This chapter is dense with doctrine. While Christ begins by saying the people will be blessed if they believe his teachings, he says that they are "more blessed" if they believe the twelve disciples he has just called to preach and baptize. And if they believe the disciples and repent and are baptized with water they will also be baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
The wonderful thing is that we know everyone he was preaching to would indeed believe both him and his disciples, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, live in peace, and then live with God in eternity. What a singular occurrence in the history of the world, at least the history that we know about.
When Jesus gave the Western Hemisphere version of the Sermon on the Mount, did he think about his loved ones in Jerusalem who may not have accepted his ministry and his words and who would not be with him in the next life? Did he have any? For all that believed him in Jerusalem, there must have been many who did not. There were many he loved that deserted or betrayed him.
In verse 44 he says, "But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good."
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth simply won't do if you want to be the children of your Heavenly Father.
And after he said to love everyone, even your enemies, he said, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."
Jesus knows about enemies. He knows about love. He knows about perfect.
He promises us that if we can love everyone like he loves everyone, we can be the Children of our Father in Heaven.
He even asks us to pray to Heavenly Father to be filled with love and adds that then we will be like him.
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen." Moroni 7:48.
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