The Ethics of the Sermon on the MountThe Justice of the Kingdom of God

An Ethics of the Kingdom of GodThe Beatitudes reflect how God desires to

be among those who are in most need: the poor, those who mourn, the meek, the hungry and thirsty.

Presents a life “lived at the limits of human possibility.”

It is a life where God is in charge; our actions and being reflect the God of Jesus which includes forgiveness, sharing, no judgment, no retaliation, no anger, no adultery, etc…

Ethical Repercussions?

An Ethics That Calls Us To PerfectionOur moral life makes sense only if we have

a good relationship with Abba/Father (God).It is our vocation to be “children of the

father” and thus, perfect.If we are all children of God, then we are all

brothers and sisters; therefore we must consider how our actions will affect others at all times.

Jesus describes God as generous to all: “he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”

An Ethics That Makes Us RighteousTo be righteous is to act with justice; it

is not only about what we do, but about what we receive.

Righteous is best translated as “to be put in the right” – we are made righteous through the loving action of God (GRACE)

By living the way Jesus taught in the Sermon, we become “right” before God because He sees His Son, living in us.

As Eschatological EthicsEschatological = “pertaining to the end of time” or

the “fullness of time.”The Kingdom of God refers to a different time than

the ordinary; it comes when God reveals Himself and the present time encounters God.◦ It is a time filled with tension; gives us a glimpse of the

possibility of God’s goodness.Examples:

◦ A journey – You begin a journey because you have a glimpse of what will be at your destination, but you do not truly realize its awe until you arrive

• Strives for the infinite good – Jesus is the bridge that helps us see the Kingdom and thus strive to reach it.

An Ethics to be Right With One AnotherThe Commandments teach us the value of

respecting the “other” (God, parents, neighbour, spouse).

The Sermon is a call to act on behalf of the other (the poor, the meek, the mourning).

How we treat each other is central to Jesus’ teachings: “For I was hungry and you gave me food…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Mt. 25:35-40)

A Gospel EthicsGospel means “good news” – to live life the

way Jesus calls will bring goodness to allIf the Sermon is considered the cornerstone

of our Christian faith, can we assume these teachings are as stringent as the Ten Commandments?

Jesus invites us to love; this love changes our relationship with God dramatically because it requires action.

It is “good news” because the Kingdom of God has come and our commitment to this life will bring it to its fullness