The Law is something we are quite familiar with in our country. Since 1789 Congress has enacted over 30,000 statutes. When those statutes go to the Administrative Regulators, the laws increase exponentially. Our legal code is housed in over 200 volumes containing an estimated 100-300 million words. There are over 1 million individual legal restrictions which use terms like “shall” or “must”. And we as good citizens obey the law.

The Jewish People Jesus addressed in His Sermon on the Mount were familiar with the legal creep of Administrative Regulators. They started with 613 laws in the Torah and by the time Jesus started preaching, those laws had expanded into code that became known as the Midrash. Through later refinement (200 AD and after) further developments, refinements, and expansions in the Mishna, Gemara, and the Talmud produced dozens of volumes of Jewish laws containing millions of words and legal instructions too numerous to comprehend.

It is in the middle of expansion process that Jesus does a little expanding of the Law on His own. After all, He wrote it in the first place, so He has every right to say what it means. This he does in the 2nd half of Matthew 5. He sets up his discourse by assuring the people that His intention is not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. He then warns them about mishandling the Law. Finally, He informs them that those people trying to tell them what the Law means, the scribes and Pharisees, are not the people to look to for guidance because following their ways just won’t cut it. Only by trusting in Jesus through faith can we receive the righteousness which is imputed to us by Him. His righteousness is sufficient. His righteousness is the final word on the subject.

The Law is something we are quite familiar with in our country. Since 1789 Congress has enacted over 30,000 statutes. When those statutes go to the Administrative Regulators, the laws increase exponentially. Our legal code is housed in over 200 volumes containing an estimated 100-300 million words. There are over 1 million individual legal restrictions which use terms like “shall” or “must”. And we as good citizens obey the law.

The Jewish People Jesus addressed in His Sermon on the Mount were familiar with the legal creep of Administrative Regulators. They started with 613 laws in the Torah and by the time Jesus started preaching, those laws had expanded into code that became known as the Midrash. Through later refinement (200 AD and after) further developments, refinements, and expansions in the Mishna, Gemara, and the Talmud produced dozens of volumes of Jewish laws containing millions of words and legal instructions too numerous to comprehend.

It is in the middle of expansion process that Jesus does a little expanding of the Law on His own. After all, He wrote it in the first place, so He has every right to say what it means. This he does in the 2nd half of Matthew 5. He sets up his discourse by assuring the people that His intention is not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. He then warns them about mishandling the Law. Finally, He informs them that those people trying to tell them what the Law means, the scribes and Pharisees, are not the people to look to for guidance because following their ways just won’t cut it. Only by trusting in Jesus through faith can we receive the righteousness which is imputed to us by Him. His righteousness is sufficient. His righteousness is the final word on the subject.

You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

In 1st Century Galilee, salt was used commonly as a preservative, a healing and cleansing agent, and as a seasoning. However, its spiritual and ceremonial use gives us the depth of meaning found in this simple mineral. Sacrifices were brought to the altar with salt – even the grain offerings. In passages such as Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chronicles 13:5 God’s unchanging, everlasting, permanent covenant was referred to as the “covenant of salt.” In ancient Middle Eastern cultures a covenant was sealed (ratified) with various means of sharing salt (i.e.- a meal or simple exchange) with the salt representing permanence, incorruptibility, and shared fellowship. As believers we are the “salt of the earth” and, hence, we are physical agents of healing, cleansing, purification, preservation of God’s goodness, seasoning – bringing out and highlighting the glorious flavors of God’s creation, and of reminding the world of God’s “chesed” – His Everlasting Love!

The prime focus of the Romans was glory. The prime focus of the Greeks was knowledge. The prime focus of the Jews was light. The world began with God saying, “let there be light” and light has been the central theme all along. A burning bush, a pillar of fire, and numerous descriptions of the LORD and His Word being light. (Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 60:19-20; Micah 7:8) Jesus refers to Himself as the Light of the world and there is no doubt that He is “the light that shines in the darkness” as seen in Isaiah 9:2. Paul summarizes the superiority of Jesus as the Light in 2 Corinthians 4:6: For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

And now that Light lives within us and consequently, as believers, we are bearers of the Light, torch bearers in the darkness, lighthouses of hope in the storms of life, glowing examples of what God can do and how God can love, and reminders to the world of God’s Everlasting Light, the Light of the World!

We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world because God, through the blood of Jesus, has made us so.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, September 6, 2026. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons, which covers Chapters 5-7 in the Book of Matthew, is Kingdom Power: The Sermon on the Mount. You can find print and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/kingdom-power-matthew-5-7-digital-study-guide/ . Handouts with class presentation content can be requested at: [email protected] . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .

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You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

In 1st Century Galilee, salt was used commonly as a preservative, a healing and cleansing agent, and as a seasoning. However, its spiritual and ceremonial use gives us the depth of meaning found in this simple mineral. Sacrifices were brought to the altar with salt – even the grain offerings. In passages such as Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chronicles 13:5 God’s unchanging, everlasting, permanent covenant was referred to as the “covenant of salt.” In ancient Middle Eastern cultures a covenant was sealed (ratified) with various means of sharing salt (i.e.- a meal or simple exchange) with the salt representing permanence, incorruptibility, and shared fellowship. As believers we are the “salt of the earth” and, hence, we are physical agents of healing, cleansing, purification, preservation of God’s goodness, seasoning – bringing out and highlighting the glorious flavors of God’s creation, and of reminding the world of God’s “chesed” – His Everlasting Love!

The prime focus of the Romans was glory. The prime focus of the Greeks was knowledge. The prime focus of the Jews was light. The world began with God saying, “let there be light” and light has been the central theme all along. A burning bush, a pillar of fire, and numerous descriptions of the LORD and His Word being light. (Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 60:19-20; Micah 7:8) Jesus refers to Himself as the Light of the world and there is no doubt that He is “the light that shines in the darkness” as seen in Isaiah 9:2. Paul summarizes the superiority of Jesus as the Light in 2 Corinthians 4:6: For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

And now that Light lives within us and consequently, as believers, we are bearers of the Light, torch bearers in the darkness, lighthouses of hope in the storms of life, glowing examples of what God can do and how God can love, and reminders to the world of God’s Everlasting Light, the Light of the World!

We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world because God, through the blood of Jesus, has made us so.

This Bible study was presented to the Agape Life Bible Study Class of the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Sunday, September 6, 2026. It is part of a series in a Bible study curriculum called Connect 360, published by the GC2 Press of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The overall title of the current set of lessons, which covers Chapters 5-7 in the Book of Matthew, is Kingdom Power: The Sermon on the Mount. You can find print and digital versions of this series online at https://gc2press.org/kingdom-power-matthew-5-7-digital-study-guide/ . Handouts with class presentation content can be requested at: [email protected] . Handouts are also available at: fromthebackporch.org .


Website – FromTheBackPorch.org
Facebook – From the Back Porch in Texas

YouTube – youtube.com/@fromthebackporch

X – FromtheBackPorch@nationalfast

TikTok – tiktok.com/@fromthebackporchintexas
Email – [email protected]

Podcast – Agape Life From the Back Porch

As we read the headlines today we invariably find references to protests involving the nation of Israel. The fact is that the Jewish people have been a target for protests and persecution since they were established as a people in the book of Genesis. When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount he was addressing an audience primarily made up of Jews. Unsurprisingly, they were facing persecution even as he spoke.

The Jews were persecuted by the occupying Roman government. Rome demanded exorbitant taxes and seized land and property, at times forcing people into slavery. They desecrated the Jewish holy sites like the Temple and the city of Jerusalem itself. Pilate was known for ambushing and killing a “great number” of Jewish people on the Temple grounds who were protesting Pilate’s use of Temple funds to build an aqueduct.

The Jews also faced ostracization from non-Jews because of their strange religious practices like Sabbath observance, dietary restrictions, and circumcision. They were different from the other people from other lands and, hence, the target of ridicule and derision.

So when Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake,” he was preaching to the choir. They knew persecution; and the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven being theirs was sweet music to their ears. It wasn’t retribution for the persecution that Jesus was preaching, but eternal joy and blessedness that would far surpass all of the persecution any of them would encounter on earth. Their reward was to be in Heaven.

The Apostles lived out this “persecution to heavenly reward” attitude. We see them being beaten for their faith and they rejoiced. We see them facing hardships from hard people and they pressed on to the high calling of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, in following the instruction of our Lord and the example of the Apostles, how should we react when we are attacked for all the right reasons?

1. Rejoice – You have been successful in irritating Satan. Your reward awaits you in heaven.

2. Reflect – You’re not alone – prophets before, Jesus here on earth, martyrs today. You were promised trouble.

3. Pray – Make sure you’re in alignment with God.

4. Preach – Boldly go and proclaim the truth of the Gospel. Boldly go and minister in the name of Christ. Boldly do the things Satan hates including laughing at his lame attempts to dislodge you from your faith in Jesus.

Excerpt from “When You Are Attacked for All the Right Reasons“ – a Bible Study Session from the series Kingdom Power: The Sermon on the Mount, the video of which can be seen in full at https://youtu.be/ZfLvY2l7w9E

As we read the headlines today we invariably find references to protests involving the nation of Israel. The fact is that the Jewish people have been a target for protests and persecution since they were established as a people in the book of Genesis. When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount he was addressing an audience primarily made up of Jews. Unsurprisingly, they were facing persecution even as he spoke.

The Jews were persecuted by the occupying Roman government. Rome demanded exorbitant taxes and seized land and property, at times forcing people into slavery. They desecrated the Jewish holy sites like the Temple and the city of Jerusalem itself. Pilate was known for ambushing and killing a “great number” of Jewish people on the Temple grounds who were protesting Pilate’s use of Temple funds to build an aqueduct.

The Jews also faced ostracization from non-Jews because of their strange religious practices like Sabbath observance, dietary restrictions, and circumcision. They were different from the other people from other lands and, hence, the target of ridicule and derision.

So when Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake,” he was preaching to the choir. They knew persecution; and the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven being theirs was sweet music to their ears. It wasn’t retribution for the persecution that Jesus was preaching, but eternal joy and blessedness that would far surpass all of the persecution any of them would encounter on earth. Their reward was to be in Heaven.

The Apostles lived out this “persecution to heavenly reward” attitude. We see them being beaten for their faith and they rejoiced. We see them facing hardships from hard people and they pressed on to the high calling of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, in following the instruction of our Lord and the example of the Apostles, how should we react when we are attacked for all the right reasons?

1. Rejoice – You have been successful in irritating Satan. Your reward awaits you in heaven.

2. Reflect – You’re not alone – prophets before, Jesus here on earth, martyrs today. You were promised trouble.

3. Pray – Make sure you’re in alignment with God.

4. Preach – Boldly go and proclaim the truth of the Gospel. Boldly go and minister in the name of Christ. Boldly do the things Satan hates including laughing at his lame attempts to dislodge you from your faith in Jesus.

Excerpt from “When You Are Attacked for All the Right Reasons“ – a Bible Study Session from the series Kingdom Power: The Sermon on the Mount, the video of which can be seen in full at https://youtu.be/ZfLvY2l7w9E

The Pure in Heart Peacemakers

Many theologians down through the centuries – Augustine, Thomas of Aquinas, John Wesley, and Pam Young, just to name a few – have seen the Beatitudes as a progression of faith and a process of sanctification in which you begin with a poverty in spirit before you mourn and you mourn before you develop meekness. Meekness leads to a longing for God’s justice to prevail which leads to a response of God’s mercy for those who face God’s justice.  This growth process must be observed when you find yourself in the role of peacemaker, because unless you are pure in heart, your peacemaking efforts will fall flat.

Purity of heart seems like a lofty goal, but it is actually an unattainable goal from the human perspective.  Those who are pure in heart are those whose inmost being is focused on one thing and only one thing – God Himself – and that focus is not the result of human effort, but rather the Holy Spirit working within the Christian to purge the impurities and remove the things that keep us from pure devotion to Christ. The beatitude doesn’t say, “Blessed are they who have purified their hearts.” It says “Blessed are the pure in heart” – a condition that comes from the sanctification of Holy Spirit.

As our hearts are cleansed, then and only then can our hearts know true peace. The Hebrew word for peace is “Shalom” and it means so much more than just peace. It means properly joined together, whole, complete and, for the Christian, true peace is being properly joined together with Christ, whole in Him, complete as He intended us to be from the beginning. The singleness of focus for the heart that is pure is the same singularity in the peace that passes all understanding. It’s the peace of Christ.

Peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather the presence of God. If you want to be a peacemaker you must allow the Spirit to purify your heart and then you must bring Daddy to the table with you, because He alone is true peace.

The Final Word is this: Let the Spirit lead you as you are told in Galatians 5:16-25. Your heart will be pure (clean, clear, singularly focused) and you will truly know God and see Him work in your world. Furthermore, your heart will be at peace (whole, complete, bonded together with Jesus) and then you will be able to introduce into any situation the peace that passes all understanding.

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Peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather the presence of God.

Pip: From The Back Porch, where the big questions get asked in the shade — and this week the question is about as big as a world-ending flood.

Mara: Bob takes us into the Old Testament’s greatest stories, starting with the flood narrative and what it means to call something a myth without meaning it isn’t true.

Pip: Let’s start with the flood, the ark, and a Greek vocabulary lesson that changes everything.

Mara: The central tension here is a word problem: “myth” in everyday speech means fiction, but the post argues that definition sells the biblical flood story short before the conversation even starts.

Pip: The post draws on two Greek concepts to make that case, and the key move is in John 1:1 — the setup is that the apostle John deliberately enters the mythos-versus-logos debate, and the post quotes him directly: “in the beginning was the Word (logos) and the Word (logos) was with God and the Word (logos) was God.”

Mara: So the upshot is that the biblical account isn’t classified as mere story — logos signals verifiable, rational truth, which means the flood narrative gets placed on the truth side of that ancient Greek distinction, not the fable side.

Pip: And that framing does real interpretive work. A myth in the technical sense is simply a story; what makes the biblical version different is the claim that it is the True Myth — the actual account of how the world was cleansed and how salvation entered the picture.

Mara: The post develops this into typology — a type being an Old Testament person, thing, or event divinely established as a foreshadowing of a New Testament reality. The ark becomes a type for Christ, and Peter’s comparison of flood waters to baptism pulls that thread forward into the New Testament.

Pip: The ark as a type for the Cross is the kind of structural reading that makes you see the whole library differently — one story inside another, load-bearing all the way down.

Mara: And the post doesn’t leave it abstract. It closes with Isaiah 43, promising presence through water and fire, and lands on a direct application: localized floods, storms, wildfires — the same God who provided salvation in the Great Flood provides it in the floods of ordinary life.

Pip: Short, grounded, and it earns the final line — “He is still our ark of Salvation” — because the exegesis actually got you there.

Mara: This is the opening lesson in a series on Big Stories from the Old Testament, and it sets the interpretive framework the rest of the series will presumably need.

Pip: One post, one flood, and a Greek word that reframes what truth claims even look like in ancient storytelling.

Mara: The mythos-logos distinction is the kind of conceptual tool that keeps paying out — worth holding onto as the series continues.

Pip: From The Back Porch, with a view of the Sermon on the Mount — and Bob has been working through it one beatitude at a time.

Mara: This episode covers the whole arc of that study, from the introductory framing of Kingdom living all the way through poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger for righteousness, and mercy. Let’s start with the beatitudes themselves and what they reveal about inner posture.

Pip: The Beatitudes are not a to-do list. That’s the frame here — Jesus is describing who Kingdom people are, not handing down a new set of commandments.

Mara: The post on Matthew 5:3 sets the foundation directly: “Only from the depths of our spiritual bankruptcy can we look up to the One Who gives us all of the spiritual resources of the Kingdom.”

Pip: So being poor in spirit is not a deficit to fix — it’s the posture that opens everything. You can’t fill a cup you’re convinced is already full.

Mara: That logic carries straight into The Happy Mourners, which takes up the second beatitude. It makes a pointed distinction: the Christian response to grief is not avoidance or forced cheerfulness. The post puts it plainly — “The difference between Christian grief and worldly grief is not the absence of tears but the presence of hope.”

Pip: Which is a genuinely useful reframe. Grief is not the opposite of faith; it’s woven into the biblical record from David to Jeremiah to Jesus himself.

Mara: Meek, Hungry, and Thirsty covers the third and fourth beatitudes together, and it links them to a shared pressure point — watching injustice in the world and feeling the pull to act. The argument is that meekness is strength held under God’s control, and that hunger for righteousness is blessed precisely because it aligns us with God’s own longing before any human action follows.

Pip: Trust over reaction. That’s a harder ask than it sounds when the news is on.

Mara: For Mercy’s Sake takes the fifth beatitude and digs into the Greek word eleos, tracing how it became layered with the Hebrew chesed — lovingkindness, unfailing love — when the Septuagint was written. The upshot is that the mercy Jesus calls us to show is not a polite courtesy; it carries the full weight of Romans 5:8, God acting toward us while we were still sinners.

Pip: Mercy as a theological posture, not just a temperament. That’s the through-line — each beatitude is less about behavior and more about what you’re oriented toward.

Mara: And that orientation has a starting point, which is where the series itself begins.

Pip: Before any individual beatitude, there’s a framing question: what kind of kingdom are we even talking about?

Mara: Kingdom Living, the introductory post, answers that with a striking piece of context: “Of the 162 times the word ‘kingdom’ is used in the New Testament, 150 times it refers to the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God, etc. — 55 of those 150 are found in the Book of Matthew.”

Pip: Matthew is not incidentally interested in the kingdom. It is the whole gospel message.

Mara: And the post draws a direct parallel — early Christians learning to live as Kingdom citizens under Roman occupation, and readers today navigating a world the text calls controlled by “the prince of the air.” The Sermon on the Mount is the instruction manual either way.

Pip: Spiritual bankruptcy, hope inside grief, strength under control, mercy that costs something — these beatitudes keep pointing inward before they point outward.

Mara: More of the Sermon on the Mount is ahead. There’s still a lot of Matthew 5 through 7 to cover from the back porch.