Subscription Lists

In my Thursday morning Bible study, we’re walking through Matthew. We’ve made it to Chapter 5. One of my ladies said she just zipped through the chapter, and another one said she found tons about it on the Internet. I was struck by the familiarity I have with the Beatitudes as well. It is so tempting to rely upon one’s existing knowledge when teaching something familiar. I am so glad that I dug deep, because I learned so much. I realized after three pages of notes that we would not make it through the whole chapter in one sitting. There is just too much to savor to drink it all in one gulp.

Jesus preached this sermon that is an exposition of the Law. Think about this: Jesus was able to sum up the law in three chapters what Moses wrote in five books. Jesus did not negate the Law, nor did He set aside any portion of it as unworthy. Neither did He make light of it. What He did with this sermon was to prepare the people to step into the saving Grace of God Himself.

Let’s contrast the two instances of God-given Law.

He gave Moses the Law when He came down to Mt. Sinai. Jesus went up to a mountain and explained the Law. Only Jesus could explain the Law so that mere men could understand it. The priests and the scribes had Moses’ seat to expound on the Law, but Jesus had no such pulpit. The tragedy is that the priests and the scribes padded the Law so much it became far too heavy to bear. Admittedly, their fear of breaking the Law was so great they added padding to “bump against” to keep from breaking the absolute Law. Yet, all they did was make things so cumbersome and convoluted the people couldn’t obey everything.

The people Jesus called to come to Him did not have to cross any boundaries; did not have to consecrate themselves. They just went up the mountain and sat down to hear what Jesus had to say. At Mt. Sinai, the people had to wash themselves and consecrate themselves for three days before they could stand at the foot of the mountain. They dare not touch, nor allow any of their creatures to touch the mountain or they would die.

Only one person saw God’s backside on Mt. Sinai. But many saw Jesus, touched Him, talked to Him, loved Him. What does this contrast portray? It shows the all encompassing God for His utter holiness and His complete love. What does that say about how deeply God wanted a relationship with humans; how much He wanted humans to be reconciled to Himself?

Jesus sat down to preach. In this sermon, He was focused and positioned just as the priests and scribes sat in the seat of Moses to preach. No passing word was this sermon. Jesus indicated the solemnity of what He was about to say by His posture.

Matthew Henry points out:

The general opinion is, Blessed are they that are rich, and great, and honourable in the world; they spend their days in mirth, and their years in pleasure; they eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and carry all before them with a high hand, and have every sheaf bowing to their sheaf; happy the people that is in such a case; and their designs, aims, and purposes are accordingly; they bless the covetous (Psalm 10:3); they will be rich. Now our Lord Jesus comes to correct this fundamental error.

Contrasting between the Rock and the Hard Place (mount Gerizim and mount Ebal – Gerizim means rock and Ebal means bald) and these blessings that Jesus promises, we see that God in all His holiness implies the blessings if one is obedient to His commands, but Jesus shows us these blessings are ours through our state of being.

I know you have heard the Greek word used here (makarioi) is an adjective that means “happy,” which in English etymology goes back to hap, chance, good-luck as seen in our words haply, hapless, happily, happiness. In other words, the English word “happy” stems more from the state of circumstances rather than the state of being. So let’s look at the Beatitudes from this point of view.

Poor in spirit, those who mourn, meek, hungry and thirsty, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted ones are blessed with great rewards in Heaven. Here in a nutshell are the qualities that God treasures, and those things that God expects of His children.

Many scholars believe that poor in spirit is that broken and contrite spirit, that poverty of spirit. We must call ourselves poor, because always in want of God's grace, always begging at God's door, always hanging on in his house. God puts humility first. He hates pride (Proverbs 6:16ff). It is to look with a holy contempt upon ourselves, to value others and undervalue ourselves in comparison of them.

David spoke frequently of the poor, and here are a few examples:

You shame the counsel of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge. Psalm 14:6

The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! Psalm 22:26

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:6

One thing about the poor, they most often are acutely aware of their state. The wicked, on the other hand...

The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD. Genesis 13:13

Judah’s first born, Er, was wicked in the sight of God and He killed him. Genesis 38:7

For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD. Psalm 10:3

That last one is what Matthew Henry was pointing out. We see in numerous references in the Old Testament that God does not condone wicked ways, and He will remove the wicked from this earth when He deems it is warranted. From the point of view of various biblical writers, there is a big difference between poor in spirit and wickedness.

Those who are poor in spirit do seek to stay close to God. This is Who blesses them, and this is Whose kingdom they share. Just like a hungry man knows he needs food to live, the poor in spirit know Who supplies every need, both physical needs and spiritual needs.

Paul is very graphic in his explanation of the difference before Christ rose from the dead and after in Galatians 3:

2This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

13Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree," 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

God supplies our every need. The Kingdom of God is here as Jesus pointed out, but thank goodness we are only poor in spirit for a little while. As joint heirs with Christ, we will be rich in Heaven. That richness is what God values rather than what humans call valuable. Our finite minds cannot even fathom the depth and breadth of all the riches in Heaven.

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Mercy and not Sacrifice (Sept. 30, 2010)