Bible Study on Matthew 5:48 ("Be Perfect")
Matthew 5:48
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (NIV/CSB)
Welcome to the Bible Study Guide for Matthew 5:48, which leverages questions from the CHARA Bible Study Guide when studying this verse. Below are the questions the Chara team chose to ask, in the order they chose to ask them, but feel free to use other questions or change up the order as you dive into this passage. For ANSWERS from the Chara team on these questions, check out the video below.
APPLY
Yield: What personal, cultural, or religious bias and assumptions do you bring to the text? In other words, without additional Context, what are your first impressions of this verse?
CONTEXT
Immediate: What is the theme or main idea found in the surrounding paragraph(s) and how does that help determine what the verse means? (Hint: start with the paragraph in Matthew 5:43-48, then look before the passage in 5:21-48, and then after the passage in 6:1-18). How do your initial assumptions line up with the context surrounding the verse?
AUTHOR
Patterns: What is highlighted through the use of repetition in Matthew 5:21-48? What about in Matthew 6:1-18? In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus addressed the misinterpretation of six Old Testament teachings by repeating “you have heard that it was said”... “but I tell you.” What was His point? (Hint: what did Jesus say right before this in verse 20?)
HISTORY
Who was it written to and who was it written about? How does the Bible describe them? Verse 20 introduced the scribes and Pharisees - religious leaders of their day - who were viewed as the utmost example of righteousness. They are likely the “hypocrites” described in chapter six. What can you learn about the scribes and Pharisees from Matthew 6:1-18 and Matthew 23?
How would the original audience have heard what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 & 20? How would Jesus’ teaching in this passage have redefined their understanding of righteousness? How does verse 20 compare with verse 48?
AUTHOR
Person: Who was the author and how did their experiences influence what they communicated? (Hint: Compare Matthew’s longer version of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 with Luke’s shorter version in Luke 6. What does Luke not include and why? Consider Luke’s audience compared to Matthews.)
RESEARCH
Original Language: What does “perfect” mean in the original Greek? (Hint: choose the option that makes the most sense considering the context of Matthew 5:48).
Paraphrase: How would you rewrite the message of Matthew 5:48 into your own words? (Hint: Consider Luke 6:36 and what should be familiar context surrounding it).
APPLY
Ask: What do you learn about God - His character, attributes, or desires - from this passage?
Express: What fears or concerns do you have about applying what you’ve learned?
Pray: “Lord, what do you want me to learn and how should I apply this to my life?”
Join the Chara Project team as they study Matthew 5:48 and see their ANSWERS to the questions asked from the CHARA Bible Study Guide.