Teaching on the Mountain

A voice on the hillside that overturned the world's wisdom

Mount of Beatitudes · AD 28, summer · Mt 5:1–7:29 · Lk 6:17–49

Story

People came streaming to a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain and sat down, and his disciples came close to him. On that slope, where the wind swept across the grass, he began to speak. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. When you pray, go into your inner room, and pray to your Father, who sees in secret. Look at the birds of the air. See how the lilies of the field grow. So do not worry about tomorrow, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

The teaching ended with a story of two houses. Everyone who hears my words and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain pours down, the floods rise, the winds beat against it, and that house does not fall. When he finished speaking, the crowds were amazed, because he taught them like one with authority, and not like their teachers of the law.

His Words

Blessed are those who know they have nothing within to lean on. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

Love your enemies, and pray for those who torment you. That is how you become children of your Father in heaven.

So do not worry ahead of time about tomorrow. Tomorrow will carry its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Whoever hears my words and lives by them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. Storms come, and that house still stands.

The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: Mt 5:1–7:29 · Lk 6:17–49

Background

Pause and Reflect