Matthew 5:1-48
The Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
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.
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.
The Fulfillment of the Law
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.
Murder
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 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 swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Eye for Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Jesus was born in a poor family and in a stable in Bethlehem...Little is known about His Youth...But when He started His ministry He had much to say about God and about the Teachings of life and how we should live our lives...He would never forget His growing up poor, and went around helping the needy and the poor...Actually He would help anyone who needed help, but He seemed to favor helping the underdog, those who were hungry, poor in life, and poor in Spirit...He centered His life around God and if we His followers, we should too...
When Jesus started His ministry, He gave His first and maybe the best Sermon, called the Sermon on the Mount...It was a Shocking Sermon, one that would have surprised many, who had never heard Him...And we learn much about how different He sees society and cultures...In this Sermon are the Beatitudes...The Beatitudes are eight declarations of blessings spoken by Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount...Each Beatitude begins with the phrase "Blessed are..." and describes a certain quality or attitude that brings happiness and spiritual reward...And in the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount we learn much of how His Ministry will go...The Sermon on the Mount covers chapters five, six, and seven...And in this Sermon we find much, much Profound Life's Wisdom but also Great Spiritual Wisdom...A Divine Wisdom is seen throughout this Great Collection of Words...
So we learn from this Sermon about what Jesus might do...In His ministry He associated Himself with tax collectors and sinners...In the times when He lived, tax collectors were seen as collaborators with the Roman occupiers, and sinners were considered to be morally corrupt...Jesus' willingness to associate with these groups of people challenged the social norms of his day...
Jesus also helped a Roman Centurion, A Samaritan woman, who He told her He was the Messiah...He also saved a Canaanite woman's daughter after she discussed with Him how and why He might help her...He helped those who were ill and could heal every disease...So He would help those in need...
Jesus taught radical love and forgiveness...Jesus taught that we should love our enemies and always forgive those who have wronged us...This was a radical idea in a world where violence and revenge were common...
Jesus is a very Spiritual Person of course...He spoke much about the Holy Spirit in His last days on earth...And when He left His disciples to die on the Cross, He said He would not leave them as orphans, but they would receive the holy Spirit...Jesus' death on the Cross was a shocking event for His followers...Many of them had expected Him to be a military or political Messiah who would overthrow the Roman rule...Jesus' death on the Cross challenged their expectations and forced them to reconsider His true mission and see the Spiritual Side of His Being...
So we see how Jesus applied His Teachings in His Words and Actions...Jesus' Sermon can be applied in many different and other ways in people's lives...They offer a path to happiness and Spiritual Fulfillment that is open to everyone, regardless of their circumstances...So as we read the Sermon on the Mount and then see what Jesus went out and did, they Sermon makes Great Divine Sense...He fulfilled His Own Sermon...And history and time has not changed His Sermon one word or iota...