Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount

In these sermons on Matthew 5–7, Martin Luther interprets Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in light of the theological disputes of his day. His understanding of Jesus’ most famous sermon has become one of the most influential approaches in Christian history. Here Luther emphasizes a strong dichotomy between the Gospel and the Law—a view that was central to his doctrine and has permeated modern Protestant thought.

Martin Luther (1483–1546), one of the most significant figures in Western history, was a key figure in the Protestant Reformation. Over the course of his life, he was a monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, and a Reformer of the church. Though most well-known for his incisive polemics against Roman Catholicism, Luther was truly interested in the purity of the Christian faith. His many writings and translation of the Bible into common German served to open the depth and simplicity of Scripture to the masses.