Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.Matthew 4:23-25 Jesus Heals the Sick
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
“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.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.5:1-12 The Beatitudes
The Bible is_____________. (Fill in the blank) For us it constitutes the Word of God, written by inspired men guided by the Hoy Spirit of God. There are 66 books written by 40 individual authors in their own style but the words are inspired by an author who can never die. It was written over a period of 1600 years and after a brief creation story as introduction, it deals primarily with the created, us, and our separation from the Creator through disobedience. From the third chapter of Genesis forward, the theme is one of redemption to overcome this separation.
We are urged and encouraged to read this book carefully and often.
When you purchase a new car, one of the contents of the glove box or compartment is an Owner’s Manual. It shows you where things are, tells of necessary service, and informs you as to how to interpret all of the little symbols that appear on the lighted dash of the vehicle. You are alerted if you have forgotten to fasten your seat belt, failed to completely close the door, or if you need an oil change. Should the air pressure for a tire be low, a little symbol reveals this. The tire does not have to be affixed to the car but may be flat in the trunk and you will be informed. Neat but also embarrassing if you fail to think of it.
As we read and analyze the Bible, we are warned not to take isolated statements out of context. It is imperative to know what was said before and what follows as well. Conclusion jumping is not a recommended feat for Biblical interpretation. We learn information easiest when it is tied to a story. In addition to all He can do, Jesus is the world’s master storyteller. He frequently taught in short stories called parables that were to teach one or two salient points. In contrast, Matthew chooses to relate Jesus’ most important teachings in simple statements. They are the Beatitudes and we are to be blessed for certain attitudes and behaviors.
Importantly, what is the context? Jesus has been tempted by the Satan in the wilderness and has bested him by the quoting of Hebrew Scripture. He then goes about calling some of His disciples who follow Him closely. Why? They think He is the predicted Messiah of God. Great crowds followed Him because He was able to heal diseases and sickness and not particularly because they reasoned that He was the Messiah.
The crowd was large (over 5000) and Jesus chose to teach them from a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. We all are aware of how well sound travels over water so this is an ideal spot. Note that His intimate disciples surround Him. His sermon is directed to His disciples and not to the vast crowd. It is not that the people are excluded but the teachings embrace the novel idea of Jesus interpretation of His messianic charge. What He says has application to all but individual application depends upon the listener’s concept of who this man is. (Matthew 16:13-14 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” )
With this background understood, Jesus then begins to teach the disciples (those who reason He is the Messiah) as well as the people of the land (those who reason He is a prophet). The understanding of the two groups as well as their interest is widely divergent. Jesus begins with the statements that we call The Beatitudes. The hearers are to be blessed if they cultivate certain attitudes. The first is “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” To be blessed is to be favored by God. No sooner than Jesus speaks than does He introduce controversy. Every Jew felt himself to be worthy of being in the Kingdom based on his ancestry traced to Father Abraham. As Jesus continued to speak, the crowd was held based on His mastery of speaking and teaching and not by the message that He delivered. Their interest was not in the spiritual but in the physical. They were an oppressed people who had been subjugated to foreign powers for the greater percentage of the last 500 years. They were seeking political liberation.
If they were unmoved by His opening statement, imagine their response when He ultimately followed with “love your enemies” and “pray for those who persecute you.” This not only sounded irrational but impossible as well. But they subsequently demonstrated that they could forgive Him for such spiritual statements, if He would merely feed them. They sought to make Him King after He fed the crowd of 5000 men. John 6:15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Before we rise to prosecute the Jews of Jesus’ day, perhaps we should look carefully at our own responses 2000 years after the fact. And what is the fact? The Bible clearly and factually details the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth from the grave. This is as well documented as any event in history. Does such influence us in the life that we seek to live?
The Mount Sermon was given and directed to those who would acknowledge Jesus not just as God’s Messiah but as His Son as well. We should and must seek God’s favor with our thoughts, actions and behavior. Surrender to God’s Spiritual guidance is essential for Kingdom living, now and in the future.
Jesus loves us enough to sacrifice for us. He leaves heaven to be incarnate as a helpless infant and grows to manhood in the setting of poverty. He is abused by those He has created and is able to pray for forgiveness for those who crucify Him. The pall of the death of the perfect man is over-shadowed by His resurrection from the grave. This is the universe changing occurrence of all time.