How does Matthew 5:1 connect with Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai? The Landscape of Revelation Matthew 5:1 – “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him.” Exodus 19:3 – “And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain…” • Two pivotal moments unfold on two separate mountains—Sinai and the unnamed hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee. • In both scenes, God reveals His covenant standard through a chosen mediator. Shared Motifs between Sinai and the Mount • Ascending the height – Moses “went up to God” (Exodus 19:3). – Jesus “went up on the mountain” (Matthew 5:1). – Scripture often uses mountains as meeting places between God and humanity (1 Kings 19:8–13; Psalm 125:2). • A seated teacher – Moses later “sat to judge the people” (Exodus 18:13) after receiving divine guidance. – Jesus “sat down” in standard rabbinic posture, signaling authoritative instruction. • Gathered audience – Israel assembled at Sinai: “Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God” (Exodus 19:17). – Jesus’ “disciples came to Him,” soon joined by crowds (Matthew 7:28). • Covenant declaration – Sinai: tablets of stone (Exodus 24:12) form the heart of the Mosaic covenant. – Galilee: the Sermon on the Mount unveils the Kingdom ethic, fulfilling the law (Matthew 5:17). Fulfillment, Not Replacement • John 1:17 – “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” • Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” – Jesus speaks from a mountain to show continuity with, and completion of, the Sinai revelation. – The setting signals that the same God who thundered at Sinai now speaks through His incarnate Word. Contrast That Illuminates • Sinai: thick cloud, thunder, fear (Exodus 19:16–19). – Approach was limited; even animals were kept back (Exodus 19:12–13). • Galilee: open air, approachable Savior, blessing, and invitation. – Yet the authority is identical; the change lies in access through Christ. Echoes of the Prophet Like Moses • Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you.” – Jesus’ mountain teaching fulfills this expectation, presenting Him as the ultimate Teacher who both explains and embodies God’s law. Covenant Renewal in Christ • Hebrews 12:18–24 contrasts Sinai with “Mount Zion… the city of the living God.” – By beginning His sermon on a mountain, Jesus bridges Sinai and Zion, moving listeners from the terror of lawbreaking to the joy of grace-enabled obedience. Why the Connection Matters Today • The authority of Jesus’ words is as binding as the stone tablets—yet written now on believing hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3). • The continuity of God’s moral standard assures us that Scripture speaks with a single voice from Genesis to Revelation. • The contrast in setting invites us to draw near with confidence, hearing not only commands but also the empowering grace to obey. Living in the Overlap of Two Mountains • Receive the Sermon on the Mount with the same reverence Israel had at Sinai—God Himself is speaking. • Rejoice that in Christ the barrier of fear is removed; the Lawgiver has become our Redeemer (Galatians 3:24). • Reflect the Kingdom character Jesus unfolds—poverty of spirit, purity of heart, peacemaking—as the fruit of a heart transformed by the new covenant. |
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