The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ foundational ethical and spiritual lesson. It’s his first major speech after his baptism and temptation in the wilderness, and it includes some of the most-quoted passages in the gospels — if not the entire Bible. It’s also one of the longest speeches he gives in any gospel and comprises all of Matthew 5-7.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lays out a comprehensive overview of his message to his followers: who is blessed by God; how to apply the Law and Jesus’ relation to it; and how to get into the kingdom of heaven. It also includes the Lord’s Prayer — recited daily by Christians around the world — and the Golden Rule.
This article will walk through each section of the Sermon on the Mount, summarizing and explaining Jesus’ teachings and how we might apply them today. We’ll also discuss its context and background, comparing it with other related passages in the Bible.
The Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12)
The first part of the Sermon on the Mount is known as the Beatitudes, derived from a Latin word meaning “state of blessedness.” It’s where Jesus begins to lay out his vision of what is sometimes called his “upside-down kingdom,” a countercultural vision where the wisdom of the world is turned upside down.
Here are the people who Jesus says are blessed:
- The “poor in spirit” (sometimes understood to mean “humble” but it more precisely means someone who completely relies on God, even when they have nothing)
- Mourners
- The meek
- Those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness”
- The merciful
- The pure in heart
- Peacemakers
- Those who are “persecuted for the sake of righteousness”
He then closes by saying you will be blessed when people insult, persecute, and testify falsely against you.
It’s easy to overlook the power of these statements. In ancient times, being “blessed” wasn’t only a spiritual state of being favored or loved by God, as we often understand it today. To be blessed also meant to be utterly happy. Even in English, “bless” and “bliss” come from the same word. (To get a better sense of how this would sound to a contemporary audience, try reading Matt. 5:1-12 in the CEB or GNT version.)
How can Jesus say that those who mourn and are persecuted are happy?
In Jesus’ upside-down kingdom — the kingdom of heaven — “the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Mt. 20:16). These people can rest assured that their “reward is great in heaven” (Mt. 5:12).
This section also begins to lay out Jesus’ upside-down ethical teaching. Those who hope to “be called children of God” (Mt. 5:9) must start by being meek, merciful, peaceful, and pure in heart.
Salt and Light (Matt. 5:13-16)
Next, Jesus uses two metaphors to describe his followers: “you are the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.”
What does he mean by these?
- Salt in Jesus’ time (as in our own) was used both for flavor and as a preservative. If it becomes impure — loses its “saltiness” — it’s no longer useful for either. Jesus seems to be saying that those who disregard his countercultural teachings and live by the ways of the world will lose their saltiness.
- Light, similarly, is only useful when you can see it. Jesus calls on his disciples to let their “good deeds” be seen.
But wait! Later in his sermon, Jesus will give severe criticism to “hypocrites” who make a big show of their faith. So watch out — while it’s good to let people see your transformed life in Christ, be careful that you’re not doing it to win praise and admiration, but rather to “glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:16).
How Jesus Fulfills the Law (Matt. 5:17-48)
The longest section of the Sermon on the Mount has to do with Jesus’ relationship to the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Law, also known as the Mosaic Covenant, is laid out in the first five books of the Bible, especially in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, and was the primary way the Israelites organized their lives until the arrival of Jesus. (The Ten Commandments are a summary of the Law, but there are 613 commandments in all.)
So, now that Jesus is here, can we just get rid of the Law?
Far from it.
Jesus must have known this would be a major question for his followers, so he addresses it head-on, saying “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matt. 5:17-18, NIV).
He goes on to say that not only should his followers continue to uphold the Law, but their righteousness must surpass the teachers of the Law.
How?
Jesus provides several examples for how we should apply the Law, using the following formula: “You have heard that it was said” the exact wording of the Law … “but I say to you” what you should actually do.
| Jesus’ Fulfillment of the Law in the Sermon on the Mount | |
| “You have heard that it was said…” | “But I say to you…” |
| Do not murder (Ex. 20:13) | Do not become angry at or insult anyone (Mt. 5:22) |
| Do not commit adultery (Ex. 20:14) | Do not look at someone lustfully (Mt. 5:28) |
| Divorce requires a certificate (Dt. 24:1) | Don’t divorce at all, except in cases of “sexual immorality” (Mt. 5:32) |
| Do not break an oath (Lv. 19:12, Nm. 30:2, Dt. 23:21) | Do not swear oaths at all, just mean what you say (Mt. 5:34-37) |
| An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Ex. 21:24, Lv. 24:20, Dt. 19:21) | Don’t resist an evildoer; give whatever people ask and more (Mt. 5:39-42) |
| Love your neighbor (Lv. 19:18) and hate your enemy | Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors (Mt. 5:44) |
As you can see, Jesus’ interpretation of the Law is more stringent than the traditional interpretation — not to prove that you’re better than other people but to love them better. He will summarize this message further in the Golden Rule, near the end of his sermon.
The Lord’s Prayer and Avoiding Hypocrisy (Matt. 6:1-18)
Jesus clarifies that his earlier instructions about being righteous aren’t about showing off your righteousness. If you practice your faith only to be seen and complimented, it isn’t worth anything (Matt. 6:1).
He provides a few examples:
- Give to the poor anonymously — not ostentatiously
- Pray quietly to yourself, alone — not loudly in public
- Forgive people so that God will forgive you — if you don’t forgive people, God won’t forgive you
- When you fast, don’t make it obvious — keep your appearance normal
The most detailed example he gives is prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer
These verses, known as the Lord’s Prayer, are perhaps the most famous, most memorized, and most recited passage in the entire Bible:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in 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, for ever. Amen.
— Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)
Millions of Christians across a wide variety of denominations pray some version of this prayer every single day.
It also forms the center of the entire Sermon on the Mount. Unlike today’s literature, which typically climaxes at the end, ancient literature was often structured so that the center of a particular work would be its primary theme or climax. This is called a “chiasm,” and it’s how a lot of the Bible is structured.
Living Into the Kingdom: General Advice (Matt. 6:19-7:6)
From there, Jesus expands into more general advice about what it means to live into God’s kingdom. These instructions provide additional clarification and examples of some of his earlier statements and central themes:
- Don’t focus too much on earthly treasures but on the treasures that await you in heaven. “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matt. 6:24, NIV).
- Indeed, don’t even worry about what you will eat, drink, or wear. “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:32-33, NRSVue).
- “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. You’ll receive the same judgment you give” (Matt. 7:1-2, CEB).
Who Will Enter the Kingdom of Heaven? (Matt. 7:7-29)
Having provided his ethical instruction at length, Jesus gets more specific about how to secure a place for yourself in the kingdom of heaven. In some ways, this section is the hardest to understand. Jesus uses a lot of metaphors to illustrate his points, which make them easier to visualize — but also open up mysteries that Christians continue to debate today.
Jesus first insists that anyone who seeks the kingdom of God in good faith will find it: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7, NKJV). This “ask, seek, and knock” is usually interpreted as engaging God in prayer.
But Jesus immediately follows up this welcoming news with what has become known as the Golden Rule, a summary not only of his own teaching but of all the scriptures: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12, NRSVue). He also says that the “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life” (Matt. 7:14, NKJV).
So everyone who asks enters, but the way is difficult?
There are many ways to interpret this. But in the complete context of the Sermon on the Mount — including the section on prayer — I believe Jesus is saying that living a righteous life is a critical part of asking, seeking, and knocking. Prayer is important, but it must be authentic, sincere, and accompanied by “a healthy commitment to live for the benefit of others,” as Michael J. Wilkins writes in the NIV Application Bible.
In fact, Jesus drives this message home right afterwards, in warning against false prophets and false disciples:
- You will know true prophets not by their words but by their “good fruits” (Matt. 7:16-17)
- “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21, NIV).
Finally, Jesus the carpenter provides a closing image: those who put his words into action are like someone who builds a house on solid rock, while those who do not put them into action are like someone who builds their house on shifting sand, which washes away in the wind and rain.
What Is the Sermon on the Plain?
Careful Bible readers often notice that Luke 6 contains a sermon very similar to the Sermon on the Mount, though much shorter. This section (Luke 6:20-49) is known as the Sermon on the Plain, because Luke says it was delivered “on a level place” (Luke 6:17) after Jesus had come down from the mountain on which he had chosen his twelve apostles.
This also indicates that the timing of the two sermons is slightly different. In Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is given before he has finished calling his disciples (including Matthew himself, see Matt. 9:9) and before some of his famous healings (e.g., Matt. 8:1-4, 9:1-8). In Luke, the disciples have all been called (Matthew, whom Luke calls Levi, in 5:27-28) and those healings have already taken place (Luke 5:12-26).
Sermon on the Mount vs. Sermon on the Plain: Content Comparison
The Sermon on the Plain follows the same pattern as the Sermon on the Mount. Though it’s much shorter than Matthew’s version, many of the parts Luke leaves out are included elsewhere in his gospel.
| Sermon on the Mount | Topic | Sermon on the Plain |
| Matt. 5:1-12 | Beatitudes | Luke 6:20-23 |
| — | Anti-beatitudes (woes) | Luke 6:24-26 |
| Matt. 5:13-16 | Salt and light | — |
| Matt. 5:17-48 | Fulfillment of the Law | Luke 6:27-36 |
| Matt. 6:1-6,16-18 | Avoiding hypocrisy | — |
| Matt. 6:7-15 | Lord’s Prayer | — |
| Matt. 6:19-34 | General advice | — |
| Matt. 7:1-5 | Not judging | Luke 6:37-42 |
| Matt. 7:12 | Golden Rule | Luke 6:31 |
| Matt. 7:6-29 | Who enters the kingdom | Luke 6:43-49 |
| See the CEB Study Bible for a more detailed comparison table. | ||
The only part of the Sermon on the Plain that does not appear in the Sermon on the Mount are the anti-beatitudes or “woes” (Luke 6:24-26). The woes invert the formula of the beatitudes, with Jesus warning his listeners not to get too comfortable.
There are four anti-beatitudes in Luke:
- Woe to the rich
- Woe to the well-fed
- Woe to those who laugh now
- Woe to you when people speak well of you
Jesus uses these “woes” to reiterate his message that, in his upside-down kingdom, the marginalized and downtrodden get the first seat at the table.
Why Are the Sermon on the Mount and Sermon on the Plain Different?
Scholars have proposed many reasons for the discrepancies between the time, place, and content of the sermons in Matthew and Luke, but two stand out.
First, neither Matthew nor Luke saw themselves as primarily reporting a chronological biographical account. They were both telling the same story, but with different emphases. By placing the Sermon on the Mount at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Matthew immediately establishes Jesus’ relationship to the Law for his Jewish readers. For Luke, writing to more of a gentile audience, Jesus’ declaration of good news to the poor (Lk. 4:16-21), spiritual authority (4:31-37), and healing power (4:38-40) instead take center stage.
On the other hand, I find it very likely that Jesus preached many versions of the Sermon on the Mount many times throughout his ministry — at least once in each region he visited. I know many pastors who have reworked and reused their sermons, and I see no reason why Jesus wouldn’t have done likewise. It’s not as if he had a podcast link he could pass around!
Old Testament Quotes and References in the Sermon on the Mount
Jesus states plainly in the Sermon on the Mount that he has come not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. Another way he demonstrates this is his knowledge and expertise of the Hebrew scriptures, or Old Testament.
Throughout the gospels, Jesus quotes from the Old Testament constantly — and alludes to it even more. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus directly quotes the Old Testament 9 times. Allusions are harder to count, but much of his imagery, such as salt and light, derives from the Old Testament as well.
Here is a list of each of Jesus’ Old Testament quotations in the Sermon on the Mount, with links to read them alongside each other:
- Matt. 5:5 — Psalm 37:11
- Matt. 5:8 — Psalm 73:1
- Matt. 5:21 — Exod. 20:13, Deut. 5:17
- Matt. 5:27 — Exod. 20:14, Deut. 5:18
- Matt. 5:31 — Deut. 24:1
- Matt. 5:33 — Lev. 19:12, Num. 30:2, Deut. 23:21
- Matt. 5:38 — Exod. 21:24, Lev. 24:20, Deut. 19:21
- Matt. 5:43 — Lev. 19:18
- Matt. 7:23 — Psalm 6:8
(Note: there are a few translations, such as the CSB and CEB, that call these quotes out directly using footnotes. The NASB uses small-caps to do the same, but unfortunately doesn’t provide verse references.)
Conclusion: Build Your House on Rock
Now that you know about the Sermon on the Mount, what are the next steps? First, if you haven’t read it in full, I strongly recommend doing that now. If you’re new to Bible reading, it’s a great place to start — in fact, it was instrumental in my own decision to follow Jesus, many years ago. If you aren’t new to reading the Bible, well, read it again! Write it on your heart.
If you want to go deeper, you can try out Bible Gateway Plus for free and get access to tons of great Bible study resources to learn more about the history, cultural background, theology, and more of the Sermon on the Mount (and the rest of the Bible). It’s a great value, and it’s where I did some of my research for this post.
Finally, there’s nothing I can say better than what our Lord said: put it into practice!
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Jacob Edson is Editorial Director of Bible Gateway. He holds a Master of Theological Studies in Early Christian Thought from Harvard Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious History from Memorial University of Newfoundland, though with most of his coursework from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. His work has previously appeared in Ekstasis and Geez Magazine. He lives with his wife and children in New England.
