The Sermon on the Mount – Part One
A Socio-Behavioral Reading of the First Part of the Sermon
Professor Michel Abs
The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
This is a reading of the Sermon on the Mount from the perspective of the behavioral sciences, particularly sociology, which owes much of its treasured values to the Lord’s teachings, aimed at improving human conduct and guiding it toward perfection.
This reading will be followed by three others, based on dividing the sermon text into four sections according to the thematic unity of the subjects the Lord addressed in this timeless homily.
That day, the Lord went up the mountain, saw the gathered crowds, and His disciples came to Him. He then spoke His teachings to the people, whose souls were thirsty and eager to listen to Him.
He began His sermon with the Beatitudes, linked to the core elements of love that is, mercy in the Christian sense, not pity as some might think.
The Beatitudes blessed the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; those who mourn, for they shall be comforted; and the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Indeed, He declared that it is the meek who inherit the earth, not the arrogant, conquerors, or invaders — He who overcame the world with love.
The Beatitudes also blessed those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled — they are filled because they sought righteousness, which is available to all who choose to walk in it. Likewise, the merciful were blessed, for they shall receive mercy; the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
He also blessed the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God, because God is peace and love. The penultimate blessing was for those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Finally, the blessing concluded with those who are reviled, falsely accused, and persecuted for His sake. They are to rejoice and be glad, for their reward is great in heaven. Here, the Lord reminded them that the prophets before them were likewise persecuted, for “a prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”
After this initial imparting of the deposit of faith, love, and good conduct, the Lord entrusted two responsibilities to Christians concerning the moral well-being of humanity:
Christians are the salt of the earth, tasked with preserving their faith and values. “If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Here, Christ charges His followers with saving humanity, first by preserving themselves from corruption, and second by preventing corruption from taking root or spreading, by upholding faith and sound social values.
Christians are the light of the world. “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Thus, Christians must let their light shine before others so they may see their good works and glorify their Father in heaven. Through this, they illuminate human life and guide it toward righteousness.
Through these two commissions, to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, the Lord makes Christians the guardians of goodness and values, as well as role models and leaders for humanity. These serious responsibilities were given to those later called Christians in Antioch.
As for His transformative approach, always evident in His dealings with those He came to save, He reassured them that He was not abolishing the Law or the Prophets, but fulfilling them: “Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” He stressed that whoever breaks the least of the commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great. Unless their righteousness exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees, they would not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Regarding human relationships, the Lord went far beyond the Law, saying: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be answerable to the council. And whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” In Christianity, one need not commit physical violence to be culpable; insulting or hurtful speech toward a fellow human is considered a spiritual or moral crime. This inspired writer, poet, and artist Gibran Khalil Gibran in his poem “The Processions” to say: “The slayer of the body is slain by the body, but the slayer of the soul is not known to men.”
The Lord goes even further, declaring that God will not accept the offering of one who is in conflict with his brother: “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Simply put, He gives human relationships the same importance as the relationship with God, making reconciliation with others a condition for reconciliation with God.
At this advanced stage of the sermon in behavioral terms, the Lord equates wrongful intent with the act itself: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Thus, He urges people to control their conduct even at the level of thought, adultery can be of the body or of the heart, through wrongful desire. Restraining impulses is necessary for sound social life.
Concerned that corruption in any part can destroy the whole, the Lord put forward a firm stance: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.” He considered it better for one part, whether in a person or a community, to be lost than for the whole to perish. This is a principle of societal renewal and progress: advancement is impossible in the presence of corruption.
This is a first attempt to read the treasures of the Lord’s words in His sermon before the mountain crowds, revealing the deep sensitivity in these sublime statements, which have profoundly shaped human conduct and continue to do so.
To be continued.