AN ATHEISTIC SCEPTICAL BIBLE STUDY – JESUS AND THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT / PLAIN.
The Sermon on the Mount contains many highlights, such as The Lord’s Prayer, Beatitudes, the call on us to turn the other cheek, and several parables. It captures Jesus at the height of his popularity, a skilled, charismatic public speaker, able to draw and hold a large audience enthralled. This seems feasible enough, as any great preacher only attains greatness for being good at public speaking. Jesus, if he existed at all, certainly had to achieve something that made history remember him. Dismissing impossible events like the miracles or his resurrection,) as skeptics must) we are left with his public speaking abilities.
While previous attempts to address large groups of people fell flat or provoked anger, The Sermon shows Jesus getting on with his ministry with some confidence and self-assurance. Their are few if any heckles or doubters present. Everyone is spellbound, and many memorable phrases and stories came from the sermon. However, in later speeches and sermons, he again seems to misjudge the mood of his audiences, preferring to simply declare himself the Son of God and resent anyone daring to doubt the truth of this.
However, like the many miracles, the Sermon comes in different accounts, with very different details of just what was said there. Mathew and Luke can’t even agree on where the Sermon took place, while Mark & John do not see it as important enough to mention at all.
THE MOUNT OR THE PLAIN?
While Matthew sets sermon on a Mountain, Luke sets events on a plain. Some commentators claim they are separate sermons, and the event occurs in the same time period, in the chronology of events outlined by both Gospel authors, soon after the calling of the first Apostles. They are conflicting accounts of the same sermon.
The location of the Mount is a mystery as there are no mountains in Galilee, though there are several hills, and it would seem practical for a speaker to want to gain some
Elevation over a large audience, though hills are not too practical for public speaking, as people further back in a large crowd would need to be taller than those in front, especially if positioned lower down the slope. Lighting and shadow might also affect a public speech event and the Sermon is quite a long one, though Matthew & Luke may have composited several separate sermons into one. It is probable Jesus used the same stories, and speeches many times repeating those that gained the most respect and appreciation. Many vicars, priests, preachers and public speakers recycle their best bits, and there is no reason why Jesus shouldn’t have done so too.
In Luke’s account, Jesus is on a mountain with the newly gathered twelve Apostles, when the crowds begin to gather round him, and Jesus heals the sick, drives out demons, etc, before coming down from the mountain to a large plain, in effect, addressing the crowds gathering on the flat, not from a point of elevation. He shows consideration to the travelling audience here – the sick and disabled, having travelled from several neighbouring countries wouldn’t want to climb the lower sloped of a hill too, and Jesus at least seems to respect that in Luke, though not in Matthew. In Matthew’s account, as the people pour in from across Syria, Damascus, Judea, Jerusalem, etc, Jesus climbs a mountain and addresses them from a seated position. Luke does not state whether Jesus was standing or seated during his discourse.
THE SERMON AS SHARED BY MATTHEW & LUKE.
THE BEATITUDES – BLESSED BE’S.
Both accounts begin with the Beatitudes, a series of blessings on the dispossessed, underprivileged, meek and poor. Jesus may well have recognized people in such states of being among the audience and wished to make them feel welcome. Essentially, the Beatitudes are no bread today but bread and jam day tomorrow promise. The poor will be rich in Heaven, the hungry will be spiritually fed and nourished, the meek shall inherit the Earth, etc. The Beatitudes are simple enough in message – follow Jesus and there will be something nice for you later though there could be lots of potential hardships to face on the way.
Matthew’s list of the peoples to be blessed is longer and more detailed than Luke’s. Luke omits any blessings for the meek, the peacemakers, or for those who mourn in this life, though he does threaten those who laugh at Jesus now with a life of mournful woe later. Luke adds a series of negative woes on the rich, the well fed in this life, and those thought of highly in life now – they are heading for damnation. Matthew keeps the sermon much more relaxed and upbeat.
Both Gospels drift from a poetic listing of the blessings to a more prosaic set of inserts, suggesting later additions by commentators and translators as the Gospels were drawn together into the modern Bible form we have to this day.
The Beatitudes completed, Jesus goes on to sermonize much more. Some of which is contained in both Gospels. Much more is exclusive to Matthew’s account.
LOVE FOR ENEMIES
Though not believing in Jesus I can applaud the influence Jesus’ words had on everyone from Quakers to conscientious objectors to the supporters of Gandhi. Luke’s version has Jesus advising us to do good to and for those who hurt us, turning the other cheek. This became a major influence on the martyrs who stunned Rome by not offering armed resistance in their fates.
The famous ‘Golden Rule’ is here, Luke 6.31 Matthew 7; 12 ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It was never a new teaching, being present in many philosophies, the teachings of ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc. There are variations on it in the Old Testament, such as Leviticus 19; 18 “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” Neither Gospel author nor Jesus refers to the Golden Rule by such a title. The label was first coined and applied by Reformation scholars.
The problem is that Jesus sees such cheek turning as following God’s example, and divine mercy, but God as seen in the Old Testament, and in the later Apocalypse, is far from merciful or forgiving, destroying the World, casting sinners into brimstone pits, unleashing plagues, etc. He becomes a sword-wielding warrior soaked in blood and fury in Revelation. Jesus was not consistently depicted as a pacifist.
JUDGING OTHERS
In Matthew, and in Luke, Jesus perfectly reasonably advises against judging others because they may well hold judgements against you too. Luke goes into more detail about not criticizing the mote in a brother’s eye if you have one in your own, or we end up in a World where the ‘blind lead the blind’ and both stumble into the pit (literally and figuratively).
In Matthew alone, Jesus then promptly contradicts and contravenes this in the following paragraph by telling us not to share with dogs that which is ‘sacred’. In other words, we are to avoid communicating with socially undesirable people, or convert such undesirables into the religion. Surely, to decide someone is a dog, unworthy of your company, is to pass judgement on that person, the very thing this very same Jesus only just told us not to do.
A TREE AND ITS FRUIT
He warns against false prophets and teachers, calling them ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’. (Matthew 7; 5) He advises ‘ye shall know them by their fruit’. Jesus clearly had competition, which probably advised followers to see him as a false messiah too, so his own offered fruit also needs scrutiny. Sadly, it fails the test on many levels.
Poisonous fruit can taste good, so we must be cautious what we consume. Jesus denounces the opposition to promote his own honesty and wisdom. Jesus seems sincere, but often desperate for attention, willing to take short cuts and use words as a means to an end because of his belief that that the Kingdom Of God is imminent. Jesus loudly denounces anyone not prepared to prophesy for him, drive out other people’s demons, or perform miracles. In effect, 99% of Christians fail to make the grade.
THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS
Jesus compares his followers to builders raising houses on solid foundations, while those following other prophets are moving into property built on shifting sands and liable to collapse. The schisms of the Church and its sectarian violence show the shaky poor quality of religion as architecture too.
SERMON STATEMENTS FOUND IN MATTHEW ONLY
SALT & LIGHT
Jesus calls the people the ‘salt of the Earth’ but warns that salt can lose its flavour and get trodden back into the ground. He compares his followers to shining lights but warns that light can fade and be extinguished. This is a warning / threat of the need to retain faith once gained. It keeps in with Old Testament tendencies to take away divine protection over the slightest deviation from faith.
THE FULFILMENT OF THE LAW
Jesus makes it clear that he is in our World to uphold Old Testament laws, not to abolish them or allow even the slightest deviation from them by his followers. That Jesus would contradict the Old Testament Laws and that Paul would later take Christianity on a very different course clearly contradicts this. We now have a Sunday Sabbath instead of the Jewish Saturday Sabbath, no circumcisions and a relaxation from kosher food laws too. If Jesus, Paul & early Christians took notice of this proclamation from the Mount, all christened Christians would still be adhering to such rules.
While not every departure from the letter of the Moses-Laws results in eternal Hellfire & damnation, even minor breaches of the rules can result in reduced quality time in Heaven. Though Jesus breaks Sabbath Laws and commits other breaches from the rules, he is unlikely to deny himself any of the benefits of being in Heaven.
MURDER
Not surprisingly, Jesus supports the Commandment from Moses condemning murderers (Thou Shalt not kill). However, he goes further, adding that even a threat or so much as a thought of killing someone is as heinous as the actual act of murder, and threatens the torments of Hell on anyone who so much as thinks mean thoughts. Anyone who so much as says, “you fool” to anyone else risks the flames of Hell (Matthew 5.21).
That many will instinctively think of killing others who anger them without ever planning or considering, let alone committing any such action seems lost on Jesus here.
If in dispute with a friend or neighbour it is better to sort out the differences with them directly rather than letting it go to court, where the judge may be harsh on both parties. Similarly, for Jesus, repenting sins before death makes such repentance impossible is best. Once before God & Jesus come Judgement Day it will be too late to offer explanations or apologies.
ADULTERY AND DIVORCE
Jesus agrees with Moses in condemning adultery, but he is again more strictly opposed in seeing it as adulterous even to fantasize about another man’s wife, and even shows that such wicked thoughts can be worse.
Jesus is very hostile to women and divorcees in particular. Divorcing a wife, (when she is not already accused or guilty of adultery), automatically makes her into an adulteress. Any man marrying a divorcee is therefore committing adultery. By Jesus’ reckoning, a female divorcee should be consigned to chastity / celibacy for the remaining years of her life.
Jesus takes established laws from the Old Testament, making them more severe and easier to end up breaking. Even daydreaming of breaking them is the same as committing the offences. Few if any Christians can hope to survive such a regime unscathed. Heaven is likely to be very empty and lonely.
OATHS
Jesus gets even more radical with regard to oath taking. He rejects oaths completely. The Mosaic Laws state that oaths sworn in God’s name cannot be broken, while Jesus argues, not unreasonably, that it is not for man to draw God into his worldly disputes and troubles as a witness in our defences and prosecutions. To Jesus, saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to legal questions and inquiries suffices as bindingly contractual.
This bold biblical assertion is frequently ignored and many court procedures in the West to this day involve swearing an oath before God with a hand resting on a New Testament Bible. George Holyoakes and other early secular Humanists faced imprisonment and a long uphill struggle to gain atheists a right to affirm (make non-religious oaths) in courts in the late 19th century. With this passage stating Jesus opposed oaths too, many Christians should also consider affirmation on oaths. Any such oath is in direct conflict with the wishes of Jesus.
That stated, Jesus is making a very radical departure from the Old Testament laws set out by Moses, something he claimed he would and could never do only a few verses earlier in the Sermon.
AN EYE FOR AN EYE
Jesus departs from tradition and law again with his condemnation of Jewish ‘eye for an eye’ revenge policy. His call for turning the other cheek and forgiving enemies rather than fighting back, raising their cities and pursuing violent vendettas has undoubtedly been a major influence on pacifists for centuries. It is not however in keeping with Jesus depicting himself as a warrior, bringing a sword to the World to smite the wicked, an image that gains very violent significance in Revelation.
To Jesus, we should love our enemies, and pray for the souls of our persecutors as God made them too. That God in effect becomes our bully, enemy and persecutor by remote control, suggests he is the one we shouldn’t love or respect here.
GIVING TO THE NEEDY
Giving to charities is highly regarded by Jesus, but only if done privately and discreetly. Too many see charity as a public and publicity display – an excuse to show off their benevolence for social gain. To Jesus, this is hypocrisy (something he cannot tolerate – he makes many more pronouncements against hypocrites).
Giving to charity will be seen by the omni-present God, capitalizing on it before other people becomes unacceptable.
This is a great initiative, and one to applaud as many people today do over-exploit their charity work for publicity. Many businesses use giving to a charity as a way of writing off tax expenses for which they can receive further tax concessions and actually boost profits. A total crush on public charity giving would however destroy major High Street charities, events like TV telethons, and even some Church based charity organizations.
PRAYER
Like charities, discussed above, this is to be kept private & discreet rather than be allowed to turn into public display and spectacle. Jesus dismisses loudly praying in front of others as another act of hypocrisy.
I have addressed the Lord’s Prayer itself elsewhere online.
FASTING
Jesus was full of contempt for gluttons who pretend to fast, disguising their full-ness by coating their faces in oils. To Jesus, fasting is between the fastee and God – not a public exhibition of piety.
TREASURES IN HEAVEN
Earthly wealth loses value, precious metals decay, silk rots, etc. To Jesus only spiritual wealth endures and proves worthy of investment. The problem with intangible wealth is your inability to access it – it’s like having a million dollars in a bank that you can never get to, or withdraw cash from. It might as well not exist, and to my mind, it doesn’t exist. For Jesus, we must choose between faith in Jesus or rampant capitalism (Mammon worship).
DO NOT WORRY
We should not store or stash food away for a future day. Jesus reasons that animals don’t hoard food (though of course hibernating animals like bears, squirrels, etc, do just that). To Jesus, worrying about tomorrow is a distraction when today has problems enough of its own. This seems quite bleak, and pessimistic. Jesus also talks elsewhere of tomorrow with predictions of his crucifixion and the arrival of the Kingdom Of God. He himself is very fixed on tomorrow.
ASK, SEE, KNOCK
Jesus assures the multitude that God always answers the prayers of the needy, though the many praying for an end to war, atrocities, starvation and not dying in plane crashes proves this is nonsense.
THE NARROW AND WIDE GATES
Jesus acknowledges that salvation is not easy to attain. He compares it to a narrow gate through which many will not fit. Most people won’t even find the gate. The gateway leading to destruction and damnation is however a wide one, easily found. Here, Jesus is pointing out that following him is not enough, though elsewhere, believing in him seems to be enough.
REACTION
Matthew wraps the Sermon up by summarizing audience reaction as a state of awe. Jesus has spoken as a source of experienced authority rather than as a scholar of established documented, even archaic laws. He has come across as a living God, rather than someone reading from tradition. Luke offers no such concluding remarks. He just has Jesus move right on to his next adventure.
The Sermon, or sermons have lots of commendable advice, but Jesus putting himself as the central focus mars them. People are to love each other, which are great, but can’t that happen without God and Jesus being a focal point in that? It would eventually be disagreements about just what Jesus said and meant that would divide friends and families with the Reformation. There would be no friendship or love for brothers in the Spanish Inquisition, or the sectarian violence caused in Ireland in the 20th century relating to Jesus based dogmas. His very teachings on peace would go on to cause war.
© Copyright. Arthur Chappell
