Jesus’ Greatest Sermon: Understanding the Beatitudes, the Golden Rule, and the Lord’s Prayer

The Beatitudes. The Golden Rule. The Lord's Prayer.

These are just a few of the central teachings contained within the Sermon on the Mount. Join Father Dennis Hamm, one of Catholicism’s great theology scholars, in exploring the rich meaning of Jesus’ core teaching.

Undoubtedly, the sermon is one of the most powerful parts of the New Testament. Most of us, however, know the Sermon on the Mount only in segments, like the famous sections mentioned above. Now you will hear the sermon as a powerful and profound whole.

You will look at the Sermon on the Mount as carefully packaged and presented by Matthew, as illuminated by other passages in his Gospel, and by the culture of first-century Palestine.

You will also explore Luke's smaller version, called "the Sermon on the Plain," paying particular attention to Luke's context. Luke presents many of the sayings that appear in Matthew's Sermon, and Fr. Hamm helps you appreciate the way Luke gives these familiar sayings a fresh setting.

Fr. Hamm further illuminates Jesus' words against the background of the Old Testament, thus bringing you closer to what these sayings meant to their original audiences. With one of Catholicism's leading bible scholars, discover the enduring power of the Sermon on the Mount today.

This course is part of the Learn25 collection and includes a free PDF study guide.