John Gill Commentary Matthew 5:1

"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him:" — Matthew 5:1 (ASV)

And seeing the multitudes
The great concourse of people that followed him from the places before mentioned,

he went up into a mountain ;
either to pray alone, which was sometimes his custom to do, or to shun the multitude; or rather, because it was a commodious place for teaching the people:

and when he was set :
not for rest, but in order to teach; for sitting was the posture of masters, or teachers, see (Matthew 13:2) (Luke 4:20) (5:3) (John 8:2) . The form in which the master and his disciples sat is thus described by Maimonides ^F26 .

``The master sits at the head, or in the chief place, and the disciples before him in a circuit, like a crown; so that they all see the master, and hear his words; and the master may not sit upon a seat, and the scholars upon the ground; but either all upon the earth, or upon seats: indeed from the beginning, or formerly, (bvwy brh hyh) "the master used to sit", and the disciples stand; but before the destruction of the second temple, all used to teach their disciples as they were sitting.''

With respect to this latter custom, the Talmudists say ^F1 , that ``from the days of Moses, to Rabban Gamaliel (the master of the Apostle Paul), they did not learn the law, unless standing; after Rabban Gamaliel died, sickness came into the world, and they learnt the law sitting: hence it is a tradition, that after Rabban Gamaliel died, the glory of the law ceased.''

His disciples came unto him ;
not only the twelve, but the company, or multitude, of his disciples, (Luke 6:17) which he made in the several places, where he had been preaching; for the number of his disciples was larger than John's.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F26: Hilch. Talmud Torah, c. 4. sect. 2.
• F1: T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 21. 1. Vid. Misn. Sota, c. 9. sect. 15. & Jarchi, Maimon, & Bartenora in ib.