Matthew 5,6 and 7 is the continuation of one single preaching occurring on the top of a mountain near Capernaum where He was still situated, popularly known as the Sermon on the Mount. This is a collective of Jesus's ethical teachings which may be broadly divided into the following sections.
One should strive for Good worksThe Law is fulfilled in the ChristAnger leads to JudgementLust equals adulterySexual immorality is the only valid ground for divorce.One should not retaliate to harm.Love your enemies.Pray for your persecutors.Do not display your deeds for earthly recognition.Give to the needy in obscurity.Submit to the will of God.Pray for needs but not for wantsForgive others.Fast in secret.Do not strive for money.Do not be anxious.Do not judge others.Ask in faith.Do unto others as you would have done unto you (Golden rule)Do not choose the easy way out.
Each section perhaps requires an elaboration of its own. But before He enumerates His teachings, Jesus begins this entire sermon with a list of blessings or rather statements of blessedness, called Beatitude. While blessings come from God, beatitudes are associated with man and come from the Latin origin 'beatus' meaning blessed. These statements are directed towards those who feel the most deprived of God's blessings. When Jesus calls the poor, mourning and meek and blessed it comes as a shock to many in the audience. When coming from Jesus they serve not just as statements but as confirmations and assurances. We may as well note that Jesus is not yet established as the Son of God. He is nonetheless a man of God who has performed many miracles reminiscent of the prophets of old. Let us investigate the details of each salutation.
1. Poor in Spirit
Here the word used for spirit is πνεῦμα. It can stand for a lot of things from a mental disposition to the Holy Spirit. Jesus is essentially talking about spiritual bankruptcy. It is a state where you have been humbled and made completely dependent on the grace of God. It is a reference to the prophet Isaiah wherein He had prophesied that the Messiah shall comfort those poor in spirit (Isa 66:2). This state of humbleness may speak of a weak mental disposition, a feeling of despair which Jesus says is a state of blessedness because it makes them worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. At the beginning of His ministry, perhaps these words are not just shocking but also incomprehensible. Those of us, who are witness to the resurrection of Christ and receiver of His Grace can relate to the fact that humility is the first step towards the promised Kingdom. Unless we admit that it is not by our own effort that we enter the Kingdom, we can never enter it.
2. Those who Mourn
This is both an assurance and a threat. Comfort comes to those who mourn. It is prophesied in Isaiah (Isa 61:2). The question that arises is mourn what? From a believer's perspective I can see this state of mourning as a dissatisfaction with our earthly situation. Unless we realize the tragedy of spiritual death in sin, we can never move towards eternal life in Christ Jesus. Now are we mourning sin itself or are we mourning the outcome of sin? Why not both? Those who despair of their spiritual bankruptcy are made aware of their state of spiritual depravation and alienation. The promise of comfort is an accelerant to their pursuit of God.
3. Meek
This is a repetition of the promise as given in the book of Psalms. Jesus is often defined to have a meek disposition. Later on, he calls Himself gentle in nature. Humility and gentleness are characters associated with the correct posturing before God.
But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. (Psa 37:11)
4. Hungry and Thirsty
John takes this concept of spiritual hunger to a whole different level in the gospel according to John but never quotes the beatitudes while doing so. The question that is important here is- what is righteousness? Is Jesus talking about being put right with God? Remarkably the word used for righteousness is δικαιοσύνη which refer to equity and justification. Our justification comes through Jesus. We are made righteous in the righteousness of Christ. Jesus is what satisfies our hunger and thirst. No wonder why in the gospel according to John, He calls Himself both Bread of Life and the Living Water. He is sufficient to satisfy the hunger and thirst of those who are spiritually deprived.
In this context I would again like to emphasize between equity and equality. While equality is using the same measure for everyone, equity means providing everyone according to their own need till they are satisfied. The amount of your spiritual hunger determines how much spiritual food is needed for you to be 'satisfied'.
5. Merciful
Jesus often talks about forgiveness. Forgive your enemies, he tells us. It is not easy. Here Jesus is talking about mercy. Later on, He is telling us that to be forgiven you have to forgive (Mat 6:14). This concept is taken from the Law and the Prophets as with most of the things Jesus preaches.
With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; (Psa 18:25)
I read once that grace is about receiving a gift we do not deserve. Mercy is about not receiving the punishment that we deserve. We are receivers of both grace and mercy. It is God's mercy that allows for the propitiation of our sins by Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. The cross is a symbol of God's mercy while the manger is a symbol of God's grace.
6. Pure in Heart
God directly sees our heart (1 Sam 16:7). He knows how pure we are. The word used for pure also means clean. Perhaps Jesus is talking about spiritual cleansing. It is likely so because the crux of his message was repentance. The concept of seeing God is something that bears a special mention here. Moses was denied his request to see the glory of God because no man can see God in His glory and live. Nonetheless Jacob wrestled with God and exclaimed on how blessed he was to have seen God and lived. So this is an Old Testament concept, which can be interpreted as having a personal experience of God.
7. Peacemakers
Isaiah prophesies Jesus as the Prince of Peace. The redemptive work done on the cross is also reconciliatory in nature. In other words, Jesus died on the cross to establish peace between man and God, to do away with the distention arising from the introduction of sin during the Fall. Jesus as the Son of God is the ultimate Peace maker. Now when we model our lives on Christ and put on the mantle of adoption through the Holy Spirit, we too gain the right as the sons of God. The doctrine of adoption is not a concoction of St. Paul's mind but rather an inherent promise of the Scriptures.
8. Persecuted
When Jesus talks about taking up the cross to follow Him, He is asking us to be prepared for persecution. This almost brings us full circle. We started with the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven and now we again have that promise repeated to us. This persecution is not just a result of your actions that put you at odds with the world, but there may be false accusations as well and not because of who you are but because of who He is. Standing there it may not have been easy for many to hear about the persecutions to come. Jesus is comparing His audience to the prophets of the Old Testament not because of their actions but rather because of the blessings they receive for their association with Him.
Thus, He ends His salutation to His audience. Matthew Henry in his concise commentary calls it eight characters of blessed people. I however see that one lead to other rather than being complementary of the other. Instead of seeing the beatitudes as a list of characteristics of people who are to receive the blessing, it is easier to see it as the steps of spiritual enlightenment. The first step is spiritual bankruptcy. That leads to mourning. Mourning makes you humble. The sense of humbleness builds in you an aspiration of a greater standard of righteousness. That takes the form of mercy which comes from a pure heart. Then you become peace makers by following the example of your heavenly Father, but the world is not used to peace makers. So, you are persecuted and even though life on earth becomes difficult for you, you have treasures stored in heaven.
