Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven

I’ve studied this book twice and got something to aid my understanding of the scriptures both the Hebrew texts (Old Testament) and the New Testament. I highly recommend this study for anyone wanting to explore the Sermon on the Mount in more depth.

This was a good Study. Different approach in considering & studying the Sermon on the Mount and considering other scriptures

This is my second book by Dr. Levine. I am a retired pastor and I wished I had this book when I was in seminary. Dr. Levine explains the Judaic background to everything Jesus said in the sermon on the mount, things we Christians think belong to us alone. I have a much better understanding of how close Christians and Jews should be in living our faiths. We ought to celebrating what we share.This explanation of those few chapters in Matthew should be our guide for living the faith we have.

Every step Amy-Jill Levine takes with her next book seems somehow just a little more bold than her last. (Which is no small feat.) This study of the longest continuous discourse from Jesus Christ contained in the New Testament – widely accepted as containing the central tenets of Christian discipleship – is no exception. And yet this writing is a stride as graceful as it is colossal.Let me begin by saying that I am not clergy, nor am I a formal academic student. I read this, as I have many of her other works, merely out of a genuine personal interest in building faith. That said, I always learn immeasurably from the Hebrew insights Dr. Levine sheds on our Catholic tradition.In keeping with now-established Levinian protocol, hers in here is not merely a superficial regurgitation of a few significant academic points on the Beatitudes, the Golden Rule and the Our Father. No. She is far more intrepid. This is Amy-Jill at Mach 2.0: returning us to the era of the Gospel writer of Matthew, into the Hebrew traditions and values of the first century and seating us among the crowd of Jesus’ listeners so that we can hear His words through their ears.Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner’s Guide is as entertaining as it is resourceful and insightful. Dr. Levin’s solid knowledge of Judeo-Christian history, sources, languages and authorities are reliably present. She remains equally contemporarily well spoken. Her insights are scholarly and, most importantly, legitimate. Most invitingly, her unpretentious dialog and humor punctuate and dispel what could easily become the dense eschatological clouds that tend to form on the edges of such philosophical heavy lifting. Her writing keeps us engaged and in a renewed sense of awe of what we are learning.And Dr. Levin makes you want to keep learning. At 163 pages, I do not take her writing to be some kind of dispositive analysis of Matthew 5-7. As she reminds us from the book’s humble title, it is, “a beginner’s guide.” In that role, it serves brilliantly.I am happy to say this book has enriched my appreciation and understanding of scripture and our shared Judeo-Christian heritage... yet again. This is absolutely worth the price of admission. Thank you, yet again, Dr. Levin!

This book gave me the chance to dive deep into a portion of Jesus’ teaching that I have read before. The difference this time around was having in depth discussion and commentary on the particular passage of Scripture. Moreover, I was able to gain better everyday application from this well known teaching directly from Jesus Christ.

This is a superlative choice for anyone who desires to explore the teachings of Jesus. It has the uncommon ability to appeal to a wide population -- from theological scholars to ordinary people of faith.

A. J. Levine provides an amazingly detailed analysis of the Sermon on the Mount. The explanation of words from different languages such as Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek brought my understanding of the passages in Matthew to a new level.

AJ Levine is a phenomenal writer and scholar, who brings a fresh and challenging look at Scripture. She is an authority on 1st C Jewish culture and flavors all of her work with amazing knowledge, insight and occasional humor. I am a pastor, using this book to lead an educational series take a new look at the Sermon on the Mount. It has inspired me, challenged me, and given me some new insight into this powerful text. I highly recommend, this and ALL of Levine's works.

Expertly written ....filled with scholarly background and historical perspective.  In this compact, informative book on the "Sermon on the Mount", Amy-Jill Levine methodically walks the reader through the richness of the Jewish Torah and the deep significance it plays in understanding, and properly interpreting, this amazing "sermon" in the Gospel we know as Matthew.  In the first couple of pages of the book's Introduction, Prof. Levine (reflecting on her own journey through religious learning) presents the lens that each of us should use to read the Sermon on the Mount (and all Scripture, in general): "Alas, I didn't know what I was missing because I stuck with what I had been told rather than what I had learned for myself." If there is one phrase that captures all Biblical Study, I would say that that is it - to open our minds to seeing Scripture with our own intellect and curiosity, asking our own questions, probing and searching - for ourselves! - for truth-filled answers ..... answers that straddle context and culture, along with historical perspective and Judaic wisdom/tradition.In summary, a fascinating and insightful look into one of the signature stories of Matthew's Gospel. I strongly recommend AJL's "Sermon on the Mount", particularly for Christian readers who want to understand the full influence of Judaism both in the life and teachings of Jesus ....and in the writings of the NT Gospels/Letters that appeared in the decades after Jesus' death.  Overall, "Sermon on the Mount" is a wonderful book that follows in the prophetic footsteps of Prof. Amy-Jill Levine.  Consider it a 'must have' for your library.