"Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'"
As I have grown in my spiritual walk, I have come to truly embrace and appreciate expository teaching. Allowing the Spirit to speak through a book or chapter of Scripture rather than a specific verse or verses allows for greater context and inevitably greater understanding to the true meaning of the Word. With that in mind, I am challenging myself over the coming months to discipline my heart and mind as I seek to delve as deep as I possibly can into a variety of issues Jesus taught on and clarified in comparison to the Old Testament found in Matthew, chapter 5.
The fifth chapter of the book of Matthew is rich with wisdom and casts an all-inclusive light on those who might feel exempt from various sin issues. Jesus leaves no stone unturned in this chapter, addressing not only actions but thoughts as well, and adding a layer of literal application that cuts as deeply to the heart of man as any within the entirety of Scripture. "For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:14) is a promise from Christ's lips that the way of righteousness encompasses the entire being of man and cannot be compartmentalized as an action-oriented response. Therefore, we must prepare our minds to be enlightened to a new way of thinking as Jesus addresses the depth and breadth with which the Father measures our thoughts and actions.
Yet with all the attention Jesus pays to clarifying sin issues, he begins his famous Sermon on the Mount with a litany of blessings, more commonly referred to as the Beatitudes. Now there are infinite amounts of commentaries available that aim to give understanding on this bountiful feast Jesus has prepared for our consumption, and with relative ease I could spend the majority of this post dissecting each attribute Jesus pinpoints and exploring its deepest meaning and application. However, my principle desire is simply to understand why Jesus proclaimed these blessings and how they are interconnected to one another in the hopeful prayer that the Holy Spirit will unveil a deeper understanding to Christ's motivations and revelations.
I believe Charles Spurgeon said it best when he wrote, "The seven Beatitudes mark deepening humiliation and growing exaltation." They build upon one another, creating a staircase of character attributes that gauge the spiritual temperature of man. Each blessing is a building block that depends on that which precedes it. Therefore as one lives his life in a spirit of humility and reverence before a righteous and holy God, the exaltation with which he is graced with grows in the eyes of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. Whatever our understanding and application of humility may be, the truth remains that in order to receive the litany of blessings Jesus describes in Matthew 5, one must "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you" (Colossians 3:5).
Upon further examination though it is incredibly profound that while these seven blessings build upon one another, thus elevating their level of spiritual maturity in Christ, they also in the likeness of our Lord & Savior descend in their level of humility, coming to a triumphant climax with an admonition on suffering persecution for the sake of Christ. In other words, the Beatitudes transcend understanding and more importantly require application, thus proving character attainment or lack thereof. Scripture simplifies it this way, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). Deception comes in many forms, with self-deception being the most common and unfortunately the most destructive to one's relationship with Christ.
This paradox of seven blessings that both ascend and descend simultaneously can best be understood by Jesus who proclaimed to his disciples after likening the kingdom of heaven to a master of a vineyard looking for laborers throughout the day, "So the last will be first, and the first last" (Matthew 20:16). Elevation in the kingdom of heaven comes in our ability to die to self and live righteously in obedience to Him who bore our sins on the cross of Calvary. We do not have the right to declare what is fair and what is not. Even Joseph proclaimed this wisdom when he said to his brothers who assumed he would take revenge upon them for their mistreatment of him in former years, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?" (Genesis 50:19). The path of obedience requires humble submission and we must recognize who we are as fallible man in respect to the almighty, infallible Godhead.
It is imperative though from a topline perspective that we understand what each blessing addresses and how they are intertwined in their building structure. For instance, to be "poor in spirit" one must come to the place where he recognizes his sins and spiritual depravity, turns away from those selfish desires/actions, humbly repents seeking God's forgiveness, and in thankful obedience submits his life to Him who bore the penalty for the sins he committed, Jesus Christ. One who is poor in spirit recognizes that, "For our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21), and praise God that He graciously allows all those who are poor in spirit to inhabit His heavenly abode! Notice though that the next blessing is addressed to those that mourn, for they shall be comforted. The process of mourning in a spiritual sense is integral to becoming poor in spirit. For "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). What possibly could cause someone to confess their sins? The answer lies in the process of mourning. Yet further still, "Blessed are the meek is a benediction which no man reaches till he has felt his spiritual poverty, and mourned over it" (Spurgeon). A man of meekness can submit to authority and maintain quiet strength which comes from mourning over his spiritual depravity. "But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (1 Peter 3:4).
This simple progression of blessings continues through the next four. To hunger and thirst for righteousness requires recognition of sin, humble repentance, and submission to authority, creating an immense desire to live for Christ rather than in opposition to Him through love of self. Moreover, mercy comes from an understanding of knowledge and wisdom dependant upon a pursuit of truth found in God's Word. Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35) addresses the issue of showing mercy and forgiveness clearly.
To be pure in heart is a level of character attainment that requires a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ, manifested in an attitude of death unto selfish desires and motives. For me personally, this is the point within the Beatitudes that I throw my hands up in surrender. Rarely have I encountered an individual who emulates what it means to be pure in heart. True, it presupposes that he is poor in spirit, mourns his sin, lives in meekness, pursues righteousness with passion, and shows mercy even to those who do not deserve it, haven't asked for it, and have hurt him thus requiring it. But to be pure in spirit the heart must be harmoniously in-tune with God and His Word. Scripture admonishes, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water," (Hebrews 10:22) because purity of heart lives in direct opposition to love of self, and they simply cannot co-exist.
I believe what magnifies the conviction found in those who are pure in heart can be found in the Psalms. Scripture declares: "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Psalm 24:3-5). Simple stated, a man or woman who is pure in heart stands for truth and more importantly, lives out the truth of Holy Scripture. In my life, that individual is my wife, for her intentions are almost always filtered through Scripture. She does not act outside of what the Word says for it is her daily compass steering her in the way of righteousness. People often marvel at the pureness of her heart because it mirrors what Jesus states in the Gospels: "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it" (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17). But I can assure you after spending almost one-third of my life with her that the pureness of her heart is a reflection of her relationship with God's Word, the Bible. It is not manufactured but something that comes from a right understanding of a truth found in Scripture that she belongs to God as His daughter. "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you O Jacob, he who formed you O Israel, 'Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine'" (Isaiah 43:1).
Yet being an heir to the throne of grace is an honor and privilege reserved for those who not only have purity of heart, hunger and thirst for righteousness, show mercy unto others, live in meekness, mourn with broken hearts, and are poor in spirit, but who make peace in spite of themselves. Jesus exhorts us that those who are peacemakers, who deliberately overcome evil with good are called sons of God. My last post on the issue of value echoes this point exactly. Our identity in Christ is contingent upon our application of faith, which is given to us through Holy Scripture and is manifested by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us when we choose to accept Christ by grace through faith. Therefore, as we are transformed from the inside out, the condition of our hearts compels us to the point of enduring hardships by not reacting nor retaliating but responding in love and wise discernment. Or as the apostle Paul would say, "To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head'" (Romans 12:20).
This leads us to Jesus' final blessing, reserved for those who are willing to sacrifice themselves and endure persecution for the the sake of truth. For Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). "For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice" (John 18:37). Therefore, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).
The point we must realize is that the life we give to Christ and endure persecution for in His name does not belong to us. Scripture reminds us, "For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20). Jesus summarized it this way: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:24-28).
So what does all this mean? What is the key takeaway that Jesus is teaching throughout the Beatitudes? I have wrestled immensely with these questions and have come to the conclusion that in these blessings Jesus offers us intimate communion with Himself, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father by yoking us together with the Trinity in the character attributes that produce eternal, Biblical fellowship. For when we admit our spiritual bankruptcy (blessed are the poor in spirit) and consequently repent (blessed are those who mourn), we begin to develop humble strength under control (blessed are the meek) and seek truth (blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness) manifested in an attitude of thankfulness for the mercy God has shown us (blessed are the merciful). And as we grow, we develop a heart of truth (blessed are the pure in heart) that compels us to not just live in peace but to bring about peace (blessed are the peacemakers), and if need be endure persecution for our identity in Christ (blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake).
It is difficult for me to take these truths and even fathom trying to measure how I have lived my life over 33 years in the context of Jesus' Beatitudes. For I know while I have had glimpses of these blessings throughout my life, more often than not I have chosen to glorify my name over Christ's. Yet despite my selfishness and the sinful decisions I have made, God in His infinite grace and mercy has pursued me, a fallen man unworthy to even have the honor of being called a follower of Christ. My spiritual resume is down-right pathetic when sifted through the colander of Scripture, but I know that I belong to Him because I have felt His presence, heard His voice, and answered His call on my life. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27), and I thank God that in the midst of my self-idolatrous love I heard His voice, beckoning me to simply return to Him that I might receive not what I deserve (which undoubtedly is death for breaking my covenant with Him through sin), but grace, mercy and residence as an heir to His throne in heaven.
The key to receiving the blessings Jesus describes in Matthew 5:1-12 is simply humility. And the more we begin to humble ourselves, the closer we will come to developing the character qualities esteemed in the Beatitudes that solidify intimate fellowship with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:5-7).
