Lesson 8: The Sermon on the Mount: “A More Excellent Way”

"Lesson 8: The Sermon on the Mount: “A More Excellent Way”," New Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2002)

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Purpose

To encourage class members to come unto Christ by applying the principles he taught in the Sermon on the Mount.

Preparation

 Institute Materials -- http://institute.lds.org/manuals/new-testament-institute-student-manual/nt-in-03-3-8.asp

1. Read, ponder, and pray about the following scriptures:

a. Matthew 5:1–12. On a mount in Galilee, Jesus teaches the Beatitudes to his disciples. b. Matthew 5:13–16. Jesus declares that his disciples are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.”
c. Matthew 5:17–48. Jesus declares that he has come to fulfill the law of Moses, and he teaches a higher law.

2. Additional reading: Luke 6:17–36; Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 14:35–37; Mosiah 13:28–35; Alma 34:13–16; 3 Nephi 12; Ether 12:11; Bible Dictionary, “Beatitudes,” 620; and “Sermon on the Mount,” 771–72.
3. If you use the attention activity, provide each class member with a pen or pencil and a piece of paper. 4. If the following materials are available, use them during the lesson:

a. The picture Sermon on the Mount (62166; Gospel Art Picture Kit 212).
b. A container of salt and a lamp.

5.Suggestion for teaching: Jesus Christ is the Master Teacher. As you study the Sermon on the Mount, notice his teaching methods and look for ways you can emulate him as a teacher. 

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The Beatitudes with my own annotations -- Claudia

1. poor in spirit  -- recognizing a lack -- and coming to the true source to fill that lack
2. mourn  -- repenting -- Godly sorrow  (or grieving)
3. meek  -- humbling yourself before God -- willing to serve others-- willing to override pride when conflict occurs, but meekness is not being a milk-toast or a doormat.
4. hunger and thirst -- seeking to know about God and His plan for you, and to act -- seeking to know and to DO righteousness (I think this also includes seeking to mingle with the righteous.)
5. merciful -- dealing righteously with others
6. pure in heart  -- becoming purified through the Atonement of Christ
7. peacemakers  -- reaching out to share the joy of the Gospel with others -- within your own home and beyond  -- What better way to make peace? Applying what you know to conflict situations.
8. persecuted  -- valiant in the testimony of Christ

From a footnote in Matthew:   The Latin beatus is the basis of the English “beatitude,” meaning “to be fortunate,” “to be happy,” or “to be blessed.” TG Blessing.
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The Gospel According to St Matthew^*

Chapter 5

Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount—Its teachings replace and transcend some aspects of the law of Moses—All are commanded to be perfect like their Father in Heaven.

 1^aAnd seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

 3^aBlessed are the ^bpoor in spirit: for theirs is the ^ckingdom of heaven.

 4Blessed are they that ^amourn: for they shall be ^bcomforted.

 5Blessed are the ^ameek: for they shall inherit the ^bearth.

 6Blessed are they which do ^ahunger and thirst after ^brighteousness: for they shall be filled.

 7Blessed are the ^amerciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

 8Blessed are the ^apure in ^bheart: for they shall ^csee God.

 9Blessed are the ^apeacemakers: for they shall be called the ^bchildren of God.

 10Blessed are they which are ^apersecuted for ^brighteousness’ sake: for ^ctheirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11Blessed are ye, when men shall ^arevile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of ^bevil against you falsely, ^cfor my sake.

 12^aRejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your ^breward in heaven: for so ^cpersecuted they the prophets which were before you.

13-16  Responsibilities of Members of the Kingdom

 13¶Ye are the ^asalt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

 14Ye are the ^alight of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

 15Neither do men light a ^acandle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

 16Let your ^alight so shine before men, that they may see your good ^bworks, and ^cglorify your Father which is in heaven.

 17¶Think not that I am come to ^adestroy the ^blaw, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the ^alaw, till all be ^bfulfilled.

 19Whosoever therefore shall ^abreak one of these least commandments, ^band shall ^cteach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and ^dteach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 20For I say unto you, That except your ^arighteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the ^bscribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 21¶Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou ^ashalt not ^bkill; and whosoever shall kill shall be ^cin danger of the judgment:

 22But I say unto you, That whosoever is ^aangry with his brother ^bwithout a cause shall be ^cin danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, ^dRaca, shall be ^ein danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be ^areconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

 25^aAgree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

 26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid ^athe uttermost farthing.

 27¶Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit ^aadultery:

 28But I say unto you, That whosoever ^alooketh on a ^bwoman to ^clust after her hath committed ^dadultery with her already in his heart.

 29And if thy right eye ^aoffend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into ^bhell.

 30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.^a

 31It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of ^adivorcement:

 32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall ^aput away his ^bwife, saving for the cause of ^cfornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

 33¶Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not ^aforswear thyself, but shalt ^bperform unto the Lord thine ^coaths:

 34But I say unto you, ^aSwear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s ^bthrone:

 35Nor by the earth; for it is his ^afootstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the ^bcity of the great King.

 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

 37But let your ^acommunication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh ^bof evil.

 38¶Ye have heard that it hath been said, An ^aeye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

 39But I say unto you, That ye resist not ^aevil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right ^bcheek, ^cturn to him the other also.

 40And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

 41And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

 42^aGive to him that asketh thee, and from him that would ^bborrow of thee turn not thou away.

 43¶Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt ^alove thy ^bneighbour, and hate thine enemy.

 44But I say unto you, ^aLove your ^benemies, ^cbless them that ^dcurse you, do ^egood to them that ^fhate you, and ^gpray for them which despitefully use you, and ^hpersecute you;

 45That ye ^amay be the ^bchildren of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth ^crain on the just and on the unjust.

 46For if ye ^alove them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

 47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

 48^aBe ye therefore ^bperfect, even as your ^cFather which is in heaven is ^dperfect.

© 2011  from LDS.org

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Luke 6
 17¶And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

 18And they that were vexed with ^aunclean spirits: and they were healed.

 19And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went ^avirtue out of him, and ^bhealed them all.

 20¶And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye ^apoor: for yours is the ^bkingdom of God.

 21Blessed are ye that ^ahunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall ^blaugh.

 22Blessed are ye, when men shall ^ahate you, and when they shall ^bseparate you from their company, and shall ^creproach you, and ^dcast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

 23^aRejoice ye in that day, and leap for ^bjoy: for, behold, your ^creward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

 24But woe unto you that are ^arich! for ye have ^breceived your consolation.

 25Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

 26Woe unto you, when all ^amen shall speak ^bwell of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

 27¶But I say unto you which hear, ^aLove your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

 28Bless them that curse you, and ^apray for them which despitefully use you.

 29^aAnd unto him that ^bsmiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that ^ctaketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

 30^aGive to every man that ^basketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

 31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

 32For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

 33And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

 34And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

 35But ^alove ye your enemies, and do good, and ^blend, hoping for nothing again; and your ^creward shall be great, and ye shall be the ^dchildren of the Highest: for he is kind unto the ^eunthankful and to the evil.

 36Be ye therefore ^amerciful, as your Father also is ^bmerciful.

 37^aJudge not, and ye shall not be judged: ^bcondemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be ^cforgiven:

 38^aGive, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same ^bmeasure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

 39And he spake a parable unto them, Can the ^ablind ^blead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ^cditch?

 40The disciple is not above his master: but every one ^athat is perfect shall be as his master.

 41And why beholdest thou the ^amote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

 42Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

 43For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt ^afruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

 44For every tree is known by his own ^afruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

 45A good man out of the good treasure of his ^aheart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the ^bheart his ^cmouth ^dspeaketh.

 46¶And why ^acall ye me, ^bLord, Lord, and ^cdo not the things which I say?

 47Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and ^adoeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

 48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

 49But he that ^aheareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

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Joseph Smith Translation     Luke 14:35–37

 35Then certain of them came to him, saying, Good Master, we have Moses and the prophets, and whosoever shall live by them, shall he not have life?

 36And Jesus answered, saying, Ye know not Moses, neither the prophets; for if ye had known them, ye would have believed on me; for to this intent they were written. For I am sent that ye might have life. Therefore I will liken it unto salt which is good;

 37But if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

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Mosiah  -- Chapter 13

 28And moreover, I say unto you, that ^asalvation doth not come by the ^blaw alone; and were it not for the ^catonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.

 29And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very ^astrict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, ^bquick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God;

 30Therefore there was a ^alaw given them, yea, a law of performances and of ^bordinances, a law which they were to ^cobserve strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him.

 31But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were ^atypes of things to come.

 32And now, did they ^aunderstand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved ^bexcept it were through the redemption of God.

 33For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea, and even ^aall the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began—have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?

 34Have they not said that ^aGod himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?

 35Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass the ^aresurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?

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Alma 34: 13-16
13Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a ^astop to the shedding of ^bblood; then shall the ^claw of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.

 14And behold, this is the whole ^ameaning of the ^blaw, every whit ^cpointing to that great and last ^dsacrifice; and that great and last ^esacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, ^finfinite and eternal.

 15And thus he shall bring ^asalvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

 16And thus ^amercy can satisfy the demands of ^bjustice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of ^cjustice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal ^dplan of ^eredemption.

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Third Nephi   The Book of Nephi the Son of Nephi, Who Was the Son of Helaman

Chapter 12

Jesus calls and commissions the Twelve—He delivers to the Nephites a discourse similar to the Sermon on the Mount—He speaks the Beatitudes—His teachings transcend and take precedence over the law of Moses—Men are commanded to be perfect even as he and his Father are perfect—Compare Matthew 5. About A.D. 34.

 1^aAnd it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to ^bbaptize, was ^ctwelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: ^dBlessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have ^echosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.

 2And again, more blessed are they who shall ^abelieve in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall ^bbelieve in your ^cwords, and ^dcome down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited ^ewith fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.

 3Yea, blessed are the ^apoor in spirit who ^bcome unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 4And again, blessed are all they that ^amourn, for they shall be ^bcomforted.

 5And blessed are the ^ameek, for they shall inherit the ^bearth.    Search "meekness"

 6And blessed are all they who do ^ahunger and ^bthirst after ^crighteousness, for they shall be ^dfilled with the Holy Ghost.

 7And blessed are the ^amerciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

 8And blessed are all the ^apure in heart, for they shall ^bsee God.

 9And blessed are all the ^apeacemakers, for they shall be called the ^bchildren of God.

 10And blessed are all they who are ^apersecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11And blessed are ye when men shall ^arevile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;

 12For ^aye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your ^breward in heaven; for so ^cpersecuted they the prophets who were before you.

 13Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the ^asalt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.

 14Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

 15Behold, do men light a ^acandle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;

 16Therefore let your ^alight so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and ^bglorify your Father who is in heaven.

 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfil;

 18For verily I say unto you, ^aone jot nor one tittle hath not passed away from the ^blaw, but in me it hath all been fulfilled.

 19And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a ^abroken heart and a contrite spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the ^blaw is fulfilled.

 20Therefore ^acome unto me and be ye saved; for verily I say unto you, that except ye shall keep my ^bcommandments, which I have commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 21Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is also written before you, that thou shalt not ^akill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God;

 22But I say unto you, that whosoever is ^aangry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 23Therefore, ^aif ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee—

 24Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be ^areconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full ^bpurpose of heart, and I will receive you.

 25^aAgree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time he shall get thee, and thou shalt be cast into prison.

 26Verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost senine. And while ye are in prison can ye pay even one ^asenine? Verily, verily, I say unto you, Nay.

 27Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit ^aadultery;

 28But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to ^alust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.

 29Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer ^anone of these things to enter into your ^bheart;

 30For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your ^across, than that ye should be cast into hell.

 31It hath been written, that whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of ^adivorcement.

 32Verily, verily, I say unto you, that whosoever shall ^aput away his wife, saving for the cause of ^bfornication, causeth her to commit ^cadultery; and whoso shall marry her who is divorced committeth adultery.

 33And again it is written, thou shalt not ^aforswear thyself, but shalt ^bperform unto the Lord thine ^coaths;

 34But verily, verily, I say unto you, ^aswear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

 35Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;

 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair black or white;

 37But let your ^acommunication be ^bYea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever cometh of more than these is evil.

 38And behold, it is written, an ^aeye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;

 39But I say unto you, that ye shall not ^aresist evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right ^bcheek, ^cturn to him the other also;

 40And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, ^alet him have thy cloak also;

 41And whosoever shall compel thee to ^ago a mile, go with him twain.

 42^aGive to him that asketh thee, and from him that would ^bborrow of thee turn thou not away.

 43And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy;

 44But behold I say unto you, love your ^aenemies, bless them that curse you, do ^bgood to them that hate you, and ^cpray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;

 45That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise ^aon the evil and on the good.

 46Therefore those things which were of old time, which were under the law, in me are all ^afulfilled.

 47^aOld things are done away, and all things have become ^bnew.

 48Therefore I would that ye should be ^aperfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

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Ether 12:11
11Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the ^agift of his Son hath God prepared a more ^bexcellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.
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Beatitudes  from the Bible Dictionary
Beatitudes. Name given to certain declarations of blessedness in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:3–11, cf. Luke 6:20–22). They describe certain elements that go to form the refined and spiritual character, and all of which will be present whenever that character exists in its perfection. Rather than being isolated statements, the Beatitudes are interrelated and progressive in their arrangement. A more comprehensive and accurate listing is found in 3 Ne. 12 and JST Matt. 5, where a greater spiritual emphasis is given.
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Sermon on the Mount  -- entry from the Bible Dictionary

Sermon on the Mount. Matt. 5:1–7:29. A discourse by the Lord to his disciples who were about to be sent forth on missions. It should be placed chronologically soon after the calling of the Twelve. It is similar in many respects to a sermon recorded in Luke 6:20–49, although the Matthew account contains more pointed references to the law, the prophets, and the individual calling and responsibility of the disciples. The Luke account appears to have a more general application. For example, “Ye are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13); “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14); and, “take no thought, saying, What shall we eat … drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed” (Matt. 6:31) do not occur in the Luke account. The Sermon in Matthew is greatly clarified by the JST, and a similar sermon recorded in 3 Ne. 12–14. These sources reveal that certain plain and precious information has not survived in the KJV account.

A brief analysis of the Matthew record is as follows:

1. The subjects of the kingdom: their character and privileges (5:3–12), and their responsibility (5:13–16).
2. The kingdom of heaven in relation to the law (5:17–48) and Pharisaic rules (6:1–34). It is the highest fulfillment of the law in regard to the Decalogue (5:21–37); the law of retaliation (5:38–42); and love or charity (5:43–48). It exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees in regard to almsgiving (6:1–4); prayer (6:5–15); fasting (6:16–18); and earthly possessions and daily cares (6:19–34).
3. Characteristics of the life within the kingdom: judgment on others (7:1–6); the Father’s love for his children (7:7–12); the narrow entrance (7:13–14); the danger of false guides and the test of the true (7:15–23); a description of the true subjects of the kingdom, as distinguished from the false (7:24–27).

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Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity -- Invitations

As appropriate, use the following activity or one of your own to begin the lesson.
Give each class member a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Explain that the scriptures include many invitations from the Savior. You may want to have class members read the Savior’s invitations in Matthew 11:28–29 and 3 Nephi 27:27. Ask class members to write The Savior invites me to: at the top of the piece of paper. Then explain that this lesson focuses on the Sermon on the Mount, which contains many invitations from the Savior. Encourage class members to look for invitations during the lesson and to write them on the piece of paper.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles. Because it would be difficult to ask every question or cover every point in the lesson, prayerfully select those that will best meet class members’ needs.

1. Jesus teaches the Beatitudes to his disciples.

Explain that many centuries after the premortal Christ gave the law of Moses on Mount Sinai, the mortal Messiah ascended another mount to proclaim a higher law in a discourse known as the Sermon on the Mount. Display the picture of the Sermon on the Mount.
The first teachings in this sermon are known as the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1–12). The word beatitude comes from the Latin beatus, which means fortunate, happy, or blessed (Matthew 5:3, footnote 3a). Read the Beatitudes and discuss them as outlined below.

• Matthew 5:3. What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? (To be humble; see footnote 3b. See also 3 Nephi 12:3.) Why is it important that we be humble? How can we become more humble? • Matthew 5:4. What are some ways the Lord provides for us to be comforted? (See John 14:26–27 and Mosiah 18:8–9 for some examples.)

John 14:26–27

26But the ^aComforter, which is the ^bHoly Ghost, whom the Father will send in my ^cname, he shall ^dteach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 27^aPeace I leave with you, my ^bpeace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be ^ctroubled, neither let it be afraid.

 Mosiah 18:8–9 

 8And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are ^adesirous to come into the ^bfold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 9Yea, and are ^awilling to mourn with those that ^bmourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as ^cwitnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the ^dfirst resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

How have you been comforted in times of mourning? • Matthew 5:5. What does it mean to be meek? (To be gentle, forgiving, or benevolent; see footnote 5a.) How can we develop meekness? (See Mosiah 3:19; Alma 7:23; 13:28.) • Matthew 5:6. What did Jesus promise those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness”? (See Matthew 5:6; 3 Nephi 12:6.) What can we do to lift our appetites from the things of the world to things of righteousness? • Matthew 5:7. How can we show mercy to others? Why do we need mercy from the Lord? (See Alma 42:13–15.) • Matthew 5:8. What do you think it means to have a pure heart? How can we purify our hearts? (See Helaman 3:35.) Why must we have pure hearts if we are to see God and dwell with him? (See Moses 6:57.) • Matthew 5:9. How can we be peacemakers in our homes and communities?
• Matthew 5:10–12. Why are righteous people sometimes persecuted? How should we respond to persecution? (See Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:35.)

If you used the attention activity, ask class members to list invitations in the Beatitudes that they feel are especially helpful for them.

2. Jesus declares that his disciples are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.”

Read and discuss Matthew 5:13–16. As you discuss these verses, you may want to display a container of salt and a lamp.

• Jesus said that his disciples are “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13; D&C 101:39). What are some uses for salt? (Answers may include that salt is a seasoning and a preservative.) How can Latter-day Saints be “the salt of the earth”? • Invite a class member to read Doctrine and Covenants 103:9–10. What insights do these verses add about what it means to be “the salt of the earth”? How can we be “the saviors of men”? (Answers may include sharing the gospel and doing temple work.)
• How can Latter-day Saints be “the light of the world”? (Matthew 5:14; see also verse Matthew 5:16). What happens when a candle is placed “under a bushel”? (Matthew 5:15; note that a bushel is a large basket). How do we as Church members sometimes put our light under a bushel? How can we let our light shine in a way that will lead others to “glorify [our] Father … in heaven”? (See Matthew 5:16; 3 Nephi 18:24.)

3. Jesus teaches a higher law than the law of Moses.

Discuss Matthew 5:17–48. Invite class members to read selected verses aloud.

• Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law of Moses, not to destroy it (Matthew 5:17–18). How did he fulfill the law of Moses?
Explain that the law of Moses had been “given to the children of Israel, … for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God.” It was “a law of performances and of ordinances, … which [the Israelites] were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him” (Mosiah 13:29–30). Those who understood the law “[looked] forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law [was] fulfilled. For, for this end was the law given” (2 Nephi 25:24–25).
The Savior fulfilled the law of Moses when he atoned for our sins (Alma 34:13–16). After the Atonement, the people were no longer commanded to make animal sacrifices, which had been required as part of the law of Moses to point to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Instead, the people were commanded to “offer for a sacrifice … a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 9:20; see also verse 3 Nephi 9:19).

• Jesus said that his disciples’ righteousness should “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” (Matthew 5:20). What was lacking from the “righteousness” of the scribes and Pharisees? (They focused only on outward appearances of the law and ignored the importance of inner faithfulness. If they had observed the law as it was given, they would have recognized Jesus as the Messiah.)

In the upper left corner of the chalkboard, write Ye have heard that it was said. Explain that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used these words when he referred to commandments that were part of the law of Moses. In the upper right corner of the chalkboard, write But I say unto you. Point out that Jesus used these words when he taught his disciples his higher law.

• In Matthew 5:21, what ancient law did Jesus refer to? (Write Thou shalt not kill below Ye have heard that it was said.) What higher law did Jesus give concerning this commandment? (See Matthew 5:22. Write Do not get angry below But I say unto you. Note that the phrase “without a cause” does not appear in the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 5:22 or in 3 Nephi 12:22.) How is the commandment to avoid anger a higher law than the commandment against murder? How do feelings of anger affect our relationship with God? What can we do to control feelings of anger and seek to eliminate them from our lives? • The Savior spoke of bringing a “gift to the altar,” referring to the ancient practice of bringing sacrificial offerings to the altar (Matthew 5:23). What did Jesus say his disciples should do if they had angry feelings as they prepared to bring a gift to the altar? (See Matthew 5:23–24.) How might this apply to us? • What should we do when someone has offended us? (See Matthew 5:24; 18:15; D&C 64:8–11.) What are the dangers of waiting for a person who has offended us to ask for our forgiveness? • In Matthew 5:27, what ancient law did Jesus refer to? (Write Thou shalt not commit adultery below Ye have heard that it was said.) What law did Jesus give to supersede this commandment? (See Matthew 5:28. Write Avoid lustful thoughts below But I say unto you.) What are some results of unclean thoughts? (See Mosiah 4:30; Alma 12:14; D&C 63:16.) What can we do to keep our thoughts pure? • The Joseph Smith Translation says that the eye and hand mentioned in Matthew 5:29–30 represent sins (Matthew 5:30, footnote 30a). What do these verses teach us about how we should deal with our sins? • As recorded in Matthew 5:33, how did people in Old Testament times signify that they were telling the truth? (Write Perform oaths to the Lord below Ye have heard that it was said.) What law did Jesus give to supersede this practice? (See Matthew 5:34–37. Read the following statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie. Then write Keep your word below But I say unto you.) Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: “Under the Mosaic law the taking of oaths was so common and covered such a variety of circumstances that, in practice, little verity attended statements that were not made with an oath. … Under the perfect law of Christ every man’s word is his bond, and all spoken statements are as true as though an oath attended each spoken word” (The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. [1979–81], 2:140).
• In Matthew 5:38, what ancient law did Jesus refer to? (Write An eye for an eye below Ye have heard that it was said. Explain that “an eye for an eye” meant that a person who injured another could receive the same injury as punishment; see Leviticus 24:17–21.) What commandment superseded this law? (See Matthew 5:39–40. Write Turn the other cheek below But I say unto you.) What principles did Jesus teach when he spoke of turning the other cheek to someone who hits us and giving our cloak to someone who takes our coat?
• In Matthew 5:43, what ancient practice did Jesus refer to? (Write Love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy below Ye have heard that it was said.) What commandment superseded this practice? (See Matthew 5:44–47. Write Love your enemies below But I say unto you.) How can we develop love for our enemies? (See Moroni 7:47–48 for one example.)
_______________________________

47But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

 48Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.

______________________________


How will our lives change when we love our enemies? How might their lives change?

If you used the attention activity, ask class members to look at the chalkboard and list the invitations in Matthew 5:17–47 that are especially helpful to them.

•  How are we to understand the Savior’s command that we become perfect? (See Matthew 5:48, footnote 48b, which says that an alternate Greek translation of the word perfect is “complete, finished, fully developed.”) How can the command to be perfect motivate us rather than frustrate us? President Joseph Fielding Smith said:

“I believe the Lord meant just what he said: that we should be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. That will not come all at once, but line upon line, and precept upon precept, example upon example, and even then not as long as we live in this mortal life, for we will have to go even beyond the grave before we reach that perfection and shall be like God.

“But here we lay the foundation. Here is where we are taught these simple truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in this probationary state, to prepare us for that perfection. It is our duty to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today. … If we are keeping the commandments of the Lord, we are on that road to perfection” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:18–19; see also D&C 93:11–14, 19–20).

• How does the Savior’s Atonement help us reach perfection? (See Moroni 10:32–33; D&C 76:68–70.) How do the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount help us “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”?

Conclusion

Testify that the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount help us “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moroni 10:32). Encourage class members to apply those teachings in their lives. If you used the attention activity, ask class members to look at the invitations they have listed and to choose one or two that they will focus on during the coming week.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. “A more excellent way” (Ether 12:11)

Invite a few class members to come to class prepared to share ideas about how the teachings in Matthew 5 can help them at home, at school, or at work.

2. The Savior’s teaching about divorce

If you or class members have questions about Matthew 5:31–32, see the fifth additional teaching idea in lesson 14 (see page 60).

3. Video presentation

The second segment of “New Testament Customs,” a selection from New Testament Video Presentations (53914), explains the term schoolmaster, which is used in Galatians 3:24–25 to describe the law of Moses. If you show this segment, discuss how the law of Moses was a schoolmaster to bring the people to Christ.