The Beatitudes When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; - PDF document

3/7/2017 The Beatitudes When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: Matthew 5:1-2 The Mountain • In the East the teacher sits • ‘he went up the mountain’ (v1) and receives his disciples • “The unnamed mountain • He speaks and teaches them serves as a symbol for the place • The disciples nearby; the of momentous encounter, a crowds farther away place of revelation” (Long) Nine Beatitudes (3 Parts) • The Beatitudes are in fact true but run contrary to our world’s values 1. Introductory phrase – ‘Blessed • The world acclaims: are…’ wealth, power, assertiveness, 2. Naming of virtue – a specific self-sufficiency trait • The world dismisses the 3. Promise of a future reward beatitudes as irrelevant 1

3/7/2017 I. The First Beatitude • Begins in the present tense (now) Blessed are the poor in spirit, • Reward is normally in the future for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. • 2 frames of reference: » Present contingencies of life » A future shalom for us and the world Matthew 5:3 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up • It is easy for us today to the broken-hearted, to proclaim dismiss the poor – be liberty to the captives, and release to indifferent to their needs the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; Isaiah 61:1-2 Who are the poor? • The poor in spirit today are the desperate ones – those who “The poor” referred to the social stand without pretense before and religious outcasts, the rejects God of the rich and righteous of Jesus’ day, who out of desperation • Those stripped of self- turned empty-handed to God by sufficiency, self-security, self- responding positively to Jesus’ righteousness ministry. Robert A. Guelich 2

3/7/2017 The Kingdom of Heaven II. The Second Beatitude • The Kingdom of heaven = the Kingdom of God (Luke 6) Blessed are those who mourn, • The focus is on the dynamic for they will be comforted. quality of the kingdom • Now and not yet • A reconciled relationship with God through Jesus Matthew 5:4 to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland • Mourning the separation we instead of ashes, the oil of experience from God – ourselves gladness instead of mourning, and our culture the mantle of praise instead of a • The hurt in our world faint spirit. They will be called • Lamenting over the state of our oaks of righteousness, the world planting of the Lord, to display his glory. Isaiah 61:3 III. Conclusion • The focus is on the comfort we receive and will receive from 1. The Beatitudes are meant to God encourage us – we are blessed, we are not useless • Our hope lies beyond ourselves or ignored – ultimate Shalom in God 3

3/7/2017 2. We are invited to embrace the Kingdom of heaven 3. We are invited to live out our » Feed on Jesus mission as the ‘salt and light’ of the world » Not give in to competition and comparison – the world’s values 4