Notes
Catherine Thomas, “The Sermon on the Mount: The Sacrifice of the Human Heart,” in Studies in Scripture: Volume Five: The Gospels (Kent Jackson, ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1986), p. 236.
For excellent discussions concerning mountains and temples in the ancient Near East, see Othmar Keel, “Temple and Mountains,” in The Symbolism of the Biblical World: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of the Psalms (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1997), pp. 113-120; John Lundquist, “Temple Symbolism in Isaiah,” Isaiah and the Prophets, ed. Monte S. Nyman (Provo: Religious Studies Center, 1984), 37-38; and John Lundquist, “What is Reality,” Temples of the Ancient World, ed. Donald W. Parry (Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1994), 625-627.
John W. Welch, The Sermon at the Temple and The Sermon on the Mount (Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1990), p.14.
Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, (The Messiah Series, vols. 2 5. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1979 1982), 4:308.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 2:116-118.
Joseph Fielding Smith explained: “The earth will be cleansed again. It was once baptized in water. When Christ comes, it will be baptized with fire and the power of the Holy Ghost. At the end of the world the earth will die; it will be dissolved, pass away, and then it will be renewed, or raised with a resurrection. It will receive its resurrection to become a celestial body, so that they of the celestial order may possess it forever and ever. Then it will shine forth as the sun and take its place among the worlds that are redeemed. When this time comes the terrestrial inhabitants will also be taken away and be consigned to another sphere suited to their condition. Then the words of the Savior will be fulfilled, for the meek shall inherit the earth.” (Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings of Joseph Fielding Smith, 3 vols. [Edited by Bruce R. McConkie. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954 1956], 1:87 88)
Stephen E. Robinson, “Believing Christ,” Ensign, Apr. 1992, p. 7.
Ezra Taft Benson, “The Great Commandment—Love the Lord,” Ensign, May 1988, p. 4.
Neal A. Maxwell, Of One Heart (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975), pp. 22-23.
LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697.
See, Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, 1:155; Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball (Compiled by Edward L. Kimball. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982), p.71; James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ (15th ed., rev. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, 1977), pp. 245 246; James E. Talmage, The Vitality of Mormonism (Boston: The Gorham Press, 1919 ), p.257.
Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, April 1961, p. 34 35.
See Jacob Milgrom, The JPS Torah Commentary: Numbers (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1990), p. 154.
Delbert L. Stapley, Conference Report, Oct. 1964, pp. 61-65.
“Law” has reference to the five books of Moses or the Torah (Heb. for ‘law’), while “prophets” refers to the writings of Joshua through 2 Kings and the prophets from Isaiah to Malachi. The combination of “the law, and the prophets” is a way of referring to the whole of the Old Testament.
See, “plaroma” in Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (3rd Ed. Revised and edited by Frederick William Danker, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1957, 1979, 2000), p. 829.
This can be seen from the following examples: Matt. 9:10-13; 12:1-9, 10-14; 19:16-22; Luke 10:25-37; John 5:1- 18; 9:1-41.
Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, p. 32.
The Greek word translated angry is orgay. In the New Testament, there are two Greek words generally translated angry: orgay (as used in this verse) and thymos. They are often used synonymously. However, there are slight differences in the true meanings of the words. Orgay suggests anger that is deliberate and thought out or is a brooding inward anger. Thymos often depicts a sudden outburst or anger that flares up due to the moment. Either way, both are considered undesirable.
The phrase, “without a cause,” appearing in the King James Version of Matthew 5:22 is not in the Greek text nor in the Joseph Smith Translation. It is also not found in the Book of Mormon version of the Sermon on the Mount. It was added by the King James translators. Therefore, it should be omitted from the text as it does not accurately reflect the Savior’s teaching.
Matthew 5:22 states that those who get angry, or call others derisive names should be in danger of “the judgment” or “the council.” This has reference to the Jewish Sanhedrin or ruling court, the rules over cases of murder. The Savior is equating anger and verbal abuse to murder and therefore should be judged equally as harsh.
Often when the four gospels are harmonized, the occasion prompting the Sermon on the Mount is the calling of the twelve apostles. However, Matthew records the sermon in chapters 5-7 while the apostles are called in chapter 10. He also records a different sermon given to the twelve upon their call (see Matthew 10).
H. Burke Peterson, “Unrighteous Dominion,” Ensign, July 1989, p. 7.
“Betimes” does not mean from time to time, but rather, it means “early on.”
H. Burke Peterson, “Unrighteous Dominion,” Ensign, July 1989, p.10. Likewise, President Gordon B. Hinckley, said: “‘Reproving betimes with sharpness, [When? While angry or in a fit of temper? No.] when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; [Does the Holy Ghost attend contentious reprovings? No.] and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death’ (D&C 121:43–44).” (“Feed the Spirit, Nourish the Soul,” Ensign, Oct. 1998, p.5).
For the Strength of Youth, p. 17.
Bruce R. McConkie wrote: “ In the gospel view all marriages should be eternal, and divorce should never enter the picture. But since all men–as a result of apostasy and iniquity–are not living (and in their present states cannot live) the full and perfect gospel law, the Lord permits divorce and allows the dissolution of the marriage union. Under the law of Moses, divorce was permitted because the people were not able to live the high gospel standard which would abolish it. (Lev. 21:7, 14; Deut. 24:1 4.) … Even in the Church today the saints do not abide by the full and perfect law. It is somewhat as it was in the days of Moses; divorce is permitted because of the hardness of the hearts of the people, and the Lord permits his agents to exercise the power to loose as well as the power to bind. Under our circumstances divorced persons who remarry are not always guilty of the crimes they would be if the highest gospel standards were in force. (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine [2nd ed., rev. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], p.203)
Spencer W. Kimball, Marriage & Divorce (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976), p. 19.
Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Conversation with Single Adults,” Ensign, Mar. 1997, p. 58
Robert H. Mounce, Matthew (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson), p. 48.
Neal A. Maxwell, Men and Women of Christ (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1991.), p.9.
John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom (Edited by G. Homer Durham. 3rd ed. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1944), p.343; Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2001) p.
61.
See Francis W. Beare, The Gospel According to Matthew (Peabody, MA: Henrickson, 1981), pp.157-158; Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Dover Grove, IL: InterVaristy Press, 1993), pp. 60-61 ;Robert H. Mounce, Matthew, pp. 48-49.
Boyd K. Packer, “Balm of Gilead,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, pp. 17-18.
Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1992), pp. 129-130.
Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball (Compiled by Edward L. Kimball. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982), p.417.
Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.103.
Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young (Compiled by John A. Widtsoe. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1978), p.272.
Russell M. Nelson, “Perfection Pending,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, p. 86.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Ed. by Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Press, 1938), p.348.
Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrines of the Restoration: Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1998), pp. 51-54; emphasis added.