레이블이 Washington Bible College Basketball Camp인 게시물을 표시합니다. 모든 게시물 표시
레이블이 Washington Bible College Basketball Camp인 게시물을 표시합니다. 모든 게시물 표시

2013년 12월 1일 일요일

About 'washington bible college'|...wheelhouse (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, "The Dead," New Jersey ... a tossup full of Bible clues, where the answer...170 3-1 Round 5 vs. Carleton College - good They had really...







About 'washington bible college'|...wheelhouse (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, "The Dead," New Jersey ... a tossup full of Bible clues, where the answer...170 3-1 Round 5 vs. Carleton College - good They had really...








               These               days,               you               can't               hardly               pick               up               a               newspaper               or               magazine               in               the               United               States               without               reading               about               some               reference               to               religion.

The               term               "religious               right"               and               "evangelical               Christian"               are               all               the               rage.

The               president               of               the               United               States               says               his               faith               helps               to               guide               him               as               heleads               our               country.
               It               is               important               then               that               we               understand               what               the               rules               of               the               Christian               religion               are.

Fortunately,               the               Christian               Holy               Bible               says               a               lot               of               things               about               a               lot               of               things.

Unfortunately,               and               maybe               because               itdoes               so               so               much               about               so               many               things,               not               a               lot               of               people               read               it               all               the               way               through.

In               fact,               a               lot               of               people               don't               bother               reading               it               at               all.

The               good               news               about               the               Bible               though,               is               that               while               I               would               always               advocate               forreading               more               of               it,               one               can               get               a               lot               out               of               it               from               reading               just               short               passages.Perhaps               the               passage               that               best               lays               out               the               "rules"               for               Christian               attitude               and               approaches               in               the               three               chapters               in               the               Gospel               According               to               Matthew               known               as               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount.

The               Sermon               is               the               longest               quotation               attributed               to               Jesus               in               the               Bible.

It               offers               His               rules               for               how               to               live               and               how               to               act.

For               some               though,               even               three               chapters               in               the               Bible               is               too               much.

We               can               make               it               even               easier               for               you.

In               the               opening               portion               of               the               Sermon,               Jesus               gives               the               basic               rules.

Here               is               how               Christians               are               supposed               to               act               and               what               they               are               supposed               to               do.

If               you               think               the               be-all,               end-all               of               Christian               instruction               was               the               Ten               Commandments,               think               again.

In               his               Sermon               on               the               Mount,               Jesus               gave               a               new               set               of               instructions.
               
               This               article               then               will               focus               on               the               New               Testament               passage               Matthew               5:17-48.

Some               earlier               passages               in               Matthew               5               will               also               be               considered               for               context.

For               reference,               Matthew               5:17-48               is               reprinted               here,               using               the               New               Revised               Standard               Version               translation               of               
               the               Bible:
               Matthew               5:17-48
               17               'Do               not               think               that               I               have               come               to               abolish               the               law               or               the               prophets;               I               have               come               not               to               abolish               but               to               fulfill.

18For               truly               I               tell               you,               until               heaven               and               earth               pass               away,               not               one               letter,               not               one               stroke               of               a               letter,               will               pass               from               the               law               until               all               is               accomplished.

19Therefore,               whoever               breaks               one               of               the               least               of               these               commandments,               and               teaches               others               to               do               the               same,               will               be               called               least               in               the               kingdom               of               heaven;               but               whoever               does               them               and               teaches               them               will               be               called               great               in               the               kingdom               of               heaven.

20For               I               tell               you,               unless               your               righteousness               exceeds               that               of               the               scribes               and               Pharisees,               you               will               never               enter               the               kingdom               of               heaven.

21               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said               to               those               of               ancient               times,               "You               shall               not               murder";               and               "whoever               murders               shall               be               liable               to               judgement."               22But               I               say               to               you               that               if               you               are               angry               with               a               brother               or               sister,               you               will               be               liable               to               judgement;               and               if               you               insult               a               brother               or               sister,               you               will               be               liable               to               the               council;               and               if               you               say,               "You               fool",               you               will               be               liable               to               the               hell               of               fire.

23So               when               you               are               offering               your               gift               at               the               altar,               if               you               remember               that               your               brother               or               sister               has               something               against               you,               24leave               your               gift               there               before               the               altar               and               go;               first               be               reconciled               to               your               brother               or               sister,               and               then               come               and               offer               your               gift.

25Come               to               terms               quickly               with               your               accuser               while               you               are               on               the               way               to               court               with               him,               or               your               accuser               may               hand               you               over               to               the               judge,               and               the               judge               to               the               guard,               and               you               will               be               thrown               into               prison.

26Truly               I               tell               you,               you               will               never               get               out               until               you               have               paid               the               last               penny.

27               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said,               "You               shall               not               commit               adultery."               28But               I               say               to               you               that               everyone               who               looks               at               a               woman               with               lust               has               already               committed               adultery               with               her               in               his               heart.

29If               your               right               eye               causes               you               to               sin,               tear               it               out               and               throw               it               away;               it               is               better               for               you               to               lose               one               of               your               members               than               for               your               whole               body               to               be               thrown               into               hell.

30And               if               your               right               hand               causes               you               to               sin,               cut               it               off               and               throw               it               away;               it               is               better               for               you               to               lose               one               of               your               members               than               for               your               whole               body               to               go               into               hell.

31               'It               was               also               said,               "Whoever               divorces               his               wife,               let               him               give               her               a               certificate               of               divorce."               32But               I               say               to               you               that               anyone               who               divorces               his               wife,               except               on               the               ground               of               unchastity,               causes               her               to               commit               adultery;and               whoever               marries               a               divorced               woman               commits               adultery.

33               'Again,               you               have               heard               that               it               was               said               to               those               of               ancient               times,               "You               shall               not               swear               falsely,               but               carry               out               the               vows               you               have               made               to               the               Lord."               34But               I               say               to               you,               Do               not               swear               at               all,               either               by               heaven,               for               it               is               the               throne               of               God,               35or               by               the               earth,               for               it               is               his               footstool,               or               by               Jerusalem,               for               it               is               the               city               of               the               great               King.

36And               do               not               swear               by               your               head,               for               you               cannot               make               one               hair               white               or               black.

37Let               your               word               be               "Yes,               Yes"               or               "No,               No";               anything               more               than               this               comes               from               the               evil               one.

38               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said,               "An               eye               for               an               eye               and               a               tooth               for               a               tooth."               39But               I               say               to               you,               Do               not               resist               an               evildoer.

But               ifanyone               strikes               you               on               the               right               cheek,               turn               the               other               also;               40and               if               anyone               wants               to               sue               you               and               take               your               coat,               give               your               cloak               as               well;               41and               if               anyone               forces               you               to               go               one               mile,               go               also               the               second               mile.

42Give               to               everyone               who               begs               from               you,               and               do               not               refuse               anyone               who               wants               to               borrow               from               you.

43               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said,               "You               shall               love               yourneighbour               and               hate               your               enemy."               44But               I               say               to               you,               Love               your               enemies               and               pray               for               those               who               persecute               you,               45so               that               you               may               be               children               of               your               Father               in               heaven;               for               he               makes               his               sun               rise               on               the               evil               and               on               the               good,               and               sends               rain               on               the               righteous               and               on               the               unrighteous.

46For               if               you               love               those               who               love               you,               what               reward               do               you               have?

Do               not               even               the               tax-collectors               do               the               same?

47And               if               you               greet               only               your               brothers               and               sisters,               what               more               are               you               doing               than               others?

Do               not               even               the               Gentiles               do               the               same?

48Be               perfect,               therefore,               as               your               heavenly               Father               is               perfect.
               For               the               review               of               this               passage,               the               "Seven               Pillars               of               Biblical               Exegesis"               will               be               used.

The               seven               pillars               are:
               *               Language               &               Style:               Literary               Criticism               
               *               Form               &               Social               Setting:               Form               Criticism               
               *               Sources               &               Authorship:               Source               Criticism               
               *               Recollection               &               Reconstruction:               Historical               Criticism               
               *               Generation               to               Generation:               Tradition-History               
               *               Meanings               &               Interpretations:               Biblical               Theology               
               *               Beyond               Preaching:               Transformational               Criticism
               Pillar               I               
               Language               &               Style:               Literary               Criticism
               The               passage               in               question               comes               from               the               middle               part               of               what               is               generally               referred               to               as               the               "Sermon               on               the               Mount."               Reviewing               this               passage               with               an               independent               mind               is               particularly               difficult               because               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               is               perhaps               one               of               the               best               known               passages               in               the               Bible.

The               passage               under               review               here               is               part               of               the               larger               Sermon,               which               begins               with               Matthew               5:1               and               concludes               with               the               last               verse               of               Matthew               7.

Parts               of               what               is               included               in               the               complete               Sermon               on               the               Mount               are               repeated,               using               somewhat               different               language,               in               Luke               6:17-49,               a               segment               of               Luke               known               as               the               Sermon               on               the               Plains.
               
               The               beginnings               and               endings               of               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               segment               are               particularly               clear.

At               the               conclusion               of               Chapter               4,               we               hear               a               narrative               story               about               Jesus               healing               the               sick.

The               last               verses               of               Chapter               4,               verse               24-25,               tells               us               "And               his               fame               went               throughout               all               Syria:               and               they               brought               unto               him               all               sick               people               that               were               taken               with               divers               diseases               and               torments,               and               those               which               were               possessed               with               devils,               and               those               which               were               lunatick               (sic),               and               those               that               had               the               palsy;               and               he               healed               them.

And               there               followed               him               great               multitudes               of               people               from               Galilee,               and               Decapolis,               and               Jerusalem,               and               Judaea,               and               beyond               Jordan."
               The               story               clearly               shifts               with               Chapter               5,               verse               1.

There               we               read               that               "Now,               when               he               saw               the               crowds,               he               went               up               on               a               mountainside               and               sat               down.

His               disciples               came               to               him               and               he               began               to               teach               them,               saying…"               From               this               point               to               the               end               of               Chapter               7,               all               of               the               text               is               presented               as               quotation               from               Jesus               Christ.

It               is               the               longest               series               of               quotations               from               Jesus               in               the               Bible.
               The               story               clearly               changes               in               Chapter               8,               verse               1,               when               the               writing               changes               back               to               narrative               and               we               read               "When               he               came               down               from               the               mountainside…"
               There               is               also               a               change               in               the               text               from               verse               16               to               17.

In               the               first               16               verses,               the               man               giving               the               sermon,               Jesus,               is               talking               about               characteristics               of               people.

Beginning               with               verse               17,               he               launches               into               a               lengthy               segment               on               laws               that               Jesus               is               giving               to               his               followers.

He               first               talks               about               the               importance               of               following               the               laws               and               then               gives               new               definitions               and               explanations               of               laws               regarding               killing,               adultery,               divorce,               oaths,               fighting               and               revenge,               and               love               for               enemies.

The               
               passage               under               review               here               concludes               with               Matthew               5:48,               with               Jesus'               ruling               on               love               for               enemies.

It               would               probably               be               most               appropriate               to               include               Matthew               6:               1-4               with               this               study.

In               those               verses,               Jesus               offers               instruction               on               giving               to               the               needy.

After               chapter               6               verse               4,               while               he               is               still               giving               instructions               in               his               Sermon               on               the               Mount,               the               focus               of               the               laws               change               somewhat.

Beginning               with               Matthew               6:5,               the               rules               change               to               how               to               pray,               how               to               fast,               instructions               on               what               
               treasures               await               in               Heaven               and               other               topics.

Matthew               5:17-48               and               6:1-4               are               instructions               from               Jesus               during               the               sermon               on               how               to               interact               with               your               fellow               man.
               At               the               beginning               of               the               passage,               Jesus               invokes               the               memory               of               an               important               name               --               Moses.

He               refers               to               the               "Law."               According               to               the               Old               Testament,               the               law               was               given               by               God               to               Moses.

We               know               Moses               was               to               the               Jewish               people               about               like               what               George               Washington               is               to               Americans.

By               referring               to               Moses,               Jesus               would               gain               credibility               with               his               listeners.

It               would               be               as               if               President               George               W.

Bush               were               
               able               to               use               quotes               from               George               Washington               in               order               to               justify               a               particular               course               of               action.

Everyone               has               heard               of               Washington               and               he               typically               tops               the               "greatest               presidents"               lists.

Jesus               gains               the               First               
               Century               equivalent               of               street               credibility               by               not               only               referring               to               Moses,               but               to               the               prophets               of               the               Old               Testament               as               well               (verse               17).

Jesus               ties               his               laws               into               the               laws               of               Moses               prior               to               offering               new,               updated               laws.

It               is               important               to               not               that               while               Jesus               updates               and               furthers               the               law               handed               down               by               Moses               -               which               we               saw               in               the               Old               Testament               as               originally               springing               forth               from               God               -               he               does               not               directly               
               contradict               the               Moses               law,               which               would               likely               turn               off               the               listeners.

"You               have               heard               that               it               was               said…"               Jesus               begins               in               verse               21.

In               verse               22,               he               offers               an               update:               "But               I               tell               you…"
               
               Throughout               the               passage,               Jesus               refers               to               Old               Testament               law,               that               was               first               handed               down               through               Moses.

"It               has               been               said…"               he               says               to               start               verse               31.

With               each               rule,               he               starts               in               a               similar               manner,               only               to               follow               it               up               with               "But               I               tell               you…"
               
               It               is               the               lack               of               this               flashback               and               pull-forward               style               that               Jesus               is               using               in               verses               21-48               that               is               the               basis               for               excluding               Matthew               6:1-4               from               this               review.
               
               There               are               a               few               terms               and               phrases               in               this               passage               that               might               be               unfamiliar               to               the               modern               lay               reader,               though               most               of               the               text               is               fairly               straight-forward,               as               one               might               expect               in               a               sermon               on               basic               rules.

Jesus               refers               to               the               Sanhedrin,               the               highest               judges               in               the               Jewish               system               of               the               time,               and               calls               Jerusalem               "the               city               of               the               Great               King."               In               verse               22,               he               mentions               a               term               of               derision,               "Raca,"               that               was               no               doubt               popular               at               the               time.

It               is               relatively               easy               from               the               text               to               infer               that               Raca               is               a               negative               term               and               the               Jerusalem               reference               is               clear.

Only               the               term               "Sanhedrin"               would               likely               cause               the               average               reader               to               head               to               the               dictionary.

Other               than               these               few               instances,               at               least               in               the               NRSV               version               of               the               Bible,               the               language               is               simple               and               easy               to               read.
               This               passage               is               clearly               and               easily               divided               into               seven               subsections.
               The               first               section               sets               up               the               rest.

In               verses               17-20,               the               sermon               preacher,               Jesus,               explains               the               importance               of               these               rules               that               he               is               about               to               preach               on.

They               could               hardly               be               more               important,               at               least               according               to               Jesus.

"Whoever               practices               and               teaches               these               commands               will               be               called               great               in               the               kingdom               of               heaven."               (verse               19).

He               offers               a               warning               in               verse               20               that               unless               one               is               righteous,               by               following               these               laws,               one               cannot               enter               the               kingdom               of               heaven.

This               is               portion               of               the               passage               is               equivalent               to               a               college               professor               saying               "now               this               will               be               on               the               test…"               before               explaining               some               important               theory.

Jesus               is               all               but               thumping               on               the               side               of               the               lectern,               telling               the               listening               audience               that               what               is               coming               next               is               important.
               "You               have               heard               the               law               of               Moses,"               he               says,               to               offer               a               possible               2004               translation.

"I               will               now               tell               you               how               to               get               into               heaven."
               
               One               can               imagine               the               multitude               perking               up.

It               seems               like               it               would               have               been               a               good               time               to               take               notes,               if               indeed               Jesus               is               being               accurately               quoted               here               in               verses               19               and               20.

While               we               review               the               history               of               the               passage               later               in               this               paper,               it               seems               likely               that               if               such               a               preamble               was               given               to               a               sermon,               someone               would               have               wanted               
               to               get               it               written               down               as               soon               as               possible,               which               allows               for               additional               confidence               that               the               words               of               this               sermon               are               fairly               accurate.

While               the               preamble               was               aimed               at               a               crowd               in               ancient               times,               it               still               signals               that               an               important               message               is               coming,               even               in               modern               times.
               Once               the               preamble               is               concluded,               Jesus               begins               with               the               "You               have               heard               that               it               was               said…"               line               mentioned               above.

He               follows               this               up               with               "But               I               tell               you."               He               follows               this               pattern               for               all               six               laws               he               hands               down               in               this               section               of               the               sermon.

Each               time,               he               references               the               law               as               the               people               know               it               and               then               adds               a               new               dimension               or               element               to               it.

This               is               a               classic               teaching               sermon               style.

You               first               give               the               listener               a               reference               place               to               begin:               start               with               the               known               and               move               to               the               unknown.
               The               laws               that               Jesus               gives               here               are               both               simple,               but               complex.

On               the               topic               of               killing,               Jesus               says               that               murder               is               wrong.

That's               a               simple               statement               that               comes               straight               from               the               Old               Testament               Law.

He               then               moves               on               however,               to               expand               the               law.

Not               only               is               the               physical               act               of               murder               wrong,               but               so               is               the               mental               or               emotional               act               of               "killing"               someone               with               your               thoughts.

"But               anyone               who               says               'You               fool!'               will               
               be               in               danger               of               the               fire               of               hell,"               Jesus               says               in               verse               22.
               Jesus               follows               this               pattern               to               give               new               instructions               on               adultery,               divorce,               oaths,               fighting               and               revenge,               and               loving               enemies.
               In               the               case               of               the               first               law,               an               important               choice               of               words               is               used.

Verse               26:               "I               tell               you               the               truth…"               This               slams               home               one               more               time               the               importance               of               the               message               included               in               this               passage.
               The               setting               of               what               is               happening               in               this               text               couldn't               be               more               clear.

Jesus               is               presented               as               the               teacher.

He               is               placed               on               a               mountainside               (Matthew               5:1)               and               is               speaking               to               the               multitudes.

Fortunately,               for               the               modern               reader,               this               is               a               setting               that               is               still               very               familiar.

Virtually               all               readers               are               accustomed               to               being               in               a               group               setting,               listening               to               wisdom               being               handed               down               by               a               teacher.
               Just               as               clear               is               what               the               writer               wants               us               to               understand               from               this               passage.

He               is               setting               up               Jesus               as               "The               Great               Teacher."               He               is               having               Jesus               himself               deliver               the               message               and               the               law               -               and               it               is               a               law               that               is               even               greater               than               the               law               first               delivered               by               the               original               "Great               Giver               of               Laws,"               Moses               and               the               prophets.

Jesus               is               delivering               the               law,               but               we               are               also               to               see               Jesus               as               the               law               itself.

We               pick               
               that               up               through               the               repeated               use               of               "But               I               say…"               The               "I"               in               these               passages               should               be               capitalized,               underlined,               put               in               bold               and               italics.

The               law               is               coming               from               Jesus               and               Jesus               is               the               law.

We               need               but               to               follow               the               law               and               we               can               follow               him.
               The               question               should               be               asked,               "What               have               I               gained               from               this               passage,               reading               it               anew,               as               if               for               the               first               time?"               I               personally               am               struck               by               how               crafty               Jesus               was               in               working               his               audience.

One               can               almost               hear               him               saying,               "How               many               people               here               have               ever               heard               of               Moses?"               and               waiting               as               all               the               hands               go               up.

"Moses               was               right               
               on,               wasn't               he?"               Jesus               would               say               to               cheers.
               
               "Now               here's               where               ol'               Moses               left               off…"               and               Jesus               rolls               right               into               the               new               message.

While               the               text               doesn't               record               it,               it               seems               like               there               must               have               been               plenty               of               "Amen's"               or               their               First               Century               equivalents               coming               from               the               crowd.

This               really               is               a               remarkable               piece               of               public               speaking,               if               it               happened               as               depicted.
               Beginning               in               Verse               43,               Jesus               spends               a               few               moments               talking               about               having               love               for               your               enemies,               as               well               as               your               neighbors.

This               is               a               message               that               goes               all               the               way               back               to               Leviticus               and               the               original               10               Commandments.

The               concept               of               loving               your               neighbors,               expanded               to               loving               your               enemies               also,               is               mentioned               in               Matthew               7,               19               and               22,               as               well               as               in               Mark,               Luke,               Romans,               Galatians,               Ephesians               and               James.


               Clearly               this               is               a               message               that               Jesus,               and               his               chroniclers,               wanted               to               stress               to               people.
               Pillar               II               
               Form               &               Social               Setting:               Form               Criticism
               In               even               the               most               cursory               review,               the               form               of               the               writing               offered               here               is               obvious.

Jesus               is               being               presented               as               the               teacher,               as               the               preacher               and               in               Matthew               5-7               he               is               offering               what               has               become               the               world's               most               famous               sermon.

According               to               the               Layman's               Dictionary               of               the               Bible,               the               Gospel               of               Matthew               presents               several               themes.

The               genealogy               of               Jesus               is               presented,               as               are               several               other               facts               in               an               effort               to               show               that               the               arrival               of               Jesus               fulfills               a               prophecy               first               offered               in               the               Hebrew               Bible,               a.k.a.

the               Old               Testament.

It               was               written               to               inform               the               Jews               that               the               promised               one               had               in               fact               come.
               Why               was               Jesus               presented               as               a               teacher               and               why               are               some               of               his               most               important               words,               at               least               in               the               Gospel               of               Matthew,               presented               as               sermon?

Several               reasons               present               themselves.
               The               Jews               were               a               religious               people.

Throughout               the               history               of               the               Jewish               people               to               that               point,               they               had               been               guided,               at               least               in               part,               by               leaders               of               the               church.

Church               leaders               communicate               with               their               members               in               many               ways,               but               perhaps               the               most               important               way               is               via               the               sermon.

If               Jesus               is               being               presented               as               the               new               head               of               
               the               church               -               in               fact               the               very               reason               that               the               church               exists               as               all               -               he               simply               must               be               presented               as               a               good               preacher.

And               a               good               preacher               needs               a               good               sermon,               such               as               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount.
               
               The               writer               of               Matthew               also               was               likely               raised               in               the               Jewish               tradition.

While               he               may               have               consciously               determined               that               good,               God-fearing               Jews               needed               to               hear               important               messages               in               sermon               form,               it               is               just               as               possible               that               the               author               simply               fell               back               on               his               own               background,               believing               that               for               his               writing               to               have               value,               it               should               be               delivered               as               if               a               sermon.

It               is               something               of               a               chicken               and               the               egg               scenario.

Was               the               passage               written               as               a               sermon               because               that's               what               the               readers               
               needed               to               hear               or               was               it               written               as               a               sermon               because               that's               the               way               the               author               delivers               important               messages.

A               third               scenario               could               also               exist.

The               Matthew               author               could               have               envisioned               himself               as               something               of               a               First               Century               Walter               Cronkite,               seeking               only               to               tell               it               like               it               was               as               it               was.

The               likely               passage               of               time               that               took               place               between               the               time               Jesus               walked               the               Earth               and               the               time               that               the               book               of               Matthew               was               written,               probably               some               50               years,               makes               this               third               
               option               somewhat               unrealistic.
               Throughout               the               Old               Testament,               the               most               important               figures               in               the               Jewish               faith               were               the               prophets.

The               prophets               no               doubt               delivered               many               of               their               messages               in               sermons               at               the               various               temples               in               existence               at               the               time.

It               would               make               sense               to               the               author               Matthew               to               position               Jesus               to               deliver               news               and               instruction               in               the               same               way               as               
               the               prophets.

Moses               could               be               viewed               in               many               ways               as               one               of               the               greatest               of               the               prophets,               if               not               the               greatest.

In               Matthew               5:17-48,               Jesus               is               presented               as               being               even               greater               than               Moses,               of               giving               a               law               that               goes               beyond               even               the               Law               of               Moses.

The               author               of               Matthew               likely               wanted               to               drive               him               this               point               during               his               sermon.
               
               Pillar               III               
               Sources               &               Authorship:               Source               Criticism
               Who               wrote               the               book               of               Matthew?

According               to               early               church               fathers,               it               was               the               disciple               Matthew,               the               tax               collector.

Modern               scholars               disagree               with               this.

Whoever               the               writer               is,               he               has               things               laid               out               in               the               way               we               might               expect               a               writing               from               a               person               who               spent               his               life               dealing               with               money               and               numbers               to               have               done:               it               is               a               concisely               written               book,               filled               with               exact               details.

Consider               the               genealogy               offered               in               Matthew               1.

Could               anyone               other               than               a               CPA               find               anything               of               value               in               the               seemingly               endless               list               there               of               who               begat               who?
               
               It               is               unlikely               that               modern               people               will               ever               be               able               to               say,               with               absolutely               certainty               who               wrote               the               book               of               Matthew.

We               can               do               a               little               detective               work,               however               and               put               together               a               good               argument               on               
               how               the               book               of               Matthew               came               into               being               and,               more               importantly,               why.

Based               on               readings               in               several               Biblical               commentaries,               including               Matthew               Henry's               Commentary               on               the               Whole               Bible,               one               could               make               a               good               argument               that               a               second-generation               disciple               
               wrote               the               book               of               Matthew.

It               is               likely               that               this               disciple               was               a               follower               of               the               teachings               of               Matthew               and               wrote               the               book               in               such               a               way               as               would               best               reflect               on               not               only               Jesus,               but               on               the               teachings               and               remembrances               of               Matthew.
               
               A               variety               of               sources,               including               Matthew               Henry's               Commentary,               place               the               writing               of               the               Book               of               Matthew               around               80               A.D.

Around               this               time,               the               Christian               movement               as               a               whole               was               under               significant               persecution               and               oppression               from               official               Rome.

If               the               timeline               of               the               writing               of               Matthew,               80               A.D.,               is               correct,               
               the               following               scenario               makes               sense:
               Many               of               the               original               disciples               or               apostles               had               passed               on.

The               church               was               under               pressure               from               a               variety               of               sources.

Those               who               had               seen               Jesus               first-hand               were               dying               off.

The               decision               was               made               to               get               the               story               of               the               Christ               down               on               paper.

What               better               way               to               gain               authenticity               than               to               imply               that               a               particular               book               of               Jesus               was               written               by               one               of               his               hand-chosen               apostles,               Matthew?
               Given               that               many               scholars               agree               that               the               writer               of               Matthew               "had               the               Book               of               Mark               (estimated               to               have               been               written               in               60               A.D.)               in               one               hand"               as               Matthew               was               being               written,               it               stands               to               reason               that               other               earlier               texts               and               manuscripts               were               available               as               well.

Likewise,               the               writer               probably               had               learned               at               the               feet               of               Matthew               and/or               others               of               the               original               12               disciples.

Given               the               attention               to               detail               we               can               
               ascribe               to               someone               like               Matthew,               it               is               entirely               possible               that               the               apostle               Matthew               is               the               one               who               wrote               down               the               words               that               Jesus               said               during               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount.

This               written               account               could               have               been               used,               along               with               other               sources,               to               create               the               book               we               now               know               as               Matthew.
               As               mentioned               above,               if               Jesus               had               truly               given               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount,               it               would               seem               likely               that               the               particular               passage               under               review               here,               Matthew               5:               17-48,               would               have               been               written               down               by               someone               shortly               after               the               words               were               said               by               Jesus.

It               is               possible               that               some               50               or               so               years               later               that               a               version               of               that               text               was               still               in               existence.
               One               troubling               aspect               exists               here,               though.

If               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               was               seen               as               an               important               teaching               of               Jesus,               why               is               it               not               referenced               in               Mark?

The               writer               of               any               given               book               normally               has               material               that               doesn't               make               the               final               edit.

It               is               entirely               probable               that               the               writer               of               Matthew,               and               Luke,               writing               with               the               book               of               Mark               as               a               reference,               saw               the               omission               of               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               as               a               glaring               problem               and               both               decided               to               add               versions               of               it.
               The               who,               the               why               and               the               how               of               the               writing               of               Matthew               seems               fairly               straightforward               then.
               Who:               a               second-generation               Christian,               one               who               learned               from               Matthew               or               at               least               was               familiar               with               Matthew.
               Why:               The               church               was               under               Roman               prosecution.

Also,               by               the               
               time               of               the               second               generation               of               Christians,               there               were               those               who               were               getting               more               than               a               little               antsy,               wondering               when               the               "Second               Coming"               would               happen.

It               was               deemed               important               by               the               writer,               and               probably               his               supporters               to               get               down               the               rules               and               promises               of               Christianity               to               respond               to               some               of               that               angst.

While               our               passage               includes               several               rules,               other               portions               of               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               include               several               promises.

Later               segments               of               Matthew               share               miracles               of               Jesus,               the               passion               and               the               all-important               resurrection               of               the               Christ.
               How:               Matthew               almost               certainly               was               written               using               slightly               early               accounts               of               the               life               of               Jesus,               possibly               even               a               re-created               transcript               of               
               the               actual               words               spoken               on               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount.
               According               to               virtually               all               sources,               Matthew               was               originally               
               written               in               Greek.

Scholarly               sources               also               suggest               to               us               that               Matthew               was               written               to               Jews.

While               a               review               of               First               Century               linguistic               trends               is               beyond               the               scope               of               this               paper,               we               can               propose               a               potential               theory               from               this               Greek               language-Jewish               audience               mixture:               Matthew               was               written               with               Jews               in               mind,               but               aspired               to               appeal               to               a               world               audience.

The               writer               of               Matthew               wanted               the               world               to               hear               this               "Good               News."
               Pillar               IV               
               Recollection               &               Reconstruction:               Historical               Criticism
               Our               passage               is               fairly               light               in               terms               of               historical               references               to               what               was               happening               in               the               world               at               the               time               of               the               event               referenced               or               at               the               time               the               writing               was               done.
               At               the               beginning               of               any               review               of               the               historical               accuracy               and               the               historical               background               on               a               report,               we               must               first               ask               the               question:               did               this               even               happen               at               all?

The               fact               that               parts               of               this               message               are               included               in               two               places               in               the               Bible,               Matthew               and               Luke,               are               both               helpful               and               troubling.

That               we               have               two               independent               writers               who               include               parts               of               what               seem               to               be               the               same               sermon               lends               credence               that               this               sermon,               in               some               form,               was               delivered.

It               is               also               possible               that               Luke               recounts               another               venue               when               Jesus               delivered               a               similar               sermon,               much               as               civil               rights               leader               Rev.

Dr.

Martin               Luther               
               King               Jr.

is               famous               for               delivering               his               "I               have               a               dream"               speech               in               Washington               D.C.,               but               actually               delivered               nearly               identical               versions               of               that               same               speech               in               pulpits               around               the               country               first.

The               fact               that               the               Matthew               and               Luke               accounts               of               the               sermon               are               different,               though,               could               give               rise               to               a               question               about               if               the               sermon               was               actually               delivered               or               a               creation               of               the               writers.

Because               at               this               point               we               are               unable               to               interrogate               either               the               writer               of               Matthew               or               of               Luke,               or               other               witnesses               to               the               ministry               of               Jesus,               we               have               to               move               forward               on               the               strength               of               our               own               faith               on               the               question               of               if               the               sermon               was               
               delivered               AND               accurately               recorded.
               
               Looking               deeper               for               clues               about               the               time               or               culture               in               which               the               sermon               was               delivered               and               reported               upon,               we               don't               gain               much               from               the               actual               text               itself.

Throughout               the               passage,               the               writer               and               the               person               delivering               the               sermon               assume               that               the               reader               and               the               listening               audience               have               knowledge               of               Moses               and               the               Laws               and               
               Prophets               of               the               Old               Testament.

This               hardly               gives               us               any               historical               evidence               of               the               time               of               either               the               sermon               or               the               written               record               of               it.

Even               in               2004,               one               could               find               certain               listening               and               reading               audiences               who               would               have               good               knowledge               of               the               Old               Testament.

So               that               reference               gives               us               little               to               go               on.
               About               the               only               other               historical               data               in               the               writing               itself               comes               in               verse               22.

Here               the               writer               mentions               the               word               "Raca,"               which               is               unknown               to               most               modern               readers,               and               the               Sanhedrin,               known               only               to               relatively               astute               Bible               readers.

The               NIV               Student               Bible               defines               Raca               as               "an               Aramaic               term               of               contempt."               Aramaic               was               a               language               in               common               usage               in               First               Century               Palestine,               so               it               stands               to               reason               that               words               in               that               language               would               be               familiar               to               the               readers               of               the               text               -               and               those               who               heard               the               sermon.

Likewise,               the               fact               that               the               word               is               not               translated               into               a               modern               word               suggests               that               it               is               more               of               a               "slang"               term               than               a               high               form               of               the               language.

The               presence               of               a               slang               Aramaic               term               in               the               passage               makes               sense               on               two               levels               and               would               seem               to               support               the               historical               accuracy               of               the               passage.

It               would               make               sense               that               those               only               passingly               familiar               with               Aramaic               would               know               best               the               slang               terms               -               and               perhaps               how               to               ask               for               a               rest               room.

Also,               we               can               surmise               that               Raca               is               more               slang               than               proper               because               on               review               of               three               different               versions               of               English               Bibles,               NRSV,               KJV               and               NIV,               all               three               make               use               of               the               word               Raca,               rather               than               translate               it               within               the               passage.

Additional               research               into               the               term               is               beyond               the               scope               of               this               review.
               The               mention               of               the               Sanhedrin,               a               ruling               body               of               Jewish               judges,               which               is               referred               to               in               various               locations               in               the               New               Testament,               helps               place               the               events               and               the               date               of               the               writing.

During               the               Sermon,               Jesus               mentions               the               Sanhedrin               to               the               listeners.

Neither               Jesus,               nor               the               writer               of               Matthew,               feels               it               necessary               to               explain               who               the               Sanhedrin               were.

This               helps               to               firm               up               the               placement               of               both               the               Sermon               and               the               
               writing.

First               Century               Jews               who               were               listening               to               the               Sermon               and               those               reading               about               it               some               30-50               years               later               would               not               have               needed               an               explanation               of               the               Sanhedrin               any               more               than               the               modern               American               reader               would               need               an               explanation               of               the               word               "Congress."
               Finally,               though               it               is               not               included               in               the               Matthew               5:17-48               passage,               we               can't               review               the               historical               and               geographic               details               of               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               without               asking               "What               mountain?"
               Matthew               doesn't               tell               us               the               name               of               the               mountain.

In               the               NRSV,               NKJV               and               NIV               versions               of               the               Bible,               Matthew               simply               tells               us               that               Jesus               "went               up               into               a               mountain…"               The               Sermon               begins               immediately               there               after.

There               were               several               mountains               and               hills               in               and               around               the               Galilee               area,               where               Jesus               was               living               at               the               time,               so               a               mountainside               setting               makes               sense.
               While               Jesus               could               have               delivered               this               message               anywhere               (indeed               we               mentioned               above               that               Luke               includes               part               of               the               teachings               of               this               
               sermon               in               a               passage               known               as               the               Sermon               on               the               Plains),               Matthew               
               points               out               that               these               very               important               teachings               were               delivered               from               a               mountain.

In               the               Old               Testament,               Moses               ascended               a               mountain,               Mount               Sinai,               where               God               delivered               the               most               important               of               the               laws,               the               10               Commandments.

That               Matthew               doesn't               bother               to               name               the               mountain               or               provide               any               details               about               it,               despite               the               fact               that               the               writer               is               able               to               provide               three               straight               chapters               of               quoted               materials,               leads               one               to               question               if               the               sermon               was               actually               delivered               on               a               Mount               or               if               this               is               just               a               device               to               further               illustrate               the               importance               of               the               laws               and               promises               now               being               delivered.
               We               also               have               to               question               the               historical               position               of               the               author               of               Matthew               and               the               overall               text.
               Let's               examine               the               text               first.

According               to               a               review               of               the               world's               most               famous               ancient               writing               artifacts,               the               Dead               Sea               Scrolls,               by               
               University               of               North               Carolina               Professor               James               Tabor,               there               are               many               parallels               with               what               is               written               in               the               modern               version               of               Matthew               (and               Luke)               and               what               is               included               on               fragments               of               the               scrolls,               which               are               dated               to               have               been               created               somewhere               in               the               century               before               or               after               Jesus               life               on               this               Earth.

(Some               of               the               earlier               scrolls               are               copies               of               Hebrew               Bible               books.)               So,               based               on               these               scrolls,               we               have               some               hard               evidence               that               Matthew               is               presented               in               2004               is               at               least               near               
               the               version               first               penned               by               its               original               author.
               We               have               already               established               that               we               cannot               know               for               certain               
               who               wrote               the               book               we               now               know               as               Matthew.

We               can               however,               feel               fairly               confident               that               Matthew               existed.

He               is               referenced               in               all               four               of               the               canonized               Gospels               and               in               several               of               the               non-canonized               gospels.

Matthew               can               be               found,               for               example,               in               chapter               16,               verse               1               of               what               is               known               as               the               Gospel               of               the               Twelve:               "And               after               these               things               he               went               forth,               and               saw               a               tax               gatherer,               named               Levi               (as               Matthew               was               also               known),               sitting               at               the               receipt               of               custom:               and               he               said               unto               him,               Follow               me.

And               he               left               all,               rose               up,               and               followed               him."
               Matthew               is               not,               however,               referenced               in               the               book               of               Acts,               as               are               several               of               the               other               Apostles.
               Pillar               V               
               Generation               to               Generation:               Tradition-History
               Throughout               this               passage,               Jesus               is               quoted               as               saying               to               his               audience,               "you               have               heard…".

So,               what               was               it               that               they,               the               listening               audience,               had               heard,               and               where               did               they               hear               it?
               
               The               "you               have               heards"               begin               with               verse               21:               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said               to               those               of               ancient               times,               "You               shall               not               murder";               and               "whoever               murders               shall               be               liable               to               judgement."               This               is               a               reference               to               Exodus               20:13               and               Deuteronomy               5:17,               both               of               which               record               the               Sixth               Commandment:               "You               shall               not               murder."               Many               of               us               learned               
               this               in               an               earlier               Bible               translation               as               "Thou               shalt               not               kill."
               Verse               27               gives               us               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said,               "You               shall               not               commit               adultery."'               Verse               27               is               the               Seventh               Commandment,               again               
               straight               from               both               Exodus               20               and               Deuteronomy               5.
               From               verse               31:               'It               was               also               said,               "Whoever               divorces               his               wife,               let               him               give               her               a               certificate               of               divorce."               This               is,               almost               verbatim,               
               from               Deuteronomy               24:1,               a               little               further               back               in               Deuteronomy               when               Moses               (who               is               commonly               believed               to               have               written               Deuteronomy,               though               most               Bible               scholars               dispute               this               notion)               is               offering               a               long               list               of               laws               to               be               followed.
               Moving               on               to               verse               33:               'Again,               you               have               heard               that               it               was               said               to               those               of               ancient               times,               "You               shall               not               swear               falsely,               but               carry               out               the               
               vows               you               have               made               to               the               Lord."               These               words               do               not               appear,               exactly,               in               that               manner               in               the               Old               Testament.

We               do,               however,               get               this               from               Moses               as               the               Ninth               Commandment               in               both               Exodus               and               Deuteronomy:               "You               shall               not               give               false               testimony               against               your               neighbor."               While               the               words               are               different,               they               both               deal               with               vows               and               oaths.

Jesus               may               well               have               been               referencing               this               passage               during               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount.
               Verse               38's               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said,               "An               eye               for               an               eye               and               a               tooth               for               a               tooth"               resonates               from               several               location               in               the               Old               
               Testament.

Again,               we               have               references               from               Exodus               and               Deuteronomy,               21:24               and               19:21,               respectively,               but               also               in               this               case               from               Leviticus,               perhaps               one               of               the               driest,               most               detailed               lists               of               rules               any               significant               number               of               non-lawyers               have               ever               attempted               to               read.

In               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount,               Jesus'               "eye               for               an               eye"               line               come               from               Leviticus               24:19-20:               "If               anyone               injures               his               neighbor,               whatever               he               has               
               done               must               be               done               to               him:               fracture               for               fracture,               eye               for               eye,               tooth               for               tooth.

As               he               has               injured               the               other,               so               he               is               to               be               injured."               Leviticus,               like               Exodus               and               Deuteronomy,               were               commonly-held               to               be               written               by               Moses.

Jesus               uses               these               passages               to               tie               directly               into               the               laws               of               Moses               and               then               to               expand               upon               them.
               Finally,               in               verse               43,               Matthew               records:               'You               have               heard               that               it               was               said,               "You               shall               love               your               neighbour               and               hate               your               enemy."               Again,               we               
               turn               to               Leviticus               for               this               reference.

In               Leviticus               19:18,               we               read:               "Do               not               seek               revenge               or               bear               a               grudge               against               one               of               your               people,               but               love               your               neighbor               as               yourself.

I               am               the               Lord."
               Note               that               Leviticus               does               not               give               the               order               to               hate               an               enemy.

Why               did               Jesus               (or               his               chronicler)               add               this               bit               and               then               go               on               to               tell               the               audience               to               love               its               enemies?

During               the               Old               Testament,               "God's               People",               aka               the               nation               of               Israel,               was               almost               constantly               in               conflict               with               another               nation,               be               it               Babylon,               the               Philistines,               Assyria               or               some               other               group,               or               coming               out               of               a               war               or               in               fear               of               pending               conflict.

To               hate               one's               enemy               in               this               kind               of               environment               would               have               been               the               expected               norm.

In               the               United               States,               even               a               lovable               character               like               Bugs               Bunny               was               used               to               vilify               and               therefore               to               spread               hatred               of               "the               Hun"               or               "the               Japs"               during               World               War               II.

If               such               an               action               could               
               have               become               acceptable               in               such               a               relatively               short               conflict               (by               ancient               
               standards)               that               wasn't               even,               for               the               most               part,               taking               place               on               American               soil,               a               hatred               of               the               enemy               only               stands               to               reason               to               become               an               ingrained               part               of               ancient               Israel               and               the               Israelites.

It               makes               sense               that               Jesus,               centuries               later,               as               the               person               who               embodies               love               would               add               enemies               to               the               new               list               of               people               to               
               love.
               It               is               clear               from               the               above               examples               that               in               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount,               Jesus               (or               his               chronicler)               was               seeking               to               build               upon               the               rules               and               
               laws               of               the               Old               Testament.

In               fact,               this               is               generally               viewed               as               the               central               theme               to               Matthew,               to               show               that               the               promise               and               covenant               of               the               Old               Testament               is               now               fulfilled               with               the               arrival               of               Jesus.

This               effort               by               Matthew               influences               the               placement               of               Matthew               in               its               location               at               the               head               of               the               New               Testament,               as               discussed               under               Pillar               VI.
               Pillar               VI               
               Meanings               &               Interpretations:               Biblical               Theology
               It               is               hard               to               overstate               the               value               that               is               placed               on               Matthew               5:17-48               and               the               larger               Sermon               on               the               Mount,               both               by               the               scholars               who               have               reviewed               and               studied               it,               and               by               the               lay               Christians               who               have               read               it               over               the               years.

If               Jesus               is               the               central               focus               of               Christianity               and               the               billions               of               people               who               have               professed               to               be               Christians               over               the               past               2,000               years,               then               the               longest               recorded               Sermon               from               Jesus               is               
               naturally               of               great               interest.
               Matthew               is               generally               said               to               have               been               placed               at               the               head               of               the               New               Testament               in               part               because               it               serves               as               a               bridge               between               the               Old               and               New               Testaments.

Indeed,               Matthew               is               filled               with               references               back               to               the               Old               Testament,               including               several               in               the               Matthew               5:17-48               passage,               several               of               which               have               been               highlighted               above.

Matthew               clearly               was               intended               by               the               church               authorities               who               canonized               the               Bible               to               bring               the               Old               Testament               believer               into               the               truth               of               the               New               Testament.

It               is               to               say               that               if               you               believed               and               trusted               what               was               found               in               the               Old               Testament,               then               here               is               a               place               where               you               can               get               the               rest               of               the               story.
               In               order               to               gain               insight               into               the               beliefs               of               others,               two               individuals               were               asked               to               read               and               comment               briefly               on               this               segment.

Unfortunately,               the               two               individuals               do               share               several               traits               with               the               author               of               this               paper:               all               being               white,               suburban               Detroit               males,               each               of               which               could               be               classified               as               "middle               aged,"               depending               on               how               one               views               that               term.

The               important               distinction               they               carry               is               that               one               is               an               ordained               Lutheran               Church-Missouri               Synod               pastor               of               some               25               years               experience.

The               other               is               a               self-described               agnostic               who               says               he               spends               little               time,               if               any,               ever               thinking               about               higher               powers.

(For               reference,               the               author               of               this               review               is               a               Presbyterian,               first-year               seminary               student.)
               The               Lutheran               minister,               the               Rev.

Jack               Cascione,               pastor               of               Redeemer               Luther               Church               in               St.

Clair               Shores,               Mich.,               found               three               central               themes               in               Matthew               5:               17-48.

The               themes               are:
               Christ               did               not               come               to               bring               anarchy:               "Christ               did               not               come               to               suspend               the               law,"               Cascione               writes.

"He               did               not               come               to               say               everything               is               OK               now               that               I'm               here.

Rather,               He               came               to               die               as               a               sinner               under               the               law               in               our               place."
               Christ               came               to               bring               us               the               righteousness               of               God:               "The               only               solution               to               our               sin               is               the               Coming               of               Christ.
               Keep               and               teach               his               word:               Here,               Cascione               quotes               from               elsewhere               in               Matthew,               "Teaching               them               to               observe               all               things               whatsoever               I               have               
               commanded               you:               and               lo,               I               am               with               you               always,               [even]               unto               the               end               of               the               world.Amen."               (Mat.

28:20.)
               Cascione               then               sees               Matthew               5:17-48               as               an               important               piece               of               the               theological               "puzzle"               that               the               Bible               offers               us.

He               offers               us               Jesus               as               a               
               follower               of               God's               law               and               as               the               very               embodiment               of               God's               new               law               -               God's               "new               testament"               with               his               chosen               people
               Contrast               that               to               Bill               Fleming               of               Shelby               Township,               Mich.,               and               a               self-described               agnostic.
               "If               I               would               have               said               these               things,               instead               of               Jesus,               you               would               have               said,               yeah,               that               makes               sense               and               never               would               have               thought               twice               
               about               it,"               Fleming               said.

"Because               it               says               in               this               book               that               Jesus               says               it,               you               are               studying               it               and               pouring               over               it,               looking               for               the               extra               meanings,               beyond               just,               hey,               be               a               decent               human               being.
               "You               could               just               look               at               this               as               common               sense               rules               about               how               
               to               be               a               nice               guy,"               Fleming               said.

"There's               nothing               here               that               says               this               has               to               be               religion."
               Fleming's               commentary               throws               a               whole               new               light               on               the               Sermon               
               on               the               Mount.

In               fact,               it               challenges               everything               about               the               Sermon.

Regular               churchgoers,               if               pressed,               could               probably               recall               countless               times               when               the               themes               mentioned               in               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               were               preached               from               pulpits.

Few               of               those               sermons,               delivered               by               good               and               true               servants               of               God               no               doubt,               have               been               studied               much               beyond               the               20               minutes               or               so               it               took               for               the               preacher               to               deliver               the               words.
               Why               is               it               that               these               words               are               more               important,               just               because               
               they               are               alleged               to               have               come               from               Jesus?

The               answer               can               only               be               found               in               faith.

On               the               one               hand,               "faith"               is               a               Christian's               easy               out.

That               which               we               cannot               describe               or               understand,               we               simply               say               must               fall               under               the               category               of               faith.

On               the               other               hand,               the               whole               point               of               the               Christian               religion               is               about               faith.

The               Infoplease.com               dictionary               defines               faith,               in               part,               as               "belief               that               is               not               based               on               proof."               For               better               or               worse,               much               of               what               is               presented               in               the               Bible,               indeed               much               of               religion               in               general,               simply               comes               down               to               faith.

"Do               I               have               faith               in               
               what               is               being               presented               to               me?"
               
               I               have               chosen               to               believe               in               what               the               Bible               says.

I               cannot               completely               explain               why               I               have               chosen               to               do               so,               other               than               to               say               it               feels               right               
               in               my               heart.

While               I               may               be               able               to               point               to               details               that               question               the               validity               of               this               passage               of               Matthew               -               why               was               it               not               included               in               Mark?

Why               is               it               different               in               Luke?

Why               don't               we               get               the               name               of               the               mountain?

Each               question               can               also               be               a               proof:               It               was               added               by               Matthew               and               Luke               because               Mark               was               focusing               on               a               different               story.

Luke               heard               another               telling               of               the               Sermon,               pointing               out               just               
               how               much               Jesus               wanted               to               stress               these               themes.

The               mountain?

Who               cares               about               the               mountain?

The               important               elements               of               the               story               and               the               Sermon               are               all               there,               for               those               that               have               the               faith               to               believe               in               them.
               The               words               of               Jesus               from               2,000               years               ago               in               that               Sermon               are               just               as               applicable               today               as               they               were               at               the               time.

The               portion               about               loving               
               enemies               --               But               I               say               to               you,               Love               your               enemies               and               pray               for               those               who               persecute               you               (Matt.

5:44)               --               is               of               particular               note               during               this               time               of               war               between               the               United               States               and               other               countries               and               groups.
               Pillar               VII               
               Beyond               Preaching:               Transformational               Criticism
               As               mentioned               above,               the               entire               Sermon               on               the               Mount               challenges               both               the               believer               and               the               non-believer.

Are               these               in               fact               the               words               of               the               Son               of               God?

If               they               are,               the               message               is               clear.

Laws               are               not               only               about               our               actions,               but               about               what               is               in               our               heart.

We               need               to               get               our               hearts               in               line               with               Jesus               if               we               want               to               live               a               righteous               life,               "For               I               tell               you,               unless               your               righteousness               exceeds               that               of               the               scribes               and               Pharisees,               you               will               never               enter               the               kingdom               of               heaven."               
               (Matthew               5:20).
               The               believer               is               unlikely               to               be               challenged               by               these               ideas.

It               is               easy               for               the               non-believer               to               pay               little               attention               to               these               words,               just               as               it               is               to               ignore               the               rest               of               the               Bible.

Even               most               non-believers,               however,               follow               the               basic               ideas               of               the               Ten               Commandments               and               their               extensions               found               in               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount.

How               to               get               the               non-believer               to               delve               deeper               into               the               message               found               in               Matthew               5               is               the               same               question               to               be               asked               about               how               to               get               the               non-believer               to               dig               deeper               
               into               any               portion               of               the               Bible.

This               is               and               long               has               been               a               central               challenge               to               members               of               the               Christian               faith.
               
               To               gain               deeper               insight               into               how               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               fits               into               the               larger               world               picture,               a               search               of               the               Qu'ran,               the               holy               scripture               of               Islam               was               conducted.

The               search               was               made               using               an               on-line,               searchable               version               of               the               Qu'ran               offered               by               the               University               of               Southern               
               California               at               http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/reference/searchquran.html.


               The               search               was               conducted               for               what               is               perhaps               the               most               radical               portion               of               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount,               the               idea               that               one               is               to               love               his               enemies.

The               USC               search               offered               two               verses               of               the               Qu'ran               that               seems               to               echo               that               theme,               though               not               as               directly:
               Qu'ran               Book               60               Verse               7
               It               may               be               that               Allah               will               grant               love               (and               friendship)               between               you               and               those               whom               ye               (now)               hold               as               enemies.

For               Allah               has               power               (over               all               things);               And               Allah               is               Oft-Forgiving,               Most               Merciful.
               Qu'ran               Book               3,               verse               103
               And               hold               fast,               all               together,               by               the               rope               which               Allah               (stretches               out               for               you),               and               be               not               divided               among               yourselves;               and               remember               with               
               gratitude               Allah's               favour               on               you;               for               ye               were               enemies               and               He               joined               your               hearts               in               love,               so               that               by               His               Grace,               ye               became               brethren;               and               ye               were               on               the               brink               of               the               pit               of               Fire,               and               He               saved               you               from               it.

Thus               doth               Allah               make               His               Signs               clear               to               you:               That               ye               may               be               guided.
               In               both               of               these               verses,               the               Qu'ran               suggests               that               Allah               (God)               will               eventually               bring               together               enemies               as               neighbors.

Contrast               this               to               the               
               law               handed               down               by               Jesus:               the               individual               is               to               love               his               enemies.

While               in               both               religions               God               is               all-powerful,               Jesus               is               saying               that               there               is               a               requirement               for               the               individual               to               internalize               and               act               upon               the               law               of               God,               rather               than               just               to               wait               for               God               to               act.
               It               is               said               that               Islam               is               a               religion               of               laws.

If               that               is               the               case,               Muslims               must               respect               the               teachings               and               handing               down               of               laws               in               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount.

One               wonders,               however,               if               they               are               aware               of               the               nuance               that               the               law               is               to               be               ultimately               internalized               rather               than               merely               followed.
               
               Asking               these               questions               about               how               Muslims               understand               the               
               intentions               of               Jesus               in               the               Sermon               begs               us               to               wonder               how               well               Christians               understand               those               intentions               as               well.
               While               this               paper               can't               poll               a               majority               of               Christians               for               
               that               answer,               it               can               ask               the               question               of               its               author,               "How               well               did               I               and               do               I               now               understand               the               intentions               of               Jesus               in               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount?"
               
               In               attempting               to               read               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount               "as               if               for               the               
               first               time,"               I               searched               for               the               deeper               meaning               behind               what               Jesus               meant               when               he               said               "You               have               heard               it               said…"               in               the               various               passages.

Why               did               Jesus               need               to               repeat               the               laws               of               Moses,               laws               that               were               already               understood               and               taken               as               still               written               as               solidly               in               stone               at               the               time               of               the               Sermon               as               they               were               at               the               time               Moses               brought               them               down               from               his               Mount?

Jesus               did               this               to               illustrate               to               us               that               he               is               the               very               law               embodied.

He               also               wanted               us               to               understand               that               just               knowing               and               following               the               law               was               not               enough               to               truly               be               a               follower               of               Christ.

We               have               to               internalize               the               law               ourselves               to               be               able               to               enter               the               kingdom               of               heaven.
               
               This               is               the               true               message               of               the               Sermon               on               the               Mount:               we               must               
               internalize               Christ               if               we               seek               to               truly               follow               him.
               







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