Matthew 5 — A New Reading of Moral Law and Inner Awakening

Matthew 5:1–3 — “Poor in Spirit” or Strong in Spirit?

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. ^*

Jesus did not say it in the way it is commonly presented.

Religious authorities call the spirit holy. Yet here they call blessed those who are “poor in spirit.” This creates a contradiction. If the spirit were holy in itself, then poverty of spirit could not be a blessed state.

In reality, the spirit itself is neither dark nor light and, even more, it is not holy in itself. A strong spirit can belong to a bright soul or to a dark soul. Figuratively speaking, the spirit is like a sword. Its direction depends on the soul that holds it.

In early Christianity, the concept of Trinity was replaced by the doctrine of the Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That formula is invented and distorts the original sacred meaning. True Trinity is the Almighty, the Universe, and Eternity. The number of this Trinity is 198.

The Almighty has no relatives. If the story of Jesus’ death had not been distorted, and if his descendants had not been forced into hiding, religious imagination could have gone even further — inventing grandchildren of God as well. Such ideas lower the understanding of the Almighty instead of raising the soul toward Him.

The correct meaning of Jesus’ words is as follows:

“Blessed are those who are strong in spirit in God’s way, for they will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The Kingdom of Heaven means entry into the next, higher world. The ladder to the higher worlds is eternal.

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Matthew 5:4–7 — Beatitudes, Meekness, and Patience With Difficulty

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

These words are beautiful, but their meaning is often shifted. A person should not tolerate darkness, humiliation, or injustice. A person must be able to protect himself and protect others.

Meekness here should be understood as modesty, restraint, and patience in difficulty. It is not the passive endurance of evil. It is the ability to remain inwardly steady while walking through hardship without losing conscience or dignity.

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Matthew 5:9 — “Children of God,” Not “Sons of God”

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

This sentence requires careful explanation, because its meaning is sacred.

Jesus spoke about “children of God,” not “sons of God.” The difference matters.

Religious authorities have accustomed people to believe that all human beings are automatically children of God. This is not correct. All are creations of the Almighty, but not all become His children. Even a blade of grass is His creation, yet it is not His child.

Our world and similar worlds can be compared to a womb within the universe. This is where souls are born, grow, or fail to grow.

Souls that reach the necessary level pass into a higher world. They are born into the world of eternity and become children of God.

Souls that waste all their lives and do not grow lose the Divine spark within themselves and go into dust, like a stillborn child.

A person is not called a father or mother while the child remains in the womb. Parenthood is spoken of when the child is born alive. In the same way, children of God are those whose souls have grown on God’s path toward the world of eternity.

They are those who choose the side of light and overcome within themselves the darkness of ignorance, envy, vanity, greed, and spiritual emptiness.

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Matthew 5:10–12 — Persecution, Faith, and Heralds

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Truly, these are words from Jesus.

Today, I have disciples who have grown to the level of heralds.

They are firm in their faith in God and in their love for this world.

They have accepted the manifested Gift of the Almighty and make great efforts to bring the message from above to people, sacrificing their strength, rest, and time.

They are often mocked and insulted.

But they do not give up, do not lose heart, and do not stop trying to awaken those who have not yet begun to grow.

If you could see and feel the heavy burden they carry, you would weep with admiration for their souls.

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Matthew 5:17 — What Law Did Jesus Come to Fulfill?

17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 

When Jesus spoke these words, there was no Bible, no Quran, and no Torah.

So what Law did Jesus mean?

He spoke about one teaching for all people — the Creator’s law of purification, conscience, and unity.

This Law does not belong to one religion, nation, or institution. It is not limited to written codes or religious authority.

The Caucasus, Russia, and the First Heralds of Purification

I say openly that the greatest hope was placed not first on Christians, Jews, or Buddhists, but on the Muslims of the Caucasus — that they would be the first to cleanse themselves from falsehood and fulfill the Creator’s will for purification and unity.

A sign from the Almighty was given to the Caucasus, because His will was that His Book would be revealed there. If the Caucasus becomes an example, Russia may follow; and if Russia follows, all countries may follow. Then the prophecy that the purification of the world will begin from Russia may be fulfilled.

If the Caucasus and Russia do not become the first heralds to the world, then hope remains that another people will be able to take up this calling. Perhaps Jews or Arabs will become the first heralds after cleansing themselves from the first error. Perhaps Europe, America, China, or another people will become first.

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Matthew 5:18–20 — Heaven, Earth, and the Cycles of the World

18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

These words do not mean that heaven and earth will disappear.

They mean that our world will change when the transition from the old world to the new world takes place.

A new world will come into being. It will be invisible to the old one. Into this new world, the purified souls of people from the former world will enter.

The heaven and earth of the old world will change, just as they have always changed after the completion of each full cycle of earthly civilization.

On earth, a new complete cycle will begin again.

New souls will be born. Their path will once more be long and difficult in the earthly school of learning light and darkness.

Yet the new world will gradually be transformed into a glorious place, bringing great joy to all.

These words point to the continuous transformation of worlds and souls.

Nothing happens by accident. Every stage has meaning.

Therefore, think about the meaning of our time.

This is an examination period for every soul and for the whole world.

Matthew 5:21–26 — Justice, Conscience, and the Last Penny

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’
22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.
26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

These words do not come from Jesus in the form in which they are presented.

Justice must be shown not only toward one’s brother, compatriot, or fellow believer, but toward every human being.

A person must act justly not from fear of punishment, but according to conscience, remembering that every action and every thought is known to the Almighty.

Jesus never called people to kill animals as sacrifices to God, and he did not speak about hell as eternal torment in fire. Such images were invented by religious authorities of a narrow ancient worldview in order to frighten those who doubted their words.

Jesus said: “Truly, I tell you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the last penny.”

Through betrayal, war, robbery, and deception, energy is stolen. Those who do this become debtors.

After the Day of Judgment, debtors will return what they have taken through years or centuries of difficult labor.

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Matthew 5:27–30 — Lust, Self-Mutilation, and Spiritual Growth

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

The first two sentences come from Jesus. The rest was added later by religious authorities.

A person does not need to mutilate the body in order to repent. If an ignorant man touches a woman with lustful intent, must he cut off his hand after realizing what he has done? If another man looks at a woman with desire, must he tear out his eye after repenting?

To cripple one’s own body is sinful. A person must grow spiritually, not destroy the body because of the sickness of thought, desire, or ignorance.

No religious servant is known for punishing himself in this way. Yet it is widely known that many corrupt religious figures, including high-ranking churchmen in history, committed grave sexual crimes and abuses, including against children.

This exposes the hypocrisy of those who preach cruelty toward the body while hiding moral corruption behind religious authority.

Always remember: a lustful look stains a pure woman, even if she does not know about your gaze.

She is someone’s daughter, wife, or sister — just as your daughter, wife, or sister is.

Modesty, True Beauty, and the Dignity of Women

If you see a young woman dressed in an overly revealing way, the answer is not lust, contempt, or condemnation. Nor is it enough simply to turn away. If words are appropriate, they must be spoken with extreme politeness: such clothing can insult her dignity and her people, and it can make her an object for depraved looks rather than a person seen with respect.

Most young women in such a condition are not guilty in the deepest sense. They have been misled by upbringing, television, surroundings, and the false norms imposed on society. They often do not realize the poverty of such an appearance.

Look at women who dress modestly, carefully, and with taste. Their behavior is balanced, and from them comes the strength of upbringing, principle, aesthetics, ethics, high morality, and the most important part of true beauty — modesty.

People have been accustomed to depravity so deeply that they now consider it normal.

Wake up. This is your world, not the world of a small group of immoral people imposing their so-called “norms.”

If you do not unite your bright actions for the future of your children, you will remain divided on the path toward even greater misfortunes.

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Matthew 5:31–32 — Divorce, Marriage, and Loyalty to the Soul

31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’
32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

If a husband and wife were mistaken about each other, there is no sin in divorce. It is wiser to part than to live together as strangers.

But if a man leaves his wife because she has become less attractive with age and goes to another woman, he commits betrayal — against his wife and against his own soul.

Love the soul in one another, and then your bodies will not become repulsive to each other even in old age.

Keep measure in all things, so that you do not become unpleasant even to yourself.

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Matthew 5:33–37 — Oaths, Jerusalem, and the Great King

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’
34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

These words come from Jesus, with the exception of the sentence about the “great King” in Jerusalem.

Jesus’ commandments are always addressed to all humanity, not to the inhabitants of a single city.

They concern universal responsibility for one’s words and actions.

However, servants of religion could not resist the temptation to add something connected to their own city.

By inserting this phrase, they shifted the meaning of the message.

With this addition, they indirectly permitted people to swear by any city except Jerusalem, while elevating Jerusalem above all others.

At the same time, they introduced the expression “the great King of Jerusalem.”

Whom did they mean by this? Did they mean Herod the First, whom they themselves called Herod the Great — the ruler who had many priests of Judea murdered?

Such additions distort the original message and serve earthly power rather than truth.

The essence of these words is simple. A person must be responsible for every word.

No oath can replace honesty.

No sacred formula can compensate for a lack of conscience.

True integrity does not need guarantees, rituals, or solemn declarations. It is expressed in simple and clear speech.

Matthew 5:38–42 — Turn the Other Cheek, Revenge, and Self-Defense

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

These sentences do not come from Jesus. They resemble the false phrase: “Jesus endured, and you must endure.”

Jesus did not endure. He fought against the fallen by exposing their servants.

Revenge is forbidden; this is true. Revenge does not come from reason, but from emotion, anger, and malice.

But a person must also be able to defend himself, so that he is not left beaten, toothless, and defenseless.

If someone tries to take your shirt through the court, give him the shirt if it is not your last one. But do not give more, so that you are not left naked.

If you force yourself to help when you have the ability to help, you are on the right path, though your soul is still weak.

By compelling yourself to do good, you will grow toward the joy of helping others overcome difficulties. This is the path of the soul’s growth.

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Matthew 5:43–48 — Love Your Enemies Without Accepting Violence

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 

These words of Jesus are great and come from conscience.

They do not mean that a person should love an enemy who comes to your land to kill your people.

You cannot and should not look with love at an enemy who shoots at you or drops bombs from an airplane onto your children.

But the meaning of Jesus’ words is still important.

The mother of your enemy, like your own mother, possesses the highest earthly feeling — motherly love. Your bullet strikes not only the enemy, but also the heart of his mother, his father, his wife, his children, and those who love him.

He may have been forced, deceived, or set against you and sent to war. He may not want to fight. He may want a peaceful life.

If most people grew to the level of love for the mothers of every nation, thieves and tyrants would no longer be able to set countries against each other so easily.

Forgiveness, Repentance, and the Possibility of Change

The same principle applies in personal life.

Suppose a vile person once acted treacherously toward you, stealing from you and your family. Years later, you meet him again and want revenge.

But you may not be taking revenge on the same inner person. His soul may have grown. He may no longer be the soul of a vile person, but the soul of someone who has become brighter and has repented of his former deeds.

Give him a chance to return what was stolen and to correct what he has done.

If what happened can no longer be corrected, then try to forgive him if his repentance is sincere.

And the Almighty will smile upon you.

Conclusion — Matthew 5, Conscience, and the Growth of the Soul

Matthew 5 is read here not as a call to weakness, fear, or blind obedience, but as a call to strong spirit, conscience, purification, and the growth of the soul.

The words of Jesus must be separated from later distortions, additions, and interpretations that turn living truth into religious formulas.

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* The text of the Bible is quoted from the “English Standard Version”. ↑ back