From an Anabaptist perspective, Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are seen not as a contradiction but as a fulfilment and deepening of the Old Testament commandments. This understanding is based on several key principles within line with Anabaptist hermeneutics and theology:
- Christocentric Hermeneutic
Anabaptists interpret the Bible with a Christocentric hermeneutic, meaning they view Jesus Christ as the central and ultimate revelation of God’s will and character. The Sermon on the Mount, as part of Jesus’ teaching, is considered the definitive guide for Christian living. This approach sees Jesus (Who is the Word of God see John 1:1,14)- as the one who fully reveals and fulfils the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17).
Scripture
Jhn 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”
Mat 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.” - Fulfillment, Not Abrogation
In the Sermon on the Mount, particularly in Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus states that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. From an Anabaptist perspective, this means that Jesus intensifies and completes the Old Testament laws, bringing out their true intent and extending their application to the attitudes and motivations of the heart. For example, the commandment “You shall not murder” is deepened to include anger and contempt (Matthew 5:21-22). Therefore the laws of the Old Testament are not contradicted by Jesus’ teaching, but he reveals the truer deeper meaning of what God desires. This also fits within the understanding of progressive revelation.
Scripture
Mat 5:20 “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” - New Covenant Ethics
Anabaptists believe that Jesus inaugurates a new covenant, which brings a new way of life characterized by inner transformation and radical discipleship. The Sermon on the Mount exemplifies this new covenant ethic, which surpasses mere legal compliance and calls for a heart-oriented righteousness. This is in line with the prophetic promise of a new heart and spirit found in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:26-27.
Scripture –
Jer 31:31-34 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” - Continuity and Discontinuity
Anabaptists see a continuity in the ethical demands of the Old and New Testaments, but with a discontinuity in their form and application. Jesus’ teachings transform the old commandments, not by contradicting them, but by deepening and expanding their meaning. This is evident in the antitheses (“You have heard it said… but I say to you…”) where Jesus contrasts the traditional interpretations of the Law with His authoritative teaching (Matthew 5:21-48).
Scripture
Mat 5:38,39 “You have heard that it was said, …. But I say to you, …..”
Addressing the Apparent Contradiction
Anabaptists would argue that there is no contradiction because Jesus’ teachings reveal the fuller, deeper intent of God’s will. The Old Testament laws were given as a guide to holy living, to his people at a time, but they were also preparatory and provisional. In Jesus, the ultimate purpose of the Law is unveiled, emphasizing love, mercy, and inward purity over mere external compliance. Therefore, Jesus’ reinterpretation is seen as a continuation and completion rather than a negation.
In summary, from an Anabaptist perspective, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount fulfils and transcends Old Testament commandments by revealing their ultimate intention and calling for radical, heart-centred obedience. This approach harmonizes Jesus’ teachings with the Old Testament by viewing them through the lens of fulfilment and transformation rather than contradiction.
