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The following is an excerpt from the book A Theology of Peace by Matthew Elton, copyright 2009 Matthew Elton.

The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is widely regarded by theologians as the greatest moral teaching in all of Scripture. But its message is so powerful and so radical that many people try to ignore it because they find it difficult to accept. The Sermon on the Mount marked a departure from orthodox Judaism, as Jesus “changed” some of the Laws of Moses, in accordance with the new way of living that he preached – the Kingdom lifestyle. With the End Times beginning and the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God on Earth coming very soon, it was time for people to stop living according to all of the laws of Moses, and begin living a lifestyle of repentance, nonviolence, and preaching of the gospel.

Matthew records Christ’s ministry in five distinct parts which share similarities to the five books of the Jewish Torah. The orthodox Jews of Christ’s day followed the Law of Moses very strictly. Moses had established this Law thousands of years beforehand as part of a holy Covenant between God and man, in which God promised blessings for those who followed the Law, but curses for those who strayed from the Law. One of the reasons the Sermon on the Mount was so radical was that it brought about changes in the Law – reversing some of the moral teachings of Moses in light of the soon coming Kingdom of God and in favor of the Kingdom lifestyle. As the only born Son of God, Jesus had the authority to make these changes in the Jewish moral code, for we know from Matthew 28:18 that “all authority in heaven and on earth” was given to Jesus by God. Jesus was in many ways a second Moses – establishing a New Covenant between God and man:

• When Moses was born, Pharaoh ordered that all male Hebrew babies be put to death, and Moses narrowly escaped.
• When Jesus was born, King Herod ordered that all male babies be put to death, and Jesus narrowly escaped.
• Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt.
• Jesus fled to Egypt to escape to escape King Herod’s infanticide, and then came out of Egypt to return to Israel, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Hosea (Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:15).
• Moses wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
• Jesus went into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil.
• Moses went up on a mountain to receive the Covenant of God.
• Jesus went up on a mountain to preach a New Covenant between God and mankind.

In the Sermon the Mount, Jesus quoted the Law of Moses multiple times, saying “You have heard it been said”. However, Jesus then went on to give a new moral code, stating, “But I tell you”. Jesus alluded to the Kingdom of God many times in the Sermon on the Mount, in addition to stating the Kingdom of God by name nine times. The moral teaching that he gave in the Sermon on the Mount was clearly not meant to be separated from the understanding of the coming Kingdom of God. In fact, many of Christ’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount only make sense when viewed in light of the soon coming Kingdom of God.

Jesus preached that the Kingdom of God will bring about a great reversal:

But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.

--Matthew 19:30

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

--Matthew 20:16

But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

--Mark 10:31

And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”

--Luke 13:30

    3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him

      for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

    4 God blesses those who mourn,

      for they will be comforted.

    5 God blesses those who are humble,

      for they will inherit the whole earth.

    6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice

      for they will be satisfied.

    7 God blesses those who are merciful,

      for they will be shown mercy.

    8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,

      for they will see God.

    9 God blesses those who work for peace,

      for they will be called the children of God.

   10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,

      for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

--Matthew 5:3-10

Those who are poor but have faith will receive the Kingdom of God when it comes. At that time, those who mourn now will be comforted then. Those who are humble now will inherit the earth then. Those who hunger and thirst for justice now will be satisfied then. Those who are merciful now will be shown mercy then. Those whose hearts are pure now will see God then. Those who work for peace now will be called the children of God then. Those who are persecuted for doing right now will receive the Kingdom of God then.

In contrast, those who are rich and do not realize their need for God now will not receive the Kingdom of God when it comes. Those who do not mourn now will not be comforted then. Those who are not humble now will not inherit the Earth then. Those who do not hunger and thirst for justice now will not be satisfied then. Those who are not merciful now will not be shown mercy then. Those whose hearts are not pure now will not see God then. Those who do not work for peace now will not be called the children of God then. Those who are not persecuted for doing right now will not receive the Kingdom of God then.

By drawing this contrast, we see just how radical and how powerful this message is. It might seem like it makes no sense to say that someone who is poor, mourning, hungering and thirsting for justice, and persecuted is “blessed”. But in light of the coming Kingdom of God it makes perfect sense because when the Kingdom of God is fulfilled on Earth, true and everlasting justice will finally be established.

Jesus went on to quote sections of the Law of Moses, and then make changes to them. These changes were made because of the soon coming Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is coming, and in light of this, Jesus called his disciples to adopt a new Kingdom lifestyle in which immediate justice is not necessary because we have true, perfect justice will soon be established when the Kingdom of God is fulfilled on Earth.

In each of the passages from the Sermon on the Mount quoted below, Jesus quotes the Law of Moses after the words “You have heard…” and then goes on to state the change he is making to that commandment after the words “But I say…”

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.  But I say, if you are even angry with someone you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

--Mathew 5:21-25

“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’  But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

--Matthew 5:27-30

“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’  But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.

--Matthew 5:31-32

“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.’  But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne.  And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King.  Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black.  Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

--Matthew 5:33-37

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.  If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.  If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.  Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

--Matthew 5:38-42

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.  If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.  If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.  But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

--Matthew 5:43-48

The Law of Moses had taught that murderers were to be tried in court, and then executed if found guilty. Jesus taught that anyone who is merely angry with his brother has already committed murder in his heart. The Law of Moses had taught that adulterers should be stoned. Jesus taught that anyone who merely looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery in his heart. The Law of Moses had taught that a man could divorce his wife if he found her to be “indecent”. Jesus taught that divorce is only acceptable in cases of marital unfaithfulness, and a divorced woman must not remarry. The Law of Moses had taught that oaths must be made to YHWH. Jesus taught that there is no need for oaths because we should have enough honesty in our speech that every sentence we say should have the integrity of an oath by itself, without any need to swear to God. The Law of Moses had taught that wrongdoings must be revenged with equal punishment – an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Jesus taught that revenge is wrong no matter what the circumstance, and instead of repaying evil with evil, we should repay evil with good. The Law of Moses had taught that enemies are to be hated. Jesus taught us to love our enemies.

Jesus raised the moral bar, so to speak. He took the Laws of Moses to a whole new level. According to the Covenant that Jesus established between God and man, those who follow these new moral teachings will be blessed in the age to come, when the Kingdom of God is fulfilled. These include the “meek” and “those who work for peace.”

The dictionary defines “meek” as “Mild of temper; not easily provoked or irritated; patient under injuries; not vain, or haughty, or resentful; forbearing; submissive.”

Because the meek are so submissive, they are the last ones who would ever be expected to “inherit the Earth.” Rulers take advantage of the meek and oppress them, but in the age to come, it is the meek who God will be putting in charge of the world.

The phrase “Those who work for peace” is translated from a Greek word that literally means “peace-doer”. It refers not to those who “work for peace” by waging war and hoping that the war will result in a more peaceful world in the end, but rather, it refers to those who practice peace everyday. It does not refer to those who practice war in order to achieve peace, but rather, to those who practice peace even if doing so results in getting taken advantage of or oppressed by evil rulers. In this way, the word is similar to “meek”.

Those who practice peace – not those who practice war – will be called the sons of God. Although today it is the nations with the most powerful militaries that rule the world, in the age to come – when the Kingdom of God is fulfilled on Earth – those who practice peace and not war will be the ones who rule the world.

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.  If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.  If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.  Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

--Matthew 5:38-42

Christ’s instruction in Matthew 5:28-42 is a significant departure from the Mosaic understanding of justice. The Law of Moses had given every man a right to seek revenge and repay an evil with an evil of equal value. Jesus, however, argued that we must give up this right in order to live a more holy lifestyle. “Be perfect,” Jesus taught us, “just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

According to Jesus, evil is always evil, even if it is repaying a previous evil. A sin is a sin no matter what the context or circumstances. Violence is wrong no matter what, and the fact that it is in response to a previous violence does not do it any justification.

Obviously, this teaching presents major problems for the military. If the men and women of the armed services live by the teachings of Jesus, then they have effectively rendered the military useless. For this reasons, thousands of Christians who serve in the military have tried to rationalize Christ’s words, or simply ignore them.

Christ’s teaching regarding nonviolence, however, is central to the entire Kingdom lifestyle philosophy. It is clear that Christ’s teachings concerning nonviolence were taken very seriously by the first century church, for these teachings are repeated an emphasized throughout the New Testament:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

--John 14:27

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

   “I will take revenge;

      I will pay them back,”

      says the LORD.

--Romans 12:17-19

So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

--Romans 14:19

(But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.)

--1 Corinthians 7:15

Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

--2 Corinthians 13:11

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

--Galatians 5:22

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.  Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.  Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

--Ephesians 4:1-3

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.  Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

--1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

--2 Thessalonians 3:16

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

--Hebrews 12:14

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.  And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

--James 3:17-18

For the Scriptures say,

   “If you want to enjoy life

      and see many happy days,

   keep your tongue from speaking evil

      and your lips from telling lies.

 Turn away from evil and do good.

      Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,

      and his ears are open to their prayers.

   But the Lord turns his face

      against those who do evil.”

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?  But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

--1 Peter 3:10-15

Fortunately, there are some Christians who take these words seriously and life peaceful lives, even in the midst of serious oppression. One example is the Amish. When an Amish man’s son was killed by a gunman, the Amish man did not make any attempt to defend his son through violence. When the gunman later took his own life, an entire Amish congregation attended the gunman’s funeral and visited the gunman’s family in order to comfort the gunman’s family. The Amish forgave the gunman for the murder he committed and told the gunman’s family that they were sorry for the gunman’s family’s loss. This real life example of the love of Jesus serves to demonstrate just how radical Christ’s teachings concerning nonviolence really are.

Moses had provided laws that attempted to prevent evil by threatening vengeance against the evildoer. But for thousands of years, this system was only mediocre at best in terms of actually preventing evil. Jesus presented a new concept of self-sacrifice that does not stop evil from being done, but it challenges even the most fundamental assumptions of the evildoer. The moral system established by Moses was not successful because when a man commits evil, he already knows that others will seek vengeance upon him, and the evildoer comes to expect and prepare for the coming wrath of vengeance. But when a man commits evil but is shown love and forgiveness in return (instead of being shown vengeance) this shocking, radical concept of unconditional love towards even the worst of sinners has the power to change people’s hearts – leading to repentance, reconciliation, and, ultimately, peace.

Jesus commanded us to “do not resist an evil person.” Yet there are times in the gospels when Jesus himself resists evil people. This apparent contradiction arose due because certain connotations in the Greek text were unfortunately lost in translation. The word translated as “resist” in the command “do not resist an evil person” is the Greek military term antistenai. This term literally means “to stand against” but it has the connotation of violent resistance. Jesus did not command us to never resist evil, for Jesus himself resisted Satan’s temptations in the wilderness. Rather, Jesus commanded us to never violently resist evil. Because all violence is inherently evil, this goes hand in hand with another command of Jesus: “Do not repay evil with evil, but overcome evil with good.”