Who were the hearers of the Sermon on the Mount?

[chuckd]

Matt. 5:1-2 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
Matt. 7:28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching

At the beginning of the sermon, it says Jesus went up to the mount essentially to escape the crowds and teach his disciples privately. Calvin:
In ascending the mountain, his design rather was to seek a retreat, where he might obtain relaxation for himself and his disciples at a distance from the multitude.

But at the end of the sermon, it says the crowds were amazed at the sermon.

 

[SeanPatrickCornell]

It doesn't say that he went on the mountain to escape the crowds. That seems to be a little bit of a presupposition.

I picture it like this:

Crowds are forming. Jesus has something to say to them. He goes a little further up the mountain to get some better acoustics. His disciples come and hover right around him. Jesus starts to preach to everyone in earshot, including (obviously) the crowd.

 

[chuckd]

It doesn't say that he went on the mountain to escape the crowds. That seems to be a little bit of a presupposition.

I picture it like this:

Crowds are forming. Jesus has something to say to them. He goes a little further up the mountain to get some better acoustics. His disciples come and hover right around him. Jesus starts to preach to everyone in earshot, including (obviously) the crowd.

I think saying he went on the mountain to get better acoustics is equally a presupposition. Especially when it says he sat down which is not a good way to project your voice.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I'm doubtful of Calvin's terms there, in the place cited. But, if he means only that Jesus moved apart from indiscriminate crowds who were half-interested (if that), in order to speak to those who should retire to meet him, then I actually agree with him. We should not suppose that there were only 12 or so who came out to him, but conclude that those who came out were identifiable as "disciples." They all made up still a "crowd."

Mt.5:1 is programmatic for understanding the SotM. This is a sermon above all else for disciples. These are the kind of people who, listening, realize that the citizenry of the kingdom Jesus comes to reign over are too holy for the likes of them. They cannot be citizens! However, they also cannot afford not to be citizens. And Jesus is the sort of king who will find the way necessary for them to stay "with him."

There is a correlation between this going up on a mountain, and the mountain-meeting of the LORD with his people once before, at Sinai. There, his people came out to him, but were terrified and drew back. Furthermore, only their mediator (Moses) went up on the mountain to meet intimately with the King, although there was also a "leadership summit/covenant meal" (Ex.24:9-11) halfway up the mountain a bit later.

In the New Covenant, as opposed to the Old, God makes the approach to him such that none are justified who shrink back. Jesus--who is the same God of Dread that was at Sinai--has made himself accessible like never before.

 

[Jack K]

Don't mistake "disciples" for the Twelve. Disciples in Matthew 5 are all those interested in being taught, his congregation.

 

[SeanPatrickCornell]

I think saying he went on the mountain to get better acoustics is equally a presupposition. Especially when it says he sat down which is not a good way to project your voice.

Considering that Jesus didn't actually get away from the crowds and in fact preached to them, it fits the facts.