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Peculiar Blessings

Matthew 5:1-12

(1) When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. (2) He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
(3) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(4) "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
(5) "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
(6) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
(7) "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
(8) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
(9) "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
(10) "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(11) "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. (12) "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (NASB)

Overview

The words that Jesus taught in this incredible moment are words that reveal the Kingdom of God.  From these words, we can see the Kingdom displayed in all simplicity and beauty.  Here, in the "Attitudes for Living;" Christ moves us beyond servants to followers, from commands to paths of joy for his children.  If we want to know the Kingdom -- and ultimately heaven -- we must strive to walk in these paths.


The concept of the kingdom is also laid out in exceedingly clear language.  The kingdom is not a someday place -- it is present in immediacy.  It is available the moment we walk as Jesus walked.

We also learn that there are challenges to walking with Christ -- there are supposed to be challenges!  Not only can we expect them but we can gauge our closeness to Christ by them.  For the closer we get to our Lord the more  the enemy will become hostile towards us.  To follow Christ is to suffer. That term, dioko, is used throughout this teaching and means to suffer and to follow).


Jesus makes it clear that we will suffer in this life but the suffering will be purposeful.  We needn't go out and look for ways to be martyred.


However; the closer we come to Jesus, the more he will become transparent to us.  We will become increasingly focused on him if we become more loving -- especially in our suffering.


Like Stephen's face alight with the Glory of God as he was being stoned.  We will see the face "paniym" of God and he will be our light, strength, and joy (heaven -- ouranos).  We will become his light to others and he will reside in us.

Matthew 5:1

(1) When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

Word Study

  • GSN2523  kathizo (kath-id'-zo);  In Christ's time, teachers would sit to begin teaching.  "Then Jesus sat;" meant the Savior was calling his students to attention for an important lesson.
  • GSN4334  proserchomai (pros-er'-khom-ahee); To their credit, when Jesus was ready to teach, his disciples were ready to listen.  The strict meaning of this verd for, "to listen," would be; "they were called forward [4314 pros (pros) - forward], to worship [2064 erchomai (er'-khom-ahee) -to worship] the Lord."


Am I ready for the Lord's teaching?  At the moment he sits, am I there with an open agenda?  Do I hear the call to worship and respond without hesitation?  Do I keep the "Professor's Chair" open for Jesus in my life?

Larger crowds

When Jesus saw the multitudes gathering he wasn't drawn to preach to them.  He was drawn to go higher in the mountain and start teaching to his disciples.  There were two reasons for this:

  • The multitudes would be unable to hear him.  So, he would prepare his teachers to go out among them.
  • Large crowds didn't stimulate Jesus to increase his fame -- but instead, it reminded him of his responsibility.  He knew that his earthly time was limited and he had to prepare others to reach out ''to the multitudes."  A prideful person would have used that occasion for personal glory.  Jesus used the occasion to start building up the church.

Matthew 5:3

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Word Study

  • GSN 3107  makarios (mak-ar'-ee-os):  Blessed is a concept difficult to translate into "Consumerese."  We tend to think in terms of lucky or fortunate, not blessed.  We also tend to seek to quantify our luck and fortune.


However -- to the Hebrew -- blessed was an inner state, not an outward appearance.  Far greater than wanting more, being blessed was needing less, being satisfied (indeed satiated) with the goodness of each day.

When we teach our children this (and experience it ourselves as adults) then we will have a chance at truly understanding the nature of God.  Until then, we will only create another generation that cries for "more, more, and more."

Yet, not for more justice or more compassion, but for more distractions to fill an empty void that is really crying out for God and community.

  • Ptochos (pto-khos'); 4151  Pneuma (pnyoo'-mah):  The poor in spirit.  This term for poor is the same word for a "cringing begger" -- someone who is completely impoverished.  Here is the proper spirit wherein we are ready to receive God.  When we are humble and grateful -- God will rush to our aid.  When we are prideful and blaming -- we are oblivious to our Creator.
  • Esti (es-tee'); 932  Basileia (bas-il-i'-ah); 3772  Ouranos (oo-ran-os'):  The impoverished spirit will be beckoned by God and will experience him in fulness!  This is not a "someday" promise, but a ''today" covenant.  At the moment we admit; "I can't make it anymore -- I don't want to continue without you."  At that moment, we enter God's kingdom.

Heaven: The today promise

Heaven (ouranos) is not a someday promise.  It is available to us the moment we turn to him and say; "Help!"
Our circumstances may not change and our problems may still loom. We might not be lifted from our chains or pains -- but God comes into our situation with purpose, forgiveness, and hope.  We are freed not by outer circumstances -- but by inner joy.


Where will my freedom -- my blessing -- come from?  The lottery?  A new truck?  Or, will it come from a grateful heart, where God is calling us? 


"Bless us with less, Lord.  Be our heart's longing and fulfillment."

Matthew 5:4

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Word Study

  • Pentheo (pen-theh'-o): The original word for grieving is to be "God-Absent."  Indeed, that is the heart of grief or agnony; to experience meaningless pain.  Where can the "God-Absent" life lead except to sorrow or vanity (which literally means to be; "Dust in the wind")?
  • Parakaleo (par-ak-al-eh'-o): Those who grieve can "call near" the Lord.  This word, paakaleo, is akin to a word used for the Holy Spirit.  It means that God will "come near" in comfort.

He will come near

Those who grieve and call out to God will receive comfort.  He will "come near" and comfort you ("comfortis" literally means to "unite with strength").

Matthew 5:5

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Word Study

  • 4239  Praus (prah-ooce');
    Translation scholar and Scottish preacher, William Barclay, traced this word back to its original usage which is a "Chariot horse's bit."  A thin bit of leather used to control a powerful animal.
  • 2816  Kleronomeo (klay-ron-om-eh'-o); 1093  ge (ghay);
    To be an heir to the soil.

Horse’s Bits

Meek doesn't translate well from Greek to English.  The concept we have of the term is of one who is impotent in the face of problems or afraid to speak out.  The concept that Matthew portrays is of a powerful horse who is perfectly attuned to the master's subltest touch. 


Without training, even the most powerful horse is worth more as leather and glue.  However, when trained, that horse is worth more than his weight in gold.  Am I attuned to the Master?  Do I know his subtle touch and go where he sends me?


Those who give their strength to the Lord will inherit a substantial responsibility.  They will receive a land from which God's fruit will spring.  Those who live their lives under the premise of "power directed by God,"  will not become war horses -- but plow horses in the field of life.  Leaders in the church - the soil of the New Jerusalem.

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Word Study

  • Peinao (pi-nah'-o)

To be "pinched" with the pain of hunger or to toil endlessly just for sustenance.

  • Dipsao (dip-sah'-o)

To be panting with thirst, unsatiable -- as if needing the well, not the water.

  • Dikaiosune (dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay);

Notice the similarity between this word and disciple.  As if the root of our existence is a longing for what is right and just.

  • Chortazo (khor-tad'-zo);

To gorge -- to be satiated.  "I couldn't have a bite more!"

Exploding with joy!

Those who have toiled endlessly for justice only  to see scraps; Those who have seen  injustice and oppression and felt it like a blow to the gut; Those who have crossed a desert of desperation seeking fairness for a just cause but tasted only the salt of tears. For all of those; hope has arrived!


The Christ has arrived and you will know justice.  So great a justice that tears will flow from our eyes and we will cry; "Lord, Lord, our hearts are exploding with joy!"

Matthew 5:7

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Word Study

  • Eleemon (el-eh-ay'-mone); 1653  Eleeo (el-eh-eh'-o)

Those who gave compassion (with passion to the needy), will receive compassion from God's abundant joy!

Blessed by blessing

"To those who have much, more will be given."  "Bind my wounds as I bind the wounds of others / give me mercy as I am merciful / forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."


Our love will never compare to his, but the moment we offer our slightest gift to him -- it returns like an egg transformed into an eagle.  What is beautiful is to.be assured that it is not the result that is blessed -- but the desire.
Imagine, God will match our desire (not our result) beat for beat.  The widow who gave only a penny will receive all God has to offer in return. Why? Because she gave all she had.  The Chief Priest who gave a trinket to show off, receives only the pleasure of the crowd's approval.  Unless that priest changes, the only words awaiting him are; "Hope you enjoyed the applause -- it's all you're gonna get."

Matthew 5:8

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Word Study

  • Katharos (kath-ar-os'); 2588  Kardia (kar-dee'-ah);

Blessed are those who hearts have pure intentions.  The term for pure heart, katharos kardia, applies to pure feelings and pure thoughts -- even more as transparent. We might use the word integrity; a seamless bond between thought and action.

  • optanomai (op-tan'-om-ahee); 2316  theos (theh'-os)

The more transparent we become, the more God shows himself to us.  The more pure -- or focused -- our vision the clearer we see him.

Single-Sighted

The closer we get to God, the more transparent we become, because not only do our words reflect him, but so do our actions, gestures, even our entire being.  The purer our desire -- or "single-sightedness" -- for God, the more he becomes visible to us.


Soon, our face glows with his face.  His glory shines from inside us!  It happened to Moses when he descended the mountain with the law of God.  It happened to Stephen when he was being stoned for preaching Christ.


The closer and more focused we become, the clearer and more desirable he becomes.

Matthew 5:9

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Word Study

  • Eirenopoios (i-ray-nop-oy-os'); 2564  kaleo (kal-eh'-o)

Blessed are those who call others -- invite others -- to live "beside them" in peace.

  • Huios (hwee-os'); 2316  Theos (theh'-os)

You will be called "a foal" of the Exceeding God;  A child or an heir of God.

From slave to child

Here is a tender blessing; "When you call others to live beside you in peace -- I will call you my child; my little foal, my heir."


Imagine that!  To offer peace and live in peace changes our essential relationship with the Eternal One!  From alien to child!


Yet, what is peace to God?  To be in relationship with him and love with all the richness of the child of the All Powerful One!  We don't offer peace from our own empty coffers.  We offer peace from the wealth of the Author of Life.  Indeed, let's get out of the way so the blessings can flow.

Matthew 5:10

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Word Study

  • Dioko (dee-o'-ko); 1343  Dikaiosune (dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what God sees as right.  Persecuted means to be pursued, to suffer, yet to still press on.

The discipline of a disciple

How important is justice to God?  This reading could be translated as saying; "Righteousness is the discipline of the the disciples."  You cannot have faith without righteousness or righteousness without faith if you want to inherit the kingdom (joy) of God.

Matthew 5:11

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Word Study

  • Oneidizo (on-i-did'-zo)

Blessed are you when people "bite at you" (the literal translation for defamation of character.

  • Dioko (dee-o'-ko);

Blessed are you when people pursue you nonstop, yet you press onward.

  • Epo (ep'-o); 3956  Pas (pas); 4190  Poneros (pon-ay-ros')

Blessed are you when people bring all manner of curses or law suits against you.  Another translation would be; "send demons your way."  Today, we might say, "I have a call in to my attorneys."

Failing for compassion

I have been called all sorts of things for caring about the alienated, weak, or wounded.  Bleeding heart, impractical, troublemaker, these are a few I can write down.  However, I have been led by the Lord to feel that if I am going fail in my life -- I want to fail on the side of compassion. 


The key phrase in this beatitude is; "For His name's sake."


I constantly pray that God's love through me won't be limited by the weakness of my own humanity.  That I will love out of his endless vault and not out of  my piggybank.

Matthew 5:12

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Word Study

  • 5463, rejoice, chairo (khah'-ee-ro); 21, and be exceedingly glad, agalliao (ag-al-lee-ah'-o)

Rejoice was a common greeting or good-bye in Paul's day, like; "farewell" or "g'day."  However, agalliao, was the word for exultation.  "Be elated!" "When you are slandered for my name, jump up and down in excitement."

  • 4183, be exceedingly, polus (pol-oos'); 3408, glad, misthos (mis-thos')

We could also interpret this as; "You will be abundantly rewarded if you receive this type of suffering in my name."
Misthos meant wages, being paid for services rendered.

  • Ouranos (oo-ran-os');

The reward is once again, heaven.  Heaven is the abode of God -- but the term also means "the power or joy of God."  On occasion, heaven was used interchangeably with "the Gospel."

  • 3779, In this way, houto (hoo'-to); 1377,  dioko, suffered, (dee-o'-ko); 4396, prophets, prophetes (prof-ay'-tace); 4253, before, pro (pro); 5216, you, humon (hoo-mone');

The word for "to follow," dioko, is the same word as "to suffer".  In short, Christ is telling his closest followers; "This is how it's always been, if you're preaching the Word of God you are going to be under attack.  All of those before you were, all of those after you will be.  However, I will be your sustenance.  I will be your immediate power and joy."

To follow and suffer

Jesus is telling his people they are not alone in being attacked for speaking in truth.  All of the prophets (forward or inspired -- spirit-breathed-in -- speakers) from ages before were persecuted in like manner.


Remember that Jesus is speaking to his closest followers here.  He is sharing a very critical point with his inner circle.  One side of the sword would say; "If people curse you for speaking out my truth, then you can count on my joy and power to sustain you."  The other side of this challenge is just as real; "If people aren't attacking you for your beliefs, then maybe you've grown a little too complacent -- too politically correct."


To follow Jesus is to suffer in this world (diokos meanst to "follow and suffer").  This world is hostile to the Gospel, if you are living by these precepts, you will be under attack.


Simultaneously, Jesus promises his immediate power and joy to those who are under attack: Ouranos, "Heaven in the real world."  The closer we come to Christ, the less we are concerned with the things of this world.  The phrase, "What the neighbors think," should be the last thing on our mind. 


If you have or teach children, that is the message we need to share with them.  What others think is inconsequential compared to what God thinks.  And -- if the beatitudes are any example -- the closer we are to what God thinks, the more our neighbors are going to think we are crazy and even attack us for our beliefs.  Here, our Lord tells us, being attacked is truly a sign that you are on the right path.


However, we don't just act anti-socially to be attacked.  This isn't a dramatic license to condemn those around us.  In fact, that couldn't be farther from the truth.  This is a commission to love dangerously.  To take the alienated in our arms and declare ourselves "sanctuary." "Embrace and Advocate," those are the words of the Christ follower.


These blessings -- these "being attitudes" -- are peculiar to our culture, but we won't experience God's "ouranos" living by the precepts of this culture. Instead, we need to be eager to live new lives where our attitudes become those of Jesus.

About the Author

Jerry Goebel is a community organizer who started ONEFamily Outreach in response to gang violence and youth alienation in a rural community in Southeastern Washington. Since that time, Jerry has worked with communities around the globe to break the systemic hold of poverty by enhancing the strengths of the poor.


A primary philosophy of ONEFamily Outreach is to teach; “poverty is a lack of healthy relationships.” And, a primary focus of ONEFamily Outreach has been to break down the barriers of poverty through creating “cultures of intentional courtesy.”


As well as having developed ongoing mentoring outreaches in his own community, Jerry travels extensively to work with church leaders, community governments, and educators.


Jerry has received five popular music awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, a Best Educational Video Award from the National Catholic Education Association, and a lifetime achievement award from the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry for living Gospel Values.


To contact or book Jerry for a presentation in your area write or call:


Jerry Goebel
ONEFamily Outreach
jerry@onefamilyoutreach.com
http://onefamilyoutreach.com
(509) 525-0709

Copyright Notice

Copyright © 2007 Jerry Goebel. All Rights Reserved.  This study may be freely distributed, as long as it bears the following attribution: Source: Jerry Goebel: 2007 © http://onefamilyoutreach.com.

Scripture Quotations noted from NASB are from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION of the bible. Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

The New Testament Greek Lexicon based on Thayer’s and Smith’s Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the “Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.” These files are public domain.

The Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon is Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon; this is keyed to the “Theological Word Book of the Old Testament.” These files are considered public domain.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries. Copyright © 1981, 1998 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. (www.Lockman.org)

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