The Enormous Exception: Meeting Christ in the Sermon on the Mount

by Earl F. Palmer

From the author's "This book is a twentieth-century commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, but it is more than that for me. It is something of a journal of my own pilgrimage with Jesus the man and Jesus the preacher, as that pilgrimage is focused and intensified by the event and the speech we call the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus' sermon has usually had that effect upon anyone who hears it; and since each new generation of men and women listens to the sentences from the possibilities of different experiences and different vantage points, there is the need in each generation for yet another reflection upon what the sermon means for our lives here and now."

152 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2001

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When thrifting books is helpful - coming across interesting, relatively unknown ones that are out of print! I enjoyed how Palmer broke the Sermon into bite size snippets and offered practical commentary. He usually offered a few technical notes at the end of each chapter to get the exegetical juices flowing. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe too many C S Lewis references? His main point is that Jesus is the preacher of integrity who lived and fulfilled the Sermon.

[Hamster · Rating 4 out of 5]

The late Earl Palmer was my parents' pastor for some time, and I've watched or heard many of his sermons. So getting to read one of his books was pretty neat.

Like Palmer says, the Sermon on the Mount is probably one of the most studied sections of the Bible. But I feel like he manages to still find something new to bring into the conversation. His knowledge of the Greek and Hebrew languages allows him to offer a lot of insights you might not hear elsewhere.

Palmer's examples and illustrations are also really fun. Of course I liked the Lewis and Tolkien references, but the best might have been a page-and-a-half discussion of the morality of Star Wars.

All around solid theology, equal parts informative and convicting. If you can get your hands on a copy, it's a worthy read.

[papasteve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book as a study guide for a Men's Bible Study. It's no longer in print but I was able to find enough used copies. Palmer uses good illustrations for this study of the Sermon on the Mount. Most examples are from C.S. Lewis and JRR Tolkein, which is fine by me. This book is one of the more readable studies of the Sermon on the Mount and the men in the study got a lot out of it.