The Sermon on the Mount

On this mountan the sermon took place, with a view over the Sea of Galilee

This is the theme for the series we have in church these days, the sermon on the mount. This text is from Matthew 5 to 7.

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. (Matt 5:1-2)

When reading the text, it is useful to understand some background and the setting of the text:

  • Matthew was writing for a Jewish audience, so knowing some of the Jewish connotations to this text can be useful.
  • The sermon on the mount are not instructions on how to be saved, but how a life with Jesus, life of the Kingdom, is supposed to be.
  • Immideatly, this picture can be connected to Moses on Mt. Sinai, reciving the law from God. Here, Jesus, the Messiah, is teaching the law in a different way.
  • Jesus was sitting down, which was normal to do for the Jewis Rabbis when they were teaching in public. So He is a Rabbi, a teacher for His people.
  • The teaching of Jesus is for those close to Him, the diciples, and those farther away, the multitude.