Introduction The preparations for Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount began thousands of years earlier, in the Garden of Eden; when God breathed life into Adam and Eve. God’s creation of perfection was defiled by their sinfulness; consequently, they were expelled from the Garden as punishment. Afterward, sin became so prevalent and decadent that God destroyed mankind with a flood; saving only Noah and his family. The Great Flood eliminated nearly the entire earth’s population; however, the sinful nature of man still existed and, as the population grew, so did the need for an ultimate sacrifice for sin. Jesus, the Son of God came to Earth, was born as a human baby to be that sacrifice. At about the age of thirty Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 3:23) and began His ministry by recruiting and educating disciples. For over a year He taught about the kingdom of God and performed miracles. Large crowds began to follow Him, seeking to witness what they had heard regarding His deeds. Jesus gathered His disciples around Him in a high place near the Sea of Galilee; His purpose was to teach the way of discipleship for those who had made a commitment …show more content…
In an act of compassion, He turned six large containers of water into wine, sparing the wedding couple extreme embarrassment. Over the following year, Jesus performed many miracles, taught in the synagogues, and proclaimed the kingdom of God (Matt 4:23-25). His fame grew and the crowds who followed Him became larger. He gathered His disciples around Him and delivered what came to be known as the Sermon on the Mount. Bible scholars estimate that Matthew authored his gospel sometime in the 80s CE (NRSV p. 1746); which would indicate that Matthew must have been in his sixties at the time of authorship. David Bartlett suggests that both Matthew and Luke used the same source for much of their