1. Which Gospel contains the Sermon on the

Mount?

2. What does the sermon begin with?

3. What does ‘beatitudes’ translate to?

4. Why might these blessings be viewed as

“strange”?

5. Which categories of people are blessed?

6. What is the key message of the beatitudes?

7. What is meant by ‘right actions, wrong

reasons’?

8. Who were the Pharisees?

9. Why did Jesus prefer spending time with

sinners as opposed to the Pharisees?

10. Which phrase does Jesus repeat during the

Sermon on the Mount after the section on the

beatitudes??

11. What does Jesus say in regards to murder?

12. What does Jesus say in regards to adultery?

13. What does Jesus say in regards to revenge?

14. What does Jesus say in regards to loving your

neighbour?

1. Design a multiple choice quiz on the topic of the Sermon on the Mount (15 questions).

2. Design a detailed mind map outlining the Sermon on the Mount.

3. Design a detailed visual poster outlining the Sermon on the Mount.

Write an extended answer to the question below.

Discuss the statement showing that you have thought of more than one point of view.

d) “Jesus’ moral teachings are not relevant for today.”

Answer in full sentences or copy out the question.

The Beatitudes (Blessings):‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

For they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

For they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,

For they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say

all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad,

because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they

persecuted the prophets who were before you.’

Jesus gives clear teachings on how people

should live their lives. The clearest

collection of these teachings are in

Chapters five to seven of Matthew’s Gospel,

in a section that is often called

The Sermon on the Mount.

The sermon begins with a list of blessings, which are often

called The Beatitudes (which is Latin for ‘blessings’). This list

of blessings is strange in that some of the things on it are not

usually thought of as blessings.

For example, Jesus speaks of the poor, the grieving and

those who suffer, as people who are blessed. But there are

other categories of people on this list who clearly stand for

the sort of behaviour and attitudes Jesus sees as the model

for all human living. So, he praises the peacemakers, the

merciful, the meek and those who hunger and thirst for

righteousness.

One of the key messages of the beatitudes seems to be that

those who are closest to God are often those that the world

does not recognise or value and sometimes even

persecutes.

In another part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses a

phrase over and again which begins ‘You have heard that it

was said…’ and ends with the phrase ‘But I say to you…’

Here Jesus shows the ways in which being a follower of his is

more demanding that the religious Law (Torah) which his

listeners (Jews) have been living by.

He begins this whole section by saying:

‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law…I have not

come to abolish the Law but to fulfil it.’

Jesus says that in the past the Law ruled out murder, but Jesus

says even being angry with someone is unacceptable.

The Law did not allow adultery but Jesus says that even

looking at someone lustfully is unacceptable.

The Law allowed people to take revenge on those who had

harmed them, only paying back in proportion to what had been

suffered (‘an eye for an eye’) but Jesus says that you should

not take revenge at all.

The Law required people to love their neighbour but allowed

them to hate their enemy, but Jesus says you must love your

enemies as well.

At the end of the sermon, he warns people against doing good things but for the

wrong reasons. He speaks about praying, fasting and giving to charity (called

almsgiving) and says that these must always be done in private. Jesus knew that

often people do these good things publicly so that others will think well of them.

Jesus says that people should do these things because they are right, not to get

praise from other people.

The whole of the Sermon on the Mount seems very demanding and almost

impossible. Perhaps the thing Jesus dislikes the most is pride; he doesn’t want

anyone to think that they have achieved all that goodness demands of them.

This is probably why he preferred spending time with sinners who knew they

needed the mercy of God, than he did with the Jewish religious leaders

(Pharisees), who thought they did not.

Matthew 5:3-11

The PhariseesThe Pharisees were an influential religious sect within Judaism in the time of Christ and the early church. They were known for their emphasis on personal piety (the word Pharisee comes from a Hebrew word meaning “separated”), their acceptance of oral tradition in addition to the written Law, and their teaching that all Jews should observe all 613 laws in the Torah, including the rituals concerning ceremonial purification. The Pharisees were mostly middle-class businessmen and leaders of the synagogues. Though they were a minority in the Sanhedrin and held a minority number of positions as priests, they seemed to control the decision-making of the Sanhedrin because they had popular support among the people.

c) Explain how Catholics might use Jesus’ teachings to help them make

an ethical decision.