them and were
afraid to express an idea without bolstering it up by some predecessor. Jesus
spoke with the authority of truth, the reality and freshness of the morning
light, and the powerof God’s Spirit. This sermon which made such a
profound impression ended with the tragedy of the fall of the house on the
sand like the crash of a giant oak in the forest. There was no smoothing over
the outcome. (Matthew 7)
As one having authority - Jesus'teaching differed from the "scribes" for
many of them limited their teaching to the authorities they cited, and a great
part of their training centeredon memorizing the receivedtraditions. They
spoke by the authority of others, whereas Jesus spokewith His own authority.
As explained below, authority (exousia), speaks ofthe factthat Jesus
possessedboth the powerand the privilege, and in the NT His authority
served to prove His sovereignty. Whereas the scribes quoted other human
sources to lend a sense ofauthority to their proclamations, Jesus quotedGod's
Word, the final authority. Is not Jesus'"template" of teaching still one every
pastor and teachershould seek to espouse andemulate?
Having (2192)(echo)means possessing orholding and present tense indicates
it was continual.

A. T. Piersonobservedthat Christ taught the Scriptures to the people as if He
were its Author (cp He 1:1, 2-notes)rather than its commentator. How
incredible, Piersonadded, that He...
comes forth from the carpenter’s shop, where like all other well-trained
Hebrew youth, He had learned His father’s trade, and His first public
utterance is the most original and revolutionary address on practicalmorals
which the world has ever heard.
Authority (1849)(exousia from éxesti= it is permissible, allowed; it is lawful)
is "the right to control or command". Exousia literally means to "be out of".
Vine says exousia evolved "from the meaning of "leave or permission," or
liberty of doing as one pleases, it passedto that of "the ability or strength with
which one is endued," then to that of the "powerof authority," the right to
exercise power...or"the powerof rule or government," the power of one
whose will and commands must be obeyed by others. In short exousia is "the
right and the might". Exousia describes the authority a person has delegated
to him from someone else. In legalpractice for example, exousia speaks of
delegatedauthority.
Exousia is used for the power that proves and reflects the sovereigntyof Jesus.
Jesus declarationwith power was in markedcontrastto the scribes who
quoted others to lend authority to their teachings. Jesus quotedonly God’s
Word and spoke as the final authority on truth. He spoke eternaltruth
simply, directly, with love (in contrastto the bitter hatred of the Pharisees),
and without hesitationor consultation. That astounded the crowd.
Exousia is used 102 times in the NT - note density of uses in the Gospels with
some 44 uses - Mt 7:29; 8:9; 9:6, 8; 10:1; 21:23, 24, 27; 28:18;Mk 1:22, 27;
2:10; 3:15; 6:7; 11:28, 29, 33; 13:34;Lk 4:6, 32, 36;5:24; 7:8; 9:1; 10:19;12:5,
11; 19:17;20:2, 8, 20; 22:53;23:7; Jn 1:12; 5:27; 10:18; 17:2; 19:10, 11;Acts
1:7; 5:4; 8:19; 9:14; 26:10, 12, 18;Rom. 9:21; 13:1, 2, 3; 1 Co. 7:37; 8:9; 9:45,
6, 12, 18;11:10; 15:24;2 Co. 10:8; 13:10; Eph. 1:21; 2:2; 3:10; 6:12; Col. 1:13,
16; 2:10, 15; 2Th 3:9; Titus 3:1; He 13:10;1Pe 3:22; Jude 1:25; Re 2:26; 6:8;
9:3, 10, 19; 11:6; 12:10;13:2, 4, 5, 7, 12; 14:18;16:9; 17:12, 13; 18:1; 20:6;
22:14

Jamieson, Faussetand Browncomment that...
The consciousness ofdivine authority, as Lawgiver, Expounder and Judge, so
beamed through His teaching, that the scribes’teaching could not but appear
drivelling in such a light.
Powerand authority (right and might, powerand privilege) are a recurrent
theme in Matthew (see Mt 8:9; 9:6, 8; 10:1; 21:23, 24, 27; 28:18).
Jesus'authority was unique, and the crowds recognizedit even if they did not
always understand it.
SCRIBES
Scribes (1122)(grammateus from grápho = write) literally is a writer (town
clerk - Acts 19:35)and was the word used to describe a clerk, a scribe,
especiallya public scribe, a secretary, a recorder, whose office and influence
differed in different states.
See multiple dictionary articles on Scribes - Click Here
Grammateus is used 67 times in the NT (Matt 2:4; 5:20; 7:29; 8:19; 9:3;
12:38;13:52; 15:1; 16:21;17:10; 20:18;21:15; 23:2, 13-14, 23, 25, 27, 29, 34;
26:3, 57;27:41; Mark 1:22; 2:6, 16; 3:22; 7:1, 5; 8:31; 9:11, 14, 16; 10:33;
11:18, 27;12:28, 32, 35, 38; 14:1, 43, 53;15:1, 31;Luke 5:21, 30; 6:7; 9:22;
11:44, 53;15:2; 19:47;20:1, 19, 39, 46;22:2, 66;23:10; John 8:3; Acts 4:5;
6:12; 19:35; 23:9; 1Cor1:20)
Grammateus is found 69 times in the Septuagint - Exod. 5:6, 10, 14f, 19; Num.
11:16;Deut. 20:5, 8f; Jos. 1:10; 3:2; 8:30; 23:2; 24:1; Jdg. 5:14; 2 Sam. 8:17;
20:25;1 Ki. 4:3, 20;2 Ki. 12:10; 18:18, 37;19:2; 22:3, 8, 10, 12;25:19; 1 Chr.
2:55; 5:12; 18:16; 23:4; 24:6; 27:1, 32;2 Chr. 19:11;24:11; 26:11;34:13, 15,
18, 20; Ezr. 4:8f, 17, 23; 7:6, 11f, 21, 25; Neh. 8:1, 4, 9, 13; 12:26, 36;13:13;
Est. 3:12; 8:9; 9:3; Job 37:20;Ps. 45:1; Isa. 36:3, 22; 37:2; Jer. 8:8; 36:10, 12,
23; 37:15, 20;52:25
Nave's Topicalentry on Scribes...

A writer and transcriber of the law, 2Sa 8:17; 20:25; 1Kin. 4:3; 2Kin. 12:10;
18:37;19:2; 1Chr. 24:6; 27:32;Neh. 13:13; Jer. 36:12.
King's secretary, 2Kin. 12:10, 11, 12; 22:1-14;Esther3:12; 8:9.
Officer in charge of conscriptionof the army, 2Ki 25:19; 2Chr. 26:11.
Instructors in the law, Mt. 7:29; 13:52; 17:10;23:2, 3.
TestJesus with questions, bringing to Jesus a woman takenin adultery, John
8:3.
Members of the council, Matt. 2:4.
Conspire againstJesus, Matt. 26:3, 57; 27:41;Mark 14:1; Luke 22:66.
Hypocrisy of, reproved by Jesus, Matt. 5:20; 9:3; 12:38;15:1; 16:21; 20:18;
21:15.
The grammateus was a recognizedexpert in Jewishlaw including both
Scripture and traditional laws and regulations. Theywere members of a
learned class in ancient Israelthrough New Testamenttimes who studied the
Scriptures and served as copyists, editors, and teachers. Thus they were
consideredto be experts in matters relating to divine revelation, especiallyin
regard to the law of Moses. (click Bible dictionary discussion)
Thayer notes that grammateus in the Bible was...
a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacredwritings, an interpreter,
teacher. Scribes examined the more difficult and subtle questions of the law;
added to the Mosaic law decisions ofvarious kinds thought to elucidate its
meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion. Since the advice
of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination in the causes and the
solution of the difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and
are mentioned in connectionwith the priests and elders of the people.
Vine says that grammateus is
from gramma, a writing, denotes a scribe, a man of letters, a teacherof the
law; the scribes are mentioned frequently in the Synoptists, especiallyin

connectionwith the Pharisees, withwhom they virtually formed one party
(see Luke 5:21), sometimes with the chief priests, e.g., Matt. 2:4; Mark 8:31;
10:33;11:18, 27; Luke 9:22. They are mentioned only once in John’s Gospel,
8:3, three times in the Acts, 4:5; 6:12; 23:9; elsewhere onlyin 1 Cor. 1:20, in
the singular. They were considerednaturally qualified to teachin the
Synagogues, Mark 1:22. They were ambitious of honour, e.g., Matt. 23:5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10, 11, which they demanded especiallyfrom their pupils, and which was
readily granted them, as wellas by the people generally. Like Ezra (Ezra
7:12), the scribes were found originally among the priests and Levites. The
priests being the official interpreters of the Law, the scribes ere long became
an independent company; though they though they never held political power,
they became leaders of the people. Their functions regarding the Law were to
teachit, develop it, and use it in connectionwith the Sanhedrin and various
localcourts. They also occupiedthemselves with the sacredwritings both
historicaland didactic. They attachedthe utmost importance to ascetic
elements, by which the nation was especiallyseparatedfrom the Gentiles. In
their régime piety was reducedto external formalism. Only that was of value
which was governedby external precept. Life under them became a burden;
they themselves soughtto evade certainof their own precepts, Mt 23:16f; Lk
11:46;by their traditions the Law, insteadof being a help in moral and
spiritual life, became an instrument for preventing true accessto God, Luke
11:52. Hence the Lord’s stern denunciations of them and the Pharisees.(Vine,
W E: Vine's Complete ExpositoryDictionary of Old and New Testament
Words. 1996. Nelson)
C. S. Lewis gives an illustration from his own life of the attitude of many who
hear the gospeland fail to actupon it writing...
When I was a child I often had toothache, and I knew that if I went to my
mother she would give me something which would deadenthe pain for that
night and let me getto sleep. But I did not go to my mother-at least, not till the
pain became very bad. And the reasonI did not go was this. I did not doubt
she would give me the aspirin: but I knew she would also do something else. I
knew she would take me to the dentist next morning. I could not getwhat I
wanted out of her without getting something more, which I did not want. I
wanted immediate relief from pain: but I could not get it without having my

teeth set permanently right. And I knew those dentists; I knew they started
fiddling about with all sorts of other teeth which had not yet begun to ache.
They would not let sleeping dogs lie. (Mere Christianity 2001 Harper)
"The GreatestPreacher"
Matthew 7:28-29
Theme: Hearing the Sermon on The Mount should draw our attention to its
divine Preacher.
(Delivered Sunday, July 3, 2005 atBethany Bible Church. All Scripture
quotes, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New King James Version.)
I don't know whether or not you realize it, but - with some departures here
and there - we have spent over a year's worth of time studying just one
sermon! I don't feel that it has been too much time to do so, though; because it
happens to be the greatestsermonever preached - preachedby the greatest
Preacherwho ever lived. I hope you agree that every word of our blessed
Savior's Sermon on The Mount is worthy of all the time we can give to it.
We completedour look at the actualwords of the Sermon last week. And that
brings us to two verses immediately after the closing words of our Savior's
sermon that it would be easyto pass by. But in truth, they model for us how
we ourselves should respond to and receive the teaching of this greatsermon.
And this morning, I would like us to give particular attention to them.
After Jesus concludedHis greatSermon, the Gospelwriter Matthew tells us,
in Matthew 7:28-29;
And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were
astonishedat His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and
not as the scribes (Matthew 7:28-29).
* * * * * * * * * *

I suspectthat, if you are a regularreader of the Bible, you've read those
words before. But I'll also suspectthat - if you are like I myself have been -
you've probably read them and didn't notice just what a significant thing it is
that they tell us. I have to confess that, when I myself was originally preparing
to study of the Sermon on The Mount, I didn't know what to do with them;
and had intended to only make passing reference to them.
But I have grownto see these two verses as very important verses;and for two
very important reasons.Firstof all, these two verses serve as a transition
point to what happens next in Matthew's Gospel, afterthis greatestofall
sermons was preached.
The attention of all the multitudes who heard the words of this greatsermon
was fixed upon the One who spoke them. Even before He preachedit,
attention was drawn to Him; because Johnthe Baptisthad been pointing Him
out to everyone as One who was to come - whose "winnowing fan is in His
hand, and He will thoroughly cleanout His threshing floor, and gather His
wheatinto the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire"
(Matthew 3:12). This was a reference to Jesus as the long-expectedMessiah;
who would not only be the Saviorof all, but also be the Judge of all. John even
pointed Him out to people, calling Him "The Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). And so, everyone was already talking about
Jesus - especiallyafter His baptism, when the heavens openedup, and the
Holy Spirit in the form of a dove settledupon Him, and the voice of the Father
in heaven announced to all, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17).
And now that Jesus had spokenthese remarkable words, look at what
happens next! Chapters 8-9 of Matthew describe a series miracles - one
miracle after another - that our Lord performed before those who heard Him.
Not only did the multitudes hear these greatwords of One who was declared
to be the Son of God, but they also saw Him do things that only the Son of
God could do.
Look at what happens immediately after the Sermon was completed. Matthew
tells us;

When He had come down from the mountain, greatmultitudes followedHim.
And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are
willing, You can make me clean." ThenJesus put out His hand and touched
him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."Immediately his leprosywas
cleansed(Matthew 8:1-3).
In those days, a leper was an utterly helpless and unwanted person - someone
unspeakablytragic and hopeless in his or her need. And as I'm sure you
know, no one dared to even touch a leper out of fear that they too might fall
victim to the same horrible disease. Butin greatmercy and compassion, Jesus
- before the eyes of all who had just heard Him preach the Sermon on The
Mount - not only reachedout and touched this poor, pathetic man; He also
did something that only the Sonof God could do. He healed him! Instantly!
And then follows a whole string of breath-taking miracles. Jesus healeda
centurion's servant by simply speaking a word from a distance (8:5-13). He
then healedPeter's mother-in-law; and spent the evening healing the
multitudes of people who came to Him at Peter's door (8:16-17). He rebuked
the winds and the waves, and calmed a storm out at sea;causing His disciples
to say, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (8:23-
27). He castout demons; who cry as they come out, "What have we to do with
You, Jesus, YouSon of God? Have You come here to torment us before the
time?" (8:28-31). He healed a paralyzed man, in order to prove that He had
the authority to forgive sins (9:1-8). He healed a woman with a twelve-year-
long illness just by her simply touching the hem of His garment (9:20-22). He
raiseda girl from the dead (9:18-19;23-26). He gave sight to two blind men
(9:27-31). And He castthe demon out of a mute man so that the mute man
spoke (32-33).
People were not only astonishedat what He said in this sermon; but looking at
all the miracles He performed, they also said, "It was never seenlike this in
Israel!" (9:33). And I believe that these two little verses serve as the
connectionbetweenthe things that Jesus taughtand the remarkable things
that He did - both, together, giving proof to all that He truly was the Son of
God. It makes the teaching and the miracles go togetheras a unit. Clearly, He
was a greatteacher;but He was clearlyMORE than just a greatteacher. As

even Nicodemus, a Pharisee anda ruler of the Jews, confessedto Him;
"Rabbi, we know that You are a teachercome from God; for no one can do
these signs that You do unless God is with him" (John 3:2).
These two verses, then, give us a direct link betweenthe things Jesus saidin
the Sermonon The Mount, and the miracles that proved His authority to say
what He saidin it. They are important to considerfor that reasonalone.
* * * * * * * * * *
But the secondreasonI believe these two verses are important is because they
show us the impression that His greatsermon had on the people who heard it.
Without these two verses, we might easilyforgetjust how astonishedpeople
were at Him when He preachedit.
Those who first heard His words were exceedinglyamazed - not just at His
words alone, but at Him! Ordinarily, when a preacher preaches a sermon - a
goodpreacher, anyway - he seeks to draw people's attention awayfrom
himself and on to what it is that he is saying. But here, the listeners were just
as much amazedat Him - His manner, His authority, His uniqueness - as they
were at what He said.
Now, compare that to how people tend to respond to the Sermon on The
Mount today. Even people who do not believe that Jesus as the Sonof God,
and who do not place their faith in Him as their Savior, still love and
appreciate many of the words of the Sermon. They quote them as great and
beautiful words of ethical instruction. But their understanding of them is
superficial; and you could hardly say that such people come away
"astonished" or"amazed" by them.
And I suggestto you that such people fail to be impacted by them as they
should, because they have not been given by the Holy Spirit a true view of the
One who spoke them. They fail to receive these words in the same context as
did those who first heard them - that is, as words that were prefacedby an
announcement from heaven that the One who spoke them is the Son of God;
and as words that were followedby the One who spoke them doing a setof
miracles that only the Son of God could do. Many today hear the words, but

their eyes have not been openedto the divine PreacherHimself; because when
the Holy Spirit works, the words of this Sermon throw the spotlight on the
greatPreacher. It was because ofthe whole picture of all these things that the
people who first heard these words were completely blown away by them; and
they grew to hold the One who spoke them in holy awe.
And this brings us to the greatlessonthat these two verses teachus today:
that the hearing of this greatSermon should draw our primary attention to
the One who spoke them. If we spend over a year studying the words of the
Sermon on The Mount, and we come awaywithout having the spotlight fixed
upon Jesus - if we do not come awaymore in awe of Him, and more in love
with Him, and more ready to give ourselves to Him - then we have horribly
missed the point. If we simply gather up the sayings of Jesus from this great
sermon, say a passing word of thanks to the Preacherfor giving them to us,
then run off and do whatever we like with them, then we will have failed to
grasptheir true intent. The words of this Sermon are meant to drive us to the
place in which we fall before this greatPreacher - Jesus, the Son of God - seek
God's great mercy and saving grace through Him, and rise up and follow Him
as Lord of our lives.
Let me put it to you this way: This sermonis meant to so prove us to be
sinners before a holy God, and to leave us so "astonished" by our encounter
with the Saviorfrom sin, that we do exactly what the leper did - fall before
Jesus and say, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean!" And He
will! He will respond by saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."
* * * * * * * * * *
It's always a goodthing to turn the spotlight on our Savior. Let's look at these
two little verses and learn the impressionof Jesus that His greatsermon gave
to those who heard Him. I suggestthat there are, mainly, three things that
these words taught them about Him; and they are three things we ourselves
should be impressed about Him.
First, they were impressedthat He was . . .
1. A WISE PREACHER.

Jesus'words in the Sermon on The Mount were not merely meant to inform.
They were meant to teach. Twice in these two verses, Jesus'role as "Teacher"
is alluded to. We're told that Jesus didn't merely preach to them, but
"taught" them (didaskõn); and it was said that people were astonished, not at
His "sermon", but at His "teaching" (didachã).
"Teaching", in the biblical sense, is not meant to merely fill heads with
knowledge. "Teaching", inthe biblical sense, is always meant to be put into
practice. It's meant to bring about a change in the way we believe and think;
and then to call us to a new way of behaving and living. It teaches us why we
are to change, and what it is that we are to change into. It even presents us
with a model of what that new behavior will look like.
And in all these respects, Jesus proves to be the Master/Teacher.He made it
clearthat His words are meant to be put into practice when He said,
"Therefore, whoeverhears these sayings ofMine, and does them, I will liken
him to a wise man . . ." (Matthew 7:24).
Think with me for a moment of the monumental things that Jesus taught
about in this Sermon. He touches on the most fundamental and ultimate
subjects that can everbe taught. For example, He taught what a man or
woman must do to be happy and blessedbefore God. It's certainly not in the
ways that people typically seek "blessedness";because He said,
"Blessedare the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessedare those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessedare the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessedare those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.

Blessedare the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessedare the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessedare the peacemakers,
For they shall be calledsons of God.
Blessedare those who are persecutedfor righteousness'sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."(Matthew 5:1-10)
He taught His followers how to glorify God. He said, "Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your goodworks and glorify your Father in
heaven" (5:16). He also taught them the high standards of holiness that God
expects of us; "ForI sayto you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the
righteousness ofthe scribes and Pharisees,you will by no means enter the
kingdom of heaven" (5:20). Think of it: Who but the One who is the Savior
from sins would set the bar that high? You can be sure that none of the
scribes or Pharisees eversaidthat! Who but such a teacheras Jesus - who
seeks to draw men away from their own efforts at self-righteousness, and turn
them instead to Himself for salvation - would say, "Therefore you shall be
perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (5:48)?
Jesus took on one of the greatestsubjects that canever be taught - the Law of
God through Moses;and yet, showedus the true intention of that law that was
completely missedby the scholars and experts. He said to us, "You have heard
that it was said to those of old"; and then said, "But I sayto you . . ."; and
then proceededto teachus the true spirit of God's commandments over the
mere superficial letter of the law (5:17-48). Never has there been a greater
exposition of the Law of Mosesthan Jesus gives us in the Sermon on The
Mount! It far surpassesthe interpretations of all the scribes and Pharisees
and Rabbis and scholars and philosophers who came either before or after
Him!

Readthrough His sermon for yourself! You find that He touches on the most
profound subjects imaginable. He speaks ofheaven (5:3, 10, 20; 6:20; 7:21), of
hell (5:22, 20, 30;7:13, 23), of final judgment (5:19, 20-22;25-26;7:1-2, 19, 23,
27), and of eternal rewards (5:3-12, 19, 46; 6:4, 18) - and all in one sermon!
* * * * * * * * * *
Think of one of the most startling things Jesus teachesHis hearers in this
sermon - that because oftheir relationship with Him, they may call God
"Father"!That was a remarkably "revolutionary" idea in the minds of the
Jewishpeople who heard Him; that because of a relationship with Him, they
may dare to address God by the intimate term "Father"!
God was sometimes presentedas "Father" in the Old Testament;but it was
almost always as "Father", in a very generalsense, ofthe nation of Israel;and
not in an personalindividual sense. There are times when God promised to be
the "Father" ofsomeone;but it was usually a prophetic promise - such as His
promise to be the "Father" of the Messiahsymbolically presentedthrough
Solomon(2 Sam. 7:14; 1 Chronicles 17:13;22:10; 28:6; Psalm89:26).
Sometimes He promises to be "Father" in a metaphoricalsense;as when He
promises to be "a father of the fatherless" (Psalm68:5). But never would it
occurto a Jewishperson think of calling God "Father" in terms of seeing
themselves in a loving and personalrelationship with Him as a "son" or
"daughter". That would be a far too "familiar" way to speak of one's
relationship with the almighty God of Israel!
But Jesus came to this earth to take our sins away, and to reconcile us to His
Father. And so, He preaches this sermonand teaches His disciples to take the
revolutionary stepof calling God "Father" in a personaland intimate way. He
says things like, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your
goodworks and glorify your Fatherin heaven" (5:16). What a surprising
thing to say! Or, He says things like this: ". . . Love your enemies . . . that you
may be sons of your Father in heaven" (5:44-45); or, ". . . You shall be
perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (5:48). There are fourteen
times in this sermon that He invites us to call God our "Father" (See also 6:1,
4, 6, 8, 9, 14, 15, 18, 26, 32;7:11). Jesus eventeaches us to pray in a completely

revolutionary way- and even providing the model for us to follow - when He
says, "In this manner, therefore, pray: 'Our Fatherin heaven. . ." (6:9).
But think also of how careful He was in how He taught this to us. When Jesus
speaks ofthe Father to His disciples, He uses the phrase "your Father". And
when He teaches youand me to pray together, only then does He use the
phrase "our Father" as the model phrase for us to use together. But when
speaking ofHimself along with us, He never uses the phrase, "our Father".
Instead, He says, "My Father". "Noteveryone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
shall enter the kingdom of heaven," He says, "but he who does the will of My
Father in heaven" (7:21). This is because He had a unique relationship with
the Fatheras the only begottenSon of God - a unique relationship that we can
not share along with Him. Even when He rose from the dead, He made a
distinction and told Mary to tell the disciples, ". . . I am ascending to My
Father and Your Father, and to My God and your God" (John 20:17).
So, just think of what a great and wise TeacherHe was!Neverwas there a
teacherlike Jesus!No one else taught on the sort of subjects He taught -
subjects that are the most basic to our humanity and eternity! And no one else
taught those subjects so wiselyand thoroughly than He did. And no other
teachertaught so consistently, and so true to Himself, as Jesus did! Jesus truly
was the Master/Teacher -the Teachersentfrom God!
* * * * * * * * * *
Jesus impressedHis hearers not only as a wise Preacher, but also as . . .
2. AN ASTONISHING PREACHER.
Matthew tells us, "And so it was, whenJesus had ended these sayings, that the
people were astonishedat His teaching . . ." And I enjoy the Greek word that
Matthew used to describe their reaction(ekplãssõ). It's a word that uses the
idea of "striking" or "smiting" something;and it conveys the sense of
someone being so filled with amazement and astonishment as to be
dumfounded - 'struck out of their wits'. This word, then, lets us know that
Jesus'sermon"knockedfolks outof their minds" with amazement and left

them "stunned" when it was over! (Now, how long has it been since a sermon
did that to you?)
* * * * * * * * * *
It' s fascinating to think about the ways that people sometimes reactedto
Jesus'teaching. The Bible tells us that, sometimes, people heard what He had
to say, and they couldn't take the hard things that He was saying anymore and
they went away(John 6:60-66). On one occasion, they got so mad at Him that
they sought to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:28-30). Once, afterhearing what
He had to say, people picked up stones to stone Him to death (John 10:31).
(Now, how long has it been since you've wanted to do those kinds of things to a
preacher? . . . On secondthought, don't answerthat.)
But there were other times when people had a different reactionto His
preaching. Once, when the Pharisees sentguards out to arrestHim, the
guards startedto listen - and then forgot to arrestHim! They came back
without Him; and when the Phariseesasked why they didn't bring Him, they
said, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" (John 7:46). His enemies would
confront Him and try to trap Him in His words; and then He would answer
them, and they would go from 'marveling' at His words (Matthew 22:22), to
being "astonishedat His teaching" (v. 33), to being 'silenced' (v. 34), to finally
being unable to answerHim a word, or daring to question Him any further (v.
46). He would teachin the synagogue, andpeople would be astonishedat the
teaching they heard from Him there (Mark 1:21-22;Luke 4:32). People from
His home town would bear witness to Him and "marvel at the gracious words
which proceededout of His mouth" (Luke 4:22). The apostle John testified
that Jesus was "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14); and Petertestified that
there was no one else to listen to, because He alone had "the words of eternal
life" (John 6:68).
We may be used to the Sermon on The Mount, because we've heard it many
times and read it often. But we mustn't ever forgetthat, when it was first
spoken, this divine PreacherleftHis listeners "astonished" by what He said.
In fact, the word that is used is in a tense of the verb (the imperfect tense)that

suggeststhat the more they heard, the more and more astonishedthey
became!
* * * * * * * * * *
What was it that left them so astonished? I suppose one answerwould be the
things that He taught, and the greatthemes that He touched on. I would
expect, too, that it had something to do with the masterful manner in which
He spoke and communicatedtruth. But I think that the most astonishing
aspectof His teaching would have been the things that He was saying about
Himself! No other preacherwould have dared to say the things that Jesus
said!
He would say, for example, "Blessedare you when they revile and persecute
you, and say all kinds of evil againstyou falselyfor My sake" (5:11). Imagine
that! He saidpeople would be "blessed" ifthey were persecutedfor His sake!
In fact, He even told His listeners that, when they are persecutedfor His sake,
they should rejoice and be exceedinglyglad, "for greatis your reward in
heaven, for so they persecutedthe prophets who were before you" (v. 12). In
other words, He was daring to say that when the prophets of old were
persecutedfor the sake ofGod in the Old Testament, it was equivalent to His
followers being persecutedfor His own sake!Surely, people would have been
astonishedat hearing Him saysuch things about Himself. Only a madman
would make such claims - unless those claims were true. But surely, the Holy
Spirit was also testifying to their hearts the truth of what He was saying!
Or consider what He says next. He says that those who were listening to Him -
that is, His followers - were "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the
world"; and that those who let their light shine, as His followers, wouldbe
advancing on earth the glory of their Father in heaven! This claim is a step
removed from Himself, of course;because He's talking about His followers.
But imagine the astonishment on the part of those who heard Him as they
understood how He was elevating His followers because oftheir connectionto
Himself!
Or consider this: He dared to tell His listeners, "Do not think that I came to
destroy the Law or the Prophets . . ." (5:17). (And I wonder if anyone in His

audience picked up on the fact that He said that He "came", insteadof saying
that He was "born". He was born into the human family; but He was born as
One who had alreadyexisted from before eternity, and was conceivedin the
womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. As it says in John 1:10-11, "He was in the
world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know
Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." He's very
specific in saying that He "came".)
He says, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did
not come to destroy but to fulfill." Think of it! The Preacherthey were
listening to dared to say that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets!
This was basicallya claim to be the great'Promise' of the Scriptures;and that
what the Scriptures promised is what He came to fulfill and fully accomplish!
Elsewhere, He said to the Jews, "Yousearchthe Scriptures, for in them you
think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John
5:39). What an astonishing thing it was that they were hearing from Him!
And yet, it was true!
Nearthe end of His sermon, He said that. when the greatDay of Judgment
will come, it will be He Himself that people would be standing before! He said,
"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
Your name, castout demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your
name?" (7:22). What a claim to make!What's more, He clearly made Himself
out to be the Judge!He said, "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew
you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (v. 23). He makes the
privilege of being knownby Him the determinative factorin being allowedto
enter into the kingdom of heaven! In fact, He even equates being known by
Him with the doing of His Father's will (v. 21)! What an astonishing thing to
say! How blasphemous - if not true!
At the very end of His sermon, as He calls forth a response to all that He has
said in this sermon, He says that obedience to His instruction is what made the
difference betweensomeone being "wise" orbeing "a fool". He said,
"Therefore, whoeverhears these sayings ofMine, and does them, I will liken
him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. . . . But everyone who
hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolishman

who built his house on the sand . . ." (7:24, 27). Who would dare to say such a
thing but the Son of God Himself?
And may I suggestto you that, if we truly pay attention to Jesus'words in the
powerof the Holy Spirit - not only to what He says here in the Sermon on The
Mount, but to what He says throughout the Scripture - they will amaze us just
as much today? He teaches us many astonishing things in this sermon; but one
of the most astonishing things of all is what He teaches us about Himself! He
forces us to come to a conclusion - that this Preacheris claiming to be Godin
human flesh! - the very Son of God! - the secondPersonofthe Trinity! He is
saying, "I am who My Fathersaid I am; when He said, 'This is My beloved
Son, in whom I am wellpleased'!"
If you haven't come awayfrom this study of the Sermon on The Mount in a
state of "astonishment" overits divine Preacher - and of who He claimed to
be - then you haven't yet heard it as you should!
* * * * * * * * * *
And all of this leads us to one more way that this sermon impressed its
original listeners;and that is that its Preacherwas . . .
3. AN AUTHORITATIVE PREACHER.
Matthew goes on in our text to tell us that people were astonishedat Jesus'
teaching, "for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the
scribes."
The scribes were the experts in the study and interpretation of the Law of
Moses.And they were careful to teachtheir interpretations to the people of
God. But we would have to say that their teaching was from a "derived"
authority. They were authoritative only so long as they quoted from someone
else who had authority.
For example, they would begin what they wanted to say by affirming, "You
have heard that it was said to those of old . . ."; and then they would quote the
authority. Perhaps it would be a word of Scripture from the Old Testament.
By the time of the ministry of John the Baptist, there had not been a prophet

from God for 400 years;and so, they could not claim to have an original word
from God. So they would say, "You have heard that it was said to those of old
by the prophets"; and then quote Scripture. Or, they would quote the
interpretation or application of Scripture that had been recordedand passed
down from one of the esteemedrabbis or teachers from the past; and so they
would say, "You have heard that it was said to those of old by Rabbi Such and
Such . . ."; and then they would quote that esteemedrabbi or teacher. In any
case, the scribes only had "derived" authority - but they never taught from
what we would call "original" or "direct" authority.
But the people who heard Jesus'sermonwere quick to notice that that's not
the wayHe taught. He did not appealto authority; but spoke as if He Himself
was the authority. When He taught the people the true intention of God's
Law, He would say, "You have heard that it was said to those of old . . ."; and
then He would quote what some other authority said. But then, He would
shock everyone by saying, "But I say to you . . ."; and He would then either
give the true interpretation of God's Law, or would completely undue what
some past teachersaid about the Law.
In fact, we could go further and say that He stoodout as distinct even from
the Old Testamentprophets. When they spoke from God, they said, "Thus
says the Lord . . ." and then they would give the message thathad been given
to them from God. But Jesus didn't even do that! He said, "But I sayto you . .
."; as if He Himself spoke as God!And as you look elsewhere in the Bible, you
see that He said some of the most remarkable things imaginable on the basis
of His "direct" authority. For example, in Mark 3:28, He said, "Assuredly, I
say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever
blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes againstthe Holy Spirit
never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation." He quotes no
prophet in saying this unprecedented thing; but simply says, "Assuredly, I say
to you . . ."
Or consider what He says in Luke 12:37: "Blessedare those servants whom
the master, when He comes, willfind watching. Assuredly, I say to you that
He will gird Himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve

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