Why did jesus deliver a version of the sermon on the mount at. It would replace it by a new conception, animate it with a new motive, and turn it toward a new goal. The mormon verson of the sermon on the mount is a beautiful reflection on the gospel that joseph smith surely learned in his experiment with the methodists, in conversation with his own. The book of mormon shows just how important the sermon on the mount is the book of mormon reveals details regarding a vitally important ordinanceritual this discovery would give amazing evidence for the ancient origin of the lds temple endowment.
The sermon of the mount is one of the great and precious things that was mutilated from the record of the jew by the great and abominable. The sermon was addressed partly to a general audience and partly to the twelve disciples exclusively, although the crowd heard it. It challenges the whole underlying conception on which modern society is built. In the sermon jesus gave to the book of mormon peoples, it is recorded that jesus said, they shall be filled with the holy ghost. The sixth of the ten commandments which the lord gave to moses on mount sinai is clear and uncontroversial. Elder hollands insights on how the book of mormon can. It includes some of the most beautiful and remarkable teachings for which christ is known. Latterday saints are especially drawn to the sermon on the mount since the book of mormon records the resurrected jesus delivering a comparable, nearly verbatim version of the same sermon in the new world 3 nephi 1214. Seek the kingdom of god above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. My work identifies over 120 such elements and temple themes in the sermon on the mount, welch said. The focus of jesus teachings was how to live a life pleasing to god and the characteristics of christian discipleship. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under. The holy bible is a precious book teaching gods children about how to stand against earthly depravity and follow gods rules of morality. The hidden meaning of the sermon on the mount deseret news.
Some have argued that the similarities between the sermon on the mount in the new testament and the sermon at the. The sermon on the mount in the jst and the book of mormon. The sermon on the mount and third nephi religious studies center. Welch s book the sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount presented a thorough latterday saint interpretation of the savior s greatest sermon, drawing on insights from jesus s sermon at the temple in 3 nephi to shed light on his sermon on the mount in the gospel of matthew. Cambridge ma as i was preparing this third reflection on the book of mormon you can still read one and two mdash it became clear to me that. Matthew, mark, and luke are called synoptic because they tell many of the same. Welchs, the sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount salt lake city. One of the most famous of these discourses is the sermon on the mount. The temple setting of the sermon on the mount in the book of. For the resurrected lord delivered, on the american continent, essentially the same marvelous address identified in the new testament as the sermon on the mount. We are still under the same obligations, though god will send updated covenantal instructions from time to time via revelation through modern day prophets. Sermon on the mount books meet your next favorite book.
Illuminating the sermon at the temple and sermon on the mount. So many scholars, thinkers, and writers have commented on its verses that, according to hans dieter betz, a complete account of the history of the exegesis of these texts does not exist at the present time and may never exist. Nibley the sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount rediscovering the. The sermon on the mount as contained in both the bible and the book of mormon is the lords blueprint for perfection. When christ visited the book of mormon peoples, he gave them the same sermon, which you can read and compare here. Why has 3 nephi been called the crown jewel of the book of mormon.
Welchs book written for a general audience called the sermon on the mount in the light of the temple london. Here are the main summary points, scriptures, and lessons from the sermon on the mount. During christs visit to the peoples of the book of mormon, he presented teachings to them that closely resemble what he taught in the sermon. It is the first of the five discourses of matthew and takes place relatively early in the ministry of jesus after he has been baptized by john the.
In the book of psalms, david instructed us to set our heart on god. This is a somewhat longer version of the paper read at the latterday saints and the bible session at the society of biblical literature annual convention, november 22, 2014. Sep 29, 2008 all of these are words in the sermon on the mount. Welch, offers, for the first time, a thorough latterday saint interpretation of jesus famous sermon. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. As readers study the epistle of james in the new testament, they may be surprised to learn that james, often called the just and the first bishop of jerusalem, references jesuss sermon on the mount no less than twelve times in his letter. In the sermon on the mount, jesus told us that when we seek god first, we will have all that we need. Welch made his second startling discovery about the book of mormon. The historicity of the matthean sermon on the mount in 3 nephi stan larson. Welch on the temple in the sermon on the mount and the. Problems with the book of mormons use of the sermon on the mount historicity of the sermon on the mount. This sermon is depicted in the gospel of matthew chapters 57. The sermon on the mount in the jst and the book of mormon robert a. Very fascinating insights on the sermon on the mount found in the new testament and the sermon at the temple given in 3rd nephi in the book of mormon and the temple.
Nov 14, 2014 the sermon on the mount holds a special place in the christian canon. Differences between 3rd nephi and the sermon on the mount. The sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount, by john w. The similarities between the sermon on the mount and the sermon at the temple have led many to view the sermon at the temple more as a liability than an asset to the book of mormon. Sep 15, 2020 in conclusion, the sermon on the mount and the sermon at the temple are the updated covenantal instructions whereby gods saints anciently were asked to show their faithful loyalty to god. In new testament palestine, jesus gave the sermon on a mount. The sermon has been one of the most widely quoted elements of the canonical gospels this is the first of the five discourses of matthew, the other four being matthew 10, matthew 153, matthew 18 and the olivet discourse in matthew 24. The sermon on the mount and the book of mormon the things of. Welch examines the presence of a sermon similar to the. One of the points of theology that set members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints mormons apart from the rest of the christian.
What it means to be perfect book of mormon central. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon. Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, says the book of mormon, lest we think that actual poverty is either necessary or. Here i will begin the first of an expected threepart article examining what the book of mormon actually does with the sermon on the mount. In many cases the account in 3 nephi clarifies the new testament accounts.
Elder hollands insights on how the book of mormon can deepen. The book of mormon as a modern expansion of an ancient source 55. The last two chapters i skimmed because they werent as relevant to me, but overall i thought it was very well thought out and i. Sermon on the mount in this chapter we shall consider a literary problem of the book of mormon which involves the new testament.
Moreover, if the sermon at the temple provides a revolutionary insight into the coherence and meaning of the sermon on the mount, this would be difficult to explain as the work of the young, uneducated joseph smithturning the seeming liability of the sermon in the book of mormon into an asset. So central to the saviours teachings, jesus repeated many of these same teachings when visiting the americas as recorded in the book of mormon in 3 nephi 1214. Why did jesus deliver the sermon on the mount to the. The book of mormon clearly indicates changes in intended audience for different parts of the sermon, identifying which instructions apply only to fulltime ministers. His sermon on the mount, jesus teaches his disciples what it means to be a compassionate follower of. This is a significant analysis of the lords sermon at the bountiful temple, which is very similar to the matthean sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount is a collection of sayings and teachings attributed to jesus christ. New testament textual criticism and the historicity of the sermon at the temple 49 2. Illuminating the sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount and the sermon at the temple. This revised edition of welchs 1990 text is a must for any serous student of the book of mormon. It is easy to see this threechapter sermon as an undigested lump sitting there like a doctrinal island with no connection to the teachings that follow.
It always seemed to be an unusual sermon, changing subjects so frequently that i often felt it was. Illuminating the sermon at the temple and the sermon on. For those not of the lds faith, they might find intrest in the questions addressed in this book relating to the differences of the sermon as it is found in mathew and. Both the king james version of the bible and the book of mormon have an account of christ visiting people and providing instruction. Feb 28, 2019 the definitive lds work on the sermon at the temple and its relationship to covenant making people, including temple covenants, is john w. Welch has proposed that the sermon on the mount contains 25 stages each related to the temple. Differences between 3rd nephi and the sermon on the mount ever since the publication of the book of mormon, one of the standard criticisms raised by those seeking to discredit the book has been the assertion that it plagiarizes the king james version of the bible, and the chief instance of alleged plagiarism is the sermon on the mount. Oct 20, 2016 as anita points out, the temple context does actually add meaning both to the sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount. Through the sermon at the temple, some of the things that have baffled new testament scholars about the sermon on the mount become very plain and precious while one can readily see that there are substantial similarities between 3. The book of mormon incorporates the sermon on the mount from matthew in an undeniable fashion in 3 nephi, which is again anachronistic due to the king james text not being created until 1611.
That book is differently ordered and focused and heightens the divine quality of christs ministry. Oct 08, 20 here i will begin the first of an expected threepart article examining what the book of mormon actually does with the sermon on the mount. Does the book of mormon contradict joseph smiths translation. The sermon on the mount in the book of mormonpart 1. Noticing this, some book of mormon critics have accused joseph smith of merely and lazily slapped in portions of the bible into the book of mormon. Textual comparisons between the sermon on the mount and sermon at the temple. The book of mormon shows that the sermon was intended as part of a scriptural tool for the gathering of israel in the last days. In the 5th century, saint augustine began his book our lords sermon on the mount by stating. Just as the sermon on the mount has provided fertile ground for spiritual and scholarly research for hundreds of years in bible studies, the same will undoubtedly be the case with the sermon at the temple in book of mormon research.
A critical examination of its authenticity through a comparison with the sermon on the mount in the gospel. In the sermon on the mount, jesus expanded the commandment. The sermon on the mount in 3 nephi parallels the accounts in matthew and luke, although it is closer to matthew. The temple setting of the sermon on the mount in the book of mormon. Aug 24, 2018 the sermon on the mount is recorded in chapters 57 in the book of matthew. New light on ancient origins the doctrine and covenants by themes. Remarkably, romans 12 and the sermon on the mount teach people the most basic conducts to follow in the context of moralitythat is speaking nicely, not judging other people, and having mercy to the enemy. The author relies especially on crucial information and details that only the book of mormon can supply. Chiasmus in the sermon on the mount chiasmus resources. Welch said the sermon at the temple in the book of mormon also highlights covenant making.
The sermon is found in chapters 12, and 14, which correspond respectively to chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the gospel of matthew. The book of mormon is a book of holy scripture that as you read, you will be able to feel the influence of gods holy spirit testifying of its truthfulness. In the book of mormon, christ visits the inhabitants of what we now know as the americas. Understanding the sermon on the mount meaning both texts in their shared, collective meaning as a temple text reveals that it has far more power and unity than a mere collection of miscellaneous sayings of jesus. Welch s book the sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount presented a thorough latterday saint interpretation of the saviors greatest sermon, drawing on insights from jesus sermon at the temple in 3 nephi to shed light on his sermon on the mount in the gospel of matthew. The book of mormon, which has now reached into more than sixty languages and cultures, is viewed by faithful mormons as a divinely inspired supplement to. The book of mormon tells us that jesus visited the americas in about 34 ad and gives the sermon at the temple during this year. Welchs book the sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount drew on insights from jesuss sermon at the temple in 3 nephi to shed light on the sermon on the mount depicted in the gospel of matthew. I also find it interesting that this textual difference in the greek manuscripts of the sermon on the mount has a significant impact on this verses meaning. The sermon on the mount and the book of mormon lds discussions. The book casts the sermon at the temple as a complex, subtle, original, systematic, coherent, and purposefully orchestrated text p.
The sermon on the mount in the book of mormonpart 1 rational. The sermon on the mount is recorded in the bible book of matthew 57. The sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount. Why did jesus deliver the sermon on the mount to the nephites. The sermon at the temple and the sermon on the mount neal a. Baptism, commandments and covenantal promises are throughout third nephi. The fact that parallel accounts appear in the book of mormon 3 ne. Sermo in monte is a collection of sayings and teachings of jesus christ, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the gospel of matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. Third nephi, he shows, is less like the synoptic gospels than it is like the fourth gospel. In his mortal ministry jesus delivered the sermon on the mount to encourage his disciples to strive toward perfection with full purpose of heart. The book of mormon and the problem of the sermon on the mount. But the book of mormon attests to the authenticity of the discourse recorded in chapters 5, 6, and 7 of the gospel according to st. She stood there at the pulpit and opened her english version of the book of mormon to third nephi, chapter 12, which contains an address by the recently risen christ to the people of ancient america an address that is nearly identical to the saviors remarks known as the sermon on the mount as found in matthew and luke in the bible. During christs visit to the peoples of the book of mormon, he presented teachings to them that closely resemble what he taught in the sermon on the mount, as recorded in the gospel of matthew matthew 57.
Following his resurrection, jesus appeared to the book of mormon people in the western hemisphere and again delivered this sermon. The sermon on the mount anglicized from the matthean vulgate latin section title. The sermon on the mount occupies chapters 5, 6 and 7 of the gospel of matthew. Apr 05, 2015 one of the most famous of these discourses is the sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount outlines many of jesus teachings including the beatitudes, the lords prayer and a charge for us to become perfect. Why did jesus deliver a version of the sermon on the mount. What makes 3 nephi the holy of holies of the book of mormon.
Jesus delivered this message near the beginning of his ministry and it is the longest of jesus sermons recorded in the new testament. But at the same time i have always struggled to place the sermon on the mount in its proper context. An ancient american setting for the book of mormon warfare in the book of mormon by study and also by faith. The beatitudes the first part of christs sermon on the mount is called the beatitudes matthew 5. Sermon on mount relevant today discourse focuses on.
Why did jesus deliver a version of the sermon on the mount at the temple in bountiful. One of my favorite passages is in 3 nephi chapters 1119, where the resurrected lord appears to the people and teaches his gospel. The sermon on the mount and third nephi religious studies. The question of the sermon on the mount rational faiths. It concerns the presence and character of the sermon on the mount in 3 nephi. Mar 04, 1995 over the many years that i have taught the sermon on the mount to my new testament and book of mormon students i have without exception marveled at the beautiful concepts taught by the savior. Why did jesus deliver a version of the sermon on the mount at the.
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