What was the Sermon on the Mount? Are the Beatitudes commandments? Who was Jesus speaking to when he shared them?

"Jesus climbed a mountain, and you won't believe what happened next" is based on Matthew 5:1-16

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Works Referenced

Black, David (@rev.davidblack). Instagram post. October 24, 2025. https://www.instagram.com/p/DQNDw3zCd1f/ 

Case-Winters, Anna. Matthew: A Theological Commentary on the Bible (Belief: a Theological Commentary on the Bible). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2015. Kindle Edition.

Guess, Josina. “The Chicago Pastor Who Confronted ICE in a Viral Photo.” Sojourners. October 23, 2025. https://sojo.net/articles/interview/chicago-pastor-who-confronted-ice-viral-photo

Jones, Terry. Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Handmade Films, 1979.

Kanno-Youngs, Zolan, Tim Balk, and Erica L. Green. "Bishop Asks Trump to ‘Have Mercy’ on Immigrants and Gay Children." The New York Times. January 21, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/trump-bishop.html

Levine, Amy-Jill and Mark Zvi Brettler, editors. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017. Kindle Edition.

Powell, Mark Allen. Matthew (Interpretation Bible Commentary). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2025. Kindle Edition.

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Medium, Twitter, or Tik Tok. Questions? Write us at [email protected].