THE BEATITUDES
Introduction
After completing an introductory 14-unit study with 10 units on The Ten Commandments, the Bible’s Old Testament laws believed to have been given by God to the prophet Moses some 3500 years ago, for an ESL Bible class I was teaching some time ago, I went on to the New Testament. I said that I thought it would now be a good comparison to turn to a message Jesus Christ gave as recorded in The Gospel according to Matthew. I am referring to the so-called Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5 – 7. This is often regarded as the greatest summary of Jesus teaching. It is also noteworthy for its linking, its connecting, of what the Hebrew people called The Law, which I had just written on, to what he was teaching. Some scholars think these chapters are not one message or sermon but a collection of Jesus' teachings from several different times and places. Does that really matter? It's the content that counts.
After completing an introductory 14-unit study with 10 units on The Ten Commandments, the Bible’s Old Testament laws believed to have been given by God to the prophet Moses some 3500 years ago, for an ESL Bible class I was teaching some time ago, I went on to the New Testament. I said that I thought it would now be a good comparison to turn to a message Jesus Christ gave as recorded in The Gospel according to Matthew. I am referring to the so-called Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5 – 7. This is often regarded as the greatest summary of Jesus teaching. It is also noteworthy for its linking, its connecting, of what the Hebrew people called The Law, which I had just written on, to what he was teaching. Some scholars think these chapters are not one message or sermon but a collection of Jesus' teachings from several different times and places. Does that really matter? It's the content that counts.
The Sermon begins with a well-known set of teachings
that have become to be known as The Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1- 12:
5:1 When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. After he
sat down his disciples
came to him.
5:2 Then he began to teach them by saying:
5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for
they will be comforted.
5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they
will inherit the earth.
5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they
will be shown mercy.
5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they will see God.
5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they will be called the children of God.
5:10 “Blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
5:11 “Blessed are you when people insult
you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on
account of me. 5:12 Rejoice and be glad because your reward
is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same
way.
We can't do justice to this passage,
deal with it properly, by trying to discuss it all at once. There is far too much here. For a start, let
us just read over the verses and try to think what they might really mean,
meditate on them with prayer. Then we'll go on to look into them further.
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