The Sermon on the Mount

The sermon opens with the Beatitudes, which are announcements rather than commands. Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those hungering for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted. These describe who is already welcome in the kingdom, and every category is the opposite of what usually counts as blessed.

Then salt and light: influence that is public and useful, not showy.

Next Jesus states that he has not come to abolish the law but to fulfil it, and works through six examples. Not merely murder but contempt. Not merely adultery but the look that uses another person. Oaths, retaliation, and finally love of enemies. He goes behind the behaviour to the heart, which makes the standard harder, not easier.

Chapter 6 turns to practice done for God rather than for an audience — giving, prayer and fasting — with the Lord's Prayer at the centre, including the uncomfortable link between being forgiven and forgiving.

Chapter 7 ends with judgement of others, the narrow gate, false teachers, and two builders. Hearing without doing is a house on sand. That is the sermon's own test of whether it has been understood.