The Sermon on the Mount
BOOK II: The Power of Three (Science & Religion) – Consideration #106. "The Sermon on the Mount"
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Tuesday October 24, 2023
“What we believe about God is the most important truth we believe, and it’s the one truth that does the most to shape us. God is the Sun too bright for us to see. Jesus is the Prism who makes the colors beautiful and comprehensible.”
– Michael Spencer
PREFACE
Welcome Everybody!
Jesus begins his ministry with the Sermon on the Mount. He does not declare the supremacy of Israel, nor the condemnation of their occupier, Rome. He does not proclaim God’s wrath and judgement on the people for their sins. He does not declare himself the new King of Israel who will lead them to revolution and Independence. Instead, he addresses the poor, the meek, the pure in heart, and teaches them how to pray.
“Jesus did not come to ignite a political revolution; he came to ignite a spiritual revolution.”
From the beginning it is clear that Jesus is not the Messiah many Jews had expected or hoped for. His revolution would not lead to a new Kingdom of Israel; it would lead to a new Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus did not come to ignite a political revolution; he came to ignite a spiritual revolution. The Law given to mankind as a tool for moral growth had been transformed into a tool for gaining power and authority. Jesus’ revolution focused on understanding the spirit and intention of the Law, as opposed to applying the strict letter of the Law.
“Jesus would demonstrate this by ultimately fulfilling the Law of Moses…”
In Jesus’ teachings, the Law was not designed to limit mankind, but to teach them what was morally possible; thereby, expanding their moral capacity and giving them access to the divine Will of God. Jesus would demonstrate this by ultimately fulfilling the Law of Moses; and transforming it into a living manifestation of faith and obedience to God.
Following the Law was only the first step in the process, the ultimate goal was that human beings would eventually “live” the Law of Moses. Not from the mind, or an application of the Law, but through the heart and a deeper understanding of the premise of the Law. The Law was not about punishment; the Law was ultimately about love.
CONSIDERATION #106 – The Sermon on the Mount
Starting with the very basics, Jesus teaches his disciples how the world of the spirit works, what the true meaning of “the law” really is, and even the correct way to pray. The Sermon on the Mount completely encapsulates the message of Jesus’ teachings.
Beginning with the Beatitudes.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.
He said:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
– Matthew 5:1-12
Jesus continues with specific lessons regarding the nature of the Law and what transcendence of the Law looks like. The key to understanding the Law is that it is not ultimately about action, but about thought and desire.
POSTSCRIPT
The main message of the Beatitudes is that God is real, and He is here for you. The word “Beatitude” literally means “blessedness,” which makes sense being that each phrase begins with “Blessed are…” In the very first Beatitude, the phrase “poor in spirit” connotes the qualities of humility, gratitude, and contentment. What Jesus is really telling his disciples is this is what God loves. God’s real children are the children who attempt to be like Him. Therefore, the Beatitudes are an expression of who God really is.
“…the new law, delivered by Jesus to his disciples, embraced the promise of ‘blessed are.’”
Moses received the Ten Commandments on top of Mount Sinai. The essence of the law that Moses brought back from God, and gave to the Israelites, rested on the command thou shalt not; the new law, delivered by Jesus to his disciples, embraced the promise of Blessed are. Those who are blessed by God are not the powerful and strong, but the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the persecuted. To reach this new level of understanding and blessedness, the law that focused on thou shall not, would have to be transcended.
Next week Jesus shares the deeper meaning within the Law of Moses with his disciples and followers…
This Week on “The Thread”…
Excerpt From This Week’s Podcast…
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•UNTANGLING THE KNOTS OF REALITY: Podcast #66 – Untangling Book II - The Power of Three “Why does recognition represent the foundation of knowledge?” “What is the distinction between Recognition and Understanding?” “Why are human beings considered to be Meaning Making Machines?” “How does Science, the Judeo-Christian Tradition, and Eastern tradition all reflect a duality between Rationalism and Empiricism? These are a few of the knots we will attempt to untangle in this week’s podcast. That’s a lot of Book II for one podcast! So, let’s get started….”
• REALITY BY A THREAD: Book VI Preview (The Rational Being ) “Ironically, good and evil is not black and white. It is a uniquely “human” problem. How does “Quantum Consciousness” effectively deal with the “non-rational” aspects of morality? Particularly when in the quantum reality it doesn’t make any difference anyway! What are the subtleties involved in morality? It is not as straightforward as it first appears.”
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