The Sermon on the Mount

[shortangel]

i have been reading the book of Matthew recently & have been wanting to post a topic on this, what does everyone think of the sermon on the mount? what did Jesus mean when he talked about blessed are the sayings?? does it really talk about Christian living? what does everyone think about what Jesus taught about charity, fasting, prayer??

 

[justbyfaith]

There is another, recent thread on this topic:

The Sermon on the Mount.

 

[Hidden In Him]

what did Jesus mean when he talked about blessed are the sayings?

Depends on which one you are asking about : )

does it really talk about Christian living?

Yep. You'd have to ask specific questions you are curious about, however. It's a big sermon as far as content goes.

what does everyone think about what Jesus taught about charity, fasting, prayer??

He means it, and all of it applies to today. The Jews had customs going on at the time which play into how you interpret things, but the basic meaning is still applicable for us today. Again, though, you would need to ask specific questions on what you were curious about.

 

[JohnDB]

The "Sermon on the Mount" is somewhat of a dissertation and commemtary on the Ten Commandments.

The "Blessed are the..." Are Aramaic poetry...the Greek won't show it but when translated back into Aramaic it's quite beautiful poetry I'm told. (I'm no where near a linguist that can do such things)
But suffice it to say that each one is a sermon in and of itself.

 

[Webers_Home]

.
The sermon on the mount isn't something to be admired, rather, it's
something to be feared because failure to comply with its instructions puts
people in danger of misfortune.

• Matt 7:26-27 . . 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. The
rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that
house, and it fell with a great crash.
_

 

[Webers_Home]

.

The "Sermon on the Mount" is somewhat of a dissertation and commemtary
on the Ten Commandments.

• Matt 19:17 . . And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is
none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments

Seeing as none but God are good, then it's obvious that none but God can
enter into life by means of goodness. However, if someone would like to give
it a try anyway in spite of the fact that failure is inevitable; then Jesus
suggests they begin their quest with the commandments.
_

 

[shortangel]

thank you everyone for your responses, i was curious about the part where Jesus talked about fasting, i'm also curious what everyone think about what Jesus taught about being salt & light??? what does it mean to be salt & light???

 

[Hidden In Him]

thank you everyone for your responses, i was curious about the part where Jesus talked about fasting, i'm also curious what everyone think about what Jesus taught about being salt & light??? what does it mean to be salt & light???

Ok, let's take the salt and light first. Light guides people's way spiritually, and salt was what made (spiritual) food much more edible, so they both refer to revelation, meaning the Lord was telling them they were destined to become the true spiritual leaders in Israel. Thus they were not to let opposition or persecution stop them from proclaiming the truth. The Lord was saying, "I am setting you before them as a candle. You are to be seen and heard by all, so do not shy away from doing so out of the fear of men."

Btw, much of the salt they used back then was from the Dead Sea. It is not like the salt we buy from the store today, because over time it would lose its taste and have to be thrown out from the windows into the street.

The passage reads like this:

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

Now, about the fasting, the passage is this, and the teaching has to be understood in its larger context:

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

The "reward" here, as in the rest of the Chapter, is greater spiritual authority, i.e. more wisdom, which came with greater material blessings from God as well. He was saying that if they did alms not to be seen by men but only by God, He would reward them with true honor before men, not that fake business where they made themselves out to be something great.

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him...

Same teaching, now applied to prayer. Do it to be seen only by God. If this is your motive, He will honor you in the sight of men. But if that is your objective, you already have your "reward" and you will get none from God.

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Same teaching, now applied to fasting. If they fast unto God alone, not doing so to be noticed by men for how "righteous" they are, He will lift them up in the eyes of others. If they do it to be seen by men the way the Pharisees were doing, they already had their reward.

Congratulations on being one of those rare people on the forums who is interested in learning. :) Most here join with the intent of teaching, and as a result they never do learn all that much.

God bless. If you have any other questions, please ask.
- H

 

[shortangel]

thank you for responding :) i would like to hear more opinions on this :)

 

[Hidden In Him]

thank you for responding :) i would like to hear more opinions on this :)

Okie dokie. Then I will post a reply so maybe your thread draws more attention : )

P.S. My opinions are pretty darn good, though. LoL.

 

[JohnDB]

what does it mean to be salt & light???

Salt...
It's a reference to the Covenant of salt.
Unfamiliar with this?
Don't feel bad about it because most who preach on this don't really have a good foundation in the Old Testament that clearly explains this. (Nor much capability in a kitchen)

When meat or grain is placed on an altar it's not tempting to eat it...
Unless
It's seasoned.

You have seen barbeque before that looks so mouthwatering good...
Here's a picture of some good barbeque ribs I did one summer.
6hour Ribs 6hour Ribs

And boy howdy does that meat look tempting.
Which is what was supposed to happen to every sacrifice placed on the altar. It's supposed to be seasoned like you were going to eat it. Cooked to perfection...and then burned to ashes and smoke.

But the seasoning was crucial.
And it was called the Covenant of Salt.

And it represents what is referred today as ZEAL. That sought after, great tasting, mouth watering hunger for...

 

[ChristisGod]

i have been reading the book of Matthew recently & have been wanting to post a topic on this, what does everyone think of the sermon on the mount? what did Jesus mean when he talked about blessed are the sayings?? does it really talk about Christian living? what does everyone think about what Jesus taught about charity, fasting, prayer??

Its Kingdom living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Its impossible without being born again.

 

[shortangel]

true very true,

 

[JohnDB]

Just because it's on the topic...

Blessed are they who are holy of heart for they shall see God.

Sounds kinda odd eh? And most of us would read this and skip right on to the next.

Now let's start with the heart.
Metaphorically speaking this is where your logic/reasoning and your emotions and your actions/will all meet up together. 3 parts meeting in one location...the very center of who you are...what defines you as you to those around you.

Holy is another element for this...
Holy is not just "set aside for special use" but also rejecting error or PURE. Now we have seen people acting in a "single minded" devotion to something...and that's relating to this line.

"See"
Again we think that this is with our eyes...kinda but not really. "See" is again another double entendre word for "consider" or "comprehend" and "understand" isn't far off in Hebrew scriptures. As in when we get to "see God face to face". Yes, you will be able to see/comprehend/understand/consider God's work all around you.


Now put it all together and read it again...

Beautiful poetry indeed.

 

[shortangel]

thank you for shareing this