The Sermon of the Mount by Emmet Fox
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Emmet Fox’s 1934 classic, The Sermon on the Mount, is a foundational text of the New Thought movement.
What the Book Is About Generally
Fox’s central thesis is that our outer circumstances directly reflect our inner state of consciousness.
Metaphysical Interpretation: Fox argues that Jesus was not establishing a institutional religion, church hierarchy, or complex theology.
Instead, Jesus was explaining the hidden laws of the universe and human mind. The Power of Thought: According to Fox, what happens in your life is not determined by external luck, fate, or bad circumstances, but by your predominant mental habits, beliefs, and attitudes.
Practical Application: The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) is presented as a step-by-step master class on shifting your consciousness—moving away from fear, resentment, and materialism, and aligning with divine love, forgiveness, and trust.
In this opening chapter, Fox sets the stage for the entire book by dismantling traditional assumptions about Christian doctrine and re-framing Jesus’s true mission.
1. No Dogma, No Rituals, No Theology
Fox begins by emphasizing that Jesus taught zero formal theology or ritual.
2. The Primacy of the Inner Life (Consciousness)
Jesus’s radical message was that the state of your soul/mind is everything. External actions matter, but they are downstream from your inner thoughts.
3. The Law of Cause and Effect (Mental Equivalent)
Fox highlights that Jesus revealed a psychological law: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." You cannot entertain thoughts of hatred, lack, or anger and expect to experience a life of harmony, abundance, and peace.
4. God as Father, Not a Tyrant
Fox explains that Jesus introduced a revolutionary understanding of God: not a distant, vengeful judge in the sky waiting to punish human beings, but an infinite, loving Father-Principle that is available to everyone directly.
5. The Purpose of Jesus’s Life
Jesus did not come to suffer instead of us so we could escape accountability. Rather, he came as a "Way-shower" to demonstrate what a human being can accomplish when fully aligned with divine consciousness.
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In Chapter 2, "The Beatitudes," Emmet Fox dives into Jesus’s famous series of blessings from the opening of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–12).
Rather than viewing the Beatitudes as passive promises of future reward in Heaven for people who suffer on Earth, Fox interprets them as eight active, psychological keys to spiritual enlightenment and inner power right now.
The Central Theme: The Eightfold Path to Consciousness
Fox describes the Beatitudes as a dynamic chart for inner transformation. Each "blessing" corresponds to a specific state of mind and its natural, inevitable result.
1. "Blessed are the poor in spirit..."
The State: Being "poor in spirit" does not mean lacking confidence or living in poverty. It means having intellectual humility—emptying yourself of pride, stubborn ego, and the belief that you know everything.
The Result: When you let go of your ego, you open the door to receive divine wisdom ("for theirs is the kingdom of heaven").
2. "Blessed are they that mourn..."
The State: "Mourning" refers to divine dissatisfaction—the state of feeling deeply dissatisfied with your current lower state of consciousness, selfishness, or material limitations.
The Result: This spiritual longing drives you to seek higher truth, which ultimately transforms your mind ("for they shall be comforted").
3. "Blessed are the meek..."
The State: In modern English, "meek" implies weakness or submissiveness, but Fox restores its original Biblical sense: poised, mental self-control. To be meek is to stay calm, harmless, and non-reactive in the face of provocation.
The Result: Those who master their own minds control their environment ("for they shall inherit the earth").
4. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness..."
The State: Having an intense, driving passion for divine truth and right thinking—not just an occasional or lukewarm interest in spiritual growth.
The Result: Total spiritual fulfillment ("for they shall be filled").
5. "Blessed are the merciful..."
The State: Practicing genuine forgiveness and goodwill toward others, recognizing that everyone is dealing with their own level of ignorance.
The Result: The Law of Mind operates like a mirror: when you extend mercy and forgiveness, you experience mercy and freedom in your own life ("for they shall obtain mercy").
6. "Blessed are the pure in heart..."
The State: Single-minded focus on God/Goodness without mixed motives, hypocrisy, or double-mindedness.
The Result: Clear spiritual vision ("for they shall see God").
7. "Blessed are the peacemakers..."
The State: Not merely keeping the peace externally, but maintaining inner peace within your own mind and harmonizing conflict wherever you go.
The Result: Realizing your true spiritual identity ("for they shall be called the children of God").
8. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake..."
The State: Remaining steadfast in truth even when your outer circumstances, old habits, or other people challenge or oppose you.
The Result: Spiritual mastery and complete dominion over your life.
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In Chapter 3 of Emmet Fox’s The Sermon on the Mount, titled "As a Man Thinketh" (covering Matthew 5:13–48), Fox moves from the personal, internal dispositions outlined in the Beatitudes to the absolute mechanics of cause and effect in the mental and spiritual realm.
If the Beatitudes establish the state of consciousness required for spiritual awakening, Chapter 3 details the universal law governing how that consciousness interacts with the physical world.
In this chapter, Fox focuses entirely on the Law of Mental Causation—the core principle that your thoughts directly shape your physical reality.
Key Themes of Chapter 3: "As a Man Thinketh"
1. The Law of Mental Equivalents Fox takes the title directly from Proverbs 23:7: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." He explains that every outer condition in your life—your health, environment, relationships, and financial status—is merely the physical equivalent of your habitual inner thoughts. You cannot hold thoughts of limitation, sickness, or fear and expect to experience freedom, health, and peace.
2. You Are the "Salt of the Earth" (Matthew 5:13) Fox explains that "salt" in the Bible represents spiritual understanding and mental discipline.
If salt loses its savor, it becomes useless. Metaphysically, if you understand spiritual truth but fail to practice mental control in your daily life, your knowledge remains an abstract theory that produces no real results.
The "salt" is what preserves and uplifts your personal world.
3. The "Light of the World" and the Candle Under a Bushel (Matthew 5:14–16) Your mind is constantly radiating energy. Fox points out that you do not need to advertise your spirituality or try to convert others with words.
Putting your candle under a bushel means hiding your spiritual understanding behind doubt, fear, or worldly conformity.
Letting your light shine simply means demonstrating the power of right thinking through visible harmony, poise, and peace in your daily affairs.
4. Fulfilling the Law (Matthew 5:17–20) When Jesus states he came "not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it," Fox interprets this as a shift from external rules to internal mental law:
Old-style religion focused on controlling physical behavior through codes and traditions.
Jesus fulfilled the law by revealing that thought is the primary cause. To be righteous, it is not enough to avoid bad actions; you must discipline the mind to refuse thoughts of malice, fear, or lack.
Fox stresses that "righteousness" simply means right thinking—aligning your thoughts with the truth of God rather than human appearances.
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In Chapter 4, "Resist Not Evil" (which interprets Matthew 5:21–48), Emmet Fox addresses some of Jesus's most radical and widely misunderstood instructions: turning the other cheek, loving your enemies, and not resisting evil.
Fox argues that these are not calls to weak submission or passive victimhood. Instead, they represent a supreme law of mental dynamics and spiritual power.
Key Themes of Chapter 4: "Resist Not Evil"
1. The Law of Non-Resistance When Jesus says "Resist not evil," Fox explains that fighting, arguing, or mentally wrestling with a negative situation actually feeds energy into it.
Whatever you focus on, fight against, or fear, you magnify in your own consciousness.
To resist evil directly keeps your mind anchored to the very problem you are trying to overcome. True power lies in withdrawing your attention from the unwanted condition and directing your mind toward God, harmony, and perfection.
2. The Inner Cause of Violence (Anger vs. Murder) Analyzing Jesus's comparison between physical murder and internal anger (Matthew 5:21–26), Fox notes that physical violence is merely the externalization of a long-nurtured mental state.
Harboring resentment, grudge, or bitter contempt ("calling your brother Raca") subjects you to the law of cause and effect just as destructive mental causation.
Fox advises resolving mental conflicts immediately—"agreeing with thine adversary quickly"—to prevent negative thoughts from taking root in your subconscious mind and manifesting as outer difficulty.
3. Turning the Other Cheek & Going the Extra Mile Fox reinterprets these famous precepts as practical methods for controlling your mental atmosphere:
Turning the other cheek: Not an invitation to physical abuse, but a refusal to react in kind. If someone approaches you with anger or hostility, matching their negative frequency drags you down. Responding with spiritual poise shifts the polarity of the situation.
Going the extra mile: Performing your actions with goodwill rather than resentment or grudging compliance, ensuring your inner attitude remains clear and harmonious.
4. Loving Your Enemies (Impersonal Goodwill) Fox acknowledges that "loving your enemies" sounds impossible if "love" is understood purely as a warm, personal emotion.
Metaphysically, loving your enemy means practicing impersonal goodwill. It means refusing to hold malice, wishing for their highest spiritual good, and recognizing the divine spark within them despite their mistaken behavior.
Doing so breaks the cycle of negative mental feedback and protects your own peace of mind.
5. "Be Ye Therefore Perfect" The chapter culminates in Matthew 5:48: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Fox clarifies that spiritual "perfection" does not mean flawless human performance. It means aligning your thinking with the divine Principle—maintaining a mind centered on love, truth, and non-resistance regardless of outer appearances.
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In Chapter 5, titled "Treasure in Heaven" (covering Matthew 6:1–24), Emmet Fox addresses human motives, secret spiritual practices, and the fundamental choice between trusting divine supply or clinging to material security.
Key Themes of Chapter 5: "Treasure in Heaven"
1. Secret Devotion vs. Seeking Human Approval (Matthew 6:1–18)
Fox breaks down Jesus’ instructions regarding almsgiving, prayer, and fasting in secret:
The "Secret Place": Doing spiritual work or good deeds to be seen by others ("to have glory of men") wastes your mental power on ego validation. Your reward becomes the brief, shallow praise of people.
Entering the Closet: The "closet" in prayer represents turning away from the senses and external circumstances to commune privately with God in consciousness. True spiritual demonstration happens in this silent inner space.
2. Laying Up Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19–21)
Fox clarifies what "heaven" means in a practical, metaphysical sense:
Earthly Treasures: Outer possessions, social status, and physical circumstances are transient; they are subject to "moth and rust" (decay and change).
Heavenly Treasures: "Heaven" is a state of consciousness. Heavenly treasures are spiritual understanding, character, emotional poise, and a deep realization of God.
These can never be stolen or lost, and they form the permanent foundation for all outer prosperity. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also": What you value most will dominate your mental focus.
3. The Single Eye (Matthew 6:22–23)
Analyzing "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light," Fox explains:
The Single Eye: Single-minded focus on God/Goodness as the only real cause and power.
The Evil (Double) Eye: Looking at the world through dualism—believing that both Good and Evil have equal power, or that external conditions can overrule divine law. Double-mindedness creates confusion and disharmony in your physical life.
4. No Man Can Serve Two Masters (Matthew 6:24)
The chapter culminates in the statement on God and Mammon:
"Mammon" represents reliance on material conditions, money, or human personalities as your primary source of security.
Fox points out that you cannot simultaneously put your trust in material conditions and spiritual law. You must choose which master rules your consciousness.
In Chapter 6, "With What Measure Ye Mete" (covering Matthew 7:1–12), Emmet Fox focuses on how the Law of Cause and Effect governs human relationships, criticism, and our exact personal experiences in life.
The title is drawn from Matthew 7:2: "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
Key Themes of Chapter 6: "With What Measure Ye Mete"
1. The Law of Reciprocity (The Cosmic Boomerang)
Fox explains that the universe acts like a mirror or a echo chamber. Whatever energy, judgment, or standard you put out into the world—whether in speech, action, or secret thought—returns to you with absolute precision.
If you habitually measure out criticism, suspicion, and harshness to others, you attract an environment where you are constantly criticized, suspected, and treated harshly.
Conversely, when you measure out generosity, forgiveness, and goodwill, life measures those exact qualities back to you.
2. "Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged"
Fox clarifies that Jesus is not asking us to abandon common sense, discernment, or practical evaluation. Rather, "judging" refers to condemnation, fault-finding, and moral superiority.
Condemning others keeps your mind focused on negative traits, which causes those very same limitations to reproduce in your own consciousness.
When you fixate on someone else's shortcomings, you lock yourself into the same lower frequency.
3. The Mote and the Beam (Matthew 7:3–5)
Jesus asks why we look at the speck (mote) in someone else's eye while ignoring the log (beam) in our own.
Fox interprets the "beam" as our own distorted state of consciousness.
Often, the very traits that irritate us most in other people are reflections of unacknowledged faults or rigid judgments within ourselves. Removing the beam means fixing your own mental attitude first; only then can you see clearly enough to help anyone else.
4. Casting Pearls Before Swine (Matthew 7:6)
Fox cautions against sharing deep spiritual realization, sacred personal goals, or tender inner truths with people who are unready, cynical, or antagonistic ("swine").
Cynicism and mockery will "trample" your ideals and tear down your faith.
Keep your spiritual work silent until it is fully demonstrated and stabilized in your life.
5. Ask, Seek, Knock & The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:7–12)
The chapter concludes with Jesus’ promises about divine supply and the climax of the ethical teachings:
Ask, Seek, Knock: An invitation to active spiritual demand. You do not beg a reluctant God; you persistently align your mind with divine harmony until the answer manifests.
The Golden Rule: "Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them." Fox presents this not merely as moral advice, but as the supreme shortcut to mastering mental law: treatment of others is literally self-treatment.
In Chapter 7, "By Their Fruits" (interpreting Matthew 7:13–27), Emmet Fox brings The Sermon on the Mount to its practical climax.
Fox transitions from theoretical understanding to the undeniable test of reality: Is your spiritual practice actually working?
Key Themes of Chapter 7: "By Their Fruits"
1. The Strait Gate and the Narrow Way (Matthew 7:13–14)
Jesus speaks of the wide gate that leads to destruction and the narrow gate that leads to life.
The Broad Way: Drifting through life following mainstream human conditioning—reacting emotionally to external circumstances, holding grudges, worrying, and letting fear direct your choices. Fox notes that this path requires no effort, but it leads directly to limitation and disharmony.
The Narrow Way: The path of strict, conscious mental discipline. It requires deliberate effort to control your thoughts, refuse negative reactions, and stay centered in divine truth regardless of appearances.
2. False Prophets in Sheep's Clothing (Matthew 7:15)
Fox reinterprets "false prophets" on two levels:
External: Religious leaders, teachers, or systems that promise spiritual enlightenment through empty rituals, external dogma, or fear-based doctrines rather than true inner transformation.
Internal: Your own deceptive rationalizations and negative thoughts disguised as "common sense" or "justified anger." These mental suggestions pretend to protect you, but actually drag down your consciousness.
3. "By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them" (Matthew 7:16–20)
This is Fox’s pragmatic litmus test for all spiritual theories and practices.
A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Metaphysically, your outer life is the "fruit" of your inner mental "tree". Fox argues that you should measure spiritual progress not by how many books you read, how devoutly you talk, or how holy you feel, but by concrete results: Are you healthier, more peaceful, more generous, and experiencing greater harmony in your daily affairs?
4. "Lord, Lord" vs. Doing the Will (Matthew 7:21–23)
Jesus warns that not everyone who cries "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom.
Intellectual assent and emotional piety mean nothing if they aren't backed by mental practice.
Merely repeating spiritual slogans or identifying as "spiritual" yields no demonstration unless you actually conform your daily thoughts and reactions to divine law.
5. The House Built Upon the Rock (Matthew 7:24–27)
The Sermon on the Mount concludes with the parable of the two builders:
The House on the Sand: A life built on material appearances, human opinions, and intellectual theories. When the "floods" and "winds" of life (illness, loss, financial strain, or conflict) inevitably blow, the structure collapses.
The House on the Rock: A life built on the conscious realization of God as the sole power and the disciplined practice of right thinking.
When life's storms come, the person anchored in spiritual law remains unshaken and poised.
The Climax of the Book
Chapter 7 seals Fox’s overarching thesis: Christianity is not a passive belief system, but an exact, practical science of consciousness. True spiritual mastery lies in doing the work—consistently building your life on the rock of constructive thought.
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Emmet Fox considered The Lord’s Prayer to be the absolute heart of the Sermon on the Mount—and the single most powerful spiritual document ever written. Rather than viewing it as a ritualistic petition to a distant God, Fox interprets it as a compact, master formula for the development of the human soul.
Fox points out that the prayer naturally divides into seven distinct clauses (a classic Eastern symbolic number representing individual soul growth).
The Seven Clauses & Their Metaphysical Meanings
1. "Our Father"
The Principle: Establishes the true nature of God and humanity.
God is not an unpredictable tyrant or judge, but a loving Parent-Principle. The Insight: Since "like begets like," if God is Divine Spirit, your true inner essence is also Divine Spirit.
Furthermore, saying "Our" Father (not "My" Father) establishes the universal brotherhood of humanity and eliminates spiritual elitism.
2. "Which Art in Heaven"
The Principle: Defines "Heaven" not as a geographic location in the sky, but as a state of divine consciousness.
The Insight: Heaven is the realm of pure Cause, harmony, and infinite possibilities. God dwells in this unmanifested realm of perfection, which is accessible within your own mind.
3. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
The Principle: In Biblical symbology, "Name" signifies nature, character, or essence.
The Insight: To "hallow" God’s name means to hold your concept of God sacred and unpolluted by lower human concepts (like fear, anger, or scarcity). You realize that God's nature is absolute Goodness, Life, Truth, and Love.
4. "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done in Earth, as It Is in Heaven"
The Principle: The Law of Manifestation.
"Earth" represents outer conditions, the physical body, and daily circumstances. The Insight: You are asking for divine harmony (Heaven) to press outward and express itself in your physical life (Earth).
"Thy Will" is never a call for suffering or resignation; God’s will for you is life, growth, freedom, and joy.
5. "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
The Principle: Direct reliance on Divine Supply for the present moment.
The Insight: "Bread" means everything required to sustain your life—not just food, but ideas, inspiration, guidance, and peace of mind. Fox emphasizes "this day": you cannot live on yesterday's spiritual understanding, nor can you hoard tomorrow's supply. You must claim your divine inheritance moment by moment.
6. "Forgive Us Our Trespasses, as We Forgive Them That Trespass Against Us"
The Principle: The Law of Retribution and Dissolution.
The Insight: Fox calls this the crucial hinge of the entire prayer. The word "as" acts as an exact mathematical operator. You can only experience divine forgiveness and freedom from your own errors to the exact degree that you extend forgiveness and release resentment toward others. Resentment acts as a spiritual dam, blocking God’s good from entering your consciousness.
7. "Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil"
The Principle: Protection and mental vigilance.
The Insight: God never tempts anyone to fail. Metaphysically, "temptation" is the mental struggle when old negative habits or belief in material power try to pull you away from spiritual truth. "Evil" refers to the illusion of separation from God. This clause is an affirmation that Divine Wisdom leads you safely through trial and delivers you into spiritual unity.
The Doxology ("For Thine Is the Kingdom...")
Fox notes that while the concluding doxology ("For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory...") was likely an early church addition rather than Jesus's original words, it serves as a brilliant final affirmation.
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