Ben Wilson

Sometimes you hear in storytelling, the principle show, don't tell. And Jesus is going to tell people what he believes and what he's all about. But first he shows them by performing these miracles. Okay, but then yes, he does tell people what he believes. He sets out his program, his moral framework at an event that has come to be known as the Sermon on the Mount. It's the most famous sermon ever.

Sometimes you hear in storytelling, the principle show, don't tell. And Jesus is going to tell people what he believes and what he's all about. But first he shows them by performing these miracles. Okay, but then yes, he does tell people what he believes. He sets out his program, his moral framework at an event that has come to be known as the Sermon on the Mount. It's the most famous sermon ever.

You have almost certainly heard some of it because a lot of the aphorisms in it have come to be like common phrases. For example, some of the most famous teachings are, For example, some of the most famous teachings are, Okay, other passage. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery.

You have almost certainly heard some of it because a lot of the aphorisms in it have come to be like common phrases. For example, some of the most famous teachings are, For example, some of the most famous teachings are, Okay, other passage. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery.

But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And then perhaps most famously, he says, ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And then perhaps most famously, he says, ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. And then, of course, he gives the Lord's Prayer, which is where he teaches his disciples to pray.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. And then, of course, he gives the Lord's Prayer, which is where he teaches his disciples to pray.

He says, And when thou prayest, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. After this manner, therefore, pray ye. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

He says, And when thou prayest, thou shall not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. After this manner, therefore, pray ye. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Okay, so many of these teachings are now so widely known that they might strike us as, you know, banal. But at the time, they were utterly revolutionary.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Okay, so many of these teachings are now so widely known that they might strike us as, you know, banal. But at the time, they were utterly revolutionary.

It was a complete inversion of the moral order. The lowly and meek who love God are the good. Power, wealth, health, beauty, and strength are seen with inherent skepticism, or at least that is how the Sermon on the Mount has been popularly understood. He teaches a way of forgiveness, non-aggression, detachment, and love. And I love how the book of Matthew ends this account.

It was a complete inversion of the moral order. The lowly and meek who love God are the good. Power, wealth, health, beauty, and strength are seen with inherent skepticism, or at least that is how the Sermon on the Mount has been popularly understood. He teaches a way of forgiveness, non-aggression, detachment, and love. And I love how the book of Matthew ends this account.

He says, "...and it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." And I think that is a major secret of Jesus's success. He does quote the Torah from time to time, but he doesn't rest his authority on his interpretation of scripture.

He says, "...and it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." And I think that is a major secret of Jesus's success. He does quote the Torah from time to time, but he doesn't rest his authority on his interpretation of scripture.

If he had, there were always people who could oppose and second guess and contradict him. Rather, he just unveils the truth and says it like it is. It's like Steve Jobs pulling the curtain off the Macintosh. Now behold, here it is. The teachings contained their own justification. They were so beautiful and elegant that they needed no complex proofs, no multi-step historical reasoning.

If he had, there were always people who could oppose and second guess and contradict him. Rather, he just unveils the truth and says it like it is. It's like Steve Jobs pulling the curtain off the Macintosh. Now behold, here it is. The teachings contained their own justification. They were so beautiful and elegant that they needed no complex proofs, no multi-step historical reasoning.

Just here they are. Aren't they great? Well, after his Sermon on the Mount, his miracles kick into overdrive. He cures a leper. He stills a storm. He casts out devils. He actually gets into trouble because in one instance, a man has a number of devils that are possessing him, and he casts them out into a herd of pigs. And the newly possessed pigs go into a frenzy.

Just here they are. Aren't they great? Well, after his Sermon on the Mount, his miracles kick into overdrive. He cures a leper. He stills a storm. He casts out devils. He actually gets into trouble because in one instance, a man has a number of devils that are possessing him, and he casts them out into a herd of pigs. And the newly possessed pigs go into a frenzy.