BEATITUDES
This write-up is based on the books “The Sermon on the Mount-An Introduction to the New Covenant” by Rev. Daniel Caram and “The Life of Christ” of Dr. Brian Bailey.
The Sermon on the Mount introduces us to the New Covenant - the law written on the fleshly table of the heart.
When one compares the Old Covenant, to which Moses was the Mediator, with the New Covenant that Christ mediated, it is apparent that the new is superior to the old. It has higher standards than that of the old. But its advantage over the old is that in the new covenant, we have a greater mediator who intercedes for us and ministers grace that we may be able to perform the provisions of the New Covenant (Caram: 14).
The beatitudes begin with the description “blessed.” In its usage in the Sermon on the Mount this refers to partaking of the peace, joy, serenity, and state of bliss enjoyed in heaven. It is not merely happiness that is dependent on circumstances but joy that is founded on the Lord (Bailey: 96). Each of the beatitude when it becomes a reality to a man enables him to enter that state of blessedness! He gets a taste of heaven on earth.
However, the beatitudes come as we experience the needed suffering or pain that works these attitudes in us. They will certainly cost a man if these are to be etched in our hearts (Caram: 23).
If you carefully look at each beatitude they are attitudes that these world look down upon. They are perceived to be signs of weakness and are certainly not associated with inheriting kingdoms and power. The world has truly turned things upside down. Thus, studying the beatitudes is understanding how we really ought to be from the perspective of God.
Poor in Spirit
Poorness in spirit can be illustrated by a cringing beggar who acknowledges that he has nothing, he can do nothing and he is nothing. Our Lord Jesus Himself exemplified this poorness in spirit. He divested Himself of His glory and majesty and during His time on earth He did nothing apart from the Father.
This attitude however is worked out in us by trials that push us to the limits of our strength, capabilities, and wisdom so that we get to understand how dependent we are on God (Caram: 25). The result of which is that when we experience redemption in our circumstance we get to acknowledge that it was only the Lord who saw us through.
Caution must be offered however against extreme efforts to be humble. Monks in the past sought to work out humility in them by self-abasement or self-affliction. But such efforts do not really produce a poorness in spirit but can even produce pride or hardness of heart. We must allow God to be the one to work out true humility in us. As we walk in the Spirit, He will leads us to the conditions that can develop this attitude in us (Caram: 25).
They who Mourn
The second aspect refers to mourning for the sorry state of others. In Ezekiel 9:4, the angel of the Lord was sent to place a mark on the foreheads of the godly in Jerusalem who mourned for the backslidden state of their people. These mourners were promised to be spared in the Babylonian siege (Bailey: 98-99). This attitude is very important for us today even as we see the declining state of the church. The Lord shall look kindly upon those who will cry and stand in the gap for the people and churches who are going astray (Bailey: 98). Those who mourn for their own sins or the need of others are promised to be comforted.
The Meek
This attitude is developed as we continually say Yes to the Lord. The Lord Jesus compared meekness to submitting to a yoke that leads to rest. When we submit to the Lord whatever circumstance we maybe in, we find rest! So the key to resting is not a good circumstance but a surrender in every circumstance (Caram: 27).
Those who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
We cannot progress in the Lord unless we have a hunger and thirst for Him. How is hunger and thirst for righteousness developed in us? Sometimes it calls for us to be surrounded by wickedness until a revulsion for evil is developed in us. Hunger and thirst in Scriptures came to people who were in exile. Certainly, hunger and thirst come as a product of deprivation. What kills appetite for God is feeding on the world. It replaces one’s desire for the living God. Our attitude should be one of “I need more of God” (Caram: 29).
The Merciful
Mercy is tested in us when giving mercy comes at a cost. If we do not show mercy to another, we may spiritually be able to keep that person in the debtor’s prison. The result of which is also being shut out of the mercy of God. Mercy is developed under great trials. The nature of mercy is worked out in us as we ourselves face failures and hurts (Caram: 30-31).
The Pure in Heart
We were not born with pure hearts. There is a need to be cleansed as the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:1 -
There are weaknesses in the area of purity that we have inherited. There is also the tremendous pressure coming from our society. As the world experiences a rapid moral decline, all forms of media are polluted with wickedness (Caram: 32). Thus, with forces seemingly against us, it will take making a choice to close our eyes and minds to things that can stimulate worldly appetites. We have a choice. If we choose to set ourselves towards the path of purity, God will help us (Caram: 32). We must also open our hearts before God so He may inspect and purify us. We must always pray that God will purify us not only of lustful desires but of anger, hatred, criticism, jealousy and the like. The reward for this attitude is that one will see God.
The Peacemakers
Those who suffer for righteousness sake
Persecuted for My sake
We live in the generation that will see all nations tested in this beatitude. But take heart that God will prepare His saints for this. When we look at Daniel and his friends, before they were brought to the furnace and taken in the lions’ den, early in their lives they made resolutions. They made a stand contrary to that of their peers. This is where it begins.
The order of the beatitudes were knowingly made by our Lord Jesus. The first beatitude is a prerequisite to all others. Then as we continue to walk in the spirit and have the previous beatitudes worked out in us, we will be prepared for this final beatitude.
Sources:
Brian J. Bailey. The Life of Christ, Zion Miniterial Institute, 1999.
Daniel G. Caram. The Sermon on the Mount-An Introduction to the New Covenant, Zion Christian Publishers, 2002.
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The Sermon preached by Jesus in Matthew 5-7, commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount is undoubtedly the greatest preaching ever made. Summing up the message of the New Testament, its messages are at the core of every sermon there is. In these three chapters, Jesus speaks to us of what it means to be His followers. It is therefore of utmost importance that we study this sermon that we may gain understanding of Christianity from the very perspective of Christ Himself.
The Sermon on the Mount introduces us to the New Covenant - the law written on the fleshly table of the heart.
Jeremiah 31:31-34While one becomes part of the New Covenant when he is saved, the reality of this Covenant does not immediately take place. For the law to be truly wrought in our hearts, it requires an ongoing pursuit and obedience to the Lord and yielding to His transforming work. And how deeply etched the law gets into our hearts determines our eternal destiny (Caram: 12).
Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.
When one compares the Old Covenant, to which Moses was the Mediator, with the New Covenant that Christ mediated, it is apparent that the new is superior to the old. It has higher standards than that of the old. But its advantage over the old is that in the new covenant, we have a greater mediator who intercedes for us and ministers grace that we may be able to perform the provisions of the New Covenant (Caram: 14).
Ezekiel 36:27Today, we shall be looking at the first segment of the Sermon of our Lord Jesus. This concerns the beatitudes. Beatitudes are the attitudes of being, the attitudes that will become part of us as we walk with the Lord. (Caram: 16) These attitudes are first and foremost possessed by our Lord Jesus and thus to have them ourselves is to be conformed to who He is. When Christ gave the sermon on the Mount, He was essentially giving the message of His life. He lived it out Himself. He is the very embodiment of His own message and He is calling us to be like Him.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
The beatitudes begin with the description “blessed.” In its usage in the Sermon on the Mount this refers to partaking of the peace, joy, serenity, and state of bliss enjoyed in heaven. It is not merely happiness that is dependent on circumstances but joy that is founded on the Lord (Bailey: 96). Each of the beatitude when it becomes a reality to a man enables him to enter that state of blessedness! He gets a taste of heaven on earth.
However, the beatitudes come as we experience the needed suffering or pain that works these attitudes in us. They will certainly cost a man if these are to be etched in our hearts (Caram: 23).
If you carefully look at each beatitude they are attitudes that these world look down upon. They are perceived to be signs of weakness and are certainly not associated with inheriting kingdoms and power. The world has truly turned things upside down. Thus, studying the beatitudes is understanding how we really ought to be from the perspective of God.
Poor in Spirit
Matthew 5:3To be poor in spirit is to recognize our unworthiness and inability. This is a prerequisite in receiving anything from the Lord (Bailey: 96-97). Thus, those who shall have this attitude are promised the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Poorness in spirit can be illustrated by a cringing beggar who acknowledges that he has nothing, he can do nothing and he is nothing. Our Lord Jesus Himself exemplified this poorness in spirit. He divested Himself of His glory and majesty and during His time on earth He did nothing apart from the Father.
John 5:19The Lord wants to develop in us a healthy appraisal of ourselves, being able to acknowledge our nothingness and complete dependence on the Lord. If we possess this attitude, we shall enter into the reality of Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Caram: 24).
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
This attitude however is worked out in us by trials that push us to the limits of our strength, capabilities, and wisdom so that we get to understand how dependent we are on God (Caram: 25). The result of which is that when we experience redemption in our circumstance we get to acknowledge that it was only the Lord who saw us through.
Caution must be offered however against extreme efforts to be humble. Monks in the past sought to work out humility in them by self-abasement or self-affliction. But such efforts do not really produce a poorness in spirit but can even produce pride or hardness of heart. We must allow God to be the one to work out true humility in us. As we walk in the Spirit, He will leads us to the conditions that can develop this attitude in us (Caram: 25).
They who Mourn
Matthew 5:4The mourners referred to here are the holy mourners, those who mourn for their sins or shortcomings before God or for the state of others, the church, and nations. The first aspect of mourning deals with godly sorrow that leads a man unto repentance when he has sinned before God (2 Cor 7:9-11; 13). This is to mourn not because you are suffering consequences for your sins but because you know you have hurt the heart of God. This godly sorrow brings forth repentance as well as comfort. (Bailey: 97-98)
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
The second aspect refers to mourning for the sorry state of others. In Ezekiel 9:4, the angel of the Lord was sent to place a mark on the foreheads of the godly in Jerusalem who mourned for the backslidden state of their people. These mourners were promised to be spared in the Babylonian siege (Bailey: 98-99). This attitude is very important for us today even as we see the declining state of the church. The Lord shall look kindly upon those who will cry and stand in the gap for the people and churches who are going astray (Bailey: 98). Those who mourn for their own sins or the need of others are promised to be comforted.
Psalm 126:5
Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.
The Meek
Matthew 5:5The Greek word for meek “praus” means to be tamed or mild (Bailey: 99). It is the thought of submitting to the circumstances and authorities God brings to our lives. It is an attitude of submission (Caram: 27). The meek accept every circumstance as being from the Lord and they face them with a rejoicing attitude because they understand that every situation can purify and perfect us. It is anchored on the understanding of Romans 8:28 (Bailey: 99).
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
This attitude is developed as we continually say Yes to the Lord. The Lord Jesus compared meekness to submitting to a yoke that leads to rest. When we submit to the Lord whatever circumstance we maybe in, we find rest! So the key to resting is not a good circumstance but a surrender in every circumstance (Caram: 27).
Those who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Matthew 5:6A hungry baby is a healthy baby (1 Peter 2:2). The Lord never force-feeds His children. In Esther 1 we are shown a picture of the kingdom of God. While the people were presented with the most delightful food, they were not forced to take any except at their own pleasure (Caram: 28).
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.
We cannot progress in the Lord unless we have a hunger and thirst for Him. How is hunger and thirst for righteousness developed in us? Sometimes it calls for us to be surrounded by wickedness until a revulsion for evil is developed in us. Hunger and thirst in Scriptures came to people who were in exile. Certainly, hunger and thirst come as a product of deprivation. What kills appetite for God is feeding on the world. It replaces one’s desire for the living God. Our attitude should be one of “I need more of God” (Caram: 29).
The Merciful
Matthew 5:6The highest revelation of the Lord is His mercy. This is illustrated for us by the Ark of the Covenant. The lid of the ark is the mercy seat made of beaten gold. That it is made of pure gold speaks of how mercy is a divine nature of the Lord. And God wants to develop this attribute in us to a point that it becomes our disposition (Caram: 30).
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
Mercy is tested in us when giving mercy comes at a cost. If we do not show mercy to another, we may spiritually be able to keep that person in the debtor’s prison. The result of which is also being shut out of the mercy of God. Mercy is developed under great trials. The nature of mercy is worked out in us as we ourselves face failures and hurts (Caram: 30-31).
The Pure in Heart
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
We were not born with pure hearts. There is a need to be cleansed as the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:1 -
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.And certainly, we play a part in this process of cleansing. Phil 2:12 tells us to work out our salvation. It is important to understand that it takes desire and effort to be cleansed (Caram: 31-32).
There are weaknesses in the area of purity that we have inherited. There is also the tremendous pressure coming from our society. As the world experiences a rapid moral decline, all forms of media are polluted with wickedness (Caram: 32). Thus, with forces seemingly against us, it will take making a choice to close our eyes and minds to things that can stimulate worldly appetites. We have a choice. If we choose to set ourselves towards the path of purity, God will help us (Caram: 32). We must also open our hearts before God so He may inspect and purify us. We must always pray that God will purify us not only of lustful desires but of anger, hatred, criticism, jealousy and the like. The reward for this attitude is that one will see God.
The Peacemakers
Matthew 5:9Peace in the Bible is represented by the olive oil. This oil is produced as olives are crushed. Peacemakers are the same. They are buffers between two opposing sides. As they allow themselves to be subject to crushing, they lubricate the situation and decrease the friction. It takes a mature saint to be a peacemaker. It takes strength to allow yourself to be crushed for others to be reconciled or to have peace. Our example for this is the Lord Jesus Himself, who became the peace offering to reconcile man with God. But He became so through the cross (Ephesians 2:14) (Caram: 33-34).
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
Those who suffer for righteousness sake
Matthew 5:10When we are pursuing righteousness, we can really face persecution. There really are those who attack people who seek to uphold the standards of God. But these are instruments the Lord is using to perfect the vessels of honor. Sometimes the most difficult persecutions are the ones you receive in your own home. Every Christian if he desires to be perfected must undergo such persecution. And one must go through it with a good spirit or else nothing is accomplished (Caram: 34-35).
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Persecuted for My sake
Matthew 5:11-12We see the example of this in Acts 5:40-41 when the early church suffered persecution for being followers of Jesus. Yet, they rejoiced for being counted worth of this privilege. They were denied jobs, their goods were confiscated, they were shamed, and they were excommunicated that they are unable to buy and sell. (Caram: 36).
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
We live in the generation that will see all nations tested in this beatitude. But take heart that God will prepare His saints for this. When we look at Daniel and his friends, before they were brought to the furnace and taken in the lions’ den, early in their lives they made resolutions. They made a stand contrary to that of their peers. This is where it begins.
The order of the beatitudes were knowingly made by our Lord Jesus. The first beatitude is a prerequisite to all others. Then as we continue to walk in the spirit and have the previous beatitudes worked out in us, we will be prepared for this final beatitude.
Sources:
Brian J. Bailey. The Life of Christ, Zion Miniterial Institute, 1999.
Daniel G. Caram. The Sermon on the Mount-An Introduction to the New Covenant, Zion Christian Publishers, 2002.
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