The Sermon on the Mount
The Charter of the Kingdom of God
A New Law from a New Moses
Recorded in chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the Gospel of Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is the most complete collection of Jesus Christ's moral teachings. The Catholic Church sees it not just as a set of ethical rules, but as the very constitution for Christian living. St. Augustine called it a perfect standard for the life of a follower of Christ. It is a divine blueprint for entering and living in the Kingdom of God.
The setting itself is deeply symbolic. Matthew tells us that Jesus "went up the mountain". This simple action intentionally brings to mind the image of Moses ascending Mount Sinai to receive the Old Law. Here, Jesus presents Himself as the New Moses, the divine Lawgiver who has the authority to establish a New Law. This New Law, however, is not meant to be written on stone tablets. It is a law to be inscribed on the hearts of the faithful, a new covenant that is personal, transformative, and perfected by God's grace.
Chapter 5: The Character of a Citizen of the Kingdom
The Beatitudes: The Heart of the New Law
The Sermon begins with the Beatitudes. They are not rules, but a surprising and beautiful portrait of a true disciple. They show us who is truly "blessed" in the Kingdom of God, painting a picture that is completely upside down from what the world values.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This is the foundation. It isn't about being financially poor, but about a radical spiritual humility, a complete dependence on God for everything.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted. This is a holy sadness for our own sins and the sins of the world. The comfort promised is God's forgiveness and the healing presence of the Holy Spirit.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness is not weakness. It is strength under God's control, a gentleness that trusts in God's justice instead of asserting its own will aggressively.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied. This describes a deep, driving passion for personal holiness and for God's justice to be established in the world. This spiritual hunger will be fully satisfied by God.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall be shown mercy. The merciful are those who, knowing they have received God's great mercy, extend that same compassion and forgiveness to others.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God. Purity of heart means having an undivided interior life, a sincere focus on loving God and neighbour. This integrity leads to the ultimate reward: seeing God face to face.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God. Peacemakers are active agents of reconciliation. They work to heal divisions and restore right relationships, imitating God who is the author of all peace.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This final Beatitude reminds us that a life lived for Christ will often face opposition from the world. When this suffering is for Jesus, it is a blessing.
Fulfilling the Law: From the Hand to the Heart
Jesus declares He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. He deepens the commandments, shifting the focus from the external act to the internal disposition of the heart. He uses the formula, "You have heard it said... but I say to you..." to reveal the Law's true purpose.
1. On Anger
The Old Law: "You shall not kill."
Christ's Fulfillment: Do not even hold onto unrighteous anger or contempt for another in your heart. The root of murder is anger. True holiness requires us to heal the internal passion and seek reconciliation with our brother or sister, even before offering our gifts at the altar.
2. On Lust
The Old Law: "You shall not commit adultery."
Christ's Fulfillment: Do not even look at another with lust, because that is already adultery in the heart. Purity demands a radical control over our eyes and thoughts, taking decisive action against sources of temptation.
3. On Divorce
The Old Law: A bill of divorce was permitted.
Christ's Fulfillment: Marriage is to be permanent. Jesus restores this sacred bond to God's original plan. The Old Law's permission was a concession to humanity's "hardness of heart," but Christ's New Law of grace elevates marriage to a permanent and faithful union.
4. On Oaths
The Old Law: "Do not swear a false oath."
Christ's Fulfillment: Be so completely truthful that oaths are unnecessary. Let your "Yes" mean "Yes" and your "No" mean "No." A disciple should be a person of such profound integrity that their simple word is their bond.
5. On Retaliation
The Old Law: "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
Christ's Fulfillment: Do not resist evil with evil. Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile. This principle of limited justice is replaced by the supernatural law of merciful love, which seeks to overcome evil with surprising and proactive goodness.
6. On Love of Enemies
The Old Law: "Love your neighbour" (often interpreted as permission to hate your enemy).
Christ's Fulfillment: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. The definition of "neighbour" is expanded to include everyone. We are called to imitate the perfect and universal love of our heavenly Father, who sends sun and rain on both the good and the bad.
Chapter 6: The Interior Life of the Disciple
Righteousness in Secret: A Spiritual Therapy
After setting such a high standard, Jesus explains how to live this way. The key is developing an inner life where our motives are pure, directed only toward our "Father who sees in secret." He reframes the three pillars of Jewish piety as a powerful spiritual therapy for the soul, healing the broken relationships caused by sin.
Almsgiving
This is how we heal our relationship with others. By generously sharing our material goods, we fight against greed and envy. We learn to see our possessions not as our own, but as gifts from God to be used in service of love for our neighbour.
Prayer
This is how we heal our relationship with God. In the secret of our hearts, prayer reorients our soul toward God in humility, adoration, and dependence. It is the direct remedy for the pride that separates us from our Creator.
Fasting
This is how we heal our relationship with ourselves. By voluntarily denying our bodily appetites, we practice self-mastery. This strengthens our will, frees our spirit from slavery to passion, and makes us more receptive to communion with God.
The Lord's Prayer: A Summary of the Gospel
In the middle of his teaching on prayer, Jesus gives us the "Our Father." The Church calls it "the summary of the whole Gospel" because its seven petitions contain everything we truly need and long for.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven... This is the foundation. We can approach God with the intimate trust of a child. The word "Our" places us within the family of the Church, and "in heaven" reminds us of God's majesty and the glory to which we are called.
Hallowed be thy name... The first petition is not for ourselves, but for God's glory. We pray that His holy name will be recognized, honoured, and glorified by all people.
Thy kingdom come... We pray for two things: for the final return of Christ and the full establishment of His reign, and also for the growth of His spiritual Kingdom right now, in our hearts and in the world.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven... This is a prayer of total surrender. We ask that our will might be perfectly united with God's loving plan for us, just as the angels and saints are in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread... We present our needs to our Father. This includes our material needs for today, but most profoundly, it is a prayer for the Holy Eucharist, the true "bread of life."
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us... We plead for God's infinite mercy. This petition is unique because it comes with a condition: God's forgiveness for us is linked to our willingness to forgive others.
And lead us not into temptation... Acknowledging our weakness, we ask God for the grace to protect us from trials that could overwhelm our faith and to give us the strength to overcome temptation when it comes.
But deliver us from evil. This is a petition for deliverance from "the evil one," Satan, and from all the spiritual and physical evils that threaten our journey home to God.
Treasures in Heaven and Trust in God
This focus on the interior life is meant to free us from worldly anxiety. Jesus tells us not to store up treasures on earth, where they can be lost, but to store up treasures in heaven through acts of charity, prayer, and fasting. He reminds us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
We must make a choice: "You cannot serve God and mammon (wealth)." If we truly choose God as our master, then anxiety about material things becomes unnecessary. Jesus points to the birds and the lilies, explaining that our heavenly Father provides for them lavishly. How much more will He provide for us, His children? This leads to a central command of the Sermon:
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides."
Chapter 7: Practical Choices for Life in the Kingdom
The final chapter moves to practical advice for navigating life. It concludes with a powerful, non-negotiable choice: these teachings are meaningless unless we act on them.
On Judging Others
Jesus' command, "Stop judging, that you may not be judged," is not a call for moral relativism. Instead, it is a powerful warning against hypocritical and condemnatory judgment. He asks how we can presume to remove a tiny "splinter" from our brother's eye when we are blind to the massive "wooden beam" in our own. The principle is that God will be merciful to us to the same degree that we are merciful to others. Any fraternal correction must be done with humility and charity, not self-righteousness.
Perseverance in Prayer and the Golden Rule
Jesus gives a profound assurance about prayer: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened." This promise is grounded in the absolute goodness of God the Father. If even flawed earthly fathers give good gifts to their children, how much more will our perfect Heavenly Father give good things to us? This teaching on God's generosity leads directly to the Golden Rule: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." This is the practical summary of the entire moral law. It translates the command to "love your neighbour" into a concrete guide for action, fulfilling the heart of the Law and the Prophets.
The Two Paths
Jesus presents a clear choice. There is a wide, easy road that most people are on. It is the path of conformity and self-indulgence, and it leads to destruction. Then there is the narrow, difficult road of discipleship. It demands self-denial and sacrifice, but it is the only path that leads to life.
A Tree and Its Fruits
How can we tell true disciples from false ones? Jesus says to look at their "fruits." A good tree, a person genuinely rooted in Christ, will consistently produce good fruit: a life of holiness and sound teaching. He gives a sobering warning that on the day of judgment, not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom. The final test is simple: did our actions match our beliefs? Did we do the will of the Father in heaven?
The Unshakeable Foundation: The House on the Rock
The Sermon ends with the unforgettable parable of the two builders. This is the final, powerful summary of the entire teaching. Both men in the story hear the exact same words from Jesus. The only difference between them is what they do next.
The Wise Builder
The wise person hears these words and builds their life on the solid rock of action and obedience. When the storms of life come, as they do for everyone, their house stands firm because its foundation is solid.
The Foolish Builder
The foolish person hears the very same words but builds their life on the shifting sand of inaction. They hear but do not do. When the inevitable storms come, their house collapses completely.
The Sermon on the Mount is not a beautiful ideal to be admired from a distance. It is a call to build our entire lives on the unshakeable rock of Jesus' teachings. It ends with a challenge that echoes through time, asking each of us the same question: On what foundation are you building your life?