Beginning with the blessings...
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…
You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:3-10;13-14 NIV)
The chronology of the gospel of Mathew implies that Jesus began His discussion with His disciples by listing character traits or attitudes that the disciples might already possess or aspire to achieve. This portion of the Sermon on the Mount has come to be known as the Beatitudes.
The adjective used to introduce each statement has a dual meaning in the Greek. It could mean blessed or happy and both definitions have been used in different translations of the New Testament. Interestingly, these two words have a different tone and are not usually used interchangeably. “Blessed” carries the inference of God’s approval. Happy implies a state of mind determined by circumstance or self-determination. However, the importance lies not in the introduction, but in the conclusion. What is the result of being poor in spirit or merciful or a peacemaker? It is in this that the Beatitudes bring such comfort.
It is reasonably easy to understand why the majority of these particular traits achieved the reward that is promised- why those who mourn would find comfort, why the merciful would have mercy returned, why those who were peaceful would be demonstrating the peace of the Father and the pure would stand in the presence of God. But one Beatitude is not as easily explained and it seems to defy our cultural beliefs. Why should the meek inherit the earth?
To understand this, one must read further into the account of the Sermon on the Mount in Mathew. Jesus explains to His disciples “I have not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it.” In much of Jesus’ teaching, He expanded the Law or redefined its intent. Often He quoted scripture to defend His teaching in the eyes of the Jews. In this particular Beatitude, Jesus is quoting Psalm 37. David wrote in a time when wickedness abounded. He encouraged his people not to be influenced by what is going on around them. He reminded them to place their hope in the Lord, to trust Him, to do good and enjoy safe pasture. “Delight in the Lord,” he said, “and He will give you the desires of your heart.” And, in a little while, he reminded them, the wicked will be no more and the people will enjoy great peace. And the meek will inherit the earth.
So who are the meek that David identifies and Jesus calls blessed? One contemporary source defines the meek as those who are content with who they are. But perhaps they are better described as those who are content with Whose they are. Recognizing this, the meek are able to live without illusion for their hope is not in this world. Their destiny is not controlled by circumstance but by the Creator.
Jesus said “Come to me, all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest…for I am meek and lowly of heart”…not submissive and weak but strong in the assurance that He was doing God’s will. There is an inner calmness that results from accepting the power and promise of God. We too can share in that strength. When God is in control, one can recognize the bounty of His providence. We take account of the blessings God has provided and recognize that His word is true. In doing so, we become content with who we are because we have accepted what God would have us to be. And we are alert to what we could become. There is no greed among the meek for they realize they already possess all that is of value. The parameters of our vision change and we understand what it means to inherit the earth.
…the Salt and the Light
Jesus moves from describing the blessings of the Christ-follower to the responsibilities of discipleship. He says to them. You are the salt. You are the light.
Salt is known even today as a purifier, a preservative. It played that role in the Jewish community of Jesus time as well but it was also symbolic of the relationship between God and His people, the covenant of God’s presence. To be the salt, as Jesus commanded, was to be the constant reminder of God’s promise of the Redeemer. For us today, it is to be a witness to the fulfillment of that promise.
The reference to light is a common theme throughout the New Testament. Light implied illumination and understanding. Jesus calls His disciples to action – to let their lights shine, reflections of the one true light. But it was not enough to possess the light. It had to be shared. The Message paraphrases this passage with the reminder that God is not a secret to be kept. We, too, as receptacles of that light, are called to be a city on a hill, publicly reflecting the light of God throughout the world. But first, we must put it on a candle stick to guide our path and to witness to those closest to us.
Thought questions
1. What if we looked at the Beatitudes as a path of progression toward following Jesus? Could it be map for living a Christian life?
Where we are How we are blessed
We recognize our need for The kingdom of heaven
God (poor in spirit) belongs to us (church)
We repent, are sorrowful We receive assurance
for wrongs (mourn)
We recognize and accept We have a better
the bounty of God and understanding of who
His will in our lives (meek) we are and what our
purpose is in this world
As we grow in our spiritual We are given insight
walk, we hunger for a deeper
understanding of God’s will
in our lives (hunger and thirst)
As our faith increases, we We show mercy, we are
reflect more and more the peacemakers, we are pure
nature of God and His will in heart
We go beyond our existence We accept this, understanding
and reach out to others. In that we are in the company of
so doing, we often experience the saints. And that we never
resistance and opposition take a step alone
2. Why do you suppose our culture views meekness as a weakness and Jesus considered it a virtue?
3. Is it easier to share the light of God’s redemption to strangers far away than to those within our daily circle
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