at
St. Cajetan Church in
Mexico City, Mexico The teachings of the Sermon on the Mount have been a key element of
Christian ethics, and for centuries the sermon has acted as a fundamental recipe for the conduct of the followers of Jesus. Various religious and moral thinkers (e.g.
Leo Tolstoy and
Mahatma Gandhi) have admired its message, and its teachings were a major component of the nonviolent 1954-1968 American
civil rights movement and one of the main sources of
Christian pacifism. In the 5th century,
Saint Augustine began his book ''
Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount'' by stating: The last verse of chapter 5 of Matthew (Matthew 5:48) is a focal point of the Sermon that summarizes its teachings by advising the disciples to seek perfection. The Greek word used to refer to perfection also implies an end, or destination, advising the disciples to seek the path towards perfection and the Kingdom of God. The teachings of the sermon are often referred to as the "Ethics of the Kingdom": they place a high level of emphasis on "purity of the heart" and embody the basic standard of Christian
righteousness.
Theological structure The theological structure of the Sermon on the Mount is widely discussed. One group of theologians ranging from
Saint Augustine in the 5th century to
Michael Goulder in the 20th century, see the
Beatitudes as the central element of the Sermon.
Jack Kingsbury and
Hans Dieter Betz see the sermon as composed of theological themes, e.g. righteousness or way of life. ==Interpretation== in a
stained glass window at
Arlington Street Church in
Boston A central debate over the sermon is how literally its high ethical standards are meant to be applied to everyday life. Almost all Christian groups have developed non-literal ways to interpret and apply the sermon. North American Biblical scholar
Craig S. Keener finds at least 36 different interpretations. Biblical scholar Harvey K. McArthur lists 12 basic schools of thought: • The
Absolutist View interprets the Sermon on the Mount as conveying an unambiguous message regarding moral perfection and enduring persecution. For instance,
Anabaptists claim to adhere to a literal interpretation, directly applying the sermon's teachings to their lives. • Other Christians have addressed the issue by
Modifying the Text of the sermon. In antiquity, this modification was sometimes achieved through the alteration of the text itself to render it more acceptable. For example, some early scribes altered , changing the phrase "whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment" to the softened, "whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." Similarly, the phrase "Love your enemies" was changed to "Pray for your enemies," among other revisions. • The
Hyperbole View asserts that certain statements in the sermon are to be understood as exaggerations. A prominent example is , where believers are commanded to gouge out their eyes and cut off their hands if these body parts lead them to sin. However, there is some debate regarding which parts of the sermon should be interpreted figuratively. • The
Two Realms View, associated with the
theology of Martin Luther, separates the world into the religious and secular realms. According to this perspective, the sermon applies exclusively to the spiritual realm. In the secular world, individuals' obligations to family, employers, and society may require compromises. For instance, a judge may be compelled to sentence a criminal to death, but inwardly, he should grieve for the criminal's fate. • The
Analogy of Scripture View suggests that the more stringent precepts of the sermon are moderated by other parts of the New Testament. For instance, both the Old and New Testaments hold that all people sin, so the command to "be perfect" cannot be taken literally, and even Jesus himself did not always obey the command to refrain from being angry with one's brother. • The notion of
Attitudes not Acts asserts that, while complete adherence to the Sermon on the Mount is unattainable, the focus should be placed on one's internal attitude rather than external actions. • The
Interim Ethic View holds that Jesus was convinced the world would end imminently, thus rendering material well-being irrelevant. In this view, survival in the world did not matter, as the end times would render earthly concerns obsolete. Although it was known earlier,
Albert Schweitzer is particularly associated with popularizing this view. • The
Unconditional Divine Will View, presented by
Martin Dibelius, posits that while the ethical teachings of the sermon are absolute and unyielding, the
fallen state of the world makes it impossible for humans to fully live according to them. Despite this, humans are still bound to strive towards this ideal, with the realization of the Kingdom of Heaven expected to bring fulfillment of these teachings. • The
Repentance View holds that Jesus knew that the precepts in his sermon were unattainable, and that it was meant to stimulate
repentance and faith in the Gospel, which teaches that we are saved not by works of righteousness, but faith in the
atoning death and resurrection of Jesus. • Another
Eschatological View is that of modern
dispensationalism, first developed by the
Plymouth Brethren, which divides human history into a series of ages or
dispensations. According to this view, while the teachings of the sermon may be unattainable in the current age, they will become a prerequisite for salvation in the future
Millennium (see
inaugurated eschatology). ==Comparison with the Sermon on the Plain==