The Sermon on the Mount

The sermon we are looking at in this book, what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount, occurred at the beginning of Jesus's ministry, when He was about thirty years old. Jesus has just recently been baptized by John at the Jordan River, then He spent forty days and nights fasting in the wilderness and undergoing temptation. After the temptation, we see Him going through the region of Galilee where He comes across, and calls four fishermen, the first of His disciples: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. These five men then go throughout Galilee, into synagogues, where Jesus teaches, and through the streets and roads where He preaches to and heals people.

Vast multitudes of people hear about this extraordinary man who is able to heal people just by touching them, so the people start to flow into Galilee. Not only are the people from Galilee coming, but Matthew tells us they were coming from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. (Matthew 4:25) One day this large crowd following Jesus goes up a mountain with Him and He sits down. His four called disciples come closer to Him so they can be sure they hear what He is about to say. A hush falls over the crowd as they wait with eagerness.