Beatitudes - Part 1 Series

The Beatitudes (Part 1)

When we start a new series, it has been our custom to start with some context, and background, explain some big idea that will serve as a unifying them for the series, and then finally zero-in on the particulars of a certain passage.

I like that approach… and, quite frankly, I think we’ve done a pretty good job of it. In just the short life of this church, over the past 18 months we’ve handled some solid series including:

The Book of Ephesians

The Gospel of John

The 7 Deadly Sins & 7 Heavenly Virtues

The Book of Philippians

Jesus in the Old Testament

The Book of Romans

And now we’ll start a twelve-week series on the Sermon on the Mount that will take us right up to Advent.

This morning I’m going to go a bit backwards…

Rather than starting with the big idea, I’m going to start with the detail elements and then in a sort of expanding, concentric circle approach, we’ll end up with a big idea for this series that starts today:

What do these words mean?

What is this passage saying?

What are these Beatitudes?

What is the point of this Sermon on the Mount?

What do these words mean?

Since this is an especially short passage, we can take this opportunity to carefully go word-for-word to make certain we know the meaning of each word.

Sat Down

Not proclamation

Not reading Scripture

Teaching – It was the custom of Rabbis to sit as they taught.

Disciples

Followers (more than the twelve)

To them he directed his speech, because they followed him for love and learning, while others attended him only for cures.[1]

Not merely the crowds who were there for the show or the free lunch

Teach Them

Deliberate

i. Much of what we read in the Gospels is in the course of living, meeting needs, dialog, Passion Week.

ii. Here, Jesus takes a position of authority and deliberately instructs

Blessed

Jesus, using a technique common in what we now know as the Old Testament, used this powerful form beginning with this powerful word “Blessed.”

A good example is found in Psalm 1:1

More than just “happy”… but like happy

Total Contentment. The Greeks reserved this word only for the gods or the dead.

Poor in Spirit

No dependence on self

Not bankrupt or corrupt in spirit, poor in spirit.

And not simply poor

i. Spiritual understanding

ii. Frame of mind

this poverty of spirit is a gracious disposition of soul, by which we are emptied of self, in order to our being filled with Jesus Christ. [2]

Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven

IS – Not will be

Fullness of Christ

So the poor in spirit are enriched with the fullness of Christ, which is the kingdom in substance; and when He shall say to them from His great white throne, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, ” He will invite them merely to the full enjoyment of an already possessed inheritance. [3]

Kingdom means rule, reign, and authority

Mourn

Commonly understood to mean either repentance or bereavement

The feeling of spiritual poverty

i. The second beatitude is the compliment of the first

ii. The one is intellectual; the other the emotional aspect of the same thing.

Comforted

We read “make comfortable”

ðáñáêáëÝù [ parakaleo / par·ak·al· eh ·o /] – Encourage, strengthen, teach, coach

Meek

Direct quote of Psalm 37:11

i. Affirming that this Kingdom isn’t an entirely new Kingdom

ii. It is the fulfillment of the old

Greeks used this word to describe a horse that had been broken.

Power under control.

It is a misunderstood word… not weak.

The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to his word and to his rod, who follow his directions, and comply with his designs, and are gentle towards all men ( Tit. 3:2 ); who can bear provocation without being inflamed by it; are either silent, or return a soft answer; and who can show their displeasure when there is occasion for it, without being transported into any indecencies; who can be cool when others are hot; and in their patience keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of any thing else. They are the meek, who are rarely and hardly provoked, but quickly and easily pacified; and who would rather forgive twenty injuries than revenge one, having the rule of their own spirits.[4]

Inherit the Earth

Inclusive of the land – Canaan

All things

What is this passage saying?

This short passage of Scripture reminds us to keep ourselves in the proper perspective.

Paul echoed this same sentiment in Romans 12

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.[5]