The Sermon on the Mount is perhaps one of the best known passages of the Bible, among other famous passages such as the apocalyptic visions of the Apocalypse or the legislative entries of the Decalogue . However, the Sermon on the Mount is more than just a cliché; it can be considered one of the major foundations of Christianity, along with the gospel message preached elsewhere in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The passage offers a fascinating and insightful look at early Christianity and, more specifically, provides insight into the ethics that Christ was speaking to at the time. In short, the Sermon on the Mount had profound ethical implications for the people to whom Christ preached and, subsequently, for the formation of the early church. While the Sermon on the Mount certainly contains real-life principles and ethical implications for modern Christianity, this discussion is more about the historical impact of this part of Scripture. In short, this discussion shows that the Sermon on the Mount challenges the ethical assumptions of the Old Testament and provides a pedagogical and transformative form of instruction for early Christians who did not yet have the foundation of the epistles. Both of these insights from the Sermon on the Mount are tied together by Christ's treatment of the concept of goodness; the passage essentially gives a new meaning to the word. While this is not an exhaustive discussion of the Sermon on the Mount and its ethical implications, these two conclusions provide a new and instructive way to view this passage of Scripture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First of all, it is worth discussing how the Sermon on the Mount relates to the Old Testament, for this is where the passage finds most of its ethical importance, particularly for those who heard the sermon when Christ he preached it for the first time. As one source states, “Even a cursory reading will reveal that there is a relationship between the Sermon on the Mount and the Law in the Old Testament” (Kearney np). Another source clarifies this view, stating that «Some even argue that the Sermon represents the most concentrated teaching that Christ gave in clarifying the meaning of the law... Jesus' speech is said to occupy the New Testament same place that the Decalogue occupied in the New Testament. Old Testament” (Lioy 85). This discussion takes a middle ground on this perspective. More specifically, there are several ways to read the Sermon on the Mount from an ethical perspective. The passage “presents a new Law, refines the Old Testament Law, or is something other than the Law” (Kearney np). Since Christ made it clear in His teachings that He did not come to abolish the Old Testament Law, but to fulfill it, the first two options can safely be ruled out. The passage certainly contains ethical teachings that supersede Old Testament law; for example, Christ states that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister has committed murder, and anyone who desires has already committed adultery (Matthew 5:22, 28). However, from an ethical and historical perspective, is this really meant to replace the Old Testament from which Christ preached? As one scholar asks: “Was Jesus' purpose simply to point out the correct meaning of the Law of Moses, or was he establishing new principles, opposite or superior to the principles of the Law, that would become the constitution? of the Kingdom?” (Kearney np). While this question is certainly a good starting point, it arguably presents an unfair dichotomy that cannot be,.