Here is a practical, relevant discussion as well as an exegetical commentary on perhaps the most widely known summary of Jesus' teachings. By drawing on many sources, Dr. Guelich pays close attention to this section's foundation and its setting within the total purpose of Matthew's gospel.
This actually, by academic standards, is a relatively old book (1982). But in all the treatments I've seen, this is still by far the best. Most commentaries on the Sermon on the Mount (SM) basically parrot one another. There are generally accepted "safe" interpretations. Guelich does not feel bound to those safeties. And by the number of times I see Guelich referenced in other scholarly work, I am not the first in that opinion. This is not a popular work--primarily an exegetical work, although a serious student of the Bible should find it more or less accessible. He deals with the SM verse-by-verse, but also offers literary and thematic analysis that is not atomistic. He deals with the range of interpretations and explains why he holds his interpretation. If you are studying the SM for your preaching, a Bible study, a research paper, or just for your own benefit as a disciple, this is really an essential companion for understanding. I would not use it as my sole reference (you should never do that for any book), but I would place it within my "inner circle" of trusted resources.
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