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Discuss the Sermon on the Mount as it is presented in Matthew’s Gospel. ... The Sermon on the Mount is the discourse in which the teaching of Jesus is spoken to the masses. ... There are some, however, who claim that the Sermon on the Mount does not correlate to the remainder of the gospel as it clearly shows a different theology and outlook to the gospel as a whole. ...
Betz took the interesting position that the Sermon on the Mount discourse in Matthew’s gospel is taken from a source which was transmitted intact, and integrated by the author into his composition of his gospel. ... However, the community from which the Sermon on the Mount source came stood nearer to the historical Jesus than other historical groups. ...
Furthermore, Betz argued that the different theologies of the Sermon on the Mount and the remainder of the gospel was another indication that the two traditions were composed in different Sitz im Leben. In fact he went as far as to say that the Sermon was ‘a kind of systematic theology’ and likened it to the Greco-Roman rhetorical tradition of the works of Epicurus. However, if we indulge in a short comparison of Epircurus’ Kyriai Doxai it is clear to see that Betz’s argument is objectionable: the Kyriai Doxai contains all of Epicurus’ philosophy and has little literary structure whereas the Sermon on the Mount only contains the ethical teaching of Jesus and within it the sayings have been grouped according to form and structure. Thus, to ascribe the Sermon on the Mount as ‘a kind of systematic theology’ is to misinterpret its place within the gospel and its function. In addition, Stanton rejected Betz’s theory because the vocabulary, syntax and style of the Sermon on the Mount possesses typical Matthean features which are evident in the rest of the gospel. ...
The Sermon on the Mount forms an integral part of the gospel, especially when we consider the Matthew’s theology and ethics in the gospel as a whole. The Sermon includes the notions of eschatology, the love commandment and discipleship, which Jesus addresses in detail while the theme of the Gentile mission is also touched upon. In this way, the Sermon on the Mount as the beginning of Jesus’ ministry ensures the image of Jesus as an authoritative teacher and this image dominates the Christology of the Gospel.
Approximate Word count = 1977
Approximate Pages = 7.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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