Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Now we come to the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7. This sermon […]
Archive for April, 2008
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
5:3
are the poor in spirit,
The “poor in spirit” are those who put their trust in God. They have nothing in themselves to gain God’s favor. This poverty has nothing to do with economic poverty.
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The word “for” […]
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn,
This mourning has to do with mourning over sin and not over a loss of a person or object. This is mourning over loss of fellowship with the Lord. The word for “mourn” is the strongest word in the Greek for […]
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
5:5a
“Blessed are the meek,
Jesus pronounces a third blessing on the meek.
Trench, a Greek scholar, renders “gentleness” as inwrought grace exercised chiefly towards God. This person carries a temper that accepts all God’s dealings with us as good. He endures anything that may come his way […]
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
5:5b
for they shall inherit the earth.
The meek will inherit the earth in the millennial reign of Christ as a reward for their meek approach to life. This was the hope of the nation Israel. To inherit the kingdom is not the same as possessing the Messianic […]
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
Matthew uses the term “righteousness” as personal fidelity to God. He does not use it in the sense of justification or imputed righteousness. Therefore, the term does not refer to personal salvation.
Those who […]
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
5:7
“Blessed are the merciful,
Mercy is active compassion and helps the hurting. Mercy is more than pity for another person but an identity and involvement with the person in their need. Mercy is grace in action or grace applied.
The Hebrew word for mercy carries the idea of […]
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart,
The sixth beatitude refers to the core of purpose. This is a person who has single-minded commitment to God, not double-minded distraction.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify […]
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers,
Peacemakers are instruments of peace. This does not relate to those with a peaceable disposition but to those who take active steps to make peace; they are makers of peace.
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by […]
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
5:10
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
The persecution to which Jesus refers here is not for personal wrong but for “the kingdom of heaven. The word “for” connotes on account of righteousness. Righteousness is the cause of […]