Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount was, according to the Gospel of Matthew, a particular sermon given by Jesus of Nazareth around AD 30 on a mountainside to his disciples and a large crowd (Matt. 5:1; 7:28). It is thought by some contemporary Christians to have taken place on a mountain on the north end of the Sea of Galilee, near Capernaum. The recounting of the Sermon on the Mount comes from the Gospel of Matthew 5-7.

Related Topics:
Gospel of Matthew - Sermon - Jesus of Nazareth - AD 30 - Sea of Galilee - Capernaum - Matthew 5

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The Sermon on the Mount may be compared to the similar but more succinct Sermon on the Plain as recounted by the Gospel of Luke (Luke 6:17?49). Some commentators believe they may be the same sermon, others that Jesus frequently preached similar themes in different places, still others that neither sermons really took place but were conflations of Jesus's primary teachings as put together by Matthew and Luke.

Related Topics:
Sermon on the Plain - Gospel of Luke

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Probably the best-known portion is the Beatitudes, found at the beginning of the section. It also contains the Lord's Prayer and the injunctions to "resist not evil" and "turn the other cheek", as well as Jesus's version of the Golden Rule. Other lines often quoted are the references to "salt of the Earth" "light of the world," and "judge not, lest ye be judged." Many Christians believe that the Sermon on the Mount is a form of commentary (midrash) on the Ten Commandments. To many the Sermon on the Mount contains the central tenets of Christian discipleship, and is considered as such by many religious and moral thinkers, such as Tolstoy and Gandhi.

Related Topics:
Beatitudes - Lord's Prayer - Resist not evil - Turn the other cheek - Golden Rule - Salt of the Earth - Christians - Midrash - Ten Commandments - Tolstoy - Gandhi

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