Matthew 5:1
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
Interesting tidbit found in this verse. It mentions that Jesus sat down. This is significant, because I understand that Jews stood to read Scripture, but when giving instruction if they stood, it was seen as informal. For formal teaching, they sat. This would seem to be in line with the idea that Jesus is giving this first recorded sermon as a manifesto, or at least as a formal instruction into what He believes to be of great importance.
Matthew 5:2-3
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Looking at the big picture, I see this as Jesus setting the foundation for His earthly ministry. This stuff in important. And His audience can be divided into two parts, depending on your point of view. Jewish leaders and common Jews, or sheep and wolves.
So what is He saying in the very first words of this message? A closer look at the words. Blessed (can also mean happy) are the poor (as in a beggar, but also can be used to indicate distress) in spirit (as in an angel, demon, or God. Also can mean a breath of air or one's mental disposition). So in a sense, He is saying, blessed are those who are gasping for air, blessed are those who are in a place of deep distress and discomfort, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Why would He say something like that? I look to His audience and their mindset. The Jews looked to their leaders as the ultimate example of piety. Don't we do that too? If not, can someone please explain to me why many in leadership (celebrity preachers) live in mansions, have private jets, expensive clothes, etc., and we continue to send them money to fund these projects? Do we not also take their words as truth, with little or no regard for what the Bible says? Of course, there is a reason for this. Perhaps because we do not spend enough time studying our own Bibles and praying ourselves. Some might say, "But isn't all of that success and those possessions proof of God's blessing on them?" I think Jesus would say no, that real blessing and happiness comes from God alone, and unless you know what it means to be dependent on Him, you might never find it. (Matt 19:22-23) I believe that the common believers of today are not really that much different than the sheep in Jesus's time. So for whatever reason Jesus is saying this, it still applies very much today.
Jesus did not come for the righteous. (Romans 3:10; Luke 19:10). He came to seek and save the lost, the poor in spirit, the beggars for breath. And He did not come to give us material or physical blessing, He came to set us free. (John 8:31-36; Heb 13:5-6) I think of the first 3 steps of AA:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
AA does not have the power to save you from your sins. Neither does working the 12 Steps. But if your sin drives you to your knees, perhaps because you are gasping for breath and don't know where else to turn, it might just give you the clarity to turn to the one who can.
Jesus did not come to claim the righteous. He came to claim His own though His righteousness. He came to claim the poor in spirit. The broken. Much like the tax collector in Luke 18:13, who was so ashamed of his sin that he could not even lift his eyes to heaven as he pleaded for God's mercy. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Edited 2/3/2022
No comments:
Post a Comment