The Sermon on the Mount

Below are some of the most sublime words ever spoken by anyone in the history of human civilization. Yeshua hits on about 28 key points before getting to a very critical "therefore". It's important to know what the "therefore", is there for. He challenges us to test these eternal truths by applying them to our daily life. I believe that requires a great deal of meditation and spiritual reflection, and I hope this thread will serve that purpose well. For anyone who has doubt about the legitimacy of the Scriptures, see my previous thread - Fulfilled Bible Prophecy - Evidence for the Reliability of the Bible. For anyone who has doubt that Yeshua is who He says He is, the Sermon on the Mount is a great place to begin sincere investigation. Which parts speak to you? Test these truths for yourself - apply them to your life and see if you can prove Him wrong.

For anyone who can't, take up your cross and follow Him.

Matthew 5-7

5

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.[g]

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.

Giving to the Needy

6

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Judging Others

7

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Any person that claims to follow Christ and is Wealthy needs to seriously take a look at their beliefs...

This includes a good majority of the Republican party...

and yet people use these teaching just to get rich and screw everyone else...sad

Originally posted by BacknTime
and yet people use these teaching just to get rich and screw everyone else...sad

And they have their reward. This is the wisdom of the passage in the OP.

reply to post by DarkKnight21


Why do you come to a conspiracy website to preach fairy stories ? Surely someone will listen to you at a church somewhere ?

Oops, I forgot it's sunday the day that rational human beings get bombarded with self righteous preachings of sheeple who've just had theire holy batterries charged up by some money grabbing preacher with a crap eating grin.

Get out there and spread the word of thelord, halleluja!!

reply to post by DarkKnight21


Amen! And thank you for this. I find myself reading this sermon often. It is basically the whole law summed up with great illustrations and examples from God directly.

reply to post by ChristianJihad


Treating Christians in this fashion makes you superior to them? How so?


Most of the topics discussed on this site are considered fairy tales by the majority of the population. You would give freedom of speech to those who share your beliefs, but deny it to those who do not?

reply to post by ChristianJihad


*to you sir I turn my left cheek.*

Have a great day.

reply to post by ChristianJihad

Please don't take my questions to you as a personal attack, for they are not. They are only questions, the answers of which may come from you, or other readers of this forum. Do you not support Freedom of Speech or Religion; those rights which our countrymen die to preserve?

Do you not support the constitution, nor the bill of rights?

reply to post by benrl


Let's not push political agendas here.

Jesus didn't think that throwing government at our problems was a viable solution; nor do I.

I want this thread to be solely focused on the seeking of any and all truth in the Sermon on the Mount.

reply to post by ChristianJihad

Why do you come to a conspiracy website to preach fairy stories ? Surely someone will listen to you at a church somewhere ?

Why look in the Religion section of a forum just to troll?

oh right, thats what trolls do forgot, continue.

I cannot top these word! Just beautiful!

Originally posted by ChristianJihad
reply to post by DarkKnight21

 

Why do you come to a conspiracy website to preach fairy stories ? Surely someone will listen to you at a church somewhere ?

Oops, I forgot it's sunday the day that rational human beings get bombarded with self righteous preachings of sheeple who've just had theire holy batterries charged up by some money grabbing preacher with a crap eating grin.

Get out there and spread the word of thelord, halleluja!!

Mock away - but it doesn't make you enlightened, freethinking, or rational. You aren't entitled to it just because you reject Christ.

I am a sinner and I have no problem admitting that. When I turn to the Sermon on the Mount and other passages like it, I feel restored.

reply to post by DarkKnight21

Jesus didn't think that throwing government at our problems was a viable solution; nor do I.

Well, I think ALL Christians need to reflect on this, every single one.

This includes local churches who say I don't know, have mega churches, churches that cost millions to build that could of gone to the poor.

This includes individual Christians living in America, fat and bloated in their comforts America provides.

Ive left churches for similar Behavior, as an example the local church has a "harley" ministry where you have to own a Harley just to be apart of, a 15000 dollar toy...

Yea Jesus would love that, I would argue many "Christians" in America need much self reflection.

Originally posted by 5pooky
I cannot top these word! Just beautiful!

They are indeed. This, as the OP has said, is where we find our peace. It was offered freely to all.

You don't have to be religious to follow those words. They are an excellent way of living ones life. I'm agnostic but I take those words seriously. More people should. Karma baby.

reply to post by DarkKnight21

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

What does that mean? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Does it mean that one is depressed and sad, or lacking in faith or both? How do the being poor in spirit inherit the kingdom of heaven?

Originally posted by intrepid
You don't have to be religious to follow those words. They are an excellent way of living ones life.

This is why Yeshua claimed to be the fulfillment of the law. Religion is a man-made attempt to reach perfection, or godliness. We don't need to make pilgrimages or dress a certain way or perform certain rituals to reach God, and those who do are just like the Pharisees who condemned Christ to die because they couldn't see past their own self-righteousness. We will always fall short in our attempts to reach out to Him. This is why He instead reaches out to us.

Originally posted by windword
reply to post by DarkKnight21

 

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

What does that mean? What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Does it mean that one is depressed and sad, or lacking in faith or both? How do the being poor in spirit inherit the kingdom of heaven?

Well for me personally I think it harkens back to Psalm 34:18: "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." The spirit is crushed or "made poor" in order to be restored and made rich again. A crushed spirit is more willing to lean on Christ than a proud one.