The Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is probably one of the most famous sets of teachings found in the four Gospels.
But what exactly is in the Sermon?
In this article, we’ll go over the larger themes found in the Sermon as well as how it fits into Matthew’s greater picture of the story of Jesus.
What is the Sermon on the Mount?
The Sermon on the Mount was a set of teachings that can be found in the Book Of Matthew.
While certain teachings from the Sermon can be found in the other four Gospels, you can only read them in their entirety in Matthew. These teachings, and the way Matthew recorded them help him draw specific parallels between Jesus and another man who Matthew’s friends and family cared about deeply.
Moses was one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. The People of Israel formed large parts of their cultural identities around Moses and their relationship to his story. Many of their stories about faith in God, unrighteous oppression, and liberation were all centered around the events in Moses’s life.
Matthew knew this. And in an effort to help his family and neighbors see and understand the important role Jesus played in their lives, he made a specific attempt to highlight different ways in which Jesus’s life and Moses’s life were the same.
Here’s a list of similarities between the two.
Moses | Jesus |
Raised up an Israeli to preach to them | Raised up a Galielean to preach to them |
Protected by Egypt from being killed as a child | Protected by Egypt from being killed as a child |
Moses fasted in the desert wilderness for 40 days and night | Jesus fasted in the desert wilderness for 40 days and night |
Returned from the wilderness to teach his people | Returned from the wilderness to teach his people |
Presented the Law of Moses | Fulfilled the Law Of Moses |
The Five Books Of Moses | The five sections ending with, “When Jesus had finished saying these things,” as taught by Matthew |
Life ends with Moses being unable to enter the Promised land, commands his followers to go forward saying God will be with them | Life ends on the cross, and after successfully overcoming death, commands his followers to go forward saying He will be with them |
Drawing on these similarities helped Matthew highlight the importance of Jesus’s mission. Let’s look at some of the more well-known elements of the Sermon of the Mount.
The Beatitudes
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5 as found in the NIV)
As depicted in the New Testament, Jesus loved the oppressed and marginalized people of the earth. He loved those who helped others in spite of being hurt themselves.
The Importance of Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5 as found in the NIV)
The Law of Moses
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.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5 as found in the NIV)
As depicted in the New Testament, Jesus came to fulfill the Law of Moses which had been instituted by God since the People of Israel were freed from Egyptian captivity. And with that sacrifice, came a higher law.
Do Good To Do Good Instead Of To Be Seen Doing Good
1 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
(Matthew 6 as found in the NIV)
In the Bible, Jesus taught people to be a light to the rest of the world to help inspire others to be better, he also made it very clear that He did not want people to use that Christian responsibility for self-aggrandizement. As depicted in the New Testament, Jesus used the Sermon on the Mount as an opportunity to challenge people to be better.
Watch the episode of Jesus teaching the Sermon on the Mount in the Season 3 premiere of The Chosen.
If you haven’t already, check out Angel Studios’ The Chosen to view the first-ever multi-season show about the life of Jesus. This historical drama set in Judaea and Galilee in the first century CE follows Jesus and those who he met and ministered to.
Download the Angel app on Google Play or the App store and start watching today.
