Saturday Bible Study Class 11-15-2025
The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5–7 | Israel Ministries Bible Study Series
Yeshua's Foundational Teachings on Kingdom Living
Presented by Israel Ministries
Introduction: The Heart of Kingdom Living
The Sermon on the Mount stands as Yeshua's most comprehensive and profound teaching on the lifestyle of Kingdom citizens. Delivered early in His public ministry on a mountain near the Sea of Galilee, this discourse establishes the ethical and spiritual foundation for those who would follow Him.
This sermon is not a replacement of Torah but rather a revelation of its deepest intent. Yeshua expounds upon the Law given at Sinai, showing how true righteousness flows from the heart rather than mere external observance. His words challenge religious performance and call disciples to authentic transformation.
Setting the Stage: Echoes of Sinai
The Mountain Setting
Yeshua deliberately ascends a mountain to deliver this teaching, creating a powerful parallel to Moses ascending Mount Sinai to receive the Law from YHWH.
The Audience
He teaches His disciples directly while the crowds gather around to listen, establishing a pattern of intimate instruction with public witness.
The Authority
Yeshua stands as Lawgiver, Teacher, and Prophet like Moses, fulfilling the promise of Deuteronomy 18:15 that YHWH would raise up a prophet like Moses from among the people.
Structure of the Sermon
The Sermon on the Mount unfolds in a carefully organized structure that moves from internal character to external conduct, revealing that true righteousness begins in the heart and flows outward into action.
01
Matthew 5: Character and Heart
The Beatitudes and the clarifications of Torah establish the internal transformation required for Kingdom citizenship. Yeshua addresses attitudes, motives, and the condition of the soul.
02
Matthew 6: Righteousness in Secret
Instruction on giving, prayer, and fasting emphasizes that authentic righteousness is performed before the Father alone, not for human recognition or approval.
03
Matthew 7: Conduct, Discernment, and Judgment
Practical guidance on how disciples should relate to others and navigate spiritual realities, culminating in the call to build life on the foundation of obedience.
The unifying message: True righteousness is internal, not performative. Kingdom living flows from transformed hearts, not religious theatrics.
The Beatitudes Overview
The Beatitudes open the Sermon with eight distinct character traits that define Kingdom citizens. Each beatitude presents a paradox: present struggle paired with future Kingdom reward. This structure reveals a fundamental Kingdom principle—spiritual identity precedes outward works.
These are not requirements to earn entrance into the Kingdom but descriptions of those who already belong to it. The blessed life is not marked by earthly success but by spiritual poverty, mourning, meekness, and hunger for righteousness. These qualities stand in stark contrast to the values of the world.
Each beatitude moves from present condition to eschatological promise, reminding disciples that their true reward comes not in this age but in the age to come.
The Eight Beatitudes
1
Poor in Spirit
Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven—recognizing spiritual bankruptcy and complete dependence on YHWH.
2
They That Mourn
They shall be comforted—grieving over sin and brokenness, both personal and cosmic.
3
The Meek
They shall inherit the earth—strength under control, submitting to YHWH's authority.
4
Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
They shall be filled—desperate desire for alignment with YHWH's ways and character.
5
The Merciful
They shall obtain mercy—extending compassion reflects the Father's heart.
6
Pure in Heart
They shall see God—undivided devotion and moral integrity bring vision of the divine.
7
Peacemakers
They shall be called children of God—actively pursuing reconciliation and shalom.
8
Persecuted for Righteousness
Theirs is the Kingdom—suffering for faithfulness confirms Kingdom citizenship.
Salt and Light
You Are the Salt of the Earth
Salt preserves and prevents decay. In ancient times, salt was essential for preserving food and maintaining its value. Disciples are called to be preserving agents in a corrupt world, maintaining righteousness and truth.
Salt also brings flavor and enhances what it touches. The presence of Kingdom citizens should make righteousness desirable and attractive to those around them. But salt that loses its saltiness becomes worthless—disciples must maintain their distinct character.
You Are the Light of the World
Light reveals truth and dispels darkness. Just as a city on a hill cannot be hidden, disciples cannot conceal their identity. Light is meant to be visible, to guide, to warn, to illuminate the path.
The disciple's life must make YHWH visible to the world. Good works performed in obedience to the Father cause others to glorify Him. The light is not the disciple's own righteousness but the reflection of YHWH's glory shining through transformed lives.
Yeshua and the Law
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."—Matthew 5:17-18
Yeshua makes an unequivocal declaration about His relationship to Torah. He has not come to abolish or diminish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them—to bring them to their complete and intended meaning. This fulfillment does not replace Torah but reveals its full depth and application.
Not One Jot or Tittle
The smallest Hebrew letter (yod) and the tiniest stroke that distinguishes one letter from another will remain until heaven and earth pass away. The permanence of Torah is tied to the permanence of creation itself.
Righteousness That Exceeds
Yeshua declares that His disciples' righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. This does not mean more rules but deeper sincerity—righteousness of the heart rather than mere outward show and religious performance.
The Six Clarifications
"You Have Heard... But I Say Unto You"
Yeshua employs a distinctive teaching formula six times in Matthew 5, contrasting common religious understanding with the deeper heart-level intention of Torah. Each clarification begins with "You have heard that it was said" and continues with "But I say unto you."
These are not new laws that replace the old, nor are they contradictions of Torah. Rather, Yeshua is returning the commandments to their original, deeper meaning—moving from external compliance to internal transformation. He addresses not just actions but the attitudes and motives that produce those actions.
This teaching method demonstrates Yeshua's authority as the ultimate interpreter of Torah, the one who can reveal YHWH's true intent behind each commandment.
Clarifications 1–3: Heart Matters
1
1. Anger Equals Murder
Torah says "You shall not murder," but Yeshua reveals that anger, contempt, and verbal abuse are murder in the heart. The root of violence begins with unresolved rage and hatred. Reconciliation must precede worship.
2
2. Lust Equals Adultery
Torah says "You shall not commit adultery," but Yeshua teaches that lustful intent is adultery in the heart. The issue is not merely physical action but the desires that lead to betrayal. Guarding the heart protects covenant faithfulness.
3
3. Honor the Marriage Covenant
While Moses permitted divorce due to hardness of heart, Yeshua reveals YHWH's original design: covenant marriage is permanent, reflecting the unbreakable bond between YHWH and His people. Divorce, except for sexual immorality, violates this sacred union.
Clarifications 4–6: Kingdom Ethics
1
Let Your Yes Be Yes
Rather than elaborate oaths that invoke heaven, earth, or Jerusalem, disciples should speak with such integrity that their simple word is sufficient. Truthfulness should be constant, not requiring religious validation.
2
Break the Cycle of Vengeance
The principle of "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" was meant to limit revenge, not encourage it. Yeshua calls disciples to non-retaliation—turn the other cheek, give more than demanded, go the extra mile. Kingdom citizens absorb injustice rather than perpetuate it.
3
Love Your Enemies
This is the highest form of righteousness. Torah says to love your neighbor, but Yeshua extends this to enemies and persecutors. Why? Because this reflects the character of the Father, who sends rain on both righteous and unrighteous. Perfect love distinguishes Kingdom citizens from the world.
Acts of Righteousness
Matthew 6: The Secret Life of Disciples
Yeshua turns attention to three central acts of Jewish piety: giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. In each case, He condemns public performance and religious theatre designed to win human praise.
The Pharisees practiced these disciplines conspicuously—announcing their charity with trumpets, praying lengthy prayers on street corners, and displaying their fasting with disfigured faces. Their motivation was human recognition, and they received exactly what they sought: temporary earthly applause.
Disciples are called to a different standard: righteousness done in secret before the Father. When giving, prayer, and fasting are hidden from public view, the Father who sees in secret rewards openly. The disciple's audience is YHWH alone, not the watching crowd.
The Master's Prayer
Yeshua provides a model prayer—not a ritual to be mechanically repeated but a pattern for authentic communion with the Father. This prayer reflects central themes of Torah: holiness, justice, provision, forgiveness, and deliverance.
Our Father in Heaven
Intimacy combined with reverence—approaching YHWH as beloved children who honor His transcendence.
Hallowed Be Your Name
The first priority is YHWH's glory and the sanctification of His name above all earthly concerns.
Your Kingdom Come
Longing for YHWH's rule to be fully established on earth as it is in heaven—the eschatological hope.
Give Us Daily Bread
Dependence on YHWH's provision, echoing Israel's daily manna in the wilderness.
Forgive Our Debts
Recognition of sin and need for divine mercy, coupled with the obligation to forgive others.
Lead Us Not Into Temptation
A plea for protection from evil and deliverance from the snares of the adversary.
Treasure and Priorities
Earthly Treasure
Possessions accumulated on earth are temporary and vulnerable—subject to decay, theft, and loss. Investing life's energy in material wealth is ultimately futile because earthly treasure cannot endure.
Heavenly Treasure
Treasure laid up in heaven is eternal and secure. Acts of righteousness, generosity, and obedience to YHWH store up rewards that cannot be taken away. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Two Masters
No one can serve both God and mammon (material wealth). Divided loyalty is impossible—disciples will inevitably love one and despise the other. Total devotion to YHWH excludes the worship of possessions.
Divine Provision
YHWH provides for all needs. Consider the birds and the lilies—neither toil anxiously, yet the Father feeds and clothes them. How much more will He care for His children? Anxiety about provision demonstrates a lack of trust.
Seek First the Kingdom
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
This statement encapsulates the priorities of Kingdom living. It is a fundamental mindset shift: spiritual priorities take precedence over earthly anxieties. The Kingdom is not an abstract concept—it is concrete obedience to YHWH's will as revealed in Torah and the teachings of Yeshua.
What Is the Kingdom?
The Kingdom is YHWH's sovereign rule breaking into human history. It is both present reality and future hope, already inaugurated through Yeshua but awaiting full consummation.
What Is Righteousness?
Righteousness is alignment with YHWH's character and commandments—living according to Torah as interpreted by Yeshua, with hearts transformed by the Spirit.
When disciples prioritize seeking YHWH's Kingdom and righteousness, material provision follows as a natural consequence. The Father knows what His children need and faithfully supplies it. Anxiety is unnecessary when trust in YHWH is absolute.
Kingdom Conduct
Matthew 7: Living Out the Teachings
The final chapter of the Sermon addresses practical aspects of Kingdom life: how disciples judge others, how they pray, how they navigate the narrow path, and how they discern truth from falsehood.
Judge Not Hypocritically
Disciples must not judge with self-righteous condemnation while ignoring their own faults. Remove the plank from your own eye before addressing the speck in your brother's eye. Judgment is not forbidden, but hypocritical judgment is condemned.
Ask, Seek, Knock
Persistence in prayer is encouraged. The Father delights to give good gifts to His children. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking—YHWH responds to earnest, faithful petition.
The Narrow Gate
Two paths lie before humanity: the wide gate leading to destruction, and the narrow gate leading to life. Many choose the easy, popular path, but few find the difficult way of true discipleship.
Discernment of False Prophets
Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing—false teachers who appear righteous but lead people astray. They are known by their fruit: authentic disciples produce good fruit, while false prophets produce bad fruit.
True Discipleship
Good Tree, Good Fruit
A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. The nature of the tree determines the quality of its fruit. Likewise, a person's true spiritual condition is revealed by the fruit of their life—their actions, attitudes, and character.
Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Fruitlessness results in judgment. Authentic faith produces visible transformation.
Not Everyone Who Says "Lord, Lord"
Verbal profession without obedience is worthless. Many will claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles in Yeshua's name, yet He will declare, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
Only those who do the will of the Father enter the Kingdom. True discipleship is demonstrated through obedience, not merely through religious activity or supernatural experiences.
The Wise and Foolish Builders
The Wise Builder
Whoever hears Yeshua's words and does them is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. When storms come—trials, persecution, temptation—the house stands firm because its foundation is solid.
The Foolish Builder
Whoever hears Yeshua's words and does not do them is like a foolish man who builds his house on sand. When storms come, the house collapses with great destruction because it has no foundation.
The difference between the wise and foolish builder is not what they hear but what they do. Both hear the same words, but only one obeys. Obedience produces stability; disobedience builds on sand. The test comes not in calm weather but in the storm—and the storm will come for everyone.
This parable brings the Sermon to a powerful close, emphasizing that everything Yeshua has taught must be applied, not merely admired. Hearing without doing is self-deception. True discipleship is measured by obedience.
Hebrew Word: Derek
Hebrew
דֶּרֶךְ
Transliteration
Derek
Meaning
The Way, Path, Road
Derek refers to a physical road or journey, but more profoundly, it signifies a way of life, conduct, or moral direction. It is used throughout Scripture to describe both righteous and wicked paths.
Application
The Sermon on the Mount reveals the true derek—the authentic path back to YHWH. This is not a way of religious performance but of heart transformation. Yeshua shows us the narrow way that leads to life, contrasted with the broad way that leads to destruction. Walking the derek means hearing and doing His words, building life on the solid rock of obedience. This is the ancient path, the way of righteousness that aligns with Torah's deepest intent.
Reflection Questions
Which teaching challenges you the most?
Is it loving your enemies? Guarding your heart from lust and anger? Living without anxiety about provision? Identifying your greatest challenge is the first step toward growth.
What part of your life needs internal transformation, not outward compliance?
Are you focused on appearing righteous before others, or are you cultivating genuine righteousness before the Father who sees in secret? Where is your heart disconnected from your actions?
How can you practice "salt and light" this week?
In what specific ways can you preserve truth, flavor your environment with Kingdom values, and illuminate the path for others? What opportunities has YHWH placed before you to make His character visible?
The Call to Higher Living
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."—Matthew 5:48
Yeshua's sermon is not a mere code of ethics or collection of nice teachings—it is a radical call to higher living that reflects the very character of YHWH. The standard is nothing less than the perfection of the Father Himself.
This perfection is not sinless flawlessness achieved through human effort but wholeness, completeness, and maturity in alignment with YHWH's will. It is the perfection of love that extends even to enemies, the perfection of integrity that requires no oaths, the perfection of trust that eliminates anxiety.
The Kingdom Is Not Belief Alone
Intellectual assent to doctrine is insufficient. Even demons believe and tremble. Kingdom citizenship is demonstrated through behavior—obedience to the Father's will, fruit that matches profession, and lives built on the solid rock of Yeshua's teachings.
The Way Is Walked, Not Spoken
Many will say "Lord, Lord," but only those who do the Father's will enter the Kingdom. The derek—the way—must be traveled step by step in daily obedience. Hearing without doing is self-deception. The path is narrow, but it leads to life.
The Sermon's Enduring Impact
For two thousand years, the Sermon on the Mount has stood as the pinnacle of ethical and spiritual teaching. Its influence extends far beyond the community of believers—it has shaped legal systems, inspired social movements, and challenged every generation to reconsider what it means to live rightly.
1
Personal Transformation
The Sermon addresses the heart before the hands, insisting that true change begins with internal renewal. It exposes religious hypocrisy and calls disciples to authentic faith.
2
Community Ethics
These teachings establish how Kingdom citizens relate to one another—with forgiveness, mercy, generosity, truthfulness, and love that extends even to enemies.
3
Prophetic Witness
As salt and light, disciples are sent into the world to preserve truth and illuminate darkness. The Sermon equips believers to be agents of YHWH's Kingdom in a fallen world.
4
Eschatological Hope
The Beatitudes and the Kingdom language remind us that present suffering is temporary and that YHWH's promises will be fully realized when His Kingdom comes in its fullness.
Living the Sermon Today
The Sermon on the Mount is not ancient history—it is a living mandate for contemporary disciples. Each generation must grapple with how to apply these radical teachings in new cultural contexts while remaining faithful to their original intent.
Practical Mercy
Show mercy in tangible ways—feed the hungry, care for the marginalized, and extend compassion to those in need without seeking recognition.
Radical Forgiveness
Release bitterness and pursue reconciliation. Break cycles of vengeance by absorbing injustice rather than perpetuating it.
Secret Devotion
Cultivate a hidden life with YHWH—prayer, fasting, and acts of righteousness done in secret before the Father who sees and rewards.
Obedient Study
Engage deeply with Yeshua's teachings, not for intellectual knowledge alone but for the purpose of application and transformation.
The Challenge Before Us
Will we be hearers only, or doers of the word?
The Sermon on the Mount leaves no room for passive discipleship. It demands a response—either obedience or rejection. We cannot claim to follow Yeshua while ignoring His most foundational teachings.
8
Beatitudes
Character traits of Kingdom citizens
6
Clarifications
Torah returned to heart-level intent
3
Acts of Righteousness
Giving, prayer, and fasting in secret
1
Foundation
Build your life on the rock of obedience
The question is not whether we understand the Sermon but whether we will obey it. The storms of life will reveal the quality of our foundation. Let us be wise builders who hear and do the words of Yeshua.
Final Charge
Go and Live the Kingdom
You have heard the words of Yeshua. You have seen the standard of Kingdom living. You have been challenged to righteousness that exceeds mere external compliance and flows from a transformed heart.
Now go forth as salt and light. Preserve truth in a decaying world. Illuminate the path for those in darkness. Love your enemies. Seek first the Kingdom. Lay up treasure in heaven. Do not judge hypocritically. Build your life on the solid rock of obedience.
Guard Your Heart
True righteousness begins internally with motives, attitudes, and desires aligned with YHWH.
Live Before the Father
Perform righteousness in secret for an audience of One, not for human applause.
Walk the Narrow Way
Choose the difficult path that few find, the derek that leads to eternal life.
May you be blessed as you hear and do the words of Yeshua. May His teachings transform your heart, your conduct, and your eternal destiny. The Kingdom awaits those who build their lives on the rock of obedience.
Israel Ministries—Proclaiming the Whole Counsel of God