What Does Matthew 5:1 Mean?
Seeing the crowds, he went up the mountain, and when he had sat down, his learners came to him.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:THE KEY
Discipleship here is movement: learners come near to a teacher who has settled to teach.
THE MEANING
The crowd is present, and the disciples take a distinct step toward Jesus after he sits. Learning appears as a living relation of nearness to a teacher ready to speak. Being among a multitude and drawing near as a learner are different movements.
THE ROOT
μαθηταί
mathētai
GROWS FROM
μανθ-
manth-
To learn, to become acquainted through learning.
The Greek word μαθηταί (mathētai, learners or disciples) places their identity in learning, not simply in membership in a group. The verse makes that learning visible as approach: they come near to the seated teacher.
ALSO GROWS
mathētēs: learner, disciple
μαθητής
This singular form shows that “disciple” names someone in the ongoing relation of learning.
mathēma: lesson, something learned
μάθημα
The same learning family connects the learners’ approach with the teaching they are about to receive.
προσῆλθον
prosēlthon
GROWS FROM
ἐρχ-
erch-
To come or go; with πρός (pros, toward), to come toward or approach.
“came unto” in this verse is prosēlthon. The verb describes directed movement toward someone, not mere presence nearby. The disciples’ relation to the teacher is expressed through the act of approaching him.
ALSO GROWS
proserchomai: approach, come near
προσέρχομαι
This related form makes the toward-motion in “came unto him” explicit.
eiserchomai: enter, go in
εἰσέρχομαι
This compound uses the same coming stem for movement into a place, showing how the stem takes its direction from its prefix.
THE PATTERN
Instruction takes hold as people gather their attention to hear and learn.
Especially the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, Assemble the people to me, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn awe of me all the days they live upon the earth, and that they may train their children.And he called aloud from it before the wide place that was before the gate of the waters, from first light until the middle of the day, facing the men and the women, and those who could tell the difference, and the ears of all the people were turned toward the book of the instruction.And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat beside the feet of Jesus, and heard his word.THE THREAD
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,Verse 1 ends with the learners drawing near; verse 2 shows what that approach meets: Jesus opens his mouth and teaches. Their movement toward him becomes a relationship of listening.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us