Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

Background. The strong probability is that Jesus did not deliver the Sermon on the Mount all at once to his disciples. It is far more likely that Matthew has here collected sayings of Jesus uttered on many different occasions. One indication of this is its length -- it just has too much in it to be absorbed at one hearing. Also, there are certain sections of the Sermon that are disjointed, out of context (ex. Mt. 5:31, 32; 7:7-11). Furthermore, a comparison with Luke's version, known as the "Sermon on the Plain (Lk. 6:20-49)," shows that 29 of Matthew's 107 verses are found all together in Luke's Sermon, while 34 are found scattered all over Luke's gospel in different contexts, and 47 have no parallel in Luke.

The Sermon is in poetical style, no doubt for easy remembering. (See Lord's prayer, Hunter, p. 17), and it is very pictorial. Jesus gives the meat of his teaching in pictures, things we can touch and see (See 7:6: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs;" 6:30: lilies of the field," etc.) The Sermon also contains many proverbs, which are not to be taken literally, but which are to be grasped for the principle taught (ex. "plucking out the eye" and "cutting off the hand," Mt. 5:29-30).