die  Bergpredigt

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈbɛʁkˌpʁeːdɪçt/

📜 What exactly is die Bergpredigt?

Die Bergpredigt is the German term for the Sermon on the Mount. It's a collection of sayings and teachings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth, found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5 to 7) in the Neues Testament (New Testament). It's considered a central summary of Jesus' ethics.

The name comes from the account in Matthew where Jesus delivered this discourse on a mountain (Berg) in Galilee. Some of its most famous parts include:

• The Beatitudes (die Seligpreisungen, e.g., "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.")
• The Lord's Prayer (das Vaterunser)
• The Golden Rule (die Goldene Regel, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.")
• Exhortations to love one's enemies, turn the other cheek, and be truthful internally.

⚠️ Important: Die Bergpredigt is generally understood by scholars not as a single sermon delivered verbatim, but as a compilation of Jesus' teachings assembled by the evangelist Matthew.

🧐 Grammar: Die Bergpredigt in a Sentence

The word "Bergpredigt" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always die.

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Bergpredigt enthält die Seligpreisungen. (The Sermon on the Mount contains the Beatitudes.)
2. Der Priester sprach über die Bedeutung der Bergpredigt heute. (The priest spoke about the significance of the Sermon on the Mount today.)
3. Wir beschäftigen uns im Religionsunterricht mit der Bergpredigt. (We are studying the Sermon on the Mount in religious education class.)
4. Viele Theologen haben die Bergpredigt kommentiert. (Many theologians have commented on the Sermon on the Mount.)

🗣️ When to use "die Bergpredigt"?

The term "die Bergpredigt" is primarily used in the following contexts:

• Religious and Theological Context: Discussing Christian teachings, ethics, the Neues Testament, and the life of Jesus.
• Cultural and Historical Context: Referring to one of the most influential texts in Western cultural history.
• Ethical and Philosophical Context: Discussing morality, values, pacifism, social justice (soziale Gerechtigkeit), and interpersonal relationships.
• Figurative Meaning: Occasionally, the term is used ironically or critically for a speech or address that has a very high moral tone or is perceived as unrealistic (e.g., "He gave one of his usual Bergpredigten about environmental protection."). However, this usage is less common and often slightly pejorative.

Die Bergpredigt is a fixed term almost always referring to the text in the Gospel of Matthew.

🧠 Mnemonics for Die Bergpredigt

For the article 'die': Think of the English word "the sermon" – while 'the' isn't gendered, remember that a sermon is a kind of speech or address ('die Rede', 'die Predigt' are feminine). So, link it to die Bergpredigt.

For the meaning: Picture Jesus giving a Predigt (sermon) on a Berg (mountain) - that's the Bergpredigt, the Sermon on the Mount.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

😂 A Little Joke

Warum hat Mose die Israeliten 40 Jahre durch die Wüste geführt?
(Why did Moses lead the Israelites through the desert for 40 years?)

Weil er zu stolz war, nach dem Weg zu fragen – er wollte nicht schon wieder eine Bergpredigt hören! 😉
(Because he was too proud to ask for directions – he didn't want to hear another Sermon on the Mount!) 😉 (Okay, the joke mixes up Moses and Jesus, but plays on the term!)

📜 A Poem about the Sermon

Auf einem Hügel, hoch und weit,
(Upon a hill, so high and wide,)
Sprach Jesus in die Menschenzeit.
(Jesus spoke to humankind.)
Die Bergpredigt, klar und rein,
(The Sermon on the Mount, clear and pure,)
Soll uns'res Lebens Leitstern sein.
(Should be our life's guiding star, secure.)

Vom Salz der Erde, Licht der Welt,
(Of salt of earth, and light of world,)
Hat er von Gottes Reich erzählt.
(He spoke of God's own kingdom, unfurled.)
Liebt eure Feinde, richtet nicht,
(Love your foes, judge not, He taught,)
Folgt seinem Wort, folgt seinem Licht.
(Follow His word, follow His light.)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin eine Rede, auf Fels gehalten,
(I am a speech, delivered on stone,)
Meine Worte sollen das Herz entfalten.
(My words are meant for the heart to be shown.)
Von Seligpreisung bis zum Gebet,
(From Beatitudes unto the prayer,)
Ein Leitfaden, der nie vergeht.
(A guide whose wisdom is beyond compare.)
Im Neuen Testament steh' ich fest,
(In the New Testament, I reside,)
Matthäus schrieb mich auf, als Test'.
(Matthew wrote me down, with God as his guide.)

Was bin ich? / What am I?
(Lösung / Solution: die Bergpredigt / The Sermon on the Mount)

💡 Other Interesting Facts

• Word Composition: The word is clearly composed of Berg (mountain) and Predigt (sermon). It literally describes a sermon given on a mountain.
• Influence: Die Bergpredigt has influenced countless individuals, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., in their thinking and actions, even outside of Christianity.
• Debate about the Location: The exact location of the mountain (Berg) is unknown and debated. One tradition places it near the Sea of Galilee (the Mount of Beatitudes).
• Artistic Depictions: The scene of the Sermon on the Mount is a common motif in Christian art.