The Sermon on the Mount, as it is commonly called, is found in two Gospels: Matthew and Luke. According to Matthew’s account, Yeshua went up into the mountain, and that is why this has been called “The Sermon on the Mount.”

To establish a background to this sermon, there are four things that should be noted. First, it took place after intense interest in the person of Jesus was stirred up. By this time, He had gone all over the country proclaiming His Messiahship and authenticating His claims with many miracles, signs, and wonders. Second, the sermon also occurred after the selection of the Twelve Disciples. In fact, it was immediately before this sermon that Yeshua selected and closed His apostolic group of twelve. Third, it came after: (1) several conflicts with the Pharisees over the authority of Pharisaic Judaism; and, (2) debates between Jesus and the Pharisees over the validity of Pharisaic Judaism and its interpretation of the Mosaic Law. Fourth, this was a period of Jewish history when the Jewish people were looking for redemption. It was a period of time when they were suffering under Roman oppression and looking for some type of messianic redemption, primarily, a national redemption from the servitude to Rome. They were looking for the Messiah to come and establish His Kingdom in opposition to the kingdom of Rome. According to the Old Testament prophets, righteousness was the means of entering the Kingdom. The question being raised among the Jewish masses was: “Is Pharisaic righteousness sufficient for entering into the Kingdom?” or, “What kind of righteousness is necessary for entering into the Kingdom?”

From the perspective of the question asked by the Jewish people at that time, the most important single statement in the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew 5:20: For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

In its context – in the Jewish frame of reference in which it was spoken – the Sermon on the Mount is the Messiah’s interpretation of the standard of righteousness which the Law demanded, put in contrast with the Pharisaic interpretation of the kind of righteousness which the Law demanded. A better title for this “sermon” would be “The Messiah’s Interpretation of the Righteousness of the Law.”

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS
Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-26 deal with the characteristics of true righteousness. Both passages present the characteristics of those who attain the righteousness that the Law demanded, but only Luke 6:24-26 portrays the characteristics of those who failed to attain that righteousness.

A. The Characteristics of Those Who Attain the Righteousness that the Law Demanded

Matthew’s account states: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.

The Greek word translated blessed means “happy.” Happy are the ones who attain these various characteristics. These characteristics can be studied in two separate units.

1. Characteristics in Relationship to God

First: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The opposite of being poor in spirit is being prideful. To be poor in spirit is “to have a right and proper evaluation of oneself toward God.” There is the recognition that one has no righteousness of his own, and whatever righteousness he has is a righteousness received from God. Therefore, one who is poor in spirit is totally dependent upon God for mercy and salvation.

Second: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. The word mourn in this context means “to develop a sensitivity to sin.” Those who are sensitive to sin will naturally confess their sins to God and be mournful over their sins. Those who confess their sins to God will be comforted, because I John 1:9 promises that: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous [just] to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Third: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. To be meek does not mean “to be cowardly or mousy”; rather, it means “to have a quiet confidence in God,” “a recognition of and submission to God’s authority.” Those who have this quality and live a life of submission to God’s authority will someday exercise authority over the earth when they inherit the earth in the Messianic Kingdom.

Fourth: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. To be righteous is “to live consistently with a divine standard.” Those who thirst after living with a divine standard will attain that righteousness. In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, this standard was the Law of Moses.

2. Characteristics in Relationship to Man

First: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. To be merciful means “to be compassionate,” “to be able to respond to the needs of others.” Those who are compassionate to others will receive compassion themselves as they need it.

Second: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. To be pure in heart means “to be honest,” “to operate out of a proper motivation.” The actions toward fellow believers are to come from a proper motivation. These are honest dealings.

Third: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God. These peacemakers have nothing to do with governmental or political leaders who negotiate a state of peace between various nations. Rather, it has to do with the family of God. Those who attain His righteousness will actively work to bring about a state of unity among the saints. They are the ones who are happy as peacemakers and are truly the sons of God.

Fourth: Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Again, to “live righteously” means “to live consistently with a standard.” Earlier, Yeshua spoke about one’s relationship to God which results in living consistently with a standard. If one truly loves God, he will live consistently with a divine standard. Also, if he lives consistently with a divine standard, he will love his neighbor. Indeed, the Mosaic Law demanded that one must first love God totally, and then love one’s neighbor as oneself. Yeshua Himself taught that these are the two primary commandments.

Fifth: Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. The fifth blessing is for those who are willing to live consistently in spite of persecution. Happy are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.

These are the characteristics of those who attain true righteousness. While those who truly attained the kind of righteousness which the Law demanded would have these characteristics, the Pharisees, in contrast, did not. For example, the Pharisees did not recognize their need for repentance since they felt themselves to be fully righteous. They submitted only to their own authority. They did not exercise mercy to those who truly needed it. They were concerned only with external elements of religion. They caused strife and discourse and were guilty of persecuting the saints. The characteristics listed in these verses were not found in Pharisaism.

B. The Characteristics of Those Who Fail to Attain the Righteousness that the Law Demanded

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets (Luke 6:24-26).

While happiness and blessedness characterized those who attained the kind of righteousness that the Law demanded, it was woe to those who failed. Yeshua declared four woes: woe to those who are merely seeking wealth; woe to those who are merely seeking self-satisfaction; woe to those who are merely seeking merriment; and woe to those who are merely seeking a reputation. In the end, all of these things will fail. They may attain these things in this life, but it will be temporary and they will fail to attain these things in the Kingdom and for all eternity.

C. Characteristics in Relationship to the World

Matthew recorded what Yeshua had to say about the characteristics of those who attain true righteousness in relationship to the world. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shines unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16).

Yeshua also dealt with the characteristics of those who attain true righteousness in relationship to the world in general and emphasized their influence. Those who attain true righteousness become two things.

1. Salt
They become the salt of the earth. In the ancient world, salt was used for two purposes: as a seasoning and as a preservative.

First, those who attain true righteousness are the ones who “season” this world and make life worth living. They are the ones who give encouragement, blessing, and mercy in spite of what the world around them may be like. This is often described in terms of the koinonia, or the fellowship, among the saints. It makes the righteous life worth living.

Second, the ones who attain this righteousness are the ones who preserve the earth as well. In this context, Jesus was dealing with the Jewish nation under the Mosaic Law because, at this point in time, the Mosaic Law was still very much in effect. The ones who attain the kind of righteousness the Law demanded are the Remnant of Israel, the believing Remnant. From the beginning of Jewish history until the present time, the Jewish believing Remnant are the ones who attain this type of righteousness. As a result, they are the ones who preserve the nation of Israel as a whole. Many times in the Old Testament the prophets stated that the reason God refused to destroy the entire nation of Israel for its sinfulness was because of the believing Remnant within the nation. In that way, the believing Remnant is the salt of the earth in that it functions as a preservative; they preserve the existence of the nation.

2. Light
The believing Remnant, those who attain this righteousness, are also the light of the world in that they provide spiritual light. They point the way out of spiritual darkness. A person who is in pitch darkness and suddenly sees a light far away will naturally be drawn toward that light. Indeed, when the ones who have not attained this righteousness recognize the darkness in which they live and see the light, they will move toward the light. This light is provided by means of the believing Remnant.

Just how is this light provided? Verse 16 states the means by which light is provided unto the world: Even so, let your light shine before men. How? This is explained by the next phrase: that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. The light is the good works of the saints.

Good works never saved anyone, but those who are saved will show evidence of their salvation by means of these good works. When the unbeliever sees these good works and responds to the light given off by these good works, he will naturally come to the light and become a believer himself, joining the believing Remnant. He will end up doing what verse 16 says he will do: glorifying your Father which is in heaven. So those who have attained the kind of righteousness which the Law demanded are to show it. The means of showing it is by good works. Again, good works are never the means of salvation; they are the evidence of salvation.

YESHUA'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE LAW
Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-20).

In this segment, Yeshua spelled out His own relationship to the Law. He pointed out that He came for the purpose of fulfilling the Law; He didn’t come to destroy it. Indeed, He proved to be the only Jew ever who kept the Mosaic Law perfectly. He kept all 613 commandments of the Mosaic Law that were applicable to Him. Not all the commandments, of course, were applicable to Him, but He kept every one that was.

By keeping the Law perfectly, He could then, by means of substitution, take upon Himself the penalty of the Law for those who failed to keep it. Once He did this and shed His blood for it, He then rendered the Law inoperative, so that with His death and Resurrection, the Law was no longer in effect. He came to fulfill [it] and bring it to an end, not to destroy [it]. On the other hand, Pharisaism was destroying the Law by its many additions, reinterpretations and changes.

The Messiah’s purpose was to keep the Law down to its jot and tittle. The word jot is the Hebrew letter yod, which is the smallest of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The word tittle is a small segment of a Hebrew letter; it is the only thing that distinguishes one letter from another. What Jesus meant by this statement is that He intended to fulfill the entire Law down to its smallest letter, even down to the smallest piece, segment, or part of a letter.

Having stated His own purpose for keeping the Law, He went on to repudiate the Pharisaic interpretation of the Law because Pharisaism was destroying the Law by means of its many added traditions (verse 20). Often these traditions got around the keeping of the Law. With this statement, He repudiated Pharisaism on two counts: first, as the proper interpretation of the kind of righteousness which the Law demanded; and secondly, as the kind of righteousness for entering the Messianic Kingdom.