Day 2: Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount
On Day 2, Jesus goes up a mountain and begins to teach people. This is the famous "Sermon on the Mount, of which we have heard snippets. ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" comes to mind.) But today we get to read the whole thing, in one sitting. How does this sermon strike you? (Be honest.) It is no coincidence that Jesus go up the mountain to teach, for Matthew wants us to draw parallels between Jesus and Moses, his ancestor. Moses went up the mountain and received the Ten Commandments. From his mountain, Jesus also gives teachings, which seem to me to be upping the ante on the commandments Moses gave. "You have heard that it was written", "but I say to you...." The Sermon begins, however, with some incredible statements about who is really blessed in this world. My translation calls them "Happy." "Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Happy are people wh...