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    In Context

    What Is the Sermon on the Mount — In Biblical Context

    The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' most famous teaching, recorded in Matthew 5-7, covering the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and principles for godly living.

    Quick Answer

    The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' most famous teaching, recorded in Matthew 5-7, covering the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and principles for godly living.

    "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — Matthew 5:3 (KJV)

    The Biblical Context

    The Sermon on the Mount is the longest continuous teaching of Jesus recorded in Scripture. Delivered on a hillside near the Sea of Galilee, it begins with the Beatitudes — blessings pronounced on the humble, merciful, peacemakers, and persecuted. Jesus then addresses the relationship between His teaching and the Old Testament law, saying He came not to destroy but to fulfill it. He raises the moral standard beyond external behavior to the heart, teaching that anger equals murder and lust equals adultery in God's eyes. The sermon includes the Lord's Prayer as a model for communion with God, instructions on fasting and giving in secret, the command not to judge hypocritically, the Golden Rule, and warnings about false prophets. It concludes with the parable of the wise and foolish builders. The Sermon on the Mount presents the ethics of the Kingdom of God and has influenced moral thought for two thousand years.

    Where It Sits in Scripture

    The core passage for this question, Matthew 5:3, sits inside Matthew 5. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.

    "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
    — Matthew 5:3 (KJV)

    Supporting Passages

    Matthew 5:17
    "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
    Matthew 7:24
    "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock."

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    Meaning

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    Full Answer

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