- To what place did Jesus retire when he saw the multitude pressing on him? (Matt. 5:1)
- What is a multitude?
- What multitude is here meant? (Matt. 4:25)
- Who came to Jesus in his place of retirement?
- Was it the custom of the Jews to sit or stand when teaching the people?
- Can you mention another instance in which Jesus taught the people while in this posture? (Luke 4:20-21)
- Was it the custom of the Jews to sit while they publicly read the Scriptures? (Luke 4:16)
- What did Jesus do after his disciples had assembled? (Matt. 5:2)
- To whom were his instructions particularly addressed?
- Were others present during this discourse? (Matt. 7:28-29)
- What has this discourse generally been called?
- Through how many chapters of Matthew's gospel does it extend?
- Upon what class of men did Jesus first pronounce a blessing? (Matt. 5:3)
- What is the meaning of blessed?
- Who are the poor in spirit?
- How can you become poor in spirit? (Matt. 11:29)
- Are those who are poor in this world's goods never poor in spirit?
- Are those who are rich in worldly goods never poor in spirit?
- Is it more difficult for the rich than for the poor to be humble?
- In what manner does Jesus describe the necessity of humility? (Luke 18:17)
- In what manner does he represent the difficulty which those who are rich experience in practicing this virtue? (Luke 18:25)
- Does he teach that this difficulty will at last be overcome? (Luke 18:26-27)
- Is there any difference between being poor in spirit and being gloomy?
- Are the proud and haughty as subject to gloominess as the humble are?
- What does Jesus say belongs to the poor in spirit?
- What is to be understood in this place by the kingdom of heaven?
- How do the humble enjoy this kingdom more than the proud?
- What did Jesus say concerning them who mourn? (Matt. 5:4)
- To what class of mourners did he probably refer in particular? (2 Cor 7:10)
- Should we understand him to include other mourners also? (1 Thess. 4:13, 18)
- Shall all mourners at last be comforted and all weeping and sorrow be ended? (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4)
- How are mourners comforted in the present life by the gospel?
- Will a firm faith in the gospel enable people to rejoice even amidst afflictions? (Rom 5:3-5)
- What does the apostle mention in Rom. 5:6-11 as the foundation of his hope and a reason for rejoicing in God?
- What did Jesus say concerning the meek? (Matt. 5:5)
- What is it to be meek?
- How should men learn meekness? (Matt. 11:29)
- Was Jesus meek?
- How did he conduct, when injured, and reviled, and persecuted? (1 Pet 2:22-23)
- How do the meek inherit the earth?
- Do those who are meek pass through life more quietly and peacefully than those who indulge a hasty and quarrelsome temper?
- What did Jesus say concerning those who hunger and thirst after righteousness? (Matt. 5:6)
- What is it to hunger and thirst after righteousness?
- What is righteousness?
- What is here meant by being filled?
- In what manner may those who thus hunger and thirst expect to be filled?
- Shall all at last be filled?
- Having been filled will they ever again feel any deficiency? (John 4:14; 6:35)
- What did Jesus say concerning the merciful? (Matt. 5:7)
- What is it to be merciful?
- What promise is given to them who are merciful to the poor? (Psa. 41:1-2)
- Should we be merciful to all our fellow-men?
- Should we be merciful to those who do not deserve or merit the exercise of mercy?
- Whom does Jesus command us to imitate in showing mercy? (Luke 6:36)
- Is God merciful to us?
- Do we deserve or merit the exercise of his mercy?
- Is he merciful to others who are as unworthy as we are?
- Is he merciful to all people?
- In what manner, then, should we exercise mercy in order to imitate him?
- What present consequences do the merciful and the unmerciful man experience? (Prov. 11:17)
- God will punish sinners; is he, then, merciful to them? (Lament. 3:32-33)
- When we cause transgressors to suffer, what should be our purpose?
- Is such the purpose of God?
- What did Jesus say concerning the pure in heart? (Matt. 5:8)
- What is it to be pure in heart?
- Are people generally pure in heart?
- Are they born with corrupt hearts? (Mart 10:14)
- Is it wrong to cherish corrupt and sinful thoughts and desires?
- If such thoughts and desires be resisted and banished from the mind will they injure us?
- If we allow them to remain, what will be the consequence?
- Is there any evidence that all people shall be delivered from the corrupt and evil passions which now dwell in them? (Rom 8:21)
- Can God be seen with the natural eye?
- Why? (John 4:24)
- What is it to see God?
- Why do the pure in heart enjoy him more than the corrupt?
- When shall people fully enjoy the presence of God? (1 John 3:2)
- What did Jesus say concerning peace-makers? (Matt. 5:9)
- What is a peace-maker?
- Who is the great Peace-maker? (Eph. 2:13-17)
- In thus making peace, whom did he reconcile, -- God or humans? (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
- Which then had been unreconciled?
- Whas God ever unfriendly to his children?
- Is it our duty to make peace among our fellow humans, so far as we are able?
- Is it our duty to live in peace with all people? (Rom. 12:18)
- What is the exhortation of the apostle concerning this duty in Eph. 4:31-32?
- Why are those who live in peace and endeavor to promote peace among people called the children of God?
- What did Jesus say concerning those who are persecuted for righteousness sake? (Matt. 5:10)
- What is it to be persecuted?
- Are good people ever persecuted?
- Are people often persecuted merely because they practice righteousness?
- If we must be persecuted, is it better to endure it for doing right or for doing wrong? (1 Pet. 3:17)
- Should we, in any case, violate the divine law for the sake of pleasing people or avoiding persecution? (Acts 5:29)
- How did Jesus encourage his disciples to bear reviling, and mocking, and persecution? (Matt. 5:11)
- What is it to revile?
- May not evil things be said truly concerning some people?
- Should we feel happy if such things were said concerning us with truth?
- Is the blessing promised to those who act imprudently and foolishly for the purpose of being reviled and thus enlisting the sympathy of others?
- How should the true disciples of Jesus conduct themselves? (Matt. 4:48; 1 Thess. 5:22; Eph. 4:1-3)
- When may we properly rejoice if people revile us?
- Why may we rejoice? (1 Pet. 4:13)
- What condemnation from our fellow humans should we strive to avoid? (1 Pet. 4:15)
- How did Jesus tell his disciples they ought to feel while suffering reproach for his sake? (Matt. 5:12)
- Did the apostles afterward show this state of feeling? (Acts 4:41)
- Why did Jesus say they ought to feel that way?
- What is here meant by heaven?
- Who had suffered such persecution before them?
- Who are meant by the prophets
- Were the prophets persecuted by good people or by sinners?
- Is it a mark of goodness to engage in persecuting others?
- Did our Lord encourage his disciples to persecute opposers? (Luke 9:54-55)
- Does the apostle approve or condemn the practive of persecuting for opinions' sake in Rom. 14:4?
- What is the exhortation of the apostle Peter on this subject in 1 Pet. 2:20-23?
- Which would give you the most satisfactory evidence of being a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ; to persecute others or to be persecuted by others for righteousness sake?
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
