OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, MATTHEW V-VII, IN WHICH IT IS ATTEMPTED TO UNFOLD AND PRESENT OUR LORD'S DELINEATION AND IN THAT DISCOURSE. BY THE REV. WILLIAM MINTYRE, A.M., MAITLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES. BIBE EDINBURGH: M.DCCC.LIV. 101. a. 115. PREFACE. IN the Sermon on the Mount our Lord presents a singularly comprehensive and profound, though brief, view of personal righteousness, setting forth its distinctive character, the necessity of it, and the blessedness attached to it; and, in the following pages, it is attempted, in a series of chapters, to unfold and exhibit his teaching on this fundamental subject. If this attempt has been at all successful, the object to which it is directed must reflect some value upon the result. In the detailed interpretation of the text, entire confidence has been placed in the language subjected to that process; and the course has been, accordingly, pursued of simply marking and estimating its own announcement of its meaning, without offering, on the one hand, officious exegetical aid, or ever resorting, on the other, to exegetical emendation or coercion. The language, however, has been regarded as deriving its significancy not wholly from the words employed, but also, and in some cases to a very great extent, from the scope and connection. A due regard to modifying circumstances, whether more general and implied in the scope, or more particular and immediate, and implied in the connection, and a just appreciation of their influence, are in no case more necessary than in the exposition of the Sermon on the Mount; and they are, at the same time, sufficient to dissipate almost all the difficulty with which the exposition of it is attended. The most careful investigation has led to the conviction, that structural parallelism, which unquestionably obtains to a very great extent in the Scriptures generally, obtains also in the portion of them which is under treatment in the following pages; and it is hoped that the recognition of this fact will be found to have contributed not inconsiderably to the definite and satisfactory development of the connection. CONTENTS. SECTION I.-OCCASION AND SCOPE OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Selection of the materials of the Sermon-Proneness of fallen man to reduce religion to a mere external thing-Ex- perience of other departments of activity-Ceremonial observances of the Jewish economy-The spiritual ex- cluded also from the ends sought: carnal views of the Messiah's kingdom-Two peculiarities of the spiritual condition and tendencies of those addressed-Bearing of the Sermon on those peculiarities-Relation to Christ of those to whom it was addressed, SECTION II.-STRUCTURE OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Importance of the question of structure-Prevalence of structural parallelism in the Scriptures-Traced in the Sermon on the Mount-Plan of the Sermon-Rationale SECTION III.-Whether the Discourse repORTED BY LUKE (vi. 20-49) IS THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Importance of the inquiry to the interpreter-Fidelity of SECTION I.-RIGHTEOUSNESS Delineated. Personal righteousness-Realised internally under three SECTION II.-ADVANTAGE ATTACHED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Disposition to rest in temporal things-Corresponding con- ception of Messiah's kingdom-Adaptation to desires and tastes implied in blessedness-Experience-Pros- pects-Kingdom of heaven-Character and exercises of 39 |