SOURCE FOR QUESTIONS
Matthew 4:12 through 11:1

‍KEY VERSE FOR MEMORIZATION
“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29)

BACKGROUND

After hearing of the imprisonment of John the Baptist, Jesus left Nazareth and went to the area of Galilee. He made His residence in Capernaum — a city located on the northwestern end of the Sea of Galilee, a large lake that was also at times called the Lake of Gennesaret, Lake of Tiberias, and the Sea of Tiberias.

It was at this time that Jesus began to preach the message of repentance. Along the shoreline of Galilee, He called four fishermen, Andrew, Peter, James, and John to be His disciples. He healed the sick, preached the Gospel, and taught in the synagogues. The word synagogue comes from the Greek words syn which means “together” and ago, which means “to collect.” During the time of Jesus’ ministry, there were numerous synagogues in Israel; the number in Jerusalem alone was thought to be as high as 480.

It was on a hillside rather than in a synagogue that Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount to His disciples and the multitude. The fame of Jesus’ miracles had spread throughout the area and great numbers of people followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond Jordan. Decapolis was a region east of Jordan, containing ten cities, primarily inhabited by Greek settlers. People from Perea inhabited the area “beyond Jordan.” Jesus used this opportunity to teach on a mountain by the Sea of Galilee. The topography of the region provided a natural amphitheater, so His voice would have projected well. Tradition maintains that a sixty-foot hill once called the Horns of Hattin, square-shaped with two tops, is the location of the Sermon on the Mount. The location is now commonly called the Mount of the Beatitudes.

Jesus’ discourse began with the Beatitudes: nine blessings that result from proper attitudes of the heart. Next, He used salt and light to illustrate the effect His disciples should have in the world. He then taught about murder and anger, temptation, divorce, oaths, forgiveness, loving one’s enemies, giving, praying, fasting, obtaining treasures in Heaven, and worrying.

He concluded the sermon by encouraging His listeners not to judge others, and instructing them on how to ask and receive from God. Jesus described the way to Heaven as a “strait [narrow] gate” and the way to destruction as a “wide gate.” After warning about false prophets, He closed the sermon by describing people who would build on rock or sand, using this visualization to illustrate the importance of not merely hearing, but hearing and then obeying.

Chapters 8 and 9 record several of Jesus’ miracles: healing a leper, calming a stormy sea, casting the devils out of two men, and restoring sight and speech.

Jesus then called twelve men to be His disciples, giving them power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every type of disease and illness. It was at this time that they began to be called Apostles.

QUESTIONS

1. After John the Baptist was imprisoned, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). What do you think He meant by this phrase?
   
2. What was the profession of the first four men that Jesus asked to follow Him? Why do you suppose He singled out these four men?
   
3. The word beatitude comes from the Latin beatus, which is translated “blessed.” In your own words, describe how each of the Beatitudes applies to us today.
   
   Poor in spirit
   
   Those who mourn
   
   The meek
   
   Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness
   
   The merciful
   
   The pure in heart
   
   The peacemakers
   
   Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake
   
   Those who are reviled, persecuted, and falsely accused for Christ’s sake
   
4. Jesus used two symbols to describe the influence that Christians have on a non-Christian society. What were these two symbols, and how can we exhibit attributes of these in our daily lives? Matthew 5:13-16
   
5. What did Jesus mean when He said, in Matthew 5:17, that He had not come to destroy, but to fulfill the law and prophets?
   
6. How is it possible for us to love our enemies? Matthew 5:44
   
7. What was the crowd’s reaction to Jesus’ teachings? Matthew 7:28-29.
   
8. In Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus and His disciples were in a ship when a storm struck. Jesus was awakened from sleep and when He rebuked the winds and the sea, there was a great calm. Consider a time when the Lord calmed a troubling situation in your life. What was your reaction to your situation? How did you solicit the Lord’s help and what was the result?

CONCLUSION

The Lord desires for us to build our lives on the foundation of His Word. As we apply the Word in daily living, we will exhibit the true Christian character that will draw others to Christ.