The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes Quiz

Answer:

In chapters five to seven of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount, from what is traditionally believed to be the summit of the Mount of Beatitudes, overlooking the Sea of Galilee in north-eastern Israel.

By the time of the delivery of the sermon, Jesus had a significant following owing to his public ministry in Galilee and because of his healings and miracles. Seeing the large crowd that was accompanying him, he climbed to the summit to take advantage of the opportunity to teach his vision of good ethical living.

The sermon was addressed to the large crowd which had gathered, but its focus was towards his disciples, explaining to them what he saw as the way to live in accordance with God's will, concentrating on inner spiritual development as much as external demonstration of piety and obedience, so that they could follow his lead and spread His word.

The Beatitudes formed part of the wider teachings of the Sermon on the Mount that established a framework for Christian living, emphasising humility and trust in God, and placing love and forgiveness at its heart. It also expressed the clear recognition that the Kingdom of God was a place for all those who lived a good life, who embodied the values of peace and love and who placed the value of doing the right thing above personal gain.

The Beatitudes from Matthew have an interesting companion in the Sermon on the Plain from Luke chapter 6. Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Plain, having just selected his twelve apostles from among his disciples. This Sermon, more directly aimed at the disciples themselves, also contains blessings but also woes, warning them about straying from the righteous path.

Luke's blessings and woes echo Matthew's Beatitudes, but focus instead on material poverty and hunger rather than the spiritual equivalents mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount, such as

"Blessed are you who are poor" (Luke 6:20) and
"Blessed are you who hunger now" (Luke 6:21)

It suggests that the suffering of the poor, hungry, and marginalized will be reversed in God's kingdom.

The woes by contrast warn of the spiritual complacency that comes with being rich or well-fed and ignoring the suffering of those who do not share this good fortune. It suggests that the inherent danger of such behaviour is to be led astray from God's path and the rewards of a good life in heaven. Those in possession of good fortune should "love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great" (Luke 6:35).