Our church recently finished a sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount. As always, many resources served me well in my sermon writing process. Below you will find some of those resources along with other books on the Sermon on the Mount.
Best Books on the Sermon on the Mount
In no particular order:
1 The Message of the Sermon on the Mount by John Stott
This might be the best resource available on the subject. Stott is theologically rich but also highly devotional. He is a responsible exegete who makes appropriate use of the Greek, especially with specific words. This is a meaty and nourishing book. As I consulted other books on the Sermon on the Mount while writing sermons, it seemed that modern equivalents borrowed heavily from Stott. You would do well to do the same.
2. Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World: A Study of Matthew 5-10
A no-nonsense guide on the best sermon ever. Carson is good at showing you what a verse does not mean, how it is usually misused, and then showing you what it actually means. The publisher was kind enough to publish some of Carson’s actual sermons preached on the Sermon on the Mount, although I did not utilize those sermons much as Carson’s sermons and the texts I preached on did not overlap. Still, a nice addition to the book.
I also found D.A. Carson’s commentary on Matthew in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary
3. Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount 
An excellent resource for preachers. Extremely accessible, filled with illustrations, and gives you the main point or big idea in each section. If you’re preaching through the Sermon on the Mount, get this book.
4. The Sermon on the Mount: The Character of a Disciple
This sentence by Dan Doriani is powerful: “Among Jesus’ teachings, the Sermon on the Mount is perhaps the most beloved, the best known, the least understood, and the hardest to obey.” Hence, why pastors should preach through Jesus’s sermon. Endorsed by John Frame, Bryan Chapell, J.I. Packer, and Jerry Bridges, this is a book that will be helpful for pastors and laypeople alike.
More Books on the Sermon on the Mount
The above are my top four. But, as you know, I can’t possibly read every resource available on every subject. That means there may be better books out there that I wasn’t able to peruse. Below are four more to consider using, along with a brief blurb about the book from Amazon.
1. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount
“A spiritual classic, this detailed and comprehensive study by one of the greatest expository preachers of our time explains Christ’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and incisively applies it to the Christian life.”
2. Sermon On The Mount: Restoring Christ’s Message to the Modern Church
“Matthew 5-7, popularly known as the Sermon on the Mount, has been described as “the essence of Christianity” and inspired many commentaries. However, New Testament professor Charles Quarles believes a fair number of those volumes either present Christ’s sermon as containing an impossible spiritual ethic or instead dilute its message so much that hardly any ethical challenge remains. Also concerning, a recent Gallup poll indicated only onethird of American adults recognize Jesus as the source of this teaching that has often inspired people who do not even embrace evangelical Christianity.”
3.The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing: A Theological Commentary
“The Sermon on the Mount, one of the most influential portions of the Bible, is the most studied and commented upon portion of the Christian Scriptures. Every Christian generation turns to it for insight and guidance.
In this volume, a recognized expert on the Gospels shows that the Sermon on the Mount offers a clear window into understanding God’s work in Christ. Jonathan Pennington provides a historical, theological, and literary commentary on the Sermon and explains how this text offers insight into God’s plan for human flourishing. As Pennington explores the literary dimensions and theological themes of this famous passage, he situates the Sermon in dialogue with the Jewish and Greek virtue traditions and the philosophical-theological question of human flourishing. He also relates the Sermon’s theological themes to contemporary issues such as ethics, philosophy, and economics.”
4. The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5-7 (Expositional Commentary)
by James Montogomery Boice
“Many pastors, students, and teachers have come to know and depend upon James Montgomery Boice’s scholarly yet accessible commentaries on the most popular books of the Bible. Here is an addition to the Boice commentaries that has a unique focus. Instead of examining an entire book of the Bible, it provides readers with an in-depth look into Matthew 5-7, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.As with his other commentaries, Boice explains the meaning of the text verse by verse and also guides readers on how to apply the truths they find by relating the concerns of the text to today’s world, the church, and the realities of the Christian life. Boice’s clear and practical writing will make The Sermon on the Mount a helpful commentary for a wide range of readers, from serious Bible students to interested laypersons.”
