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 he Sermon on the Mount is the first major sermon of Jesus in the gospels. It is recorded in both Matthew and Luke. However, Luke records only portions of the sermon. At this point in our study, both the Pharisees and Herodians are actively planning to murder Jesus. At the same time, Jesus’ popularity is increasing. Just after Jesus left the Pharisees and Herodians for the shore of the Sea of Galilee, a massive crowd of people came to hear Jesus and to be healed by Him. In our last study, Jesus left them and went to the top of a high hill to pray during the night. In the morning He called many of His disciples to join Him. Then He appointed the twelve apostles. This study begins a series on the Sermon on the Mount which Jesus preached just after He selected the twelve disciples.
Setting. The Sermon on the Mount is recorded in Matthew 5-7 and Luke 6. Luke tells us that when Jesus came down the high hill, He stood on a level part of the hillside and was surrounded by the mass of people who wanted to be healed.
Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all. (NASB) Luke 6:17-19 The mass of people must have pressed against Jesus as they tried to reach out and touch Him.
Matthew does not record the events of Jesus’ life in chronological order since he was more interested in a thematic approach. Consequently, he ignored the appointment of the twelve and gave us their names later in Matthew 10:2-4. Therefore when we arrive at Matthew 5, he tells us only that Jesus went up onto the hilltop and ignores Jesus’ night of prayer, His selection of the twelve apostles, His descent down from the top of the hill, and the mass of people who surrounded Him in an attempt to be healed.
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. (NASB) Matt. 5:1 As a result, Matthew tells us only that Jesus went up on the mountain.
Then Matthew records that Jesus finally sat down in order to preach the Sermon on the Mount. This was the typical position in which the rabbis taught. Then Jesus spoke.
He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying . . . (NASB) Matt. 5:2
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| Life & Heart of Jesus | ||||||
