Beatitudes, Salt, and Light

Reading Matthew 5-7 in sections often leads to thinking of the various PARTS of the sermon as sound bites rather than seeing it within the context of the WHOLE. Jesus used language and rhetoric in a masterful way to lead his listeners into a fresh revelation of the nature and character of God the Father. The reality is, the Sermon on the Mount is less about how we are supposed to behave as Christians and FAR MORE about who God is!

Week 1 – Matthew 5:1-16 (Beatitudes and Salt and Light)

What is the context of the Sermon (why does Matthew include it here)?

What is the difference between a blessing from God and an attitude we present?

Is there a connection between the list of blessings and the list of commandments?

How do salt and light achieve results (flavor and illumination)?

What makes this teaching so different than the other teachers of Jesus’ day?