Understanding the Beatitudes

When studying Matthew's Gospel, the Life of Christ, or the teachings of Jesus one will ALWAYS be required to confront the Sermon on the Mount. The task can seem huge, even difficult. Jesus says so much in those three chapters. But when studying these earth shattering words there is a necessity in focusing on the Beatitudes of Jesus in the opening verses of the iconic sermon. The temptation is to take each one and try to exegete each individual line and statement like a marksman peering through his scope and taking a shot with a sniper rifle.

BOOM.
And then the next target.
BOOM.

But Jesus surely didn’t mean these statements to stand alone by themselves, and Matthew certainly didn’t. Nowhere else do we see in Matthew’s account where Jesus makes singular statements that don’t have a broader context surrounding them. Rather, Matthew orchestrates his entire Gospel account around five major discourses or sermons that Jesus preaches.

What is interesting is what Jesus does just before this section of scripture. He sits down on a mountain, a traditional rabbinical way of teaching. Before this, we see Jesus walking all over preaching one message: repent. To back up his preaching he is performing miracles and healing the sick.

Directly after these statements he turns to himself, who He is and what His purpose is.
There is a bigger purpose for these statements, this collection of intriguing sayings, than just individual proverbs. These are detailed inclusive attention grabbers for the introduction to the greatest sermon ever preached.

I would suggest that instead of a sniper, we should imagine these statements to be more like a shotgun. One shot. Many pellets.

One shot… yet it hits everyone right where they are. Jesus, with one opening statement hits everyone in the crowd with a statement to grab their attention and turn their world upside down. These statements are meant to hit together. Not individually.

Think about the audience Jesus is with when he begins preaching. They are expecting a conquering warrior to overcome the oppression of Rome, set things back to how they used to be, reclaim the land, and be self-sustainable again. They want their Golden Years back.

Jesus says with a swift movement that not only are they wrong with their theological assumptions about what it means to follow the Law and the Prophets, but they are completely wrong with where they place their eschatological hope. God’s Kingdom is not of this world. These values that Jesus is placing on those whom God calls "blessed" are antithetical to the systems put in place by this world.

“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 children 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."

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Nathan Bryant

is a pastor living in Phoenix, AZ. As a student at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri he majored in Biblical Leadership, New Testament Studies, and Missiology. Nathan has a combined passion for unity and discipleship in the global church.

Christ's Kingdom is bigger than our causes.

Christ's Kingdom is bigger than our boundaries.

Follow him on Twitter: Follow @nathanpbryant