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This chapter, and the two that follow it, are a sermon; a famous sermon; the sermon upon the mount. It is the longest and fullest continued discourse of our Saviour that we have upon record in all the gospels. It is a practical discourse; there is not much of the credenda of Christianity in it - the things to be believed, but it is wholly taken up with the agenda - the things to be done; these Christ began with in his preaching; for if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. The circumstances of the sermon being accounted for (Mat 5:1, Mat 5:2), the sermon itself follows, the scope of which is, not to fill our heads with notions, but to guide and regulate our practice. I. He proposes blessedness as the end, and gives us the character of those who are entitled to blessedness (very different from the sentiments of a vain world), in eight beatitudes, which may justly be called paradoxes (Mat 5:3-12). II. He prescribes duty as the way, and gives us standing rules of that duty. He directs his disciples, 1. To understand what they are - the salt of the earth, and the lights of the world (Mat 5:13-16). 2. To understand what they have to do - they are to be governed by the moral law. Here is, (1.) A general ratification of the law, and a recommendation of it to us, as our rule (Mat 5:17-20). (2.) A particular rectification of divers mistakes; or, rather, a reformation of divers wilful, gross corruptions, which the scribes and Pharisees had introduced in their exposition of the law; and an authentic explication of divers branches which most needed to be explained and vindicated (Mat 5:20). Particularly, here is an explication, [1.] Of the sixth commandment, which forbids murder (Mat 5:21-26). [2.] Of the seventh commandment, against adultery (Mat 5:27-32). [3.] Of the third commandment (Mat 5:33-37). [4.] Of the law of retaliation (Mat 5:38-42). [5.] Of the law of brotherly love (Mat 5:43-48). And the scope of the whole is, to show that the law is spiritual.

And seeing the multitudes,.... The great concourse of people that followed him from the places before mentioned, he went up into a mountain; either to pray alone, which was sometimes his custom to do, or to shun the multitude; or rather, because it was a commodious place for teaching the people: and when he was set: not for rest, but in order to teach; for sitting was the posture of masters, or teachers, see Mat 13:2 Luk 4:20. The form in which the master and his disciples sat is thus described by Maimonides (z). "The master sits at the head, or in the chief place, and the disciples before him in a circuit, like a crown; so that they all see the master, and hear his words; and the master may not sit upon a seat, and the scholars upon the ground; but either all upon the earth, or upon seats: indeed from the beginning, or formerly, "the master used to sit", and the disciples stand; but before the destruction of the second temple, all used to teach their disciples as they were sitting.'' With respect to this latter custom, the Talmudists say (a), that "from the days of Moses, to Rabban Gamaliel (the master of the Apostle Paul), they did not learn the law, unless standing; after Rabban Gamaliel died, sickness came into the world, and they learnt the law sitting: hence it is a tradition, that after Rabban Gamaliel died, the glory of the law ceased.'' His disciples came unto him; not only the twelve, but the company, or multitude, of his disciples, Luk 6:17 which he made in the several places, where he had been preaching; for the number of his disciples was larger than John's. (z) Hilch. Talmud Torah, c. 4. sect. 2. (a) T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 21. 1. Vid. Misn. Sota, c. 9. sect. 15. & Jarchi, Maimon, & Bartenora in ib.

And he opened his mouth,.... He spoke with a clear and strong voice, that all the people might hear him; and with great freedom, utterance, and cheerfulness, and things of the greatest moment and importance; and taught them; not his disciples only, but the whole multitude, who heard him with astonishment; see Mat 7:28. Some things in the following discourse are directed to the disciples in particular, and others regard the multitude in general.

See how unambitious He was, and void of boasting: in that He did not lead people about with Him, but whereas, when healing was required, He had Himself gone about everywhere, visiting both towns and country places; now when the multitude is become very great, He sits in one spot: and that not in the midst of any city or forum, but on a mountain and in a wilderness; instructing us to do nothing for display, and to separate ourselves from the tumults of ordinary life, and this most especially, when we are to study wisdom, and to discourse of things needful to be done. But when He had gone up into the mount, and was set down, His disciples came unto Him. Seest thou their growth in virtue? and how in a moment they became better men? Since the multitude were but gazers on the miracles, but these from that hour desired also to hear some great and high thing. And indeed this it was set Him on His teaching, and made Him begin this discourse. For it was not men's bodies only that He was healing, but He was also amending their souls; and again from the care of these He would pass to attendance on the other. Thus He at once varied the succor that He gave, and likewise mingled with the instruction afforded by His words, the manifestation of His glory from His works; and besides, He stopped the shameless mouths of the heretics, signifying by this His care of both parts of our being, that He Himself is the Maker of the whole creation. Therefore also on each nature He bestowed abundant providence, now amending the one, now the other. And it is said, that He opened His mouth, and taught them. And wherefore is the clause added, He opened His mouth? To inform thee that in His very silence He gave instruction, and not when He spoke only: but at one time by opening His mouth, at another uttering His voice by the works which He did. But when thou hearest that He taught them, do not think of Him as discoursing with His disciples only, but rather with all through them. For since the multitude was such as a multitude ever is, and consisted moreover of such as creep on the ground, He withdraws the choir of His disciples, and makes His discourse unto them: in His conversation with them providing that the rest also, who were yet very far from the level of His sayings, might find His lesson of self-denial no longer grievous unto them.

(Chapter 5, Verses 1, 2.) But Jesus, seeing the crowds, went up the mountain, and when he had sat down, his disciples came to him. And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying, 'The Lord goes up to the mountains, so that he may draw the multitudes to higher things with him. But the crowds are not able to ascend. And the disciples follow, to whom he speaks not standing, but sitting and huddled. For they were not able to understand him shining in his majesty.' According to the letter, some of the simpler brothers think that he taught the Beatitudes and the rest that follow on the Mount of Olives, which is not at all the case: for from what precedes and follows, the place is shown to be in Galilee, which we thought was either Mount Tabor or any other lofty mountain. Finally, after he finished his speeches, it immediately follows: But when he entered Capernaum.

(de Serm. in Mont. i. 1.) Or, the phrase is introductory of an address longer than ordinary. (ubi sup.) Whoever will take the trouble to examine with a pious and sober spirit, will find in this sermon a perfect code of the Christian life as far as relates to the conduct of daily life. Accordingly the Lord concludes it with the words, Every man who heareth these words of mine and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, & c.

Wherever it is said that the Lord opened His mouth, we may know how great things are to follow.

(Moral. iv. 1.) When the Lord on the mountain is about to utter His sublime precepts, it is said, Opening his month he taught them, He who had before opened the mouth of the Prophets.

And He opened His mouth. Why does the evangelist say, "He opened His mouth"? It would appear that this is superfluous; but it is not. For He also taught without opening His mouth. How did He do this? By His life and His miracles. But now He opens His mouth and teaches. And taught them, saying. He taught not only His disciples, but the multitude as well. He begins with the beatitudes, "Blessed are they," just as David began the Psalms with the beatitude, "Blessed is the man" (Ps. 1:1).

He opened his mouth and taught them. By saying, he opened, is signified that for a long time previously he had been silent. And it shows that he was about to make a great and long sermon, as Augustine says. Or that he was about to utter great and profound things; for men were wont to do that: "After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth" (Jb 3:1). He says, his, for previously he had opened the mouth of the prophets: "Wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb and made the tongues of babes speak clearly" (Wis 10:21); for he is the wisdom of the Father. But here a question arises: for many statements of this sermon are also presented in Luke (6:20ff). But there seems to be contrariety between the one and the other, as is clear from the text. Augustine presents two solutions to this: one is that this sermon is distinct from that; for he first went up the mountain to give this sermon to disciples and later came down to find a crowd assembled, to whom he gave the same sermon in summary form. The latter is what Luke recorded. Or it might be that there was one mountain, which had a plateau on the side and this plateau was atop a small mountain. Hence, the Lord went up the mountain, i.e., the plateau of that mountain. First, he went up higher and assembled the disciples. Then he chose 12 apostles. Later, he descended and found a crowd assembled. When the disciples joined them, he sat down and gave that sermon to the crowd and to the disciples. And this seems to be correct, because Matthew says at the end of the sermon (7:28) that the crowds were astonished at his teaching. Yet, whichever way it is taken, there is no contrariety.

THE BEATITUDES, AND THEIR BEARING UPON THE WORLD. (Mat. 5:1-16) And seeing the multitudes--those mentioned in Mat 4:25. he went up into a mountain--one of the dozen mountains which ROBINSON says there are in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee, any one of them answering about equally well to the occasion. So charming is the whole landscape that the descriptions of it, from JOSEPHUS downwards [Wars of the Jews, 4.10,8], are apt to be thought a little colored. and when he was set--had sat or seated Himself. his disciples came unto him--already a large circle, more or less attracted and subdued by His preaching and miracles, in addition to the smaller band of devoted adherents. Though the latter only answered to the subjects of His kingdom, described in this discourse, there were drawn from time to time into this inner circle souls from the outer one, who, by the power of His matchless word, were constrained to forsake their all for the Lord Jesus.

And he opened his mouth--a solemn way of arousing the reader's attention, and preparing him for something weighty. (Job 9:1; Act 8:35; Act 10:34). and taught them, saying--as follows.