Sarah Mitchell
The Sermon on the Mount, found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, 6, and 7), is a collection of sayings spoken by Jesus of Nazareth that summarize his moral teachings. The sermon has been interpreted in various ways by different theologians. While some focus on the Beatitudes as the central element, others view it as arranged around the Lord's Prayer or see a chiastic structure. The teachings of the Sermon on the Mount have been a fundamental influence on Christian ethics and have inspired many religious and moral thinkers.
John 6, on the other hand, starts with Jesus feeding a crowd of 5000 people, after which he asks them why they are following him. This leads to Jesus' declaration in verses 53-56 about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, which has been interpreted both symbolically and literally. Catholics believe that this passage is about the Eucharist, while non-Catholics argue that Jesus is using metaphor, as he does elsewhere in the Gospels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Chapters | 5, 6, and 7 |
| Topics | Judging, divorce, blessings, woes, loving one's enemies, loving one's neighbour, good deeds, materialism, and false prophets |
| Key Figures | Jesus of Nazareth, John the Baptist, Saint Augustine, Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi |
| Key Messages | Turn the other cheek, love your enemies, seek God's kingdom first |
| Location | A mountain |
| Audience | Jesus's disciples and crowds |
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What You'll Learn
Jesus condemns superficiality and materialism
The Sermon on the Mount, found in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapters 5, 6, and 7), is a collection of sayings spoken by Jesus of Nazareth that summarise his moral teachings. It is placed relatively early in Matthew's portrayal of Jesus's ministry.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus condemns superficiality and materialism. He advises his followers to turn the other cheek and to love their enemies, rather than seeking revenge. Jesus also condemns doing "good works" for recognition rather than from the heart. This includes acts of alms (6:1–4), prayer (6:5–15), and fasting (6:16–18).
Jesus goes on to address the dangers of materialism, encouraging his disciples not to worry about material needs or the future, but to "seek" God's kingdom first (Matthew 6:19-34). He says: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).
Jesus identifies worry as a strain of the virus of materialism. He emphasises that materialism is not about the quantity of money or possessions one has but rather the attitude one has towards them. It is about attaching more importance to material goods than they deserve, placing them above God.
Jesus also speaks about the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom of heaven, saying it is "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:16-22). This highlights the importance of not letting material possessions become more valued than one's relationship with God.
The Sermon on the Mount has been a key element of Christian ethics, influencing various religious and moral thinkers and social movements, such as the nonviolent American civil rights movement.
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Jesus advises turning the other cheek
The Sermon on the Mount, found in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapters 5, 6, and 7), is a collection of sayings spoken by Jesus of Nazareth that summarise his moral teachings. It is placed relatively early in Matthew's portrayal of Jesus's ministry and is one of the most widely quoted sections of the Gospels.
The specific instruction to turn the other cheek is found in Matthew 5:39, where Jesus says, "do not resist an evil person". By offering the left cheek, the victim resists humiliation and challenges the perpetrator, as striking with the right hand would imply a lower socioeconomic status. This act of non-violent resistance reshapes the power dynamic, pushing the adversary to either back down or treat the victim as an equal.
Jesus himself is the perfect example of turning the other cheek, as he remained silent before his accusers and prayed for their forgiveness. He did not seek revenge but instead embodied the principle of forgoing retaliation for personal offences.
The teaching to turn the other cheek is not about passivity or allowing others to harm us, but about creatively resisting evil and overcoming it with love and non-violence. It is a powerful instruction that has inspired many, including religious and moral thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi, and has been a key element of Christian ethics and pacifism.
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Jesus condemns divorce
The Sermon on the Mount, found in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapters 5, 6 and 7), is a collection of sayings spoken by Jesus of Nazareth that summarise his moral teachings. It is placed relatively early in Matthew's portrayal of Jesus's ministry and is one of the most widely quoted sections of the Gospels.
In Matthew 19:3-9, Jesus condemns divorce, stating that marriage was designed by God to be a permanent union. He says that Moses allowed divorce because of the "hardness of heart" of the people, but it was not meant to be that way. This is reiterated in Matthew 5:31-32, where Jesus denies the legitimacy of divorce, except in the case of an unlawful marriage.
Jesus' teachings on divorce are particularly strict and allow for divorce only in cases of sexual immorality or abandonment by an unbelieving spouse. In Matthew 19:9, he states that anyone who divorces for other reasons and remarries commits adultery. This is further emphasised in Matthew 5:32 and Mark 10:11-12.
The concept of marriage as a sacred and permanent union is also found in the Old Testament, with the prophet Malachi expressing God's disdain for divorce (Malachi 2:14-16). Despite these strict teachings, the Bible recognises divorce as a complex and sensitive issue, and God's Word encourages forgiveness and reconciliation, even in cases of marital strife.
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Jesus blesses the poor in spirit
The Sermon on the Mount, found in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapters 5, 6, and 7), is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is placed relatively early in Matthew's narrative of Jesus's ministry and is one of the most widely quoted sections of the Gospels.
The Sermon on the Mount can be compared to the Sermon on the Plain as recounted in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 6:17-49). While the Sermon on the Mount is addressed to the disciples and the crowds, the Sermon on the Plain is directed specifically to the disciples.
The introductory portion of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew consists of blessings and woes that address the social and economic conditions of humanity, including the poor and the rich. In Matthew 5:3, Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God."
Being "poor in spirit" means recognizing that one is spiritually impoverished and empty without God. It is a form of humility, acknowledging that one's strength and resources come from God rather than from oneself. This spiritual poverty is something to be sought, as it leads to a deeper dependence on God and His provision.
Jesus' blessing of the poor in spirit is a call to humility and a recognition of our need for God's grace and forgiveness. It is a central teaching of the Sermon on the Mount and a key element of Christian ethics, emphasizing the importance of trusting in God rather than our own abilities.
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Jesus blesses those who hunger for righteousness
The teachings of Jesus Christ, as documented in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew (and paralleled in the Gospel of Luke's Sermon on the Plain), have been a key element of Christian ethics. The sermon is placed relatively early in Matthew's portrayal of Jesus's ministry and is the first of five discourses in the Gospel.
The fourth Beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount is "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6). Jesus used language and concepts in the Beatitudes that were familiar to His audience, drawing from Old Testament passages that describe the downtrodden and oppressed (Psalm 10:17–18; 74:21; 109:22; 140:12; Proverbs 15:15 Job 5:17; Isaiah 30:18).
Jesus is saying that it is a good thing when someone desires to be morally right or justified before God. Recognizing the need for righteousness and having a strong want to become justified before God can be the beginning of the journey of salvation. This desire is not passive; it is a fervent seeking. The servant who hungers and thirsts for righteousness is the same as the one who seeks God’s kingdom and His righteousness before and above everything else (Matthew 6:33).
The word "blessed" in the Beatitudes signifies deep, joy-filled contentment and an inner state of spiritual well-being. Those who thirst for righteousness receive the water Jesus offered to the woman at the well: "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life" (John 4:14, NLT). This is God's gift, and we cannot earn it (Ephesians 2:8).
In summary, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. This can be paraphrased as: "Deeply joyful and spiritually whole are those who actively seek a right relationship with God and, in so doing, discover that He alone can completely save and satisfy their souls."
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Frequently asked questions
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings spoken by Jesus of Nazareth found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, 6, and 7) that summarizes his moral teachings. It is placed relatively early in Matthew's portrayal of Jesus's ministry and has been one of the most widely quoted sections of the Gospels.
The Sermon on the Mount addresses the real economic and social conditions of humanity (the poor, the rich, the hungry, etc.) and emphasizes the religious and spiritual values of disciples in the kingdom inaugurated by Jesus. It also includes teachings on judging others and warnings against false prophets.
John 6:56-69, also known as the "Bread of Life" discourse, is a continuation of the miracle of feeding the 5,000. In this passage, Jesus teaches about spiritual nourishment and how he satisfies our spiritual hunger. He declares, "I am the bread of life," and those who "eat [his] flesh and drink [his] blood" will have eternal life. This passage has been interpreted by Catholics as a discourse about the Eucharist.
