Wednesday Study Material
July 21, 2010
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3-12
Matthew 5:3 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
O the bliss of the man who has realized his own utter helplessness, and who has put his whole trust in God, for thus alone he can render to God that perfect obedience which will make him a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven!
Matthew 5:4 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
O the bliss of the man whose heart is broken for the world's suffering and for his own sin, for out of his sorrow he will find the joy of God!
Matthew 5:5 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
O the bliss of the man who is always angry at the right time and never angry at the wrong time, who has every instinct, and impulse, and passion under control because he himself is God-controlled, who has the humility to realize his own ignorance and his own weakness, for such a man is a king among men!
Matthew 5:6 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
O the bliss of the man who longs for total righteousness as a starving man longs for food, and a man perishing of thirst longs for water, for that man will be truly satisfied!
Matthew 5:7 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
O the bliss of the man who gets right inside other people, until he can see with their eyes, think with their thoughts, feel with their feelings, for he who does that will find others do the same for him, and will know that that is what God in Jesus Christ has done!
Matthew 5:8 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
O the bliss of the man whose motives are absolutely pure, for that man will someday be able to see God!
Matthew 5:9 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
O the bliss of those who produce right relationships between man and man, for they are doing a Godlike work!
Matthew 5:10-12 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Jesus said to be happy when we're persecuted for our faith. Persecution can be good because 1) it takes our eyes off earthly rewards, 2) it stripes away superficial belief, 3) it strengthens the faith of those who endure, and 4) 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 Unbeatitudes
We can understand the Beatitudes by looking at them from their opposites. Some, Jesus implied, will not be blessed. Their condition could be describes in this way:
· Wretched are the spiritually self-sufficient, for theirs is the kingdom of hell.
· Wretched are those who deny the tragedy of their sinfulness, for they will be troubled.
· Wretched are the self-centered, for they will be empty.
· Wretched are those who ceaselessly justify themselves, for their efforts will be in vain.
· Wretched are the merciless, for no mercy will be shown to them.
· Wretched are those with impure hearts, for they will not see God.
· Wretched are those who reject peace, for they will earn the title "sons of Satan."
· Wretched are the uncommitted for convenience's sake, for their destination is hell.
Question: Was the Sermon on the Mount taught to the disciples in one setting?
Let's look at two examples:
Matthew 5:13 (Salt) Luke 14:34, 35
Matthew 5:15 (Light) Luke 8:16
Matthew 5:18 (Law) Luke 16:17
Matthew 7:1-5 (Personal problem) Luke 6:37-42
Matthew 7:7-12 (ask, seek, knock) Luke 11:9-13
