These are the first 11 pages of the full 76 pages on Commentary on
Gospel According to Matthew by Philip G. Roets STL SSL.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW.
GOOD NEWS: YOU CAN BE PART OF THE KINGDOM. DAVID IS HERE!
Who was Matthew?
As Jesus was walking along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, he called a tax collector named Levi. Levi was at his work in the customs house. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Levi got up, left everything and followed Jesus. (Mark 2:13-14) The man called Levi is the same as Matthew. It was quite common for men in public life to have both a Jewish and a Greek name. This was especially true of men who worked for the Gentiles, such as a tax collector.
Levi becomes a very dedicated follower. He uses his education to put the gospel in writing in later years. In fact, the Aramaic original of Matthew’s gospel is the first written account of Jesus’ life that is extant. The present Greek version is a more developed form of the original. Matthew’s account is written in much the same style as he would have kept books. There is little emotion as the facts are presented. Then a passage is drawn from the Old Testament to show that this is what was to be expected.
The gospel stories about Jesus were not written, collected and presented as the evening news. Every story is slanted to make a point. The point deals with the way in which convinced people are supposed to imitate the example of Jesus, the Christ, in their daily lives.
Open the Gospel story according to Matthew. It starts with a “monotonous” genealogy list contrived in segments of “14.” The last sentence is “All the generations therefore from Abraham to David are FOURTEEN; from David to the Babylonian deportation are FOURTEEN; from the Babylonian deportation to the Christ are FOURTEEN.”
This Gospel story was put together first for Christians who had come from Judaism. Their mentality was Jewish and so they understood all the implications of this passage. We are 20 centuries removed from that writing and we have a western mentality. Therefore we have to dig back in history and learn the background to understand why this genealogy was written and placed here as the introduction to this “Good News” about the Messiah.
The two great heroes of 1st century Jews were Abraham and David. Abraham laid the foundations for a CHOSEN PEOPLE and gave them a unity, a direction, a purpose and a start toward their goal. Abraham was given the name, “FATHER OF ALL NATIONS.” He is seen not only as the starting point of the people of God but of a whole new mankind.
David had taken the loose political unity of tribes and turned them into a nation and a KINGDOM with clout. He was called “David” which means “beloved”. In Hebrew, each consonant has a numerical value. The consonants in David’s name, “D-V-D”, add up to 4+6+4=14. So the composer of this genealogy wanted to point out that Jesus was the NEW or REAL DAVID, the “BELOVED” of Yahweh, as would be said explicitly later on. (Matt. 3:17)
Of all the names from the lineage of the Old Testament, the writer picked only three groups of 14. Then, to make sure that we do not miss the point, he stated it as a conclusion: From David to the end of the Davidic Kingdom is 14. From the end of the Davidic Kingdom to the Anointed (The Christ who is Jesus) is 14. In place of that “14” each time, put the name David, and you see immediately how the writer was making his point. He was about to tell the story of the New or Real David who was Jesus, the Christ.
“IMMANUEL” CAN YOU SEE GOD TODAY? Matthew 1: 18-25.
The next story tells us another aspect of the personality of Jesus. Over the centuries, theologians and teachers have lost sight of the great truth of this section. They have fought and argued about a point that was never stated in the story.
The writer knew that the people who were first reading this story were familiar with all the stories of the Old Testament. Therefore he quoted the main point of a story and presupposed they knew the entire text or story.
The writer also assured the people that Jesus was the person they had been looking for. They should listen to his teachings and live according to them. His teachings should live in the Chosen People of the Old Law and in the lives of the followers of Christ in the New Law.
This quality was summed up in three Hebrew words that form one word in English. That word is “Immanu-El.” “Im” means “with:” “nu” means “us:” “El” means “God.” The connective syllable “ma” makes the words easier to say. In English we say “God-With-Us.”
Jesus lived to show people who and what God is. He was the evidence of the presence of God in the world. In fact, Jesus was the fulfillment of many such phenomena pointed out in the Old Testament.
“THE SURROUNDING PRESENCE” ROMANS SAW THE PRESENCE.
Time and again, the teachers of the Old Law would try to lead the Chosen People away from the allurement of pagan idolatry and toward Yahweh, the true God. They would point to the manifestations of his loving presence. Now Jesus was presented in this way because of the way he lived, what he taught, and what he asked his followers to do. Jesus was the visible manifestation of the presence of God in the world. By their convictions and the lives they lead, Christians are supposed to be the same.
If you go back to the first days of the Christian life in the Roman Empire, this was carried out. The Romans, for all their coarseness and inhuman practices, looked at the Christians as they went about their daily lives. Their commentary was so short, “See how these Christians love one another!”
SLAVES CONVERT CONSTANTINE.
Who were these Christians who made such an impact on the pagan world about them? They were the slaves, the poor, and in most instances, uneducated people. They were considered the “nobodies” of the Roman world. From the early 60’s to 313 A.D. they were pursued and put to death because of their beliefs. Yet by their lives, they succeeded in converting the Roman Emperor, himself, and he stopped the persecution in 313 by the Edict of Milan.
These Christians were truly the manifestation of the presence of God in the world about them. They were truly “Immanuel” - God with us. The Gospel story was truly “Good News” for all the people.
WISE MEN GO SEEKING. Matthew 2: 1-12.
MOUNT YOUR CAMELS! FIND THAT KING!
STAR OF THE EAST AS GUIDE. SEARCH ENDS IN SMALL TOWN.
The next story has been dramatized for years. Everyone seems to know the story but what does the writer want to tell us by this story? Again, he left nothing to guesswork. He told us. He saw this story as the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy in Micah 5:1.The Old Testament story took place just when the Davidic Kingdom of the Old Law was ready to fall. The Davidic Kingdom was supposed to be a special kingdom. David and his successors were not supposed to have been tyrannical despots. They were not to lord it over their people or use their people for their own selfish gains as was the practice in the world about them at the time. The Davidic kingdom was to be ruled by people who were “shepherds of their people.”
Shepherds of the Middle East lead their sheep. They go in front of them and call the sheep by name. They protect the sheep against all their enemies. They lead the sheep to green pasture, to fresh water, and comfortable places to rest. They lead them safely back to the fold at night. The Davidic kings failed to live up to their calling and the Kingdom of David was destroyed.
Now Jesus was born. Immediately the writer pointed out that he was to be a “SHEPHERD-KING.”
“MAGI” - WISE MEN. THE SUN - “RISING STAR”
To develop this story in full detail, the writer brought in several points of interest. First, there were the “Magi” from the east. A “Magos” was a wise man or a person versed in astrology among the Persians. They came to Jerusalem, which is the royal city of David made famous by Solomon because of the Temple. Herod was the king but he was a cruel tyrant and a figurehead of Rome, although he hated the Romans because they made him feel insignificant.
“The Rising Star” that the Magi saw would not be a special star but the sun itself. It rises in the east and then continues its journey to the west. (At least that is how it appears to the naked eye.) So what the Magi really said was that from their study of astronomy and astrology, they had come to look for some special king in this area. The Jews were definitely talking about the Messiah, the Anointed, the King. He was due to arrive soon. So the Magi went to what they considered the best source of such news, King Herod.
From Herod’s presence they went to Bethlehem and found Jesus. How long this took no one knows. The fact is that these people saw Jesus as a great king even though they did not belong to the Jewish nation. They offered Jesus gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. These represented the wealth and perfume of the east. The gifts were presented to Christ - the universal king.
You will also note that in the Matthew story, Jesus was living with his parents in a house when this visit took place. In fact, none of the details about the cave and the birth are mentioned here. They are found only in Luke. From Matthew’s account of the birth and the visit of the Magi, we would suppose that the family lived in Bethlehem.
The last sentence of the incident told us how Matthew wanted us to interpret the whole story. The Magi were “warned in a dream” not to go back to Herod but to go back to their country by a different route. Read 1 Kings 13:1-34 to find the exact quote in vv. 9-10. The time was about 929 B.C. Solomon had just died and immediately the fighting broke out between the 10 tribes of the North and the 2 tribes of the South. Separate kingdoms were set up and Jeroboam was the successor of Solomon. He turned at once to idolatry. Through this historical reference, Matthew pointed out the type of person Herod was as the successor of Jeroboam I. At the same time, he pointed out the basic opposition between Jesus, the King and his Kingship and that of the physical descendants of David.
The heart of the story prepares us for the Shepherd who would be the King of the Kingdom of God according to the plan and will of Yahweh.
PARENTS SAVE BABY'S LIFE. KING OUT TO KILL THE “INTERLOPER.”
COUPLE FROM NAZARETH SEEK SAFETY IN EGYPT. Matthew 2:13-18.
This story in Matthew is often called the Flight into Egypt. This is not really a good indication of what the writer wanted to stress about the personality of Jesus.
Herod was furious when he heard that the Magi had deceived him and escaped. He followed the example of Jeroboam in 929 B.C. He learned that the child they had found was a boy recently born. So Herod commanded all Jewish baby boys under the age of two were to be slaughtered. In this way he would offset any person rising to claim his throne.
Matthew's interpretation of this story takes us back to JEREMIAH. He was the royal prophet and great man of God at the time of the final destruction of the Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. Jeremiah had the formidable and terrifying task of telling the king what would happen to him and his whole court. Jeremiah knew he would be considered a preacher of doom and destruction when he told the King and his court what was going to happen. It did not take a lot of savvy to see the fate in store for them. Jeremiah said he tried to keep quiet but the urgency of the message of Yahweh burned him up on the inside so that he thought he would burst. Then Jeremiah proclaimed his message of doom and destruction. He was imprisoned and tortured because he did not give the king a pleasant message.
The passage that Matthew recalled is Jeremiah 31:15. Rachel was mentioned as the mother because she was the favorite wife of Jacob and, as such, was looked upon as the Mother of Israel. She was weeping for her children because they no longer existed. The kingdom had been destroyed. However, Jeremiah went on to speak of the future. The tragedy would not end in destruction.
NEW COVENANT. WRITTEN IN THE HEART.
“PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.”
A redress would take place (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The Old Covenant, which had been written on tablets of stone, was brought to the people by Moses. The people had failed miserably to live up to this covenant and Yahweh had to punish them. However, Yahweh said that he was faithful to himself. He would write a New Covenant. This Covenant would be written not on stone tablets but in the heart of each person. This Covenant would be based, not just on a chosen people, but on the personal responsibility of each person.
TO EGYPT AGAIN. CALLED FROM EGYPT AGAIN.
Because of Herod’s edict, Joseph took Mary and Jesus and fled to the safety of Egypt. Matthew pointed out how he understood this incident. He recalled two passages in the Old Testament. The first is Numbers 23:22 where Yahweh called Israel from the slavery of Egypt. The second reference is more important, Hosea 11:1-6. Hosea was a prophet in the 8th century B.C. and a contemporary of Amos and Isaiah I. Hosea preached in the Northern Kingdom and tried to get them to turn away from idolatry before they were overrun by pagans and taken into captivity. They paid no attention and in 722 B.C., the ten northern tribes were taken away to Assyria. Hosea preceded this catastrophe. He tried to win the people back to Yahweh by recalling the fatherly tenderness and concern of Yahweh for Israel. Yahweh gave his guidance, counsel, and teaching through the prophets.
Now, when the time was right, Yahweh would call Jesus through his parents, and they would come out of Egypt - as of yore - to come back to the Promised Land and establish the Kingdom of God.
MESSENGER OF THE LORD.
FAMILY RETURNS TO QUIET LIFE. EVIL KING DIES.
EXILED COUPLE RETURN HOME WITH CHILD. Matthew 2:19-23.
We come to the concluding incident of Matthew’s introduction to the Good News about Jesus. We have the “angel of the Lord” again. It was the fourth time this phrase had been used in this introduction. It was the standard Hebrew phrase “Malachi Yahweh” translated into Greek as “Aggelos Kuriou.” It means “messenger of the Lord.“ It was used in the Old Testament of the weather, a storm, a prophet, a war. This phrase can refer to any person, place, thing, or event that helps us figure out what to do, how to interpret an event or get a solution to a problem. The person, place, thing, or event then becomes the messenger of Yahweh or the messenger of the Lord.
Joseph got word that Herod and his cohorts were dead. He took his family and started back to his home country. However, he heard that Archelaus, son of Herod, was on the throne in Jerusalem and he was supposed to be worse than his father. So Joseph passed Jerusalem and settled in Nazareth in the northern part of Palestine.
Again, Matthew told you what he saw in this fact by quoting from the Old Testament. He referred back to Judges 13:1-7. It was the story of the conception and birth of Samson. His mother was to observe the vows of the Nazirite in order to conceive. Samson was to live the life of a Nazirite in order to carry out his work to save the people of God.
Again we have a special story about the conception and birth of the child and its relationship to his life’s work as a special man of God.
That ends Matthew’s introductory remarks about the life of Jesus. He has given us several points about the personality of Jesus and the way in which these qualities touch the lives of his followers. Jesus was the:
NEW DAVID: the true Davidic King; clear evidence of the Presence of Yahweh.
SHEPHERD-KING: He knew his followers and lead them expertly.
SON OF YAHWEH: replaced the former People of Yahweh and established the New and Individual Covenant of Personal Responsibility with his followers.
NEW SAMSON: would do wonders in his life and in the lives of his followers to establish the real Kingdom of Heaven.
TELL ME ABOUT THIS KINGDOM. Matthew Chapters 3-25.
Introductory Remarks:
This section of the Gospel story is often referred to as the “body” of the teaching. The present division of the Gospel would be as follows:
cc. 3-7: PROCLAMATION: HAPPINESS IS POSSIBLE.
cc. 8-10: REACTION: KINGDOM WILL BE RESISTED BECAUSE OF ITS DEMANDS.
cc. 11-13: THIS KINGDOM TAKES A LOT OF STUDY TO UNDERSTAND.
cc. 14-18: MEMBERS OF THIS KINGDOM WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A GROUP.
cc. 19-25: KINGDOM IS TO BE ESTABLISHED IN STAGES.
The reader has to remember that there was no division by chapters and verses in its original form. These were put in centuries later -primarily as a convenient way of referring to a particular passage. Sometimes these divisions may not seem logical to the reader. Then it is up to the reader to make the division he/she sees as better.
The reader will note that each section is divided into a narrative section and a doctrinal section. The narrative section tends to tell stories about the life of Jesus. The doctrinal section concentrates more on his teaching. The two sections are closely related and this is not an ironclad distinction. All facts in the narrative section are developed to teach a particular point. There is no such thing as a “merely factual account” in the Semitic historical genre.
GOD’S WORD IS GOOD. Matthew Chapters 5 - 7.
We often hear these words of praise about a person. “He/She is a person of his/her word.” These are words of highest praise because they tell us a person can be trusted to do exactly what is promised.
Matthew was interested in showing us that the Good News (gospel) about Jesus was that he could be trusted to live by the Word of God. Jesus showed, by his life and teaching, that what God had said through his teachers and seers of the past, was true and would be carried out in detail. Matthew picked out key ideas and developed them. Here is a list of what he thought was important.
1. REAL DAVID. Jesus was the new and real David. This means Jesus was the “beloved of Yahweh.” Matt. 1:17.
2. IMMANUEL. Jesus was “Immanuel,“ the evidence of the surrounding and permeating presence of Yahweh in the world. Matt. 1:23; Isaiah 7:14.
3. SHEPHERD KING. Jesus manifested the “wise leadership” of Yahweh for the whole world. Jesus was a “shepherd.” Matt. 2:6; Micah 5: 1.
4. FATHERHOOD OF YAHWEH. Jesus was the full manifestation of the Fatherhood of Yahweh by being the “son called from the slavery of Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land.” Matt. 2:15; Numbers 23:22; Hosea 11:1.
5. NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT. Jesus was the founder of the “New and Eternal Covenant” to replace the Old Covenant that the Chosen People had failed to keep. Matt. 2:18; Jeremiah 31:15-34.
6. THE NAZARENE. Jesus was the “Nazarene,” the “New and Creative Samson.” This was to recall the whole story of Samson and his great strength that was finally self-destructive. Matt. 2:23; Judges 13:5,7.
7. SERVANT OF YAHWEH. Jesus was the “Servant of Yahweh.” John the Baptist was presented as the fulfillment and the last of the prophetic teachers of the Old Covenant. His was the honor and the task of introducing Jesus to the Remnant of the Chosen People and to the world. He made this introduction with the opening lines of Second Isaiah. (Isaiah chapters 40-55). This section takes time to see all its beauty and truth. The songs about the Servant are interlaced four times into this passage. (Matt. 3:3; Is. 40:3; cf. John 1:23). Jesus, the Servant, was presented as endowing his followers with the “Creative Breath of Holiness and the Fire of Cleansing.” He would be carrying his winnowing fan and his coming would be the harvest. He would separate the straw from the grain. The straw would be carried off the threshing floor to be destroyed but the grain would be gathered into his presence. See also: Isaiah 1:25; Zechariah 13:9; Micah 3:2-3; Sirach 2:5.
8. SON OF YAHWEH. Jesus was the “Son of Yahweh.” Jesus was the fulfillment of what the People of the Old Covenant were called to be. This title “Son of Yahweh” points out that Jesus was the “People of the New Covenant” (Exodus 4:22-23; Hosea 11:1-11; Wisdom 18:13). It points out that he was the king foreshadowed by David and his successors but who were finally wiped out because of their infidelity. Now Jesus was presented as fulfilling the promises made to David at the beginning of his reign. (2 Sam. 7:1-16) Finally, this title points out that Jesus was the “Just Man,” a person who embodied all the justice and holiness of the Old Covenant. Wisdom 2:13,13,16; 5:5; Sirach 4:11.
9. TRIUMPHANT! Jesus, as “Son of Yahweh,” must be tested as were the leaders and the people of the Old Covenant. They failed. Jesus must come off triumphant in three basic ways.
9.1. LIVED BY THE WORD. Jesus lived by the “Word of Yahweh.” Jesus lived in the midst of the world and was a man of his times. He worked for a living in his father’s trade. At the same time, the plan of his life was in harmony with the plan of Yahweh - not in keeping with the pagan world around him. He recognized his personal responsibility and did not sit back and expect others to do for him. Mt. 4:4; Dt. 8:3; Is. 6:4-8; Jer. 1:9-10; Ez. 2:8-3:3.
9.2. DID NOT TEST YAHWEH! Jesus did not presume to expect special favors to rescue him from foolish mistakes. He was certain that he could count on the help and guidance of Yahweh at all times - if he cooperated. But he did not throw himself into danger and then expect some special help to set him free. Matt. 4:6-7; Psalms 91:11-12.
9.3. WAS OBEDIENT TO THE PLAN OF YAHWEH - THE FOUNDATION! Jesus knew the true meaning of the “Kingship of Yahweh”. He knew there was no shortcut to establish this Kingship. He could not be lured by false promises, cheap glitter, or foolish threats. He knew that there was only one way to be the “Son of Yahweh” and that was through the understanding of and obedience to the plan of Yahweh. Matt. 4:8-11; Deuteronomy 6:16.
10. GALILEAN. Jesus came from Galilee - an area that was despised by the leaders in Jerusalem. Jesus was not only acceptable to Yahweh but he came “as the rising sun” - ready to illumine all who would look. His message demanded a “metanoia,” or “complete change of outlook” so that all who listen would be able to see, recognize and enter the Kingship of Yahweh. Matt. 4:15-16; Is. 8:23-9:1; John. 8:12.
11. SPECIAL DISCIPLES. Jesus called his disciples from the ranks of the ordinary people. He used their natural and acquired talents to further his work.
Additional Information: Age of these disciples.
Through the centuries we have seen them depicted in art and sculpture as old men. We know for certain that Paul was age 24 at the time of his conversion - a young, energetic, fiery-tempered, apodictic type of person. He often spoke first and then realized what he was thinking. John was in his early teens when he was called. The other apostles were in their early or middle twenties. Peter is the only one we are sure was married because we are told about his mother-in-law.
12. NEW MOSES. Jesus was the New Moses. Moses of the Old Law spoke amid thunder and lightning from the top of Mt. Sinai. Jesus of the New Law sat down on a hill near Capernaum and spoke gently but persuasively to all that would listen. Matt. cc. 5-7 is frequently called the “Sermon on the Mount.” We know from the other Gospels that this was not one continuous talk. It took place on many occasions but the early Christians gathered together the various thoughts to give a summary of the Good News.
The basic promise of Jesus is "HAPPINESS" if the right dispositions are present in the person. The Good News is not a “pie-in-the-sky” promise. The Good News is concerned with the “here-and-now” life of each person. Happiness is promised to each person, on an individual basis, in this life. The right dispositions are: (Matthew 5:3-12)
1. “poor in spirit.” “Spirit” in this phrase is the spirit or “breath” of Genesis, chapter 2. It refers to the creative breath of Yahweh that is the source of life for each person and the evidence that the person is truly alive. Hence this first disposition was concerned with a new creation which was a favorite theme of the early Christians. “Poor” refers to a detached attitude toward material things. In contrast to the world about them, the Christians were to want material things only as they needed them. They were to be willing to share with all that were in need. This attitude would establish the “Kingship of the Heavens” in their lives.
Being “poor in spirit” is the basic disposition demanded of all the followers of Jesus. Then come the seven ways in which this happiness is to be attained in the midst of hardships.
The first beatitude, “the meek” or the “gentle,” stresses that this Kingship or this Happiness is not to be gained by a domineering or warlike attitude. It is the meek or gentle person who will receive the earth as a heritage.
2. “the mourners comforted.” Jesus did not promise some sort of Nirvana in which there would be no sadness. The hardships, woes, and problems of daily life will face each person. However, they will receive strength from each other to face up to the difficulties and feel strong. There will be a sense of individual responsibility bound together by a mutual respect and love.
3. “hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be filled.” The justice that is talked about in this beatitude is the sum-total of all the good qualities that go to make up integrity, honesty, uprightness, and honor. There is no way we can translate this word, “dikaiosyne” from the Greek into one word in English. No English word will convey it. But note there has to be an intense desire for this justice. The person must “feel the pangs of hunger and the intensity of thirst.” Then comes the promise: this hunger and thirst will be filled.
4. “mercy begets mercy.” The harshness, brutality, and lack of respect for the rights of others that are prevalent in society can and will be removed if this truly human kindness is shown to everyone.
5. “sincere people shall see God.” The “clean of heart” as given here stresses the sincerity that is necessary in order to be a part of this plan of God as shown in Jesus. No external sham can possibly stand up to the test of true holiness as proclaimed by Jesus.
6. “peacemakers are the Sons of God.” Jesus was not speaking of people who talk about peace or wish there were peace or lament the fighting and bickering that go on. He said it is the job of the true follower to “make peace,” to “establish peace” - no matter how difficult the circumstances.
7. “persecution in the cause of justice...theirs is the Kingship of the Heavens.” This is the final note and the summary of the whole picture. The happiness that is promised here is not going to fall into anyone’s lap. Not only will each person have to work hard to attain the qualities that bring the happiness, but each person will run into opposition and difficulty from within and without in this pursuit.
Conclusion: Verses 11 and 12 give a picture of what Christians can expect from the world about them. The writer referred back to the lives of the prophets and the mistreatment many of them received. If you are not familiar with these men of the past, read their stories. Note how these men looked at the people around them in their daily lives. They saw the terrible way these people bragged about being the Chosen People, then worked to destroy each other, and set a terrible example for all the people in the area. The prophets finally felt they had to do something about it. They taught, exhorted, threatened - over and over again. The result, for the most part, was that they were hated and ridiculed, persecuted and ignored and, at times, put to death. Now, said Jesus, the happiness I am talking about will come to you in this life insofar as you follow the example of the prophets.
This clearly means that Christians are to stand up to the world about them. They are to make a difference by putting forth real effort to change the selfishness and destruction that are rampant in a world without principles.
That’s the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. You can see it serves as a general introduction to this section of the teachings of Jesus and gives them a special slant. Because of the parallel drawn with the Moses of the Old Law, this is really a summary of the New and Eternal Covenant that is to fulfill the Old Law in its transitory stage.
The opening lines of this Sermon on the Mount are often called the Eight Beatitudes. Children memorize them without a second thought as to their challenge or value. Here is a rewording in our modern language - while still keeping the original meaning. These opening lines are a summary of the traits of true leadership demanded of any follower of Christ.
General Statement: If you want to be truly happy, you must set goals that are beyond mere material success.
1. If you want to be truly happy, you must be a leader without overpowering and crushing others.
2. If you want to be truly happy, you must have the ability to be sad and show it, to accept strength and help from others, and to keep going through the hardship.
3. If you want to be truly happy, you must have an intense desire for “justice.” This means you must be an honest, law-abiding, fair, open-hearted, trustworthy, incorruptible, reputable person.
4. If you want to be truly happy, you must be filled with the qualities of mercy and kindness. You have to be able to see around the faults and failures of others and find their good qualities.
5. If you want to be truly happy, you have to set a high goal and then stick with it. You cannot find happiness if you allow yourself to run after every fleeting goal.
6. If you want to be truly happy, you have to want peace in your life. You have to establish peace in your life and in the world around you.
7. Here is the list of traits needed to establish a solid basis for true and lasting happiness in your life. The reader is reminded again. This is not going to come easy. In fact, you will be laughed at, mocked, hated, and even persecuted because your goals are so high. When that mistreatment comes your way, don’t be surprised. Don’t think of quitting. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. This is exactly what they did to the great leaders of the past. Just look at their lives.
If you want true happiness in your life today, you have to put meaning and value in the world about you. You must be the salt that seasons the world properly. You must be the light that makes all things visible. You must be a lamp, put on the pedestal, so that all in the world may see. The creative action and effective behavior demanded of true leadership have always met with opposition and this will never change.
Author’s Conclusion to Commentary on Matthew, p. 76 in full text.
The basic Greek word is “koinonia” or “perfect sharing” with each other. This is the description of the judgment of each individual. We shall be judged not on whether we took part in some ritual or liturgical exercise. We shall be judged by the way in which we interacted with true love with all the people who came into our lives. That is the unique message of Jesus. When this message is truly lived then the world is ready for its full and complete life.
These are only the first 11 pages of the full 76 pages on Commentary on Gospel According to Matthew by Philip G. Roets STL SSL.
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