In chapters four and five Luke has been establishing "the progressive Messianic self-revelation" and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ for His non-Jewish readers. "In the Sermon on the Mount the Messianic self-revelation continues to proceed majestically, for in it He acts with absolute authority as Announcer of 'the laws of the kingdom.' He proclaims this not on the ground of someone else's authority, and does not even say as the prophets of the Old Testament did: 'Thus saith the lord.' No, in a way in which no man ever spoke before He speaks with a final, personal, divine authority. He is one with the Father and therefore He declares that the weal or woe of human life in the last analysis depends on the attitude adopted toward Himself and His words." - Geldenhuys