Beatitudes
The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5 New International Version
5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Where was it given:
The Sermon on the Mount was given by Jesus on a hillside near Capernaum.
How was it given:
It was probably done over a period of days of Jesus’ preaching and healing.
Why did Jesus say these things:
Jesus told of his attitude toward the law and God’s wish for his people.
He emphasised that position, authority, and money are not important in the kingdom of God.
What matters is faithful obedience from the heart.
What did it do:
The Sermon on the Mount challenged the proud and legalistic religious leaders of the day. It called them back to the messages of the Old Testament prophets, who, like Jesus, taught that heartfelt obedience is more important than legalistic observance.
Enormous crowds were following Jesus.
He was known of by everyone in the area and everyone wanted to see him.
The disciples, who were the closest associates of this popular man, were certainly tempted to feel important, proud, and possessive. Being with Jesus gave them not only prestige but also opportunity for receiving money and power.
The crowds were gathering once again. But before speaking to them, Jesus pulled his disciples aside and warned them about the temptations they would face as his associates.
Don’t expect fame and fortune, Jesus was saying, but mourning, hunger, and persecution.
Nevertheless, Jesus assured his disciples that they would be rewarded, but perhaps not in this life.
Jesus began his sermon with words that seem to contradict each other. But God’s way of living usually contradicts how the world lives.
If we want to live for God, we must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world.
We must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse.
By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you.
The Beatitudes can be understood in many ways:
· They are a code of ethics for the disciples and a standard of conduct for all believers.
· They compare kingdom of God values (that are eternal) with worldly values (that are temporary).
· They compare the superficial “faith” of the Pharisees with the real faith that Jesus demands.
· They show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new kingdom of God.
How might we interpret the Verses in the Sermon on the Mount.
Below is the reading from Matthew and an explanation of how we might interpret each verse.
Matthew 5 New International Version
Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount
5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Be satisfied with what you have and share the good things we have with others. Show humility and subject yourself to the Lord in all things.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Those who mourn are people who have a tender heart who pray for others who are sad when something bad happens to others.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
These are people who are not always concerned with their own ideas but who are willing to put themselves in second place for the good of others.
In the Greek language a “meek” person was one who was confident in his own ability to handle difficult situations but who held back until he was needed.
An analogy is an expert swordsman who keeps his sword sheathed until it is essential for him to use it.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
If you thirst after righteousness, you want to live a godly life. You would act and live as God would want you to live.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Merciful people treat others with kindness and forgiveness. They are not cruel or harsh. Merciful people show mercy to others and give relief from suffering.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
The pure in heart are reliable and trustworthy, do not gossip, are able to keep secrets, would not betray a friend and are sincere.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
A peacemaker is a person who helps others solve a conflict and reach a peaceful solution.
An individual can be a peacemaker, and there are also organizations that work as peacemakers.
If two countries are engaged in a long war, for example, “real godly” peacemakers might help negotiate a truce or even a solution.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
These people are right in a moral way. They do the right thing even when it is difficult. These people follow God’s laws.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Are the Beatitudes a multiple choice?
They are not a pick and mix of what you like and then leave the rest. They have to be taken as a whole because they describe what we should be like as Jesus’ followers.
Each one of the beatitudes tells how us to be blessed by God. Being blessed means more than happiness. It implies the privileged state for those who are in God’s kingdom.
The Beatitudes don’t promise laughter, pleasure, or earthly prosperity. Being “blessed” by God means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances.
To find hope and joy and the deepest form of happiness, we need to follow Jesus no matter what the cost.
Jesus said that God’s kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdoms. In the kingdom of heaven, wealth and power and authority are unimportant.
Kingdom people seek different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Many of those in the world worship selfishness, pride, and lust for power, not the humility and self-sacrifice of Jesus.
Jesus said to rejoice when we are persecuted for our faith. He said persecution can be good because:
· it takes our eyes off earthly rewards,
· it strips away superficial belief,
· it strengthens the faith of those who endure, and
· our attitude through it serves as an example to others who follow. We can be comforted knowing that God’s greatest prophets were persecuted (Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel).
The fact that we are being persecuted proves that we have been faithful. Faithless people would be unnoticed.
In the future God will reward the faithful by receiving them into his eternal kingdom, where there is no persecution.