So far, we’ve seen that the Sermon on the Mount contains a number of different genres within it: beatitude, legal discourse, prayer, and formal instruction. Now as the Sermon nears its end, Jesus switches to aphorisms, short, pithy sayings or proverbs. The one we’ll look quickly at today is simple, so simple that scholars have … Continue reading Pearls before Swine
The generative, generous, pay-it-forward, idea of ‘God’s Economy’ has been a common theme so far in this series on the Sermon on the Mount. We forgive as we are forgiven, receive grace as we offer grace, receive mercy as we are merciful. But it works just as well for more ‘negative’ ideas. This is the … Continue reading On Not Judging Others
So far in this series on the Sermon on the Mount, we’ve heard Jesus’ radical teachings on what it means to be ‘blessed’ by God, on how to truly live into God’s ways, against expressions of faith that turn it into public performance, and on the relationship between our heart and what it is we … Continue reading Anxiety and Trust
I once knew a man who was a big-time collector of sports cards. He spent thousands of dollars gathering his highly curated collection. But the greater the collection became, the more he started to worry about it. So, he spent hundreds more on insurance plans and security systems. Eventually, it got to the point where … Continue reading Treasure
Last time, we saw how Jesus warned his followers against public displays of piety. But, within this section of the Sermon on the Mount he not only teaches us how to pray (simply and in private), but also offers an example of what to pray. This has come down to us in the words known … Continue reading Our Lord’s Prayer
Matthew Root 