The Word in Focus with Dr Larry Taylor

Thoughts on the Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5-7

Part 2

Jesus begins the public portion of his ministry: “Surprise! The kingdom of the heavens is here, now.” It’s not pie in the sky by and by. It’s here on this earth right now amid all this chaos and injustice.

“Rethink your life in light of the fact that the kingdom of the heavens is now open to all.” (Matthew 4:17, Dallas Willard, trans.)

Because of his miracles and wisdom, crowds flock to him. People come from all over the region – some with tender hearts and open minds, others with doubts, and still others simply out of curiosity. A handful come to find fault or condemn. 

Israel as an independent sovereign nation has not existed for almost six centuries. They’ve been under the thumb of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Syria, and now Rome. Rome’s rule is brutal. No one dare call their soul their own. Everyone is bludgeoned into submission. Rome ruled by terror, periodically swooping into a village, randomly grabbing several dozen people, and crucifying them. Soldiers were everywhere. Ceasar was an absolute dictator answerable to no one. The majority were poor, oppressed, and broken.

Among the Jews, different stances were taken regarding the relationship with the Roman oppressors. Essenes withdrew and lived in the desert hoping a warlord messiah would show up and kick Roman butt. Zealots armed themselves and trained for underground guerrilla warfare. Pharisees kept and uneasy truce with the occupiers. Sadducees embraced and supported the Romans. Publicans, tax collectors, and tax farmers sold out their own people and worked for Rome, enriching themselves in the process. They were regarded as despicable traitors. Everyone hated them.

All the Jews were living in expectation of messiah. In their minds, messiah would be someone like Moses who would use miracles to overthrow oppressive authority and restore the glories Israel and Judea knew during the reigns of Kings David and Solomon.  

Then Jesus shows up working all sorts of miracles. Surely, they thought, this is messiah – he will use his magic to defeat the Romans, and Israel will at last be free. Right up to the end, even his closest followers expected this.

Instead, Jesus sits down on a hillside and teaches.