REJOICE! Find comfort in the Beatitudes -- Matt 5:3-12

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

NOTE: About the graphic design.

As I did research for this post it became obvious the conviction level for myself is way too low as I read and meditated on each one of the statements. The research on ‘merciful’ was utterly profound. I discovered there was an attitude I needed to have I did not. Hence the graphic.

The word Beatitude was divided up to play on the word with the idea of being an attitude. So Be attitude. The Cross is added as the second ‘T’ not in the word beatitude. I made the color triangles with the red representing blood at the top of the cross and the green representing life at the bottom. I used clouds to represent ascent to heaven and the rocks and water to represent the promise on earth. GOD is our ROCK. Jesus is life’s WATER.

While the Beatitudes is a statement of condition for many then and throughout time to include today, tomorrow and the future until Christ’s return, it also speaks to the ‘character’ of a Christian and their attitude towards their condition and their character.

The whole graphic is multiple layer message in a visual. So, will you ‘be’ the Christ ‘attitude’ to exhibit the beatitudes?

Don’t you love HAPPY news? 

How enduring is happy news? Each person finds happiness in all sorts of things in life, like the birth of a child, a pay raise, job or volunteer position, good health report, engagement to marry, good weather, vacation destination, favorite series is renewed for another season?

Jesus’s famous ‘Blessed’ statements known as “The Beatitudes” recorded by The Apostle Matthew bring a true and faithful happy news. It is here we spend time with this post.

Consideration of the Beatitudes section: Matt 5:3-12

 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Destitute is one word used to describe this kind of ‘poor’. Even the idea things are so bleak there is no way to improve their lot in life.

Imagine if you will, someone so overwhelmed and overcome by this sense of helplessness hearing Jesus’ words that the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them?!

Doesn’t matter if the person hasn’t a cent to their being; no worldly goods; no valuable with which to barter but still inherits the kingdom of the heavens! What society ever throughout history has taken such consideration of those who are truly without means and brought them into the finest places of the kingdom? There have of course been beneficent societies who try to conscientiously care for the immediate needs of the poor but it has been left to those whose means are limited to show this charity. Surely, the homeless are mostly still homeless even if they find a meal and a cot periodically. They are not sharing a room in the royal mansion.

But, how about considering the poor in spirit. It does not mean they have no spirit, or are homeless in that sense. It means they’re at wit’s end. Worse than the physical state of destitution is the spirit state of destitution. Someone so inconsolable, so distressed, perhaps totally depressed to the point of utter despondency, in their spirit. Yet, here is a promise from GOD’s SON they will inherit the kingdom of the heavens. They will find their lives enriched with the blessings of GOD’s KINGDOM. First of all, life unending. Then, acceptance into the Kingdom with no end.

What Jesus is offering those who are truly desperate is the only solution, HIS KINGDOM is theirs!  

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Again, the full sense of the word “mourn”. The inconsolable. The wailing desperate edge of loss. The profound sense of loss. Jesus said ‘they will be comforted’. 

Comforted here is in the sense the person would be ‘refreshed’ or ‘cheered up’.

The good news would bring them hope which would cheer them up.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Vine’s defines it like this: ““… it consists not in a person's "outward behaviour only; nor yet in his relations to his fellow-men; as little in his mere natural disposition.  Rather it is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God. It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting; …” 

Would it not be wildly exciting to live on an earth where people have an inwrought grace of the soul with an emphasis towards GOD?

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states hunger here is ‘to crave ardently, to seek with eager desire’.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states thirst is “figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened” with an accent ‘of the thing desired’.

In today’s vernacular: those who intensely crave [hunger] and eagerly long [thirst] for righteousness shall be filled.

Notice the emphatic speech patterns in the Beatitudes?

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Vine’s Expository defines merciful thusly: "is the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it.”

Please read that definition a couple of times and let the idea set in. As we think of who made this statement we can rest assured it will be as stated.

GOD has the means to recognize our need and the resource adequate [Jesus’s shed blood] to meet the need! Be merciful. You have nothing to lose.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

From Vine’s regarding pure in this passage: "free from impure admixture, without blemish, spotless," is used / ethically, with the significance free from corrupt desire, from guilt

From Thayer’s regarding ‘see’ in this passage: ‘To be admitted into intimate and blessed fellowship with God in his future kingdom.’

The desire and practice of freedom from corrupt desire and guilt will lead to the admission and blessings via fellowship with GOD in HIS future kingdom.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary states simple “an adjective signifying peace making [Eirene, and poieo, “to make”] is used in Matt 5:9”

Peace making is a lofty sentiment, goal, habit, activity, desire. It can be frustrating trying to diffuse tension to create calm. The best example of exercising this facet of Christian qualities is on one’s self. We are conflicted in so many ways just us, ourselves. It is a great time when frustration may grab us and hold us tight to actually become our own peace maker, calming the tension in our mind, soul, spirit, emotions and psyche. If we can become proficient at making peace within ourselves then we can look outward and try our skills on external circumstances or issues or events or whatever needs to be changed from tension to calm.

If you look at the whole statement though it gives us another clue. If we are peacemakers, we shall be called the child of GOD. Children have an innocence, an ease or literalist view of the world. Everything is simplified to this or that; mine – yours, black or white, yes or no. When there is friction between the very young they will try and resolve it for a more comfortable interplay or call the adult to resolve it. They do not feel comfortable in charged situations. They try to maintain an equilibrium for themselves that is calm. Additionally, when they become frustrated and upset their own peace – we call that pitching a fit – then the adult reasons with them teaching them skills to manage their own internal chaos for a more peaceful one.

It makes perfect sense then if we look to convert a stressful situation from one of chaos to one of peace we will become the peace maker child of GOD.  

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

First bit of interest is to note this is the second time ‘for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ is used. The last time we saw this was the opening vs 3, blessed are the poor in spirit. And here, we have which are persecuted for righteousness sake.

Breaking this one down:

1.      Which are persecuted: The Greek translation of [diōkō] what Jesus said here is understood: ‘in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one… To be mistreated, suffer persecution on account of something.’

2.     For the sake of Righteousness: In this case the Greek word [‘dikaiosynē]’ has the meaning ‘of whatever is right or just in itself, whatever conforms to the revealed will of God,’.

And now we see why Christians who endeavor to do what is right or just and conform to the revealed will of GOD may be harassed, molested and mistreated for merely wanting to do what is right and just and the revealed will of GOD. You can see why vs 3 ‘poor in spirit’ and this vs ‘persecuted for sake of righteousness’ has a similar outcome ‘for theirs is the kingdom of the heaven’ being the same destination. When you are persecuted to the degree that some have been throughout history then we can see why they may be worn down, destitute for GOD’s glory in the kingdom.

As I contemplated the this particular verse [10] I thought of a hike one might take which leads through a hot, dry and arduous experience. Say, a hike in the desert in mid spring when it is not yet in the triple digits yet the sun is still hot. As the walk progresses the heat of the day and exercise becomes harsh and zaps energy levels and begins to dehydrate the body. The shade is nonexistent. This could describe a faith walk through a world without faith. Then you see a body of water – not a mirage – and your whole being is reenergized and hastens approach. You walk into the water, or fall into it, for refreshing. The cool wet on your parched hot body is so invigorating and restores you sufficiently you can move on to the finish. Those waters of refreshing are like walking with the Spirit of GOD.

But, what if the water was very hot, smelled awful and repulsed your senses? Are there times in your life when you are simply exhausted and worn out and people fail to notice? They heap more exhausting life on and over you? Then, after they shake it off themselves onto you they leave and do not look back? This is where the words spoken by Jesus in the Beatitudes bring ‘seasons of refreshing’ to your weary self. HE recognizes the effects living life here and now can wreak upon you and instead of telling you to just take it HE lets you know HE gets it. Life is tough and made all the more so if you are living a Christian principled life yet the reward is a cool, enticing pool of water and ultimately results in ‘seeing GOD; being children of GOD, being filled and the kingdom of heaven! 

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

1.      Insult you: Greek word used “oneidizō” Unjust reproach, to revile.

2.     Persecute you: To harass, trouble, molest one

3.     Falsely say: Greek word: “pseudomai” to utter an untruth or attempt to deceive by falsehood: -- against one.

4.    Evil against you: Greek word: “ponēros” – bad -- connected with ponos, "labor," expresses especially the "active form of evil “reproach”

5.     For my sake:  

John 15: 18,20 quotes Jesus: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; …” If you are familiar with Jesus last few weeks he was persecuted, reviled, evil things spoken against him, lies, ultimately execution.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Rejoice and exceeding glad is a bit of a redundancy but the Greek word for ‘exceedingly glad’ “agalliaō” carries with it the further action of ‘exulting’. Jesus said those whose lives are reflected in the foregoing verses should have JOY and EXULT for great is your reward in heaven. He also reminds us that people also persecuted the prophets before us.

Bottom line, while the situation may be discomforting, disquieting and demanding and we are suffering some, if not all, of what HE did --- we should find Joy and Exultation in our friendship with HIM.

The Beatitudes do not stop with verse 12 but continues with what seems to be more and more difficult orders of behavior to overcome. But, if we see those orders as part of a bigger picture of living in innocence then the reward will certainly cause us to REJOICE in EXULTATION. 

©Lightwritingmatters 2015

©Lightwritingmatters 2015