What You Need to Know
Matthew 5-7 holds Jesus’ longest recorded sermon: The Sermon on the Mount. This piece of Scripture remains famous, with phrases like “turn the other cheek” and “the golden rule” even finding their way into pop culture. But these words do not lay out for us how to earn our way into salvation and God’s Kingdom. Instead, they speak of how we should live if we have truly “encountered the radical grace of God.”
Throughout this study, you will find references back to the Old Testament— specifically from what Jesus refers to as “the Law.” The Law refers to the first five books of the Bible, which contain many commandments God put in place to protect his people and teach them his ways. Although the laws were good, no one could follow them all perfectly without needing to repeatedly make animal sacrifices to God—revealing to us the consequences of our sinful nature and deep need for a savior (Romans 7:21–25). But then Jesus came to our aid. He refers back to the Law to show that he himself is the fulfillment of “the Law”—he did not come to abolish or contradict it, but to fulfill it, that we may share eternal life with him—Jesus, our Savior.
In this passage, Jesus gets to the heart of the problem: our motivations behind our actions. If our heart is not surrendered to Jesus, our good deeds are hollow. Jesus focuses on purity in heart that flows into purity in action—both are important parts of a Christian’s life.
In Jesus’ birth, life, and death, he was perfect—never once sinning, but sharing in our finite human struggle, fear, pain, and even death. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:12). And praise God that he rose again, that we may now experience eternal life alongside him!
Setting
The Sermon on the Mount is believed to have taken place on a hill in Northern Israel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. This is also thought to be the same area where Jesus deploys the disciples after the resurrection in Matthew 28:16.
Historical Context/Audience
The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 5–7. It is Jesus’ longest recorded sermon. As crowds gather to watch Jesus teach and perform miracles, he retreats to the mountainside and teaches his disciples about the Kingdom of God. During this time, the Jews were on the lookout for the Messiah to come as a conquering king who would overthrow the Roman government that ruled over them. Instead, Jesus came, not to rule nations, but to rule and change the hearts of those who believed in him. This upside down kingdom was different, but better than they could have ever expected.
Glossary
Fasting: Choosing to go without food for a period of time in order to seek God.
Gentile: A person who is not Jewish
The Law/Law of Moses/Law of Prophets: When spelled with a capital letter, “Law” refers to the first five books of the Bible. The Law contains numerous commands of God to his people, including the Ten Commandments and instructions regarding worship, sacrifice, and life in Israel. The NT often uses “the law” (lowercase) to refer to the entire body of rules set forth in the books of the Law.
Paganism: Any belief system that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible as the one true God.
Pharisee: A member of a popular religious/political party in NT times characterized by strict obedience to the law of Moses and Jewish traditions. The Pharisees were frequently criticized by Jesus for their legalistic and hypocritical practices.
Righteousness: The quality of being morally right and without sin. One of God’s distinctive attributes. God gives his righteousness to those who trust in Jesus Christ.
Anxiety: Feelings of worry or unease about an upcoming event or past issue. Clinical Anxiety: Excessive/constant feelings of worry/unease that affects your
everyday life.