Written by Paul J Bucknell on March, 13, 2025

Matthew 5:1-2, An Introduction and Exposition of Sermon On The Mount

“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying” (Mat 5:1-2, NASB).

1. The Sermon on the Mount Context (Mat 1-4)

The Gospel of Matthew begins strangely with an extensive genealogy of a child. In this section, Matthew 5-7, God reminds the people that He has never forgotten His promises from the past. This emphasis on this child arises because God’s salvation would come through Him. Despite our great affection for modern toys like laptops, cell phones, and 3D printers, God chooses to accomplish His significant works through people.

People are the key to the kingdom of God, especially the righteous ones. Chapter 2 is a powerful reminder of how the evil one, the prince of the earth, will use his diminishing power to suppress these righteous individuals. God has called His Son out of Egypt. He was in the world yet not of the world. God miraculously spared His life ... at least for a few years.

In chapter 3, we discover that the key to Jesus’ ministry is His identification with God and the kingdom of God. Here, the Spirit fills Jesus. However, in chapter 4, we encounter a temptation of the most deceitful kind. Jesus, the second Adam, refuses to serve His own needs and instead follows God’s will. In doing so, He defeats the evil one and establishes what we now call the kingdom of God.

The principles discussed in the following chapters reaffirm the values of God’s kingdom. It is important to note that they are not fundamentally different from the Old Testament laws; rather, the New Testament fulfills and expounds upon them. The work of Jesus Christ on the cross allows us to enter the kingdom through God’s wonderful grace.

First, let's summarize that what we have seen God do through Jesus reflects what God the Father desires to achieve through us. We do not start off as righteous individuals but as sinners. However, we can be cleansed through the blood of Jesus and our faith in Christ. This is just the beginning. We must not view discipleship as a one-time event; instead, it involves many acts of discipline, where we consciously and intentionally choose to live righteous lives.

At the end of chapter 4, we can feel excited about the power of the kingdom, which is fully present. Any shortcuts to power, however, that avoid the discipline of living righteously are paths that the evil one has carved out for us. Jesus Christ refused to be tempted by the easy road and purposefully focused on serving the Father’s will.

God is still building His kingdom. It is exciting to observe what He is doing in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. God is on the move. If we cling to the forceful and proud methods of the world, we will ultimately become frustrated. This is not God’s way. We must not market the gospel of Jesus Christ as a gimmick. Jesus is not interested in having people merely raise their hands and be baptized as if it were a magic formula; He desires for them to be taught through His Word on how to live godly lives.

A genuine ministry results from living out a godly life. Jesus invites us to join Him in His ministry. He left so we could participate, just as He did. He wants us to be fishers of men, to the extent that He calls us the salt and light of the earth. Jesus intentionally involves us in His great kingdom work, but we must do it His way.

We are so influenced by the spirit of the world that we cannot even see how worldly our Christian methods have become. We are so materialistic that we apply modern marketing techniques to Christian outreach. We accept the materialist presumptions ‘hook, line, and sinker’! We are pragmatists rather than Biblicists. We think, ‘If it works, it must be right,’ but we have not been able to discern the long-term effects of such pragmatic decisions. We then wander down a hard-driven world and try to figure out why things are not working out as they should. We have been running along an exhausting road, burnt out and about to give up. The fruit of our work does not endure. It would be beneficial, even before we start, to not only say we are disciples of Christ but to serve others as He served and give as He gave.

2. Matthew 5:1 Ministry’s Vision

Chapter 5 introduces what is widely regarded as one of the greatest teachings in the world. While many verbally praise the Beatitudes, it is quite shocking to see both the church and the world overlook the principles outlined in these nine simple statements on how to receive a blessing. This article does not explore these numerous principles but focuses on their context. The closer we examine these introductory verses, the more we can appreciate the wisdom and relevance of these principles.

The first thing we need to do is see as Jesus saw. Many things attract our attention. In Hong Kong, early in the morning, it’s Dim Sum and a newspaper. The newspaper is everyone’s Bible. They read it as if it will make a significant difference in their lives. They can’t just sit still; they need to keep their eyes moving to appear important - as if reading the paper will make a difference. Of course, it’s not just in Hong Kong that people read the paper, nor is it wrong to do so. However, have you looked out at the crowds in the city streets, filling the buses, rushing to catch the train? Have you seen them as Jesus saw the crowds? The point is that some read the paper for themselves because they enjoy sports, business, and gossip, but they aren’t attentive to others. In 4:25 we read,

“And great multitudes followed Him from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.” (Mat 4:25)

I want to suggest there are two ways to look at the people.

1• Trained to see what you can get from those around you.

Greed leads to schemes. We examine how people can fulfill our expectations.

2• Trained to see the actual needs of those around you.

Compassion inspires us to lend a helping hand. When we look at others, we seek opportunities to support them.

Many marriages suffer because each partner focuses on what the other is not doing for them. As long as you maintain this perception of your partner, it's important to recognize that you are part of the problem. Yes, your husband might be stubborn. He might not understand. Your wife might be too emotional.

Your entire marriage, however, can be transformed by not seeking to be served, but by focusing on your role of serving others.

Jesus’ Ascent to the Mountain

Before I go on, let me reflect on why Jesus went up to the mountain. Concerning this latter custom, the Talmudists say {a}, that,

“From the days of Moses, to Rabban Gamaliel (the master of the Apostle Paul), they did not learn the law, unless standing; after Rabban Gamaliel died, sickness came into the world, and they learnt the law sitting: hence it is a tradition, that after Rabban Gamaliel died, the glory of the law ceased.”

He went up into the mountain. Not "a" mountain as the Authorized Version has it; the Greek article is poorly handled in most English versions. We do not know which mountain it was, only that it was the one where Jesus and the crowds gathered. "Delitzsch calls the Mount of Beatitudes the Sinai of the New Testament" (Vincent). He apparently ascended to get closer to the disciples, "seeing the multitudes." Luke (Lu 6:12) notes that he went out to the mountain to pray, while Mark (Mr 3:13) indicates that he ascended and called the twelve. All three purposes are valid. Luke adds that after a whole night of prayer and selecting the twelve, Jesus came down to a level place on the mountain and spoke to the multitudes from Judea to Phoenicia.

The crowds noted in both Matthew and Luke include disciples as well as other attendees. There is no considerable difficulty in viewing the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and the Sermon on the Plain in Luke as essentially the same. (Refer to the complete discussion in my Harmony of the Gospels. RWP)

3. Matthew 5:2 Ministry’s Beginning

In verse 2, we find Jesus beginning to minister to the people.

A genuine ministry does not begin with hearing about powerful plans. Instead, it starts with a concern for those you are focusing on. Discernment fosters compassion, and this compassionate humility allows you to be open to how God can work through you for them. Only then can you recognize how God might use your spiritual gifts. At this point, you may see how a program could be beneficial. Discernment involves perceiving the world as God sees it. Thus, discernment precedes ministry.

Christians often seek God’s power and plan not because they feel the need. They are not weeping. They don’t truly care. The bus driver in Shwunde, China, asked if I had watched the World Cup series. Everyone was watching it. In fact, they were sharing how, because of the time difference, many stayed up through the night to watch the series. Even Christians in Hong Kong were willing to stay up at all hours to watch some distant game that would never impact their own lives or marriages. I observed the people who watched the program. I was trying to understand how they lived in a fabricated world without meaning. They were pretending to be knowledgeable and to have found meaning in life. I explained to the bus driver that I rarely watch television.

Without the ability to see and respond to the needs of people with God’s love, ministry will often turn into a situation where we abuse any power, privilege, or plans originally given to us for service. We will use them for our own benefit.

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Cor 13:1).

We may want to have a successful ministry to gain people's admiration or to market insurance to them. We might be able to sing, cook, teach, and more, but the key is not to perform these tasks just because you do them well. If that’s the case, you will expect applause from others and desire people to say all sorts of nice things. What happens if people don’t appreciate your efforts? Will you become upset? Will you hesitate to cook that wonderful meal again? However, if you are serving and genuinely care for the needs of others, it won't matter if anyone acknowledges your efforts. While I believe it’s important to express gratitude, I have encountered some individuals who harbor bitterness because they did not receive the applause they were seeking.

I am sensitive to observing because I spent my sabbatical observing. I did not teach; I focused on researching and studying revivals, intentionally taking a step back to watch. I noticed how vulnerable someone can feel on a 747 filled with hundreds of passengers - strangers. If the slightest thing goes wrong, we all suffer together. In NYC, I observed how people grabbed cabs (before Uber). Most individuals don’t pay attention to one another. My wife says I avoid making eye contact with people. I am not perfect either.

I remember taking the fast train from Kaohsiung in the south to DaJya north of Taichung. A man sat next to me. He seemed exceptionally polite; we exchanged courteous words. He was very attentive to my needs. After finishing his newspaper, he offered it to me and placed it in my rack. He helped me carry my luggage off the train. I usually talk halfway with the person about the Lord Jesus Christ, giving him one of my tracts early on. However, I was tired from a busy Sunday schedule, attending parts of four services and talking to many old and new coworkers in the churches in Kaohsiung. If I wasn’t sleeping, he was. I felt compelled to share, but I noticed he looked sleepy. I knew he was waiting for me to speak to him, which was evident from his willingness to help. Finally, after getting off at the same stop, I paused and hastily began to talk to him. It was good, but far too brief. He appreciated the tract, but I know I let my Lord down. I did not communicate in a context of love but was more concerned with getting to a conference as quickly as possible.