Jesus sat down on a high place to teach the multitudes. It was common in those days for Jewish leaders to sit down when they were prepared to teach. The teaching that follows in Matthew 5:1-11 is often referred to as the Beatitudes. Jesus did not refer to it this way, but the church has over time. In verse 25 of the previous chapter it makes it clear that these people who were there that day were from Judea and all of Israel and beyond the Jordan and had heard of Jesus fame due to the many miracles he was doing.
He describes those who are truly blessed or happy as being poor in spirit, mourning, meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, merciful, Pure in heart, peacemakers and persecuted. One of the things that we see here is the true believer is not basing his success on all the recognition, awards, attention or fame that he or she has now. In fact, the believer is not investing his or her heart on this Kingdom, but on God’s kingdom. His or her priorities are different than the world and in conflict with the world.
The poor in spirit of verse 3 indicates the one who is humble of heart. This person does not think more of themselves than they should. This person realizes that in order to be saved they will have to put their faith not on themselves like the Pharisees did, but on Jesus and what he did on the cross. The person who is poor in spirit realizes their dependence on God and has lost his or her independent spirit of self-reliance. There is a great deal of danger in the sin of pride and this is what this verse highlights.
The person who mourn is a person who sees the injustices of the world and mourns not only of their own sin, but of the sins of those around them. This person has a heart that is in line with God’s heart. Jesus told his disciples that they mourned now, but their mourning would be turned to joy John 16:20. The true believer prays that God will make what is wrong right one day.
The blessed person is also one who is gentle (praus). This is similar to what it says in 1 Corinthians 13. The meek person is not easily provoked to anger, patiently bears with the faults of others, quietly submits himself to the will of God and understands that God will ultimately have the last word. It may appear that the evil person is winning in life here on earth, but that is not all there is to life. The gentle person is understanding of his or her own weaknesses and so is patient with others.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are also blessed. This person sees the injustice in this world and the pain and longs for a day when God will make it right. He hungers for God’s kingdom to reign and rule on earth and for sin and death to be destroyed. This person longs for “righteousness” dikaiosyne which is the condition upon which we are viewed as acceptable to God. It is not a righteousness that we derive from our own good works.
The blessed are also merciful vs7. In Exodus 34:6-7 the Lord passes by Moes and he says that he is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth. The true believer reflects that he knows God by having some of the same qualities. Matthew 6:14 is very clear in telling us to forgive others their transgressions. We want mercy from God and therefore should show it to others.
The pure in heart will see God verse 8. Pure is the Greek word Katharos which means clean and clear. God tells Moses in Exodus 33:20 that nobody can see his face and live, yet these are pure so that they can see God. Psalm 24:3-4 the one who can stand in His Holy pace is one who has clean hands and a pure heart and does not love the world 1 John 2:15-16.
The blessed are also the peacemakers. Jesus himself is our peace Ephesians 2:14. So, it is important that we reflect him. It is interesting that the peace of God transforms understanding Phil 4:7. So, we can have peace even when it doesn’t seem to make sense that we would be calm or at peace. God’s peace goes beyond comprehension and he gives us peace with God through his death on the cross and his resurrection Romans 5:1.
The last part is that we should also expect persecution from the world. Jesus was hated by the world and the world did not know him. If they treated him this way that we should not be surprised if we are treated that way. 1 John 3:13 tells us not to marvel if the world hates us. Rather we are told in Psalm 97:10 to hate evil. John 17:14 says that the world hated his disciples because they are not of the world.
In several places here in these few verses the kingdom of God is mentioned. Some people want to split hairs and suggest that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are different. They are not different. The word kingdom is basileia and refers to royal power, kingship, dominion, rule or the right and authority to rule over a kingdom. The kingdom of God is emphasized in scripture by the throne of God. The wonder of this is that the believer is also called a fellow heir of the kingdom because of what Christ has done Romans 8:17, Gal 4:7, James 2:5.
