Sermon on the Mount
By John A. Tvedtnes

[Supplement to Gospel Doctrine New Testament lesson 8]

The Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7 of Matthew has been considered by some Bible scholars to be the “constitution” of Christ’s Church. It teaches how to pray, how to deal with sinners in the Church, and the importance of forgiveness, tolerance, and love.

Much has been written about the similarities and differences between the sermon delivered on a mountain in Galilee and the one Jesus delivered to the Nephites sin the city Bountiful following his resurrection (3 Nephi chapters 12-14). One of the more significant changes is that 3 Nephi 12:22 does not include the words “without a cause” that one finds in Matthew 5:22 (“whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause”). The earliest Greek manuscripts omit the same phrase, suggesting that it was a later addition to the biblical text.

Another major difference is in the instructions to “take no thought” for food, drink, clothing, and other necessities of life (Matthew 6:25-34). In the Book of Mormon version, these words are addressed only to Jesus’ twelve disciples (3 Nephi 13:25-34), after which the Savior returned to his instructions for the multitude (3 Nephi 14:1). This suggests that, during the Sermon on the Mount, he was not speaking to everyone when he counseled to not be concerned about such matters, but only to the twelve apostles.

This brings us to the question of Jesus’ audience. In the Book of Mormon, we are told that, with the exception of instructions given to the twelve disciples, his remarks were intended for the multitude assembled at the temple in Bountiful, who numbered “about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children” (3 Nephi 17:25). Bible readers typically assume that the Sermon on the Mount was delivered to such a large group. This idea arises from the verse (Matthew 4:25) that immediately precedes the sermon, in which one reads that “there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.”

The very next verses (Matthew 5:1-2) introduce Christ’s sermon by saying, “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them.” Jesus evidently went on the mountain to get away from the multitudes and those who joined him there and heard the sermon were only his disciples (perhaps not just the twelve, but other followers as well). Other New Testament passages note that Jesus went on mountaintops not to teach, but to escape the throng. For example:

• “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” (Matthew 14:23)
• “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” (John 6:15)
• “And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.” (Mark 6:45-47) [1]

On occasion, multitudes came to Jesus as he sat on a mountain (Matthew 15:29-30; John 6:2-5), but at other times they waited below the mountain for him to descend (Matthew 8:1). There were, of course, times when Jesus took some of the twelve with him (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28) [2] or was shortly joined by them (Matthew 24:3;

Mark 13:3). Indeed, it was such an occasion when Jesus selected the twelve from among his disciples, atop a mountain (Mark 3:13-14; Luke 6:12-13).

Mountaintops are often places of solitude, which explains why Jesus resorted to such places to pray (Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46; Luke 6:12; 9:28). [3] In view of the passages discussed here, it is likely that only Christ’s disciples were present during the Sermon on the Mount.

For additional material relating to this lesson, see:

• John W. Welch, Illuminating the Sermon at the Temple and Sermon on the Mount: An Approach to 3 Nephi 11-18 and Matthew 5-7 (Provo: FARMS, 1999)
• John A. Tvedtnes, “The Sermon on the Mount: Restoration of the Higher Law,” Insights 19/2 (February 1999), posted on the FARMS web site at http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?table=insights&id=58  . A revised version was posted as “The Sermon on the Mount” on the SHIELDS web site at http://www.shields-research.org/Scriptures/Bible/Sermon_Mount.htm
• John A. Tvedtnes, “The Higher and Lesser Laws,” in Donald W. Parry, Daniel C. Peterson, and Stephen D. Ricks, eds., Revelation, Reason, and Faith: Essays in Honor of Truman G. Madsen (Provo: FARMS, 2002)

For an introduction to the books of the New Testament and in-depth discussions of each verse in the New Testament, see Kevin L. Barney (ed.), John H. Jenkins, and John A. Tvedtnes, “Footnotes to the New Testament for Latter-day Saints,” go to: http://feastupontheword.org/Site:NTFootnotes