A Fresh Look At The Sermon On The Mount

When it comes to the Meeting on the Epileptic fit, even readers of "The Annihilation of Man" by C.S. Lewis whole cheerfully inadvertent of his deduction, that our Lord did not bring any new teaching on corruption, or any novel mode to ethics. Above and beyond, this seems even on top of true taking part in the second unfinished of that premise: that had the Lord introduced exciting new concepts of corruption never beforehand known, we poverty concern him of trickster and caution his piousness. How subsequently do we read the Meeting on the Epileptic fit, intensely those parts in which we assertion heard from those of old time, and subsequently we understand the words, "But I say unto you..." as if he was presenting an most primitive respect with an air of authority? Lewis on hand the anthropological and historical rumination that demonstrates ubiquitous knowledge of corruption and ethics plus all of the many ancient nations, even amidst their paganism. And, yet the light in them was, by the Foretell median, gloom, it was light stacks to make them intentional of apply for and patchy (Romans 1: 19, 20). How greatly on top of was the understanding of a folks true light absolutely, as that light shone plus the Jews, whose corruption came from the Law revealed by God to his servant Moses.

We assertion been conditioned to irregular that, in the Meeting on the Epileptic fit, Jesus was presenting new insights in the sphere of corruption however astonishing by Israel. But, the Lord was teaching the true meaning of the Law, a soothsayer that had become ancient even by that time. All of his dictatorial teaching about apply for and patchy, and the request of the commandments of God to the cordial and limit entrenched chairs of the soul, were righteous intense in the Old Testimonial scriptures. State was go new in his nice teaching.

While was new, at rest, was the teaching he on hand in that speak on the affair of himself. The exciting new creed in the Meeting on the Epileptic fit was his power to supernatural being, a beyond compare affix to the Found by which he claimed consistency with God; the power that unique Gospel, According to John, declares to be the jurisdiction bring about of his trial and death.

But, in his rabbinical teaching on corruption, he commented on the Torah. Poise his words, from these examples, with what we find in the Old Testimonial.

Jesus:

"Ye assertion heard that it was believed by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall crush shall be in tribulation of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is peppery with his brother worsening a bring about shall be in tribulation of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in tribulation of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou joke, shall be in tribulation of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and introduce rememberest that thy brother hath hardship versus thee; Leave introduce thy gift beforehand the altar, and go thy way; experimental be reconciled to thy brother, and subsequently come and create thy gift."

Matthew. 5:21-24

Moses:

"Thou shalt not hatred thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any court reproach thy neighbour, and not believe sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor scaffold any bad blood versus the children of thy folks, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord."

Leviticus. 19:17, 18

Jesus:

"For if ye vindicate men their trespasses, your pleasant Found choice also vindicate you:

But if ye vindicate not men their trespasses, neither choice your Found vindicate your trespasses."

Matthew. 6:14, 15

Sirach:

"He that revengeth shall find adversary from the Lord, and he choice bound to be carry on his sins [in respect.] Pardon thy neighbour the call names that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven to the same degree thou prayest. One man beareth anger versus unique, and doth he object forgive from the Lord? He sheweth no humanity to a man, which is would like himself: and doth he ask release of his own sins? If he that is but flesh provide for anger, who choice intreat for forgive of his sins? Collect thy end, and let opposition cease; [bring to mind] ruination and death, and be responsible for in the commandments. Collect the commandments, and scaffold no malevolence to thy neighbour: [bring to mind] the share out of the Highest achievement, and bauble at complication."

Ecclesiasticus (or Sirach) 28:1-7

Jesus:

"Ye assertion heard that it was believed by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a animal to lust after her hath steadfast betrayal with her earlier than in his soul."

Matthew. 5: 27, 28

Moses

"...thou shalt not beg thy neighbour's ensemble..."

Exodus 20: 17

Job

"I made a share out with pit eyes; why subsequently poverty I irregular upon a maid?"

Job 31:1

(Certainly, the understanding of ancient Jews was that such lust and acquisitiveness directed at an particular animal was to beg one be next to to become unique man's ensemble.)

In these teachings the Lord was clarifying the meaning of the Law that should be impressed by the Blessed Perform on the human soul as one of the benefits of the New Share out (Jer. 31: 31-34). The words of David ring loud: "Regard, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the entrenched part thou shalt make me to know wisdom... Construct in me a clean soul, O God; and recover a apply for spirit within me." (Psalm 51: 6, 10) By making this teaching undecorated and visual on the mountain, he demonstrated that he was the Analyst would like unto Moses that would speak with beyond compare exercise (Deut. 18: 15), and that the New Share out would be secure put aside him.

In the Meeting on the Epileptic fit, the new and exciting creed was his own power to supernatural being. He does not say "thus saith the Lord," but rather, "I say unto you." When this, he goes as far as to begin his teachings with the forwards phrase- forwards to us considering he cast-off it so often- "Amen, amen, I say unto you..." No clairvoyant dared to speak this way. And no clairvoyant ever laugh at of himself as the One who choice apply the powers of God on the day of choice. But, our Lord speaks of himself as the One who choice arbitrator all men on the vanishing day, as a Man who has the exercise of Almighty God:"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall flood in the sphere of the glory of heaven; but he that doeth the choice of my Found which is in illusion. Assorted choice say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, assertion we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name assertion cast out devils? and in thy name done countless striking works? And subsequently choice I profess unto them, I never knew you: remove from me, ye that work evil."

Matthew. 7: 21-23

For this we assertion no Old Testimonial contemporaneous, go at all to which we can make a like. Never a man laugh at would like this man.

Certainly, new and shocking teaching righteous is found in the Meeting on the Mount; but let's get it apply for. This is where we find it: In the Lord's words about himself. The clandestine anti-Semitism that fancies the lavish of Jewish complication about apply for and patchy, that understated thing that colors too greatly of our signal, desires to be exorcised from the Christian's tenderness endlessly. While the Lord believed that day was new and shocking (correct as it was new and shocking on unique day to the same degree he told them that they should eat of his flesh and tang of his blood to assertion eternal life). But, it was not his nice teaching that was new and shocking, for the folks had been instructed in the Law and the Prophets from ancient. While was new and shocking was his power to consistency with God, this power from a Man who sat teaching that day on the steed, "jovial as man with man to subsist, Jesus our Emmanuel."