PER108

The results of the Sermon on the Mount

PER108 concludes the Sermon on the Mount according to Matthew 7.28-29. The crowd and the disciples are struck by Jesus’ unique authority, so different from that of the Pharisees. Through 23 points, Jesus has outlined the portrait of a true disciple, an ideal impossible to attain without profound transformation. The crowd glimpses the Messiah in him and longs for the new life he offers.

6 min Sermon on the Mount Jesus’ authority disciples Matthew 7.28-29 Pharisees 8 verses 4 books

Resources

Biblical texts

Matthew
Matthew 7.28-29 (King James Version)

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark
Mark (King James Version) not cited in the book
Luke
Luke (King James Version) not cited in the book
John
John (King James Version) not cited in the book

Technical details

Bar chart for the year 31

Location: On the plateau below a mountain near Capernaum in Galilee

Date: After the Passover pilgrimage to Jerusalem on April 5, AD 31

Method: We will continue with Matthew

Note on the method: Matthew addresses this subject in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, whereas Luke places this teaching at a later time

Capernaum

Matthew will explain the repercussions of this long discourse.

Comments

Matthew is the only one to conclude this long discourse. The disciples and all the listeners are struck by the Master’s teaching, noticing a clear difference from the preaching of the that they heard every in the .

The apostle John aptly illustrates this reality by quoting the astonished saying: "No one ever spoke like this man" (John 7.46).

Jesus’ listeners were struck by the exceptional authority with which he spoke (Mark 1.22, Luke 4.32, Matthew 7.28-29), an observation Peter also made in John 6.68.

This long discourse, chiefly recorded by Matthew, had a profound impact on the crowd and the many disciples. The true disciple’s path is now clearly laid out, leaving each person to choose whether to follow it, which will determine their entry into the Kingdom of God.

Matthew’s conclusion might seem surprising, because the Messiah Jesus has set out standards that are difficult to attain and often opposed to the teachings of the who dominated the people. Yet all these individuals, mainly disciples, did not react as some others did by saying: "These words are hard; who can listen to them?" (John 6.60).

The crowd therefore longs for this new life and sees in Jesus more than a mere prophet: clearly, according to our analysis, the Messiah. It glimpses the foundations of a new society led by this Master whom it regards as remarkable.

Through these 23 points, the Messiah Jesus has outlined the ideal portrait of a disciple, which differs fundamentally from intrinsic human nature. It therefore appears that living up to this portrait is practically impossible without a profound transformation. This is undoubtedly why the discourse is addressed primarily to disciples, as mentioned in Luke 6.17, and then to a wider audience.

This brings the Sermon on the Mount to a close.