My structure of the Sermon on the Mount

[William2]

I put this up in the hopes that it might resonate with someone. It is my understanding of the structure of the Sermon on the Mount, in briefest form.

The soul can be thought of as having four parts: irascible (anger/fear/etc.), concupiscible (desire/sorrow/etc.), the will, and the intellect. So said Aristotle and Aquinas, I think.

5:13-20 ---- INTRODUCTORY MATTER

5:21-7:12 ---- THE MORAL TEACHING

    **5:21-6:34 ---- The moral teaching as it applies to the individual doing it.**
             5:21-26 ---- disposition of the irascible soul
             5:27-32 ---- disposition of the concupiscible soul
             5:33-37 ---- disposition of the rational soul (essentially, humility)
             5:38-6:34 ---- the good of the will soul 
                       *to end of 5, exterior good
                       6, the interior good, i.e. the intention*

    **7:1-11 ---- The moral teaching with an eye to others**
             7:1-6 ---- with respect to other people
                       there are two obvious parts of this segment, i.e. 7:1-6
             7:7-11 ---- with respect to God

    **7:12 ---- concluding and "marking" verse (it sums up *and* marks the end of the body)**

7:13-27 ---- EXHORTATION TO DO THE MORAL TEACHING
7:13-14 ---- plain exhortation to do the teaching
7:15-20 ---- do not be led away from the teaching
7:21-23 ---- do the teaching and not something perhaps outwardly more attractive
7:24-27 ---- the end of the teaching, the salvation of the soul (for house as soul, cf. 24:43); rain, floods, winds = world, flesh, devil

 

[James224]

I put this up in the hopes that it might resonate with someone. It is my understanding of the structure of the Sermon on the Mount, in briefest form.

The soul can be thought of as having four parts: irascible (anger/fear/etc.), concupiscible (desire/sorrow/etc.), the will, and the intellect. So said Aristotle and Aquinas, I think.

5:13-20 ---- INTRODUCTORY MATTER

5:21-7:12 ---- THE MORAL TEACHING

5:21-6:34 ---- The moral teaching as it applies to the individual doing it.
5:21-26 ---- disposition of the irascible soul
5:27-32 ---- disposition of the concupiscible soul
5:33-37 ---- disposition of the rational soul (essentially, humility)
5:38-6:34 ---- the good of the will soul
to end of 5, exterior good
6, the interior good, i.e. the intention

7:1-11 ---- The moral teaching with an eye to others
7:1-6 ---- with respect to other people
there are two obvious parts of this segment, i.e. 7:1-6
7:7-11 ---- with respect to God

7:12 ---- concluding and “marking” verse (it sums up and marks the end of the body)

7:13-27 ---- EXHORTATION TO DO THE MORAL TEACHING
7:13-14 ---- plain exhortation to do the teaching
7:15-20 ---- do not be led away from the teaching
7:21-23 ---- do the teaching and not something perhaps outwardly more attractive
7:24-27 ---- the end of the teaching, the salvation of the soul (for house as soul, cf. 24:43); rain, floods, winds = world, flesh, devil

Good effort! I would have to read it again slowly to make a judgement. I do think the Introductory part should be filled out. Maybe the Beatitudes would describe the Holy souls who are heaven-bound. (Matt 5:3-11) The souls that are bound for hell (Matt 5:21-22, and those that are souls that need purifying (Matt 5:23-26). [Purgatory]

 

[thistle]

Have you read Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI?
He gives an excellent in-depth commentary on the Beatitudes.