That’s the line we must keep clear, if we truly want to pursue both intellectual honesty and spiritual integrity.
NHC
Absolutely. And it's good to hear from you. I will leave you to find flaws and inconsistencies in my argument then.
The Sermon on the Mount
Generally, it is felt that Jesus’s core message is found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). It stands out because it's the inaugural sermon that he gave, according to Matthew. Luke gives a shorter version (Luke 6:17–49) and sets it in the plains, while the other two Gospels don’t include it. This inconsistency suggests to me that those who collated the Bible weren’t trying to construct a coherent message but wanted to keep what was true, not make it neat. They collated what was best taught at that time. They did not try to reframe the message. It's not proof, of course, but I think a reasonable conclusion.
The thing was, Jesus claimed to be the Messiah. To the Jews, the Messiah they were waiting for was meant to save them from the Romans, much as Moses did from the Egyptians, and conquer the world - a bigger and better king than David. Jesus was meant to make Judaism the global religion. But instead of talking up the Jewish mantle, he had a message for all people, and instead of uplifting Judaism, he called them to repent (Matthew 4:17).
The Sermon began with the Beatitudes: blessings on the poor, the sad, the humble (Matthew 5:3–12). We ask why a loving God allows suffering, especially on those who are innocent. Jesus pointed to them and blessed and praised them. It sounds upside down, but children often understand this easily. It's obvious to a child that the innocent are disadvantaged in this world and ought to be blessed.
This is later followed by the Antitheses. Jesus denounces moral behaviour as hypocrisy. That even our thoughts betray us (Matthew 5:21–48). We might think this is an impossible expectation. But again, children see it as obvious and just. That moral behaviour with immoral thoughts is hypocrisy and to be condemned.
Then, Jesus says that we should not display our goodness. It should be quiet - not to impress people, but to please God. Pray in secret. Give in secret. Fast in secret. Trust God (Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18). Don’t chase money, chase God (Matthew 6:24).
He further adds that we are not to worry. God knows what we need and will take care of us (Matthew 6:25–34). We can't help but worry about where our next meal is going to come from. How can we not worry about the future? However, worry is often counterproductive, and trying to stop worrying is a cornerstone in self-help and counselling. To thrive in our lives, we need to manage our worries and look on the positive side. To help us do this, we are often encouraged to be grateful and keep a gratitude journal. In times of trouble, this is very difficult. It is much easier to pray and depend on God. And we teach our children to pray to help build this trust in God.
The pinnacle of the Sermon is the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13). What is most startling about the prayer is that the only part where we are asked to do something is to forgive others. And this is in direct relationship with the forgiveness of our sins (Matthew 6:14–15). The key to God's favour is not moral goodness, but grace. Jesus didn't ask us to strive to be good. It seems as if we are expected to fail on that score. The key to heaven is not righteousness but our ability to forgive our enemies. This is crucial, because being able to forgive is the key to freedom and peace of mind. It's a very difficult ask. But one that we need to teach our children as they get into fights and quarrels in their young lives. Everything else comes from God. We are to ask for, and depend on God for the rest.
Then he says something very strange: Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48). We need to consider this carefully. Perfection for us is about being faultless. Perfection, to Jesus, is about forgiving others. In all other ways, we are already perfect. We are already whole, complete, and he asked us to lean on God so that we can grow into who we are meant to be.
That’s the big idea: we become our true selves not by chasing our dreams, but by following God. Our true self is not self-determined but discovered through following God. We are not given carte blanche. We are asked to choose.
This is the crux, and liberating. Don't strive for material gain. Instead, just live your life as best you can. Love one another and don't carry grudges. Don't worry, and if you live like that, everything else will fall into place. Stop trying to “be someone” and instead let God shape who we are. The more we are like Jesus, the more we become our true selves.
The modern world tells us to strive harder, reach out for success, and you will get there. You just need to work harder, be more determined, focused and disciplined. But this often leaves us anxious and alone. And even when we get there, if we get there, it's disappointing and depressing. Jesus tells us of another way: trust God, and He will lead the way.
The whole of Jesus's teaching hangs on God. With God, we are existentially whole - morally, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Even physically and materially. Without God, it all falls apart.
