| a discourse delivered by Jesus to the disciples and others, containing the Beatitudes and important fundamentals of Christian teaching. Matt. 5–7; Luke 6:20–49. |
In the Gospel of Matthew, the first sermon of Jesus. It is a central expression of his teachings regarding the new age he has come to proclaim. Jesus tells his followers that he expects them to be even more generous than the Mosaic law requires: “Be ye perfect,” he says, “even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes. It also contains the Lord's Prayer; the Golden Rule (“Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them”); the commandments to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and cast not pearls before swine; the image of false prophets as wolves in sheep's clothing; and many other well-known teachings, including: “Ye are the salt of the Earth,” “ Love your enemies,” “Consider the lilies of the field,” “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” “ Ask, and it shall be given you,” and “ By their fruits ye shall know them.”