Sermon On The Mount
What is the Sermon On The Mount really about?
In the Gospel of Matthew in chapters 5, 6, and 7 is the longest discourse given by the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) in the entire Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament). Since the discourse begins after the Man of Truth led his disciples up to a mountain, and he leads them down from the mountain after he is done, this discourse is commonly called "The Sermon on the Mount".
The Sermon on the Mount is considered to be the most comprehensive collection of the central tenets of how the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) are to live out their lives to be like the Man of Truth.
The structure of the Sermon of the Mount can both be seen as simple and complex at the same time. It is truly one sermon. It exemplifies the principle of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
Yet, it does not go off subject, but remains consistent in content. It says a lot, but uses the minimal amount of words necessary to say it.
For these reasons, it is also considered to be one of the greatest speeches ever given by literary critics.
However, there is not consistent agreement over what the Sermon on the Mount is about.
There has been much written about this over the centuries. Craig S. Keener has done an excellent job of identifying thirty-six of the most prevalent views since medieval times, and grouping them into eight categories:
This can lead to a very skewed view of the Sermon of the Mount, that can even lead people away from the rest of the commandments of the Man of Truth. For example, while the Book of Truth (The Bible) commands that we practice Social Justice, we are to never preach a Social Gospel.
No one who puts the principles of rightly dividing the Word of Truth into practice, could ever come to such a conclusion that this is what the Sermon on the Mount is really about.
However, what the Sermon on the Mount is really about becomes apparent when those principles are applied to it.
As is often the case, the answer is right in the actual text. We do not not have to wonder what the Sermon on the Mount is really about, because the Sermon on the Mount tells us what it is really about. We can have the correct view of the Sermon on the Mount, because the Man of Truth tells us his view of the Sermon on the Mount, in the text of the Sermon on the Mount.
The Sermon on the Mount starts off with promises of future blessings for those who do the will of the Father of Truth in this life (Matthew 5:3-12). The future blessings are commonly called the Beatitudes, which just means "The Blessings". So this section can be called "The Blessings".
It is certain that these are future blessings by their nature.
For example, one is the blessing of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness being filled (Matthew 5:6). There will be nothing but righteousness in the New Heaven and New Earth (2 Peter 3:13).
For another example, one is the blessing that the pure in heart will see the Father of Truth (Matthew 5:8). No one in this present world has ever seen the Father of Truth, except for the Man of Truth (John 1:18). However, the Father of Truth will come down in the New Jerusalem to dwell among people in the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-3). Only those with a heart made pure by faith in the Man of Truth will be able to see the Father of Truth in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24-27).
All of these promises of future blessings for those who do the will of the Father of Truth in this life, did not originate in the Sermon on the Mount. Those who heard the Man of Truth give the Sermon on the Mount would have recognized, that he was reminding them of the promises already spoken by the Prophets of Truth in the Original Covenant (Tanakh aka The Old Testament). For example, Isaiah the Prophet of Truth had already been given the promise of the Father of Truth for a New Heaven and New Earth (Isaiah 65:16-19). In like manner, Daniel the Prophet of Truth had already told them that the Father of Truth would establish the kingdom of Heaven on Earth (Daniel 2:44).
So, the Man of Truth ends the Blessings by emphasizing this, when he reminds the listeners that they will share in the blessings promised to the Prophets of Truth, if they suffer for doing what is right like the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:11-12).
The next section of the Sermon of the Mount can be called Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16).
In this section the Man of Truth exhorts people to live as Salt and Light on this Earth, so they can receive these blessings (Matthew 5:13-15). He ends this exhortation with an explanation that people do this by doing what the Father of Truth calls good (Matthew 5:16).
The next section of the Sermon of the Mount explains what the Father of Truth calls good. This section can be called Obey the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law) and Believe the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:17-20).
The Man of Truth begins with a warning against thinking that he has come to do away with the words of the Law of Truth or the Prophets of Truth, because he came to fully bring what they say to pass (Matthew 5:17). He continues with a promise that everything in the Law of Truth is still in effect, until the New Heaven and New Earth replace the current Heaven and Earth as spoken of by the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:18). He continues to explain, that the position which people will occupy in that future kingdom, is completely dependent upon what they teach others about obeying the commandments of the Law of Truth through both deeds and words in this present world (Matthew 5:19). He ends with a warning, that people must exceed the efforts of the scribes and Pharisees in meeting the righteous commands of the Law of Truth to even enter that future kingdom, which will exist in the New Heaven and New Earth (Matthew 5:20).
The Man of Truth then begins to explain what he means by exceeding the efforts of the scribes and Pharisees in meeting the righteous commands of the Law of Truth.
The Man of Truth begins this explanation with a section that is commonly called the Antitheses (Matthew 5:21-48). This is because people commonly claim that he is stating what the Law of Truth says first, and then saying something different that replaces what the Law of Truth says. This is absurd in view of that he had just said in Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth.
In fact, the Man of Truth in no way contradicts the Law of Truth in his teachings in this section.
For example, the Law of Truth forbids taking revenge, but commands showing love to others instead (Leviticus 19:18). The Man of Truth only expounds upon how to fulfill that commandment in the way the Father of Truth intended (Matthew 5:39-42).
In order to correctly understand the next section of the Sermon on the Mount, it helps to understand that the language of the Renewed Covenant for the Gospel of Matthew was Hebrew originally. The Hebrew phrase at the beginning of each of these six comparisons is (שןמע אני), (Sh'ma Ani) which is literally "let me hear". It is correctly translated into Greek as various forms of ἀκούω (akouo) in the Greek translations of these verses. However, the significance of this phrase is lost in translation, unless you understand how it was used by Jews in discussion of the Law of Truth, when the Sermon on the Mount was given.
This phrase was used to indicate a comparison of contrasting understandings of a commandment given in the Law of Truth, where the wrong understanding was stated first, and the right understanding was stated last.
This comparison followed a formula of "let me hear" (similar to saying, "Did I hear you right?"), followed by the opinion of the other person, followed by "Now I am saying what is correct", followed by the contrasting opinion of the speaker. It would convey the idea more clearly, if the verses with these comparisons were translated into English more like this: You have heard it said, {some understanding of a commandment}, but I am telling you the correct understanding is { a contrasting understanding of the same commandment}.
The teachings of the scribes and Pharisees were what people heard that it was said from them of old (Matthew 5:21). These sayings of old were the traditions supposedly handed down to the scribes and Pharisees from the seventy elders, who went up with Moses (Moishe), but they actually caused people to transgress the Law of Truth (Matthew 15:1-3).
So, the verses in this section are not contrasts between what the Law of Truth says, and what the Man of Truth says. These verses are contrasts between about how certain commandments of the Law of Truth should be understood according to the scribes and Pharisees, and how those same commandments of the Law of Truth should be understood according to the Man of Truth.
So this section should be called the Contrasted Teachings, instead of the Antitheses. For that is what the Man of Truth is actually doing in this section.
The Contrasted Teachings completely agrees with Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth, which began with the Man of Truth warning against thinking that he was doing away with any part of the Law of Truth, and ended with a warning against the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees about how meet the righteous standard of the commandments in the Law of Truth.
So, the Man of Truth is telling people how to correctly understand the commandments of the Law of Truth in this section, so they can be more righteous in carrying out those commandments than the scribes and Pharisees.
The Contrasted Teachings cover six subjects: murder (Matthew 5:21-26), adultery (Matthew 5:27-30), divorce (Matthew 5:31-32), oaths (Matthew 5:33-37), revenge (Matthew 5:38-42), and love (Matthew 5:43-48).
All but one of these Contrasted Teachings begin with the contrast of teachings, and then continues on with an explanation of how to put the teaching of the Man of Truth into practice.
For example, the contrast between the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees on who to show love, and the teaching of the Man of Truth on who to show love, is given first (Matthew 5:43-44). Then the explanation of how to put into action the teaching of the Man of Truth on who to show love, is given (Matthew 5:45-48).
The Contrasted Teachings is followed by a section contrasting the public practices of the scribes and Pharisees in carrying out commandments concerning religious acts, with the private practices of the Man of Truth in carrying out commandments concerning those same religious acts (Matthew 6:1-18).
Again, the contrast is not between the teachings of the Man of Truth and the Law of Truth, but a contrast between the practices of the scribes and Pharisees in carrying out these commandments of the Law of Truth, and the practices of the Man of Truth in carrying out these same commandments of the Law of Truth. This section can be called The Contrasted Practices.
The Contrasted Practices starts off with contrasting the public practices of giving alms and prayer by the scribes and Pharisees, with the private practices of giving alms and prayer by the Man of Truth (Matthew 6:1-6).
The Contrasted Practices then gives an explanation of the right way to pray.
This explanation begins, by contrasting the practices of idol worshipers in praying to idols with the practices of the Man of Truth in praying to the Father of Truth (Matthew 6:7-8). The explanation continues with an example prayer, that people should use as a template for their own prayers, which focuses on carrying out the will of the Father on this Earth until His kingdom comes in the New Heavens and New Earth (Matthew 6:9-13). Finally, the explanation ends with a warning against not forgiving the sins of others, because that will cause their prayers to not be heard by the Father of Truth (Matthew 6:14-15).
The Contrasted Practices ends, by contrasting the public practices of fasting by the scribes and Pharisees, with the private practices of fasting by the Man of Truth (Matthew 6:16-18).
The Contrasted Practices is followed by a section calling people to pursue only the will of the Father of Truth (Matthew 6:19-24). This section can be called The Call to Righteousness.
The Call to Righteousness begins with an warning to avoid storing up temporary treasure on this Earth, but to instead store up permanent treasure in the New Heaven, since your heart can only belong to one of those places (Matthew 6:19-21). It then contrasts an undivided eye that sees the light that comes for the Father of Truth, with a divided eye that can only see the darkness that comes from this world (Matthew 6:22-23). It ends with a warning that no one can stay divided between pursuing what the Father of Truth offers, and pursuing what this world offers (Matthew 6:24).
The Call to Righteousness is followed by a section promising that the Father of Truth will provide for those who pursue His will (Matthew 6:25-34). The section can be called The Promise of Provision.
The Promise of Provision begins with an admonition for the Children of Truth to take no thought about how they will be provided for, because the Father of Truth takes provides the birds and the grass, so they should have faith that He will take care of them (Matthew 6:25-30). It continues with a promise that they do not need to give this any thought, because the Father of Truth will provide for those who first pursue after His kingdom, and answer the call to righteousness (Matthew 6:31-33). It ends with a command to take no thought for the troubles of tomorrow, but to only focus on dealing with the troubles of today (Matthew 6:34).
The Promise of Provision is followed by a section explaining the right way for the Children of Truth to rebuke others for their sins (Matthew 7:1-6). This section can be called The Command to Rebuke.
The Command to Rebuke begins with a warning about not judging other people by a standard that we cannot meet ourselves (Matthew 7:1-2). It continues with a warning to repent of any sin in our own lives, before helping others remove the sin from their lives (Matthew 7:3-5). It ends with a warning to not continue rebuking those who reject righteousness (Matthew 7:6).
Frequently, the first verse of this section taken out of context by people to say that we should never judge that someone else is committing sin (Matthew 7:1). It should be obvious from the sections of the Sermon on the Mount that came before this section, that this cannot be the case.
Consider these examples from each section.
In the Blessings, the Man of Truth judged that people were speaking evil lies against the Children of Truth (Matthew 5:11). In Salt and Light, he judged that the Children of Truth would become worthless if they did not continue to live righteously in this Earth (Matthew 5:13). In Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth, he said that the Children of Truth would be judged on what they did and taught about obeying the Law of Truth, and that the scribes and Pharisees were not righteous enough to enter the Kingdom that will exist in the New Heaven and New Earth (Matthew 5:19-20). In the Contrasted Teachings, he judges that men who look upon women (other than their own wives) with sexual lust are worthy to be cast into Hell (Matthew 5:28-30). In the Contrasted Practices, he judges that the scribes and Pharisees are hypocrites for sounding a trumpet when they give alms (Matthew 6:2). In the Call to Righteousness, he judges that the heart of people is a reflection of where they put their treasure (Matthew 6:21). In the Promise of Provision, he judges that the Gentiles are seeking only after the things of this world (Matthew 6:32).
In the sections that follow this section, the Man of Truth will actually command the Children of Truth to judge people by their actions!
However, the Man of Truth did warn them to not to judge people by their own standard, which they could not meet themselves (Matthew 7:2). This is what the scribes and Pharisees did, when they created a standard that was based on their skewed view of the Law of Truth (Matthew 23:2-4).
What people really mean when they take this verse out of context, is that they do not want anyone to rebuke them for the sin in their lives. The Man of Truth did not tell the Children of Truth to not rebuke other people for their sin in this passage, but to repent of their owns sin before rebuking others (Matthew 7:5).
In fact, he taught that to not rebuke others for their sin was to hate them with the worst kind of hatred. They are to give the same warning that the Prophets of Truth gave about the judgment, which the Father of Truth has already made about their sin. This warning is to be given, so people might repent of their disobedience to the Law of Truth.
Finally, the Man of Truth reminded the Children of Truth of the advice of Solomon to to be careful to rebuke only those wise enough to repent, but avoid rebuking those who too foolish to repent (Proverbs 9:7-10). This means that if someone will not repent after being rebuked twice, then reject them because they are too foolish to repent (Titus 3:10-11).
So, the Children of Truth were not to give the holy commandments of the Law of Truth to dogs too foolish to obey them. The Children of Truth were not to cast pearls of wisdom from the Law of Truth before swine, who would not only seek to crush those pearls, but also attack the Children of Truth for casting them.
So the point of this section is, that people are not to pass judgment on others in the place of the Father of Truth, based on some standard other than the Law of Truth. Instead, people are to repent of their own sin, and then warn others to turn from their sin. However, they are to avoid continuing to rebuke those, who will not repent.
So in this section, the Man of Truth was explaining how to carry out the commandment of the Law of Truth to rebuke others for their sin, in the way that the Father of Truth always intended (Leviticus 19:17).
The Command to Rebuke is followed by a section about seeking good things from the Father of Truth with confidence (Matthew 7:7-12). This section can be called Seek With Confidence.
Seek With Confidence begins with a promise that the Children of Truth will be rewarded when they seek the Father of Truth for their needs (Matthew 7:7-8). It continues with a promise that the Father of Truth will only give the Children of Truth good things, when they seek Him for them (Matthew 7:9-11). It ends with a warning for the Children of Truth to treat others like they want the Father of Truth to treat them, so they will fulfill the righteousness of the Law of Truth and the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 7:12).
Seek With Confidence is followed by the last section that contrasts the two destinies of people who heard the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:13-27). This section can be called the Contrasted Destinies.
The Contrasted Destinies begins with a contrast between the easy path which leads to destruction that most people choose, and the difficult path that leads to life that few people choose (Matthew 7:13-14). It then warns to look out for the Prophets of Lies, who seem to be kind and gentle souls on the outside, but are really vicious predators on the inside (Matthew 7:15). It continues with a command to judge people by their actions, to determine if they are Prophets of Lies (Matthew 7:16-20)! It then issues another warning, that people will not be part of the Kingdom of Heaven, which will be on the New Earth, just because they called the Man of Truth their Lord, and even did miracles in his name, but only those who actually do what the Father of Truth says is right, will be part of that kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23). It ends with a parable that shows, those who heard what what the Man of Truth taught about the Law of Truth and the Prophets of Truth in the Sermon on the Mount, and put it into action, will have an eternal destiny of salvation, while those who heard the Sermon on the Mount, but did not put those things into practice, will have an eternal destiny of destruction (Matthew 7:24-27).
So, the Sermon on the Mount could be summarized like this:
The Blessings of the kingdom in the New Heaven and New Earth are for the Salt and Light, who Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth. The Contrasted Teachings and Contrasted Practices of the scribes and the Pharisees with those of the Man of Truth, show us how to answer The Call to Righteousness. The Promise of Provision is for those, who obey the Command to Rebuke, so they should Seek With Confidence everything that they need from the Father of Truth, to carry out His will. So heed what the Man of Truth says about the Law of Truth and the Prophets of Truth, for there are Contrasted Destines for the many who only hear, and the few who put into practice what they hear.
So what the Sermon on the Mount is really about, is how people can obey the Law of Truth in the way that the Father of Truth always intended, so they can be part of His Kingdom in the New Heaven and New Earth, that was foretold by the Prophets of Truth.
It is obvious that the Sermon on the Mount in no way contradicted the Law of Truth or the Prophets of Truth, but only made what they said clearer.
The Law of Truth said, that people can only obey the commandments of the Law of Truth by loving the Father of Truth with all their heart (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). The Man of Truth likewise taught, that if people loved the Father of Truth and others with their hearts, then they would be able to keep all of the commandments of the Law of Truth (Matthew 22:37-40).
The Father of Truth said through Jeremiah the Prophet of Truth, that He gives everyone according to the fruit of their doings, because their deeds show what is in their heart (Jeremiah 17:10). In like manner, the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that the heart of people determines whether they produce the good fruit of keeping the commandments of the Law of Truth, or the bad fruit of breaking those commandments (Matthew 7:16-19).
So obeying the Law of Truth in the way that the Father of Truth has always intended, has always been about the heart.
This is why the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that only those with a heart that was like that of the Father of Truth, would experience The Blessings (Matthew 5:3-8). This why he said in the Sermon on the Mount, that the heart would be focused on Heaven, when people stored their treasures there (Matthew 6:20-21).
However, the Law of Truth also says that people have do not have righteous hearts (Deuteronomy 9:4-6). In fact, it says that the heart of people is wicked, so that it is inclined to not keep the commandments (Deuteronomy 15:9). In like manner, Jeremiah the Prophet of Truth says, that the human heart is more deceitful and wicked than people can know (Jeremiah 17:9).
This is why the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that every sin, including adultery, starts in the heart (Matthew 5:28).
It is for this reason the Father of Truth said in the Law of Truth, that He would have to circumcise the hearts of people, so they could love Him with all their heart (Deuteronomy 30:6). This is why He said through Ezekiel the Prophet of Truth, that He would replace their heart of stone, which could not keep the commandments of the Law of Truth, with a heart of flesh that could (Ezekiel 11:19-20). For this same reason, He said through that same Prophet of Truth, that He would put the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost) in them as well (Ezekiel 36:26-27). The Spirit of Truth can only write upon this new heart of flesh (2 Corinthians 3:3).
It is for this reason the Man of Truth said, that people must be born again through the Spirit of Truth to enter the kingdom, which would exist in the New Heaven and New Earth (John 3:3-5). No one can love with the same love as the Father of Truth, without the Spirit of Truth being placed in their heart (Romans 5:5).
The Father of Truth spoke through Jeremiah the Prophet of Truth, that He would make a Renewed Covenant, where the Law of Truth would be written on the hearts of people (Jeremiah 31:31-34). This Renewed Covenant makes it possible for people to keep those commandments in the way that He always intended (Hebrews 8:8-11).
The Renewed Covenant gives life through the Spirit of Truth helping people to keep these commandments, in the way that He always intended, instead the mere letters that killed, because they gave people no power to obey what was written (2 Corinthians 3:6).
The Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that he came fulfill what was written in the Law of Truth and by the Prophets of Truth, without changing any of it in any way (Matthew 5:17-18).
The Man of Truth shed his blood on the cross to make the Renewed Covenant possible (Matthew 26:28). He had to die, so people could keep the commandments of the Law of Truth in the way the Father of Truth always intended (Hebrews 9:14-16).
He had to die and rise again from the dead, to fulfill what had been written in the Law of Truth and by the Prophets of Truth (Luke 24:44-46). His death, burial, and resurrection were all done in accordance with these scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
The Man of Truth also said in the Sermon on the Mount, that who suffered on His behalf would be rewarded in the same way as the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:10-12). So those who suffer for obeying the Man of Truth, will reign with him in the kingdom promised through the Prophets of Truth, in the New Heaven and New Earth (2 Timothy 2:12).
This will only happen to those who come into the House of Truth, by surrendering control of their lives to the Man of Truth, because they believe in their heart, that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Come into the House of Truth!
In the Gospel of Matthew in chapters 5, 6, and 7 is the longest discourse given by the Man of Truth (Yeshua HaMashiach aka Jesus Christ) in the entire Renewed Covenant (B'rit Chadashah aka The New Testament). Since the discourse begins after the Man of Truth led his disciples up to a mountain, and he leads them down from the mountain after he is done, this discourse is commonly called "The Sermon on the Mount".
The Sermon on the Mount is considered to be the most comprehensive collection of the central tenets of how the Children of Truth (those who obey The Father of Truth because they love Him) are to live out their lives to be like the Man of Truth.
The structure of the Sermon of the Mount can both be seen as simple and complex at the same time. It is truly one sermon. It exemplifies the principle of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
Yet, it does not go off subject, but remains consistent in content. It says a lot, but uses the minimal amount of words necessary to say it.
For these reasons, it is also considered to be one of the greatest speeches ever given by literary critics.
However, there is not consistent agreement over what the Sermon on the Mount is about.
There has been much written about this over the centuries. Craig S. Keener has done an excellent job of identifying thirty-six of the most prevalent views since medieval times, and grouping them into eight categories:
- The medieval view - it is a higher ethic for clergy, especially in monastic orders
- Martin Luther's view - it is an impossible ethic to meet like the Law of Moses
- The Anabaptist view - it is a literal ethic which must be directly applied to every day life
- The Social Gospel view - it is an ethnic focused on carrying out social justice
- The Christian existentialism view - it is an ethic that allows man to experience a relationship with the Father of Truth (YHVH aka God aka THE LORD)
- Schweitzer's view - it is an interim ethic until the Kingdom of God, which was possible to come any day after the Man of Truth returned to Heaven
- Dispensational view - it is about a future Kingdom of God
- Inaugurated view - it contains ethics that remain a goal to be approached, yet realized later in the future Kingdom of God
This can lead to a very skewed view of the Sermon of the Mount, that can even lead people away from the rest of the commandments of the Man of Truth. For example, while the Book of Truth (The Bible) commands that we practice Social Justice, we are to never preach a Social Gospel.
No one who puts the principles of rightly dividing the Word of Truth into practice, could ever come to such a conclusion that this is what the Sermon on the Mount is really about.
However, what the Sermon on the Mount is really about becomes apparent when those principles are applied to it.
As is often the case, the answer is right in the actual text. We do not not have to wonder what the Sermon on the Mount is really about, because the Sermon on the Mount tells us what it is really about. We can have the correct view of the Sermon on the Mount, because the Man of Truth tells us his view of the Sermon on the Mount, in the text of the Sermon on the Mount.
The Sermon on the Mount starts off with promises of future blessings for those who do the will of the Father of Truth in this life (Matthew 5:3-12). The future blessings are commonly called the Beatitudes, which just means "The Blessings". So this section can be called "The Blessings".
It is certain that these are future blessings by their nature.
For example, one is the blessing of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness being filled (Matthew 5:6). There will be nothing but righteousness in the New Heaven and New Earth (2 Peter 3:13).
For another example, one is the blessing that the pure in heart will see the Father of Truth (Matthew 5:8). No one in this present world has ever seen the Father of Truth, except for the Man of Truth (John 1:18). However, the Father of Truth will come down in the New Jerusalem to dwell among people in the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-3). Only those with a heart made pure by faith in the Man of Truth will be able to see the Father of Truth in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24-27).
All of these promises of future blessings for those who do the will of the Father of Truth in this life, did not originate in the Sermon on the Mount. Those who heard the Man of Truth give the Sermon on the Mount would have recognized, that he was reminding them of the promises already spoken by the Prophets of Truth in the Original Covenant (Tanakh aka The Old Testament). For example, Isaiah the Prophet of Truth had already been given the promise of the Father of Truth for a New Heaven and New Earth (Isaiah 65:16-19). In like manner, Daniel the Prophet of Truth had already told them that the Father of Truth would establish the kingdom of Heaven on Earth (Daniel 2:44).
So, the Man of Truth ends the Blessings by emphasizing this, when he reminds the listeners that they will share in the blessings promised to the Prophets of Truth, if they suffer for doing what is right like the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:11-12).
The next section of the Sermon of the Mount can be called Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16).
In this section the Man of Truth exhorts people to live as Salt and Light on this Earth, so they can receive these blessings (Matthew 5:13-15). He ends this exhortation with an explanation that people do this by doing what the Father of Truth calls good (Matthew 5:16).
The next section of the Sermon of the Mount explains what the Father of Truth calls good. This section can be called Obey the Law of Truth (Torah aka The Law) and Believe the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:17-20).
The Man of Truth begins with a warning against thinking that he has come to do away with the words of the Law of Truth or the Prophets of Truth, because he came to fully bring what they say to pass (Matthew 5:17). He continues with a promise that everything in the Law of Truth is still in effect, until the New Heaven and New Earth replace the current Heaven and Earth as spoken of by the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:18). He continues to explain, that the position which people will occupy in that future kingdom, is completely dependent upon what they teach others about obeying the commandments of the Law of Truth through both deeds and words in this present world (Matthew 5:19). He ends with a warning, that people must exceed the efforts of the scribes and Pharisees in meeting the righteous commands of the Law of Truth to even enter that future kingdom, which will exist in the New Heaven and New Earth (Matthew 5:20).
The Man of Truth then begins to explain what he means by exceeding the efforts of the scribes and Pharisees in meeting the righteous commands of the Law of Truth.
The Man of Truth begins this explanation with a section that is commonly called the Antitheses (Matthew 5:21-48). This is because people commonly claim that he is stating what the Law of Truth says first, and then saying something different that replaces what the Law of Truth says. This is absurd in view of that he had just said in Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth.
In fact, the Man of Truth in no way contradicts the Law of Truth in his teachings in this section.
For example, the Law of Truth forbids taking revenge, but commands showing love to others instead (Leviticus 19:18). The Man of Truth only expounds upon how to fulfill that commandment in the way the Father of Truth intended (Matthew 5:39-42).
In order to correctly understand the next section of the Sermon on the Mount, it helps to understand that the language of the Renewed Covenant for the Gospel of Matthew was Hebrew originally. The Hebrew phrase at the beginning of each of these six comparisons is (שןמע אני), (Sh'ma Ani) which is literally "let me hear". It is correctly translated into Greek as various forms of ἀκούω (akouo) in the Greek translations of these verses. However, the significance of this phrase is lost in translation, unless you understand how it was used by Jews in discussion of the Law of Truth, when the Sermon on the Mount was given.
This phrase was used to indicate a comparison of contrasting understandings of a commandment given in the Law of Truth, where the wrong understanding was stated first, and the right understanding was stated last.
This comparison followed a formula of "let me hear" (similar to saying, "Did I hear you right?"), followed by the opinion of the other person, followed by "Now I am saying what is correct", followed by the contrasting opinion of the speaker. It would convey the idea more clearly, if the verses with these comparisons were translated into English more like this: You have heard it said, {some understanding of a commandment}, but I am telling you the correct understanding is { a contrasting understanding of the same commandment}.
The teachings of the scribes and Pharisees were what people heard that it was said from them of old (Matthew 5:21). These sayings of old were the traditions supposedly handed down to the scribes and Pharisees from the seventy elders, who went up with Moses (Moishe), but they actually caused people to transgress the Law of Truth (Matthew 15:1-3).
So, the verses in this section are not contrasts between what the Law of Truth says, and what the Man of Truth says. These verses are contrasts between about how certain commandments of the Law of Truth should be understood according to the scribes and Pharisees, and how those same commandments of the Law of Truth should be understood according to the Man of Truth.
So this section should be called the Contrasted Teachings, instead of the Antitheses. For that is what the Man of Truth is actually doing in this section.
The Contrasted Teachings completely agrees with Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth, which began with the Man of Truth warning against thinking that he was doing away with any part of the Law of Truth, and ended with a warning against the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees about how meet the righteous standard of the commandments in the Law of Truth.
So, the Man of Truth is telling people how to correctly understand the commandments of the Law of Truth in this section, so they can be more righteous in carrying out those commandments than the scribes and Pharisees.
The Contrasted Teachings cover six subjects: murder (Matthew 5:21-26), adultery (Matthew 5:27-30), divorce (Matthew 5:31-32), oaths (Matthew 5:33-37), revenge (Matthew 5:38-42), and love (Matthew 5:43-48).
All but one of these Contrasted Teachings begin with the contrast of teachings, and then continues on with an explanation of how to put the teaching of the Man of Truth into practice.
For example, the contrast between the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees on who to show love, and the teaching of the Man of Truth on who to show love, is given first (Matthew 5:43-44). Then the explanation of how to put into action the teaching of the Man of Truth on who to show love, is given (Matthew 5:45-48).
The Contrasted Teachings is followed by a section contrasting the public practices of the scribes and Pharisees in carrying out commandments concerning religious acts, with the private practices of the Man of Truth in carrying out commandments concerning those same religious acts (Matthew 6:1-18).
Again, the contrast is not between the teachings of the Man of Truth and the Law of Truth, but a contrast between the practices of the scribes and Pharisees in carrying out these commandments of the Law of Truth, and the practices of the Man of Truth in carrying out these same commandments of the Law of Truth. This section can be called The Contrasted Practices.
The Contrasted Practices starts off with contrasting the public practices of giving alms and prayer by the scribes and Pharisees, with the private practices of giving alms and prayer by the Man of Truth (Matthew 6:1-6).
The Contrasted Practices then gives an explanation of the right way to pray.
This explanation begins, by contrasting the practices of idol worshipers in praying to idols with the practices of the Man of Truth in praying to the Father of Truth (Matthew 6:7-8). The explanation continues with an example prayer, that people should use as a template for their own prayers, which focuses on carrying out the will of the Father on this Earth until His kingdom comes in the New Heavens and New Earth (Matthew 6:9-13). Finally, the explanation ends with a warning against not forgiving the sins of others, because that will cause their prayers to not be heard by the Father of Truth (Matthew 6:14-15).
The Contrasted Practices ends, by contrasting the public practices of fasting by the scribes and Pharisees, with the private practices of fasting by the Man of Truth (Matthew 6:16-18).
The Contrasted Practices is followed by a section calling people to pursue only the will of the Father of Truth (Matthew 6:19-24). This section can be called The Call to Righteousness.
The Call to Righteousness begins with an warning to avoid storing up temporary treasure on this Earth, but to instead store up permanent treasure in the New Heaven, since your heart can only belong to one of those places (Matthew 6:19-21). It then contrasts an undivided eye that sees the light that comes for the Father of Truth, with a divided eye that can only see the darkness that comes from this world (Matthew 6:22-23). It ends with a warning that no one can stay divided between pursuing what the Father of Truth offers, and pursuing what this world offers (Matthew 6:24).
The Call to Righteousness is followed by a section promising that the Father of Truth will provide for those who pursue His will (Matthew 6:25-34). The section can be called The Promise of Provision.
The Promise of Provision begins with an admonition for the Children of Truth to take no thought about how they will be provided for, because the Father of Truth takes provides the birds and the grass, so they should have faith that He will take care of them (Matthew 6:25-30). It continues with a promise that they do not need to give this any thought, because the Father of Truth will provide for those who first pursue after His kingdom, and answer the call to righteousness (Matthew 6:31-33). It ends with a command to take no thought for the troubles of tomorrow, but to only focus on dealing with the troubles of today (Matthew 6:34).
The Promise of Provision is followed by a section explaining the right way for the Children of Truth to rebuke others for their sins (Matthew 7:1-6). This section can be called The Command to Rebuke.
The Command to Rebuke begins with a warning about not judging other people by a standard that we cannot meet ourselves (Matthew 7:1-2). It continues with a warning to repent of any sin in our own lives, before helping others remove the sin from their lives (Matthew 7:3-5). It ends with a warning to not continue rebuking those who reject righteousness (Matthew 7:6).
Frequently, the first verse of this section taken out of context by people to say that we should never judge that someone else is committing sin (Matthew 7:1). It should be obvious from the sections of the Sermon on the Mount that came before this section, that this cannot be the case.
Consider these examples from each section.
In the Blessings, the Man of Truth judged that people were speaking evil lies against the Children of Truth (Matthew 5:11). In Salt and Light, he judged that the Children of Truth would become worthless if they did not continue to live righteously in this Earth (Matthew 5:13). In Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth, he said that the Children of Truth would be judged on what they did and taught about obeying the Law of Truth, and that the scribes and Pharisees were not righteous enough to enter the Kingdom that will exist in the New Heaven and New Earth (Matthew 5:19-20). In the Contrasted Teachings, he judges that men who look upon women (other than their own wives) with sexual lust are worthy to be cast into Hell (Matthew 5:28-30). In the Contrasted Practices, he judges that the scribes and Pharisees are hypocrites for sounding a trumpet when they give alms (Matthew 6:2). In the Call to Righteousness, he judges that the heart of people is a reflection of where they put their treasure (Matthew 6:21). In the Promise of Provision, he judges that the Gentiles are seeking only after the things of this world (Matthew 6:32).
In the sections that follow this section, the Man of Truth will actually command the Children of Truth to judge people by their actions!
However, the Man of Truth did warn them to not to judge people by their own standard, which they could not meet themselves (Matthew 7:2). This is what the scribes and Pharisees did, when they created a standard that was based on their skewed view of the Law of Truth (Matthew 23:2-4).
What people really mean when they take this verse out of context, is that they do not want anyone to rebuke them for the sin in their lives. The Man of Truth did not tell the Children of Truth to not rebuke other people for their sin in this passage, but to repent of their owns sin before rebuking others (Matthew 7:5).
In fact, he taught that to not rebuke others for their sin was to hate them with the worst kind of hatred. They are to give the same warning that the Prophets of Truth gave about the judgment, which the Father of Truth has already made about their sin. This warning is to be given, so people might repent of their disobedience to the Law of Truth.
Finally, the Man of Truth reminded the Children of Truth of the advice of Solomon to to be careful to rebuke only those wise enough to repent, but avoid rebuking those who too foolish to repent (Proverbs 9:7-10). This means that if someone will not repent after being rebuked twice, then reject them because they are too foolish to repent (Titus 3:10-11).
So, the Children of Truth were not to give the holy commandments of the Law of Truth to dogs too foolish to obey them. The Children of Truth were not to cast pearls of wisdom from the Law of Truth before swine, who would not only seek to crush those pearls, but also attack the Children of Truth for casting them.
So the point of this section is, that people are not to pass judgment on others in the place of the Father of Truth, based on some standard other than the Law of Truth. Instead, people are to repent of their own sin, and then warn others to turn from their sin. However, they are to avoid continuing to rebuke those, who will not repent.
So in this section, the Man of Truth was explaining how to carry out the commandment of the Law of Truth to rebuke others for their sin, in the way that the Father of Truth always intended (Leviticus 19:17).
The Command to Rebuke is followed by a section about seeking good things from the Father of Truth with confidence (Matthew 7:7-12). This section can be called Seek With Confidence.
Seek With Confidence begins with a promise that the Children of Truth will be rewarded when they seek the Father of Truth for their needs (Matthew 7:7-8). It continues with a promise that the Father of Truth will only give the Children of Truth good things, when they seek Him for them (Matthew 7:9-11). It ends with a warning for the Children of Truth to treat others like they want the Father of Truth to treat them, so they will fulfill the righteousness of the Law of Truth and the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 7:12).
Seek With Confidence is followed by the last section that contrasts the two destinies of people who heard the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:13-27). This section can be called the Contrasted Destinies.
The Contrasted Destinies begins with a contrast between the easy path which leads to destruction that most people choose, and the difficult path that leads to life that few people choose (Matthew 7:13-14). It then warns to look out for the Prophets of Lies, who seem to be kind and gentle souls on the outside, but are really vicious predators on the inside (Matthew 7:15). It continues with a command to judge people by their actions, to determine if they are Prophets of Lies (Matthew 7:16-20)! It then issues another warning, that people will not be part of the Kingdom of Heaven, which will be on the New Earth, just because they called the Man of Truth their Lord, and even did miracles in his name, but only those who actually do what the Father of Truth says is right, will be part of that kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23). It ends with a parable that shows, those who heard what what the Man of Truth taught about the Law of Truth and the Prophets of Truth in the Sermon on the Mount, and put it into action, will have an eternal destiny of salvation, while those who heard the Sermon on the Mount, but did not put those things into practice, will have an eternal destiny of destruction (Matthew 7:24-27).
So, the Sermon on the Mount could be summarized like this:
The Blessings of the kingdom in the New Heaven and New Earth are for the Salt and Light, who Obey the Law of Truth and Believe the Prophets of Truth. The Contrasted Teachings and Contrasted Practices of the scribes and the Pharisees with those of the Man of Truth, show us how to answer The Call to Righteousness. The Promise of Provision is for those, who obey the Command to Rebuke, so they should Seek With Confidence everything that they need from the Father of Truth, to carry out His will. So heed what the Man of Truth says about the Law of Truth and the Prophets of Truth, for there are Contrasted Destines for the many who only hear, and the few who put into practice what they hear.
So what the Sermon on the Mount is really about, is how people can obey the Law of Truth in the way that the Father of Truth always intended, so they can be part of His Kingdom in the New Heaven and New Earth, that was foretold by the Prophets of Truth.
It is obvious that the Sermon on the Mount in no way contradicted the Law of Truth or the Prophets of Truth, but only made what they said clearer.
The Law of Truth said, that people can only obey the commandments of the Law of Truth by loving the Father of Truth with all their heart (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). The Man of Truth likewise taught, that if people loved the Father of Truth and others with their hearts, then they would be able to keep all of the commandments of the Law of Truth (Matthew 22:37-40).
The Father of Truth said through Jeremiah the Prophet of Truth, that He gives everyone according to the fruit of their doings, because their deeds show what is in their heart (Jeremiah 17:10). In like manner, the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that the heart of people determines whether they produce the good fruit of keeping the commandments of the Law of Truth, or the bad fruit of breaking those commandments (Matthew 7:16-19).
So obeying the Law of Truth in the way that the Father of Truth has always intended, has always been about the heart.
This is why the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that only those with a heart that was like that of the Father of Truth, would experience The Blessings (Matthew 5:3-8). This why he said in the Sermon on the Mount, that the heart would be focused on Heaven, when people stored their treasures there (Matthew 6:20-21).
However, the Law of Truth also says that people have do not have righteous hearts (Deuteronomy 9:4-6). In fact, it says that the heart of people is wicked, so that it is inclined to not keep the commandments (Deuteronomy 15:9). In like manner, Jeremiah the Prophet of Truth says, that the human heart is more deceitful and wicked than people can know (Jeremiah 17:9).
This is why the Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that every sin, including adultery, starts in the heart (Matthew 5:28).
It is for this reason the Father of Truth said in the Law of Truth, that He would have to circumcise the hearts of people, so they could love Him with all their heart (Deuteronomy 30:6). This is why He said through Ezekiel the Prophet of Truth, that He would replace their heart of stone, which could not keep the commandments of the Law of Truth, with a heart of flesh that could (Ezekiel 11:19-20). For this same reason, He said through that same Prophet of Truth, that He would put the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaQodesh aka The Holy Spirit aka The Holy Ghost) in them as well (Ezekiel 36:26-27). The Spirit of Truth can only write upon this new heart of flesh (2 Corinthians 3:3).
It is for this reason the Man of Truth said, that people must be born again through the Spirit of Truth to enter the kingdom, which would exist in the New Heaven and New Earth (John 3:3-5). No one can love with the same love as the Father of Truth, without the Spirit of Truth being placed in their heart (Romans 5:5).
The Father of Truth spoke through Jeremiah the Prophet of Truth, that He would make a Renewed Covenant, where the Law of Truth would be written on the hearts of people (Jeremiah 31:31-34). This Renewed Covenant makes it possible for people to keep those commandments in the way that He always intended (Hebrews 8:8-11).
The Renewed Covenant gives life through the Spirit of Truth helping people to keep these commandments, in the way that He always intended, instead the mere letters that killed, because they gave people no power to obey what was written (2 Corinthians 3:6).
The Man of Truth said in the Sermon on the Mount, that he came fulfill what was written in the Law of Truth and by the Prophets of Truth, without changing any of it in any way (Matthew 5:17-18).
The Man of Truth shed his blood on the cross to make the Renewed Covenant possible (Matthew 26:28). He had to die, so people could keep the commandments of the Law of Truth in the way the Father of Truth always intended (Hebrews 9:14-16).
He had to die and rise again from the dead, to fulfill what had been written in the Law of Truth and by the Prophets of Truth (Luke 24:44-46). His death, burial, and resurrection were all done in accordance with these scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
The Man of Truth also said in the Sermon on the Mount, that who suffered on His behalf would be rewarded in the same way as the Prophets of Truth (Matthew 5:10-12). So those who suffer for obeying the Man of Truth, will reign with him in the kingdom promised through the Prophets of Truth, in the New Heaven and New Earth (2 Timothy 2:12).
This will only happen to those who come into the House of Truth, by surrendering control of their lives to the Man of Truth, because they believe in their heart, that the Father of Truth raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Come into the House of Truth!
Labels: Bible Interpretation, Doctrine, Prophecy, Torah
posted by The House Of Truth @ June 20, 2018
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