Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
Christ sat to teach as the Jewish doctors did, asserting His authority; He mounted the hill both for convenience and to echo how the law was first given on a mountain, showing the sublimity of His doctrine. Unlike Sinai's thunder and fire, His lips drop grace and blessings as encouragement to obedience.
AI summary
He ascended the hill so His voice would carry better to the multitude than if He stood level with them. The exact location near Capernaum is not mentioned, though tradition points to what is now called the Mount of Beatitudes, but we have no certain proof.
AI summary
Do not trouble yourself over whether Matthew and Luke describe the same sermon or different ones; both Evangelists collected the chief points of Christ's doctrine on true happiness into one account, caring little for the precise order of time or place. What matters is that we have His teaching set before us clearly.
AI summary