An Atheistic Bible Study Of The Gospels Sermon On The Mount

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In its entirety the famous Sermon On The Mount appears only in Mathew’s Gospel, though extracts of Luke’s Gospel quote it though in scattered passages, with one larger portion given as a later named ‘Sermon On The Plain;. Though this could be seen as contradiction it is not unlikely that Jesus would repeat various parts of his best received discourses when addressing different audiences. The exact location of the Mount and Plain are never stated. Before the Sermon, Jesus has fared badly as a roving preacher, especially in his home town at Nazareth, with audiences disrupting, heckling, and even chasing him out of town with threats and act of violence. Now Jesus is suddenly seen drawing in larger crowds who seem more willing to passively take in his message, if not to actually follow him. We are not told how Jesus or the Apostles managed to promote these open air sermons or how Jesus suddenly developed much clearer, more captivating command of his audience. The sermon(s) see Jesus at his most charismatic. Climbing to a point of elevation above his audience makes sense as it enables those at the back of a large crowd to see better unless they are also on sloping ground, in which case those further back would lose advantage anyhow. In Luke’s partial version, the Plain itself is part of the way up a mountain, and Jesus approaches the audience by coming down the slope, drawing comparisons to Moses descending Mount Sinai with the Commandments. Jesus does seem to fare better with outdoor audiences than he does in the synagogues, where opposing factions were probably more organized. In Matthew, as Chapter 4 concludes, Jesus gains a reputation as a healer as he goes round Galilee healing all manner of diseases. People pour out to see him from Judea, Syria, and Jordan among other nations. Strangely they all melt away again soon after the Sermon, rather than staying to follow Jesus. They are just never mentioned again. Jesus goes to the Mount to get a good vantage point to address everyone. All twelve of the original Apostles are present too, but they don’t do or ay anything. He begins with the beatitudes, promising Heaven to the poor (in spirit), comfort for mourners, the whole Earth for the meek, those hungry for justice will be fed, (not those hungry for food), the merciful will receive mercy, peacemakers will be seen a champions and sons of God, and the persecuted can rest assured that God considers them righteous. It is flawed however. The poor need food, not spiritual strength, Jesus tells people not to go home for funerals but to stay with him, hardly a comfort for those in grief. The will meek get the Earth, but as that is destroyed in Revelation, obviously not for long. Justice and mercy? Jesus sends millions to Hell, hardly merciful. The peacemakers benefit too? Jesus makes it clear elsewhere that he comes not with peace but with a sword. The suffering may be thought righteous, but nothing is said about saving them from suffering more. Jesus praises his followers as the salt of the Earth and light of the World (phrases that have gained clichéd status beyond their Biblical roots), but this is just patronizing. Jesus states that he stands by every word of the Old Testament Laws, which means he should still be for circumcision, not eating lobster, for stoning homosexuals to death and killing anyone wearing clothing of mixed fibres too. Jesus rightly condemns murder but also states that any man calling another man a fool will go to Hell. He later calls the Pharisees and scribes fools in the same Gopal (Chapter 23). Jesus tells everyone to make pace with their enemies while they still can, or they will go to hell (hardly forgiving of him). To Jesus even thinking about adultery is sin, not just doing it. Just about anyone who enjoyed Fifty Shades Of Grey is as good as damned. On divorce, any woman divorced becomes an adulteress if she remarries. ??? The most bizarre inclusion is Jesus saying that no one should ever take oaths as it involves swearing in God’s name. This mean everyone swearing an oath in court to tell the truth with their hand on a Bible, is committing a sin, even if they do honour the oath and tell the truth. Jesus rejects the Old Testament eye for an eye statement by advising turning the other cheek and letting the thief take even more of your property. This immediately contradicts the preceding statement of commitment to upholding all the laws of Moses. Loving your enemies sounds great, but Christianity has proved very unforgiving to its enemies for generations. It also make it easier for bullies to bully their victims even more. Giving charitably should be discreet, not a loud act done more to ingratiate yourself in with others and appear righteous. Here for once I agree with Jesus. Prayer should similarly be discreet and private says Jesus right before publically reciting the Lord’s Prayer which I’ll review separately soon. Fasting is also to be discreet (though for mot Christians there simply is no fasting any more). Reflecting on the material future is wrong, and life is to be lived for the present. You should also not judge others, which rather makes things difficult for magistrates and priests alike. Asking God ensures prayers are answered, as in all those prayers from people who don’t want to die in wars, earthquakes and plane crashes right up to them dying horribly, with their prayers for help ignored. Jesus warns against false prophets but nothing he says proves he isn’t false himself. The crowd are impressed by thi new Jesus speaking with confidence and authority. Luke ignores most of the Sermon. That given on the Plain involves some of the Beatitudes, but unlike Matthew, he adds a series of threatened woes too. The rich will be made poor, the well fed will starve, and the happy now will mourn later while those speaking well of others will find the people they admire are false prophets. This is simply a series of negations. Those who follow Jesus will fare well, while his opponents will come to regret it in this life or / and the next. It isn’t too innovative or original at all. Sadly, Christianity has rarely followed the prescribed practices anyway. Arthur Chappell