What Is The Purpose Of The Beatitudes

What Is The Purpose Of The Beatitudes July 28, 2017

The Beatitudes have many lessons for us, so here is what Jesus was teaching in Matthew chapter 5.

Jesus’ Audience

When Matthew chapter 5 opens, Jesus saw the crows and went up to a mountain, and “his disciples came to him” (Matt 5:1c), so this greatest sermon, at the beginning, might have appeared to only be for the 12 disciples, but His sermon continues into chapter 6 and up to the end of chapter 7, where Jesus concludes it, and we’re finally made aware of who the audience includes: “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt 7:28-29). He went up to a mountain so that the crowds could hear Him, and remember, Jesus was a carpenter for many years, working with timbers and stones as well as perhaps, furniture, so He was a man’s man to be sure, so He likely had a booming voice, otherwise the crowds could not have heard Him as well as when He was speaking to the Jews in the Temple. Since Jesus had to climb a mountain in order to be heard, we can assume that there was a very large crowd present, and at about this point, Jesus was reaching the peak of His popularity during His earthly ministry. Today the crowd is considerably larger (via the Bible), but that crowd included His disciples, a majority of the Jews, but in the gospels, we know there were certain Gentiles present too. In the end, the audience was them and the audience is us, and all who would read. The late Dr. J. Vernon McGee says that the Beatitudes point to a believer’s life in the kingdom, although there are some immediate implications for us (Matt 5:10-12), but the audience today is clearly anyone who opens and reads these teachings.

Be-Attitude

I remember hearing a pastor say that the Beatitudes are a “be-attitude,” which means we must be intentional in doing them, but in Matthew 5, which is where the Beatitudes reside, there are some very difficult things to do. How can we rejoice “when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matt 5:11)? For one thing, you’re in great company, so there’s reason to rejoice and be glad, since “they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:12b). Also, Jesus clearly teaches that what we do for others, good or bad (Acts 9:4-5), we are doing it to Him (Matt 25:40), so anything we do can either hurt the Body of Christ or we can help its witness before the world, but it must never be for our own glory or to be seen of others. Our intent is only to glorify God and Jesus Christ, and anything we do manage to do that is good is only because of Him Who strengthens us and enables us to do good (Phil 4:13), and Who has laid out these works for us to walk in (Eph 2:10). God is seeking such to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), but it is not just an attitude, because attitude is not enough. To do good to those who are poor in spirit, those who are mourning, the meek, and the hungry, those in the prisons, nursing homes, and shut-ins (Matt 25:35-39; James 1:27), is also to do to Christ Himself (Matt 25:40).

man-prayer

Blessed Beyond Measure

The blessings that come upon those who are listed in Matthew chapter 5 are blessings that can come to all of us. They might be poor in spirit (or broken); they might be mourning over a lost loved one, the sin and suffering in the world, or their own sin; they might be meek because the closer you get to God and knowing Him, the smaller we get; they might be those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, which is only found in Christ and recorded in His Word; and they will be blessed for extending mercy by receiving mercy; and those who have clean hands and a pure heart before God, will someday see God (Rev 21:3, 22:4); and blessed are those who seek to be a peacemaker, instead of one who stirs up contention and strife, they will be called the sons and daughters of God (Matt 5:9). Even better, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10). Some Christians are more blessed than others in this area, but even if you are persecuted for your faith, and all believer’s will be (2nd Tim 3:12), and it shouldn’t surprise us when it does happen as something strange (1st Pet 4:12), but this is just what Jesus said was coming, so “when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11-12).

Conclusion

It’s not about who we are, but Whose we are, and for those who’ve trusted in Christ, it is a beautiful thing to know you can stand before God wearing Jesus’ very own righteousness (2nd Cor 5:21), but it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God (Heb 10:31), either after death (Heb 9:27) or at Christ’s return (Rev 1:7). Did you realize that when you “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44), it is “so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt 5:45)? Besides, “if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same” (Matt 5:46)? It’s not hard to live out these beatitudes; it’s impossible. We can’t do this outside of Christ (John 15:5). These things we do for Christ don’t save us, but we do these things for Christ because He commands us and has purchased us by His own blood. These will all be fulfilled when the kingdom of God arrives with its King, Jesus Christ.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is host of Spiritual Fitness and also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon


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