KJV Matthew 5

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

NIV Matthew 5

1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2 and he began to teach them, saying

 The setting is that there were multitudes that were following him from the city. They must have seen or at least heard about the miracles he had been performing. I imagine they talking to each other while they were walking:
�Did you see what he did�.?�
�No I didn�t see that but I heard he did�.? �
�Oh well I saw him do � and it was incredible!�
 �I wonder what he is going to do next?� People are �What�s in it for me!� a lot of the time and all these were not Godly people. A lot of them must have had a feeling or a thought �I wonder if he could help me?� Some were perfectly healthy but unhappy, hopeless, poor� I wonder if they thought he might heal their woes too?
And when he saw them he went up a mountain. You know God never does much in the Valley. Not a lot of secrets or hidden stuff going on in the bible especially when God speaks. Abraham took Isaac up a mountain, Moses went up a mountain to hear God speak, Jesus went up a mountain to teach. He was another when he explained about the vine and the fruit and then up another (one that some scholars believe to be the same mountain of Abraham and Isaac) where he would be the sacrifice for all our sins.

Then Jesus sat down.
 This sitting business it was intrigued me the most. I found it odd a little but I am used to my teachers and preachers standing.  Sitting was �the posture of masters� -John Gill's Exposition of the Bible. It seems inviting but confident to me. I see him now sitting there as though the entire mountain was a throne� God must have known that The Son would someday sit there and fulfill the law when he created that mountain. I bet he took a little extra care creating it. I bet it was comfortable for Jesus.

Evidently his disciples waited till he sat down to follow him then they gathered around him.
According to the commentaries this symbolized that the teachings were specifically for the disciples of Jesus but the presence of the crowds indicate the openness of the fulfillment it was no longer for just the Jews but for everyone! (We know that they heard the teachings Mt 7:28. and that they applied to everyone Mt 7:24) The commentary said: �Matthew explicitly indicates that Jesus taught his disciples (5:1-2) but also that the crowds were present (7:28), implying that Jesus wanted both to hear, calling both to decision (7:24-27).� I love symbolism but I missed that until I read it.

Then he taught them.
 Teach. Not command but fulfill the commandments by teaching (implying there are lessons to be explained). This teaching also seems so patient. The Commandants seem short and to the point. Yes Jesus seems to be taking his time. How loving and peaceful this scene is in my mind. God said in the commandment do this and don�t do that! If you thought of why all you would get is �Because I said so!� Now God is among us and he is not saying, �Because I said so� But �Don�t you see it was always for you own good and happiness. So that you can be �blessed��, (I could do another page on that word) When our children are young we say �Because I said so� to teach them to obey without understanding but when they are older and able to understand we then explain why we told them they couldn�t do or have something. We do this hoping that they will obey what we are telling them now but that they don�t understand. We hope they will see it is also the best for them. Can we learn that we must obey God even when we don�t understand. God is maturing us.

I wonder if some of them (especially the more rebellious ones) felt stupid for missing out on what the law could have blessed them with. I do. Where would I be now if I had not been so stubborn for so long? If I had just obeyed until I understood what I see so clearly now?

I am trying to stick to just the first 2 verses but that�s hard because of what starts in verse 3. Well Faith just studied this last week and she shared with me some of the comparisons with God�s delivery of the Law to Moses. So some of this is tainted with that discussion as well as my own research in the commentaries. But that�s not cheating that�s learning right? What sticks with me the most is how scary the delivery of the Law sounds. Burning bushes, thundering voice of God, Charlton Hesston�s look of fear and his hair turning white! And then how peaceful were the beatitudes: Jesus sitting on his mountain throne and his disciples gathering around him and sitting too. God came down to the mountain where Jesus went up it. God commanded and Jesus taught. God delivered and Jesus fulfilled. Explaining the love and happiness within the law.