Jesus sits down on a mountain, surrounded by a growing crowd of disciples. This isn’t just a picturesque backdrop—this is intentional. It echoes the story of Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai. But Jesus isn’t receiving Torah—he’s teaching it. Not just repeating it, but showing what it was always meant to be.
Jesus doesn’t begin the Sermon on the Mount with commands—He begins with identity. “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” These aren’t tasks to perform, but deep truths to live from.