The Sermon on the Mount

The Beatitudes and More

The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.—John 7:46

Homer Montague

Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount is recorded in Matthew chapters 5 through 7. It is a widely held belief that it sets forth needed guidelines and behaviors for Christians during this Gospel age: “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Those who heeded this admonition of Jesus gave evidence of a readiness to receive further instructions contained in the lessons under consideration.

Character Transformation

The first portion of this discourse addressed a series of beatitudes or blessings, illustrating the transformation of character to be manifested by those who would be acceptable to God as participants with Christ in his kingdom.

Humility: Poverty of spirit was exhibited by Jesus to the degree that he willingly submitted himself to his Father’s will in every particular—even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:7,8). This quality was in direct opposition to the pride exhibited by Lucifer whose desire was to be exalted (Isaiah 14:12-15). Those who would become associates with the master during his glorious reign must first acknowledge their spiritual insufficiency and need of redemption. As they acquiesce to the instructions found in God’s word they will then have their hearts revived and begin to walk in righteousness (Isaiah 5:7-15).

Sympathetic Mourning: This trait might well be illustrated by the compassion manifested toward others who are experiencing grief as opposed to feelings of self-pity resulting from personal difficulties and adversity. Prior to his crucifixion, Jesus wept over Jerusalem. The people of Israel had little appreciation for the special divine blessings that would have been theirs as a nation of kings and priests, and because of hardness of heart this grand offer was withdrawn (Matthew 23:37-39). For the footstep followers of Jesus there are many opportunities to enter into the sorrows of others, and offer comfort as preparation for the future work in the kingdom of helping to wipe away mankind’s tears.

Meekness: The Lord invited those who would be his disciples to emulate him as he said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

The master was gentle or approachable in his dealings with children, publicans, sinners, and all with whom he came in contact. Even when he was shamefully treated, he did not retaliate: “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). Christ’s followers are called upon to suffer for righteousness, and through the power of the holy spirit they will be enabled to manifest this quality of gentleness. A worthy admonition for saints is, “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24,25).

Desire for Righteousness: The Scriptures declare concerning Jesus, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26). Those who follow the Lord are being selected to be a part of his bride and therefore must be made completely pure to be acceptable for this role. Although covered by the imputed robe of Christ’s righteousness, spirit-begotten believers are not actually perfect in the flesh and repeatedly need to go to the throne of heavenly grace for forgiveness of their trespasses. Nevertheless, they are required to strive against their inherited weaknesses and sinful propensities. They must love righteousness and hate iniquity to such a degree that their heart intentions will always strive for holiness of thought, word, and deed.

Mercifulness: Those who will share in the work of restoring mankind during the kingdom of Christ must be merciful. As kings and priests they will be dealing with fallen mankind who will need great assistance to recover from the sinful condition in which they entered the tomb. The order of that time will be justice tempered with mercy, so that the human family can be educated in righteousness under the mediatorial rule while being brought up to perfection. The Gospel age saints have been objects of divine mercy in that they have been invited to undergo a transformation process from their sinful condition to become new creatures in Christ. If rightly exercised by their experiences, they ultimately will become part of that sympathetic high priest that will be empowered to extend mercy to all the human families during the reign of righteousness.

Purity of Heart: The impact of the holy spirit upon the believer is such that it drives away worldliness, subterfuge, or anything that reflects an unholy attitude. Purity of the flesh cannot be attained in this life because of human imperfections. Through the redemptive merit of Christ’s sacrifice, however, the followers of Jesus strive against their weaknesses and blemishes, thereby attesting to the true desire of their will. As they see the holy standard of thought and conduct as exemplified in the Scriptures, they wage a vigorous warfare against sin in their flesh and seek assistance repeatedly from the throne of heavenly grace, to demonstrate their intentions are in harmony with the will of God and all his arrangements. The awesome prospect of actually seeing the heavenly Father in glory is almost unspeakable, but it will be attained by those whose heart loyalty toward righteousness is unwavering.

Peacemaking: The Lord’s followers are to seek and pursue peace in their lives. They may especially rejoice in the opportunities provided whereby they can help to calm troublesome situations, as opposed to engendering strife. There are many ills and injustices in the world over which believers have limited impact. However, there are times when the word of reconciliation may appropriately be interjected, both among brethren and others outside the fellowship. A word in season aptly spoken may prove to be invaluable in bringing calm to a situation that otherwise might get out of control. The lessons learned and applied now will prove valuable to the saints when they actually engage in a ministry of reconciliation during the glorious Millennial reign of The Christ.

Joyful Endurance of Persecution: The ability to manifest this attribute gives evidence of a high degree of spirituality. Revilings and false accusations are always unpleasant to the flesh. Only the new creature can appreciate such treatment because it realizes that to endure evil for Christ’s sake is an evidence of loyalty to God, and is credited as a sin-offering experience. The concept of unmerited suffering by believers is further expanded upon in Scripture as we read, “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. … If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:14-16).

Other Themes

The disciples of Christ are to be “the salt of the earth.” Their lives should have a preservative influence upon the world which otherwise would be even more depraved than it is. If believers fail to live out the high character standards exemplified in the beatitudes, however, their testimony would have little positive impact upon mankind. Similarly, Christians are to be the light of the world just as Jesus was that great light that came into the world (John 8:12). Individually and collectively believers must let their light shine, and by their good works emulate the character of the master and glorify the heavenly Father.

Another theme found in the Sermon on the Mount relates to Christ and the Mosaic Law. Through his faithfulness in keeping every feature of the law perfectly and by laying down his humanity in sacrifice, benefitting the Jews first and later the Gentiles, all who accept the terms of discipleship (Matthew 16:24) have an opportunity to become a part of the spiritual seed of Abraham through whom all the families of the earth will receive restitution blessings (Galatians 3:27-29). A high standard of righteous living is required to participate in this arrangement.

It was evident that Jesus’ teachings were of a different order than those proclaimed by the Pharisees in such matters as anger, adultery, and divorce. The Pharisees held to the letter of the law, knowing that killing others was forbidden (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17), and such an act would require the offender to be brought to judgment. Jesus, however, equated anger and hatred with murder even if actual killing did not occur. Additionally, the calling of one’s brother a fool was an extremely serious matter that could lead to dire consequences for the offender. Improper feelings toward one’s brother should be promptly settled because failure to do so is not acceptable to the Lord. In looking at all these issues, although Jesus’ ministry occurred prior to Pentecost, it is evident these lessons were meant for consecrated believers, spiritual Israelites.

The Mosaic Law prohibited adultery (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). Jesus stressed inward purity and the need to crucify any such desires even if the actual act was not committed: “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:29). A disciplined life of self-control is emphasized as needful for believers and seems to be the point made regarding the cutting off of offending members of one’s body (Matthew 5:30).

As part of the law, divorce was permitted because of incompatibility (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Again, the master introduces a higher standard for believers in which he forbade divorce except in the case of sexual infidelity even though he did not command that divorce had to occur in such an instance. His instructions also prohibit marriage or remarriage to anyone previously found guilty of adultery. However, application of the master’s counsel concerning these matters is not followed uniformly by all believers. Additional considerations regarding these topics are found in some writings by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 7:8-17,39).

Another issue Jesus addressed was the use of oaths to emphasize the truthfulness of statements made. The Jews knew from the law that one should not take God’s name in vain but evidently attempted to circumvent the third commandment by swearing by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even one’s head (Matthew 5:34-36). Oaths should be unnecessary for Christians as there are no circumstances under which it would be proper to tell a falsehood: “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation” (James 5:12).

To the worldly wise, one of the peculiarities of Jesus’ admonitions was the principle of non-retaliation for evil. The teaching of an eye-for-an-eye and a tooth-for-a-tooth was well established in the Old Testament (Exodus 21:24; Deuteronomy 19:21) although authority for meting out retribution lay in the hands of established authorities rather than the individual. When injury is inflicted upon a believer, he may use any lawful means to obtain redress but it would violate the spirit of Christ to render evil for evil. At the same time the example of removing one’s self from harm’s way is well illustrated by Paul’s appeal to have his case heard by Caesar rather than to return to Jerusalem for trial, which undoubtedly would have resulted in his physical harm or death en route by those who hated him (Acts 25:9-12).

One of the evidences of a regenerated heart is the ability to love one’s enemies. Additionally, believers are called upon to do good to those who persecute them. Both of these qualities are impossible to achieve without receiving divine aid through an increasing measure of the holy spirit, prayer, and by patiently endeavoring to imitate Christ by a willingness to suffer reproach with him. By studying the principles of truth outlined in Scripture and noting the selflessness of Jesus in laying down his life to benefit all mankind, disciples who obediently follow the master will take increasing pleasure from each evidence that they are overcoming the spirit of the world, the flesh, and the adversary. Such growth will motivate them to fulfill these commands as evidence of their supreme love for God.

Matthew chapter 6 commences with a reminder that unselfishness is absolutely necessary to receive divine favor. The act of giving to others in sincerity and without desiring public approval, as opposed to seeking commendation from fellow men, is an evidence of heart purity. In the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14) this quality was obviously lacking in the Pharisee who boasted of his various achievements, but from God’s standpoint he was found wanting.

The Importance of Prayer

Several verses are devoted to the subject of prayer. Such petitions should not be in the form of vain repetitions as practiced by some of the heathen. Prayer is a privilege and instruction concerning the basis for acceptable prayers is necessary: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3).

In response to his disciples’ request, Jesus gave an example of a proper form of petition that is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer.” It is characterized by simplicity, brevity, and reverence. It acknowledges the sovereignty of God and ascribes honor and praise to the Creator. This is followed by an expression of confidence that divine authority will be manifested in the establishment of a kingdom on earth with conditions that are in harmony with the righteousness existing in the heavenly domain.

After giving priority to God’s interests, personal needs are presented, acknowledging dependence upon the heavenly Father for sustenance. Although “daily bread” is usually associated with temporal provisions, the need for spiritual food to sustain believers should be the main intent of this request. In requesting forgiveness, emphasis is again placed upon the quality of mercy that should be manifested by Christians toward others who may offend. The inability of the Lord’s people to perform perfectly in their actions and a continual need to seek divine forgiveness for transgressions should cultivate compassion and sympathy for others in their hearts.

In view of personal weaknesses and failings under trial, believers may pray not to be abandoned in such situations, but to receive grace sufficient for the occasion and not lean on their own strength. Similarly, recognition that there is an evil one is a reminder not to trust self but to call upon the Lord for safety and deliverance.

Throughout the master’s discourse, he decried any form of hypocrisy that was so prevalent among the Pharisees. The following quote concerning fasting is in harmony with Jesus’ expression on the subject.

“Fasting is specially commendable to the Lord’s people at times when they find themselves lacking in spirituality and exposed to severe temptations from the world, the flesh and the devil; for by impoverishing the physical force and vitality, it may assist the full-blooded and impulsive to self-control, in every direction. We believe that a majority of Christians would be helped by occasional fasting, a very plain diet for a season, if not total abstinence. But fastings, to be seen and known of men or to be conjured up in our own minds as marks of piety on our part, would be injurious indeed, and lead to spiritual pride and hypocrisy which would far outweigh their advantages to us in the way of self-restraint.”—Reprints, p. 2260

The balance of Matthew 6 contains some of the most powerful teaching of the Lord with respect to how much importance believers should place upon the acquisition of earthly treasures. Anything that one values becomes a treasure, including wealth, earthly friendships, power, family relationships, social distinction, etc. True Christians place their attention upon heavenly treasures to which the spirit of sanctification leads. There are some worthwhile earthly treasures that might be pursued but, inasmuch as one cannot serve two masters simultaneously, such desires must be subservient to fulfilling the terms of discipleship which involve self-denial and cross bearing (Matthew 16:24). The apostle Paul could confidently claim at the end of his course a crown of righteousness awaited him because he had set his affections upon the things above (2 Timothy 4:7,8).

As an impetus to prevent anxious care on the part of his followers, Jesus gave as an example the birds of the air; they did not worry whether God would provide for their needs. It should be noted, however, that was not a prohibition against putting forth effort to secure things needful for oneself and family. The concept of going to extraordinary means to obtain future personal security apart from God, however, seems well illustrated in the parable of the rich man who knew no limits to his desire and ultimately lost all in death (Luke 12:16-21).

In another illustration, Jesus said the beauty of the lilies exceeded that of Solomon’s elegant apparel, and that instead of striving for an accumulation of material goods, believers should seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all other necessary things would be provided according to the Father’s will (Matthew 6:28-34). The Lord in his earthly sojourn followed that course unto death. His followers, if faithful, will do the same.

Judging Others

In the opening verses of Matthew chapter 7, the Lord gives explicit instructions to the household of faith that they should not judge others. The word “judge” comes from Strong’s 2919 and includes among its definitions such meanings as try, punish, and condemn. Recognizing that it is impossible to read anyone’s heart or to be certain as to the motives behind someone’s deeds or words, any faultfinding or rendering harsh judgment of others shows a lack of mercifulness. When we recognize “there is none righteous, no not one,” how important it is to remove the beam from one’s own eye before attempting to remove a speck from the eye of another (Matthew 7:3-5). As with the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, this admonition is for brethren in Christ and not for the world of mankind who do not seek to follow the master.

However, it is possible and Scripturally appropriate to make certain judgments or to exercise the spirit of discernment without condemning or speaking evil of others. Two such examples would include examining doctrinal teachings of leaders (1 John 4:1) and determining who are qualified to be church servants (1 Timothy 3:1-13). Also, the ecclesia has the responsibility to make determinations if serious disputes between brethren have occurred or if moral issues require disciplinary action (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

Following the master’s reference to judging, there is a lesson as to the importance of diligence in self-examination as well as seeking the Lord’s will and more of the holy spirit. It is quite humbling to seriously consider the details found in the Sermon on the Mount because all honest-hearted followers of Jesus will find they come short of the high standards of righteous conduct in various areas. Disciples are encouraged to seek the ways and will of God through persistency in study and prayer. The Lord gives assurance that the loving heavenly Father will reward such efforts far beyond what an earthly parent would do for his child: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). This verse, commonly known as the golden rule, expresses the means by which believers can examine their own actions, especially with their fellow brethren. When the meaning of this passage is internalized, the Lord’s disciples will be aided in their Christian walk because they keenly realize the pain they would experience if the situation were reversed and their brethren were condemning or speaking evil of them. How sobering it is to realize the stringent requirements of the narrow way.

Earlier in this chapter it was noted that judging others in the sense of condemning them is unmerciful. Nevertheless, as the lifestyle of Christians is seen, those who have the spirit of discernment should be able to determine whether they have the spirit of sacrifice and whether their fruitage reflects the qualities contained in the beatitudes. If they bring forth good fruit and their teachings and example are in accordance with Scriptural principles, they may be supported and encouraged. If their fruitage manifests the works of the flesh, the Lord will reject them. A Scriptural standard for contrasting works of the flesh with the fruit of the spirit is set forth with great clarity by the apostle Paul in Galatians 5:19-23.

The Sermon on the Mount concludes with a description of those who build upon the rock, Christ Jesus, and set forth the necessary doctrinal foundation, faith structure, and character likeness to be developed as revealed in God’s word. This contrasts with those who build upon the sand of human traditions, theories, and false doctrines, which do not have a sanctifying effect. As the Gospel age closes, there are increasing trials and tests upon all who profess to be the Lord’s followers. Those who are fully consecrated and obedient to the Lord’s will shall withstand these tests and be rewarded appropriately. Others who have not understood nor appreciated the high standards and privileges of discipleship will be exposed in fulfillment of the prophet’s words: “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place” (Isaiah 28:17).

As we apply the lessons taught in these exhortations from the Lord that also are expanded upon in other related Scriptures, may our daily conduct show that we are “doers of the word and not hearers only” (James 1:22).