The Impact of Jesus’ Teachings: The Sermon on the Mount in Early Christianity
We have been looking into the earliest Christian writings after the New Testament, and are now examining the earliest surviving church manual, known as The Didache. While it’s impossible to set a precise date to its origin, it is often believed to be somewhere between the late first century to early second century. The first part of The Didache is a list of commands in living a Christian life. Here, we see a collection of Jesus’s teachings, particularly from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).
And before we go any deeper into the content of The Didache, it would be helpful to first give some attention to how the early Church responded to Jesus’ teachings found in Matthew 5-7 (and Luke 6). It needs to be addressed because the Sermon on the Mount is seen almost everywhere in the early Church. Many of the Apostolic Fathers reference or paraphrase these teachings, and the Patristics in the second through fourth century discusses them at length too.
Because of the impact these teachings had on the early Church, we will look a little into how these churches understood and followed the Sermon on the Mount. This will only be scratching the surface, but hopefully it will give an idea of how these churches were following Jesus. And it can perhaps be helpful in our understanding today when reading Jesus.
Faith and Obedience
The first thing that needs to be addressed is that the early Church did not think they could earn their salvation by living out the Sermon on the Mount. In Protestant circles, the discussion of needing to obey God can sometimes raise tension because of the history of Sola Fide.
As previously discussed in my post about 2nd Clement, repentance and obedience is not done to make us righteous. Rather, it is what we who are called by God are supposed to do because we’ve been saved and made righteous. As Paul says in Romans 6, we are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness.
Does this mean we are not under grace? Not at all, we are certainly under grace and it is our faith in Christ that justifies us. It is in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus teaches the Lord’s Prayer, which asks for forgiveness of our sins. Christ knows we are still humans that will make mistakes. But under His rule, and led by His Spirit, we are now called to live for Him and His ways.
A few examples from the Apostolic Fathers describing the work of Christ bringing salvation by grace through faith can be found in 1st Clement 35.1-5, 49.6, 2nd Clement 1.8, Ignatius to Ephesians 1.1, 2.2, Ignatius to Trallians 2.1, and Polycarp to Philippians 1.2-3, 8.1-2.
Believing they were given new life in Christ and recognizing Christ was coming back soon, the early Church had a zeal for obeying His commandments. The early Church was far from perfect, they had many flaws and traditions I believe we shouldn’t retrieve for the Church today. But I feel there is something to be said about that zeal of obedience they held, and it’s something we can learn from today.
“And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
What does Jesus mean by “Perfect”?
There is an understandable concern many have when reading the end Matthew 5. In verse 48, Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (CSB) When reading this verse isolated, it seems that there are only two conclusions we can come to. Either Jesus is giving us an unfair, impossible standard, or He is intentionally humbling us to recognize our need of a savior.
The problem with either of these conclusions is that both are taking the verse out of context. Jesus is not commanding us to be sinless and infallible, but calling us to show complete love to all people, including our enemies.
A good tip I learned when beginning to study the Bible is that it is dangerous to isolate verses that begin with “therefore”, because the word shows that there was something building up to that verse. What was Jesus saying that built up to Him saying to be perfect? Lets look at the passage and Luke’s version to compare:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”
So in comparing the teachings, we see in Luke that the word is merciful, not perfect. In both accounts, we also see Jesus comparing His instruction to love enemies the same way God shows love and grace to sinners and saints alike. This seems to mean that when Jesus says “perfect” He is not referring to sinless, omnipresent, omniscient, etc. Rather, He is referring to showing the same mercy God shows and to have complete love for all.
But is this the correct interpretation? Well, it does seem this is how the Apostolic Fathers understood this command. When quoting the teaching to love our enemies, The Didache states:
“And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless them that curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for them that persecute you. For what thanks is there, if you love those that love you? Do not also the Gentiles do the same? But love them that hate you; and you shall not have an enemy.
Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If one gives you a blow upon your right cheek, turn to him the other also; and you shall be perfect. ”
Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna says a similar thing in his epistle to the Philippians, “Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings, and potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and that you may be perfect in Him.” (12.3)
Shining the Light
The standard Jesus sets in these teachings are incredibly high. Loving enemies, not resisting against attacks, not even calling a brother a fool, and not engaging in any lust is extremely difficult. Can anyone actually be expected to live these out? The answer is that we are under grace, and led by the Holy Spirit, who makes all things possible. The point of these teachings is not to do them by our own strength, but as born again saints to live for the New Covenant, as well as shine the Holy Spirit to the lost.
Again, this isn’t about legalism or being sinless, this is about living for the Kingdom. As previously discussed, 2nd Clement references how these teachings influence and humble non-believers. But the moment they see saints not living them out, the non-believers don’t see the Holy Spirit moving, and simply brush the teachings off as a myth.
We all need God’s mercy every day, and His wisdom and strength to do what is right. But if we humbly ask, and humbly seek, it will not only transform our lives, but it may transform those around us.
You are the light of your world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. –Matthew 5:14-16
UPDATE- 12/20/22
Looking back on this blog, I’ve felt I needed to correct myself in a couple areas. I originally stated the Apostolic Fathers in no way believed they could earn atonement for their sins. After studying the Apostolic Fathers more, I’ve realized their teachings on penance were more complicated than I originally stated. While the early Church believed Christ died for their sins once and for all, there were still beliefs and practices of works for the Christian to pay penance.
Examples of this can be found in The Didache 4, 2nd Clement 16, and multiple passages from The Shepherd of Hermas. While I don’t entirely agree with these passages (especially bits from Hermas), I would still argue from multiple passages that the Apostolic Fathers recognized their atonement and salvation came from the work of Christ and not themselves.
Bibliography
Schaff, P. (1885). The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Vol. 7). (I have updated some of the English to modern English)
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_VII/The_Teaching_of_the_Twelve_Apostles/The_Teaching_of_the_Twelve_Apostles
Schaff, P. (2016). The Complete Ante-Nicene, Nicene and Post-Nicene Collection of Early Church Fathers. Toronto, Canada.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Thumbnail Image: The Sermon on the Mount- by Laura James