Explanation of Matthew 5:2
By New Christian Bible Study Staff
The meaning of this verse is pretty straightforward, but look at the language! Is it necessary to say that Jesus opened his mouth to speak? Isn’t it redundant to say He “taught them, saying”? Couldn’t the whole verse be simply, “And he said”?
The fact is, though, that the spiritual meaning reinforces the importance of what the Lord was about to say. The “mouth” in the Bible represents active, concrete thought and logic, and to “say” something has to do with sharing truth. From the “mountain” of His love, then, the Lord was putting truth into vivid, visual, memorable terms so that people could grasp and remember them.
Ephesians 4:15-16
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but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ;
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from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.
