“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…”
– Matthew 5:1-8
Jesus begins the so-called, “Sermon on the Mount” with this list, which is often known as the Beautitudes. I would suggest that this list is often made into a new bunch of laws or an excuse for self-hatred. “If we can just make ourselves poor in spirit, then we will be more holy.”
Here is the problem; that is not what it is about.
It was common for religious teachers to give lists of those who are blessed – we see it in the Psalms and proverbs all the time – but what Jesus has done here is radically different from the norm, because these people usually include the “influential, because people will listen to them” or the “wealthy, because they can make changes.”
Jesus, however, has listed all the people who are nobodies and have no power of influence.
Let’s take a step back. At the time of Jesus, over 50% of the population of the Roman empire were slaves. There as no such thing as health care, unless you were rich. There was no social care, so if you did not work (or beg) then you did not eat. If you were a woman who had been divorced by her husband, then it was a choice of remarriage, prostitution or starving. There was basically no justice, unless you could pay for it. Jesus had, by now, gathered a crowd of “disciples” from the poor, the sick, the outcasts, the lonely, the unloved and the broken (the poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, the hungry and thirsty…)
He addresses this crowd and tells them that they are the blessed ones.
What? That makes no sense.
Oh yes it does. When you are desperate, you know that you need help and you can see.
Let me show you:
Here is the society at the time. Those who are on the inside are the elite few – the religious leaders who made the rules for access to God, the Roman Patriarchs, the Roman rulers, the Roman soldiers, the strong, the beautiful. Those who are on the outside are the slaves, the beggars, the crippled, the orphans, the widows (well, all women really).
For those on the inside, they live sheltered and protected lives, but for those on the outside, not so much…
But it is the very fact that they are on the outside that enables them to see Jesus for who he is and to hear his invitation..
Those on the inside cannot see or hear this.
This why the outsiders are blessed. They can receive the kingdom easily and readily.
For the insiders to receive means that they have to come outside – lay down their social status, their social worth, their reputation, maybe even their wealth, to enable them to step outside and receive the good news. Not such a blessed situation to be in.
All part of Jesus’ upside down kingdom!
I was wondering who the outsiders are today? Maybe…
…the refugees, the children in social care, those suffering from mental health issues, the immigrants separated from their children, those who need medical care but cannot afford it, the LGBT community, single parents, those who mourn, those who have no money, those who cannot afford justice… (Let’s not even go there on who is on the inside.)
add to the list as you see fit.
If that is you, you are blessed because nothing is blocking your view of Jesus. It does not mean that it is okay. it does not mean that God is happy about what is done to you. It means that you are in a privileged position of knowing your need.
I wonder if, when the kingdom comes in all its fullness, there will be no inside, or no outside?
Hmmm.
2 Comments
My wife and I have been reading your blog, we are finding them really refreshing actually! This is the first time I have commented though …
***”I wonder if, when the kingdom comes in all its fullness, there will be no inside, or no outside?”***
Rev 22:15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. (New American Standard Bible )
You have spoken about the upside down kingdom well my comment is that because we have been persecuted etc, etc. the Lord tells us to not get even with such people and take courage because ‘blessed are we…” and to leave room for Him to deal (wrath)with these people in His time ….. according to my understanding this surely means that “they” we be left on the outside???
It is certainly true that we in the West do not really know what it is like to be persecuted – I certainly do not.
However, if you read on from the passage you have referred to you see that from within the city, who’s gates will never be shut (Rev 21:25) the Spirit and the bride say, “come…” Who could they be speaking to other than the ones outside, who, as we read earlier, have been thrown into the lake of fire (20:15) and apparently had come through it???
I cannot imagine that this was a pleasant experience in the least. The much quoted passage in Matthew 25 talks about “eternal punishment”. The Greek word for eternal is “aoinios” and means “of the Age” and the Greek word used here for punishment is “kolasis” which does not mean punishment at all (that would be timoreo). Kolasis, according to ancient sources, was always for the benefit of the recipient, and not the satisfaction of the one giving it out (which is what timoreo is). The implication is that there are consequences and there is a reckoning but it is about discipline and purification not punishment.
Can we hope this? Can we allow ourselves to believe that God’s mercy really does NEVER come to an end? Will he truly restore ALL things to himself?
I think that my hope (along with most of the Greek Early church fathers) is that he can and will… but I could be wrong.