The Beatitudes

1  Matthew chapter five really begins with the last verse of chapter four.

Great multitudes followed Him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  Matthew 4:25

2  Jesus would take advantage of this opportunity.

And seeing the multitudes (probably at least several thousand people).  He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated* His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them (the disciples and the multitudes), saying,

* It was traditional for teachers to sit down when they taught, so they would not be above the people.  We see how humble Jesus was!

** "Blessed"  could be translated as "Oh how happy..." It describes that state of blessedness when a person knows himself to be in the presence of God -- he can be very happy no matter what he is going through.  This kind of happiness comes only from God -- through right relationship with God.

*** "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven" should have been translated "For of such is the kingdom of heaven."  People like that make up the kingdom of heaven.  And of course they are blessed (happy) because...   They live in the presence of God, who has all power, love, wisdom, etc... to help them live life to the fullest -- in Christ..  For a discussion on "the kingdom of heaven" see lesson four. 

3  There are two Greek words meaning "poor."  One word means "poor, but able to help oneself." The other word means "beggarly poor, and completely unable to help oneself."  In this case the Greek follows the Hebrew.  Jesus spoke in Hebrew, using the word for "beggarly poor."  The first beatitude should be understood like this...

"Blessed are those who are beggarly poor in spirit, (who know they are completely unable to help themselves spiritually), For of such is the kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 5:3

Jesus had a requirement -- He still insists on this condition. This is the first step towards salvation. It is the attitude necessary for coming to God. We must see our total depravity.  People do not enter His kingdom unless they are  beggarly poor in spirit.  (See Luke 4:18 He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the beggarly poor.  Also Luke 7:22 ...the beggarly poor have the gospel preached to them).***

*** The people of Jesus' day were familiar with the concept of being beggarly poor in spirit.  Isaiah had used the term -- prophesying of the Messiah. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the (beggarly) poor. Isaiah 61:1  The opposite of being beggarly poor in spirit would be the attitude of the Pharisees who considered themselves to be spiritually rich -- they knew the law --  they practiced it rightly -- and they did many good deeds to prove their righteousness.  The common people of course could never measure up.  So ... most of the people of Jesus' day would have considered themselves to be spiritually poor by comparison. He was speaking to them and they knew it. 

I can see the crowd pressing forward. Jesus is speaking. His gospel includes them!  They know how poor they are! And what is He saying? -- All of heaven can be theirs, and everything in it! 

4  He continues...

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

The second step towards salvation requires repentance from wrong doing.  Then -- once again blessings -- the happiness of heaven upon those who mourn (for their sins and the sins of others), For they shall be comforted -- with the comfort of God's Holy Spirit, who is The Comforter of all men.  For they will know that their sins are forgiven!   What a happiness that is! As David exulted in Psalm 32

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,"  Psalm 32:1-2

Such repentance presupposes faith.  People do not repent unless they believe that God exists and that He judges the hearts of men. 

Again the crowd presses forward, hanging now on every word.   Jesus is laying the foundations for the kingdom of heaven and it includes them!   Never had they heard anyone talk like this! 

5  But wait!   There is more... 

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

After salvation from sin, then what?  The next step is to be yoked together with God in His eternal purpose of bringing salvation to others.  Jesus said so.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

The first thing any new convert wants to do is tell others.   Again Jesus is talking to common, ordinary people.  The crowd surges forward, gathering at His feet.

Meekness has been described as "strength under control".  But I say that is the result of meekness.  Meekness is to be yoked together with God in His purpose of salvation and redemption, obedient to His every Word.   Those who seek God's word and His will, are yoked together with Him to do His work.  Such people are blessed, -- again with the peace and joy of being in the presence of God!  And ... It's not all just for nothing -- they shall inherit the earth.   

6  There is a spiritual progression in the beatitudes...

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, For they shall be filled.

The Hebrew speaking people of Jesus' day understood "righteousness" to mean "salvation."  The word is crave and thirst terribly after salvation.  Then, after they have been saved, they will have the power of God's Holy Spirit to live rightly.  How many times had they thirsted like that for God?  And now Jesus is telling them they will be -- satisfied!  He speaks with authority -- the voice of God -- the Messiah!

After a person receives Christ he hungers and thirsts for more of God and His word. 

7  It was a happy day on that mountain!   No one had ever spoken like this!  Jesus went on...

Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

Mercy?  Mercy is an attribute of God. To forgive someone who does not deserve it -- to love the unlovable -- to relieve suffering -- to help the friendless... Such people will receive the same from God and more, because God has more to give!  Men (who have God's nature)  can forgive -- God can pardon.   People can help -- God heals.  Men understand failures -- God restores them!  It's a good deal.  They would take it!

In this beatitude Jesus tells the people what quality they need to serve God.  It sounds good to the people.  That is what they want.

8  Jesus' words would last for all time.  He continued...

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Singleness of heart is what God is after:  (Compare Psalm 73:1  &  Genesis 20:5-6)  God is looking for hearts like the hearts of young children whose delight is just to be with their father.  There is no hidden motive; no selfish interest.  Greed, lust, bitterness, anger, jealousy, envy, pride, hatred - find no resting place in the hearts of those who long for God as their constant companion..  These people just want to love God for Himself .  And they shall indeed see Him - i.e. they will know Him as He is.  God is interested in our hearts more than anything else.  He doesn't just want fellowship.  He wants intimacy.  He wants the intimacy of a pure heart. 

Women and children rush forward through the crowd now.  What is Jesus saying?  This includes them, and they want to get in on it!  Jesus is openly declaring the things of God and of heaven.  They are hanging now on every word. 

9  Jesus goes on. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

There is a peace that passes all understanding.  It is the peace that God gives to all those who are in Christ.  All those who know this peace want to share it with others.  In the Hebrew sense of the word, "peace" meant a total sense of well being, not just absence of conflict. People who have such peace (God's peace), also have the burning desire to pass this blessed peace on to others.   They have the fruit of the spirit which is peace, and so they are peacemakers.  This is the mark of a Christian.  And really, in this sense, a peacemaker is one who helps others come into right relationship with God.  (Then they can come into right relationship with others.) 

They will be called "sons", not "children."   Sons have dignity, inheritance, and standing.  God will own them as His.

10  A thousand sighs of relief go up from the crowd.  Now at last they are hearing God speak straight to them.  They want to hear more -- and they do...

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness (salvation's) sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus' hearers were Hebrew.  They understood that "righteousness" meant "salvation."  It would be correct to translate Matthew 5:10 something like this:

Oh how happy are those who are persecuted for salvation's (the concern for other people's salvation i.e. witnessing's), sake, For of such is the kingdom of heaven.

11  The "mountain" Jesus was sitting on when He spoke these words was really only a hillside.   Later generations of Christians would remember that spot and build a chapel there.  Jesus had laid the foundations for his Church!

12  There is a progression in the beatitudes.  Jesus takes the people all the way from being poor in spirit to being his peacemakers and witnesses.

13  Here I fall down and worship at Jesus' feet. For in the beatitudes we see the character of Christ Himself!  He is poor in spirit, mourning for the sins of others, meek, hungering for the things of God, merciful, completely pure in heart, peaceable, and a joyful witness of God in the face of persecution.   The fruit does not fall far from the tree.  Those who know Christ will be like Him.

Discussion: How would you translate the Beatitudes into everyday living?

Memory Verse: Memorize any one of the Beatitudes (or all of them).  Store them up in your heart.

next lesson:
previous lesson
table of contents