Imagery in the Sermon on the Mount: The Sermon on the Mount part 3 of 5

Close your eyes and bring your attention to your body. Let go of any tension you are holding in your face, jaw, head, neck, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, fingers, chest, stomach, hips, seat, thighs, calves, feet, and toes. Lean your torso slightly from front to back and side to side until you rest into a comfortable posture where you feel centered, balanced, and relaxed. Now bring your attention to your breath. Inhale deeply, hold for two seconds, now breathe out all the tension, stress, or negativity you might be feeling. One more time. Breathe in deeply, hold, exhale slowly all the way. 

As your breathing returns to normal, gently turn your thoughts to the Sermon on the Mount. This famous passage of scripture is, to our knowledge, the first sermon that Christ preached to his disciples. And He repeated it almost verbatim to the Nephites during his brief visit to the Americas. So we know these teachings are important.

After teaching the Sermon to the Nephites, Christ invited His listeners “go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand.”[1] This five part series of meditations on the Sermon on the Mount seeks to help you do just that. Take a moment before we start and say a prayer that as you spend time pondering Christ’s teachings, you will understand His words and be open to any revelation that may come to you through them.

Throughout His Sermon, Christ uses a lot of parables, symbols, and imagery to communicate concepts. As we go through them, ponder the images and liken them to yourself and your life. 

Salt

First, salt. Salt preserves, flavors, and purifies. Christ said, “[y]e are the salt 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.”[2]

Light

Next, light. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”[3]

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single [to the glory of god], thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”[4]

Judging Others

Next, small splinters, large beams, and blindness: “And why beholdest thou the mote [or speck, chip, or splinter] that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? . . . first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”[5]

“Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?”[6]

Pearls before Swine

Next, pearls and swine: Christ counseled “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”[7]

Giving Gifts

Next, knocking, asking, and giving good gifts: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”[8]

Strait Gate

Next, a gate across a path: Christ said “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”[9]

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing/By Their Fruits

Next, Christ warned His listeners to “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”[10] 

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Men

Finally, the parable of the wise and foolish builders: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”[11]

When you are ready, take a final deep breath and slowly turn your awareness back to your body. As you open your eyes and return to your surroundings, take a moment to jot down any thoughts, promptings, or questions that came to mind while you were pondering. And, if necessary, make a plan to act on those things.

____________

[1] 3 Nephi 17:3.

[2] Matthew 5:13.

[3] Matthew 5:14-16.

[4] Matthew 6:22-23.

[5] Matthew 7:1-5.

[6] Luke 6:39.

[7] Matthew 7:6.

[8] Matthew 7:7-11.

[9] Matthew 7:13-14.

[10] Matthew 7:15-20.

[11] Matthew 7:24-27.