Five Celestial Laws in the Sermon on the Mount

President Ezra Taft Benson spoke of five celestial laws. In a speech at BYU he said:

"Celestial laws, embodied in certain ordinances belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, are complied with by voluntary covenants. The laws are spiritual. Thus, our Father in Heaven has ordained certain holy sanctuaries, called temples, in which these laws may be fully explained, the laws include the law of obedience and sacrifice, the law of the gospel, the law of chastity, and the law of consecration" 

I have provided a link for the entire speech here. 

There are close ties to these five celestial laws in the Sermon on the Mount. They are given almost in the same order, according to gospel scholar, John W. Welch, who sees the similarities as a temple text.

I noticed it more dramatically this time reading through Matthew chapters 5-7. 

Here are some examples:

Obedience

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil . . . Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:17,19).

Sacrifice

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." (Matthew 5:13).

"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee" (Matt. 5:23).

Salt was a token of the covenant under the law of Moses. The footnote for verse 13 goes to Leviticus 2:13, where it states, "And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt."

Salt was an important element of Old Testament sacrifice.

Law of the Gospel

This gospel law deals with our interactions with others and requires abstinence of certain things which are impure in nature.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire" (Matt. 5:22).

Another example is contained in the following verses:

"Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

"But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

"Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

"Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

"But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil" (Matt. 5:33-37).

These verses deal more with honesty than profanity. It means being direct and honest in our communication with others.

Chastity

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell" (Matt 5:27-29).

There are vile things upon this earth that need to be plucked out and cast out of our lives!

Consecration

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:


"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 6:19-21).


"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).

That last verse sums up consecration perfectly. It's about putting God and His kingdom first.


Three Levels of the Sermon

Like many of the Savior's teachings, there are three levels (at least)--Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial. 

The telestial level would be those listening to the sermon and asking, "What's all this stuff about candlesticks, salt, and cutting off limbs. I don't get it."

The terrestrial level is represented by those who see only a code of moral ethics in the Beatitudes. Granted, the world would be a better place if everyone was merciful and if everyone was a peacemaker.

On the celestial level, the raiment spoken of in Matthew 6, verses 25 and 28, comes from the Greek word enduma, where we get the English word endowment. It means to be invested in sacred clothing and to have a Lamb-like exterior. You can read more about it here. 

The candlestick, spoken of in Matthew 5, verse 15, becomes an important part of Old Testament temple worship. It was placed in the Holy Place, opposite the table of shewbread, and in front of the golden altar of incense, placed before the veil going into the Holy of Holies. It is the "house" that the Savior refers to.

The Beatitudes also take on new meaning. Matthew 5, verse 8, which says, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God," becomes the objective of temple worship, as the place where we can symbolically come into God's presence, and hopefully, becomes a reality for the future. Modern scripture also states, "And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live" (D&C 84:21-22).

The Beatitude stating, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth," (Matt. 5:5) speaks of future celestial life. Again, modern revelation states, "And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it . . . That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it (the earth) forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified" (D&C 88:17,20).