BaptistWay: Secrets to full satisfaction

• The BaptistWay lesson for Dec. 27 focuses on Matthew 5:1-12.

This passage begins Jesus’ so-called “Sermon on the Mount” that spans three chapters of Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 5-7). Jesus, however, never called it by that name or any other name. It is called the “Sermon on the Mount” because Jesus “went up on a mountainside …, and he began to teach them” (vv. 1-2). Portions of this section of Matthew also are found in Luke’s Gospel, but there Jesus is described as standing “on a level place” (Luke 6:17). Hence, scholars refer to that section of the third Gospel as the “Sermon on the Plain.” Moreover, Matthew likes to organize his Gospel thematically, which means he likely collected a critical mass of Jesus’ teaching in these chapters. 

The Beatitudes

Jesus sits down on the mountain before he begins teaching (v. 1). In our culture, this posture might indicate leisure or relaxation as opposed to standing, which might signal a lesson or sermon is occurring. However, in a Jewish context, sitting is the standard position of a teaching rabbi. And Jesus is not just any rabbi. As we have seen in previous sections of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus acts like Moses. Here, he ascends a mountain to offer his teaching to the crowds, much like Moses when he dispensed the law to Israel. 

The opening section of this sermon is familiar to readers of the Bible. These are the Beatitudes, named for the Latin word (beati) that begins each saying (“Blessed”). Often, we encounter them in quaint Internet images and memes, as well as home décor. The repetition of blessings may even generate a feeling of warmth in our hearts as we consider the poor in spirit, the meek and the peacemakers. Beyond this sentimental reading of the text, the Beatitudes have not received much consideration within contemporary Christian faith and practice, and that makes our study of them all the more important.

These nine sayings all begin with the word “blessed,” which can also be translated “happy.” Numerous psalms and other Old Testament passages offer similar statements. For example, Psalm 1 states, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers” (Psalm 1:1). This psalm, however, is not expressing a romanticized sense of interior peace. Instead, it is a wisdom psalm that calls the reader to embody the good life described here. The Beatitudes aim to accomplish the same goal. In short, they are about living life well.

Gifts to the community

One scholar has noted these Beatitudes function as gifts. This means that, while they may not be held by everyone, they remain important for the life of the community. To say they are gifts is to take them seriously as crucial for the church’s witness. For example, when we read the “poor in spirit” are blessed and “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (v. 3), we might not need to become poor in spirit—though we could—but we know we are dependent on those who are so impoverished. The shape of their life spurs our imaginations and actions to live faithfully. Similarly, we should seek those who are meek, merciful, pure in heart and peacemakers in order to grasp what faithful discipleship looks like. Altogether, the recipients of the blessings open our eyes to a new way of living in the world within the church. Seen as a whole, these sayings offer a picture of the whole people of God, who are provided consolation and encouragement by God as they live in a different manner.

This is especially the case with two particular Beatitudes. Those who mourn “will be comforted” (v. 4), and those who are persecuted because of Jesus will receive a great reward in heaven (vv. 11-12). We are reminded here that living faithfully is not always received well by those outside the church. The prophets also were persecuted, so we should not expect anything different. That is, by following the path outlined in the Beatitudes, we may not be successful as the world evaluates success or perhaps even successful at all. The life of discipleship may mean renouncing things such as power, wealth, status and control in order to participate in the people marked by the Beatitudes. When we live in such a way, our lives bear witness to Jesus’ claim that “the kingdom of heaven has come near” (4:17).

The one who speaks

Ultimately, the fullness of the Beatitudes is found in the one who speaks them—the incarnate Son of God. He is the peacemaker, the one who truly hungers and thirsts for righteousness, the one who is poor in spirit and pure in heart. Moreover, as the personification of righteousness, Jesus is the lens through which we understand what any of these sayings means. Therefore, with Christ at the center of our reading of the Beatitudes, we can begin to see our lives shaped into conformity to his image, so the community of faith truly becomes the body of Christ.