Theology Book Review Assignment: The Sermon on the Mountain (Book Review Sample)

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The Sermon on the Mountain
A notable interpretive question is whether Luke and Matthew are recounting a similar teaching from Jesus on the same occasion. The pattern is similar as both begin with beatitudes (Luke 6:20-26 and Matthew 5:1-12). Nonetheless, there are also noteworthy differences in the two gospels. The wording of the sermon in Matthew is longer and not always alike to Luke. On many of his teachings, Jesus may have taught similar messages, thus, Luke and Matthew’s records might be a reflection of His teaching on two separate circumstances. Critics of the two gospels always point out Matthew 5:1 which states, “Jesus went up the mountain” in distinction to Luke 6:17, which allude to Jesus delivering his fables “in the plain”. Looking at the two scriptures there is abundance in harmony in agreement in the two gospels. Jesus starts his teachings with four beatitudes in Luke 6:20-23 as compared to the eight in Matthew 5:3-10.
The reason for the difference is the wording in the two scriptures. For example in Luke 6:20-21, “Blessed are ye poor”, whereas in Matthew 5:3-4, “Blessed are the poor in spirit”. The beatitudes in Matthew are third in person “Blessed are the poor in spirit”, while in Luke they are in the second person “Blessed be ye poor”. Matthew does not have records of “woes”, which are...