The Beatitudes
The following quotes are extracted from the “Sermon on the Mount” in chapter 5 of the Gospel of Matthew. This sermon is the basic proclamation of Jesus of Nazareth, who is God’s Mediator and our Messiah. The Holy Scriptures of the Christians, or the Bible are the revelation from God’s Son to His followers, who are called out to be the Church and who succeed Him in carrying the message of the salvation of God throughout the world. This era of evangelism is known in the Bible as the “last days.” They are a litany to be remembered by all people, but they are the fundamentals of understanding the meaning of our existence.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you (vs 3-12).
You have heard… You shalt not [murder];… But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (5: 21-22).
You have heard… you shall not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of thy members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell…
It has been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.
You have heard… you shalt not forswear yourself, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by your head, because you can not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil (vs 27-37).
You have heard… An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you,…resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue you at the law, and take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two. Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you turn not away [from him]”(vs. 38-42).
You have heard… love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans [jewish collectors of Roman taxes] the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (vs 43-47).
This sermon embodies the love that God has for the whole world. God has promised to save all those that receive the covenant that was established by God in the person of the Messiah1. It was and is God’s intent to save (for all eternity) all those who recognize His sovereignty over them, mind, body and soul. All those who will surrender in submission to His Spirit and place themselves in subjection to His Son as King of kings and Lord of lords shall live and not die. Having received this promise by faith, you are then obliged to keep the tenets of the faith, not only by commandment, but also by choice, seeing that these commandments are profitable for all aspects of life2.
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are One eternal Substance manifested in three separate but equal persons according to the scriptures. God the Father is One God from Himself and no one else; the Son and the Spirit are one with the Father “communicated” from Him3.
These may seem impossible requirements to carry out. The truth is, that for mankind alone they are; but, when a person is “born again” a new creature emerges. The nature of the person is changed. Their spirit is changed by God and the Holy Spirit is imparted to the believer at the moment of regeneration. With the aid of the Holy Spirit the one who is born again is enabled to live as Christ lived in the flesh4. But, without the enabling sacrifice of the Messiah on the cross all this is impossible!
- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing into Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” – John 3:16-17 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” – II Peter 3:9
- “For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath… Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.” – Deuteronomy 4:31,39-40 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” – John 14:15 “If you will walk upright before me and obey my law, I will be your God! If you will believe me that I am God and Jesus is My only begotten Son according to My Word; I Am your God, because he [Jesus] is your righteousness.” – II Corinthians 5: 21
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men; and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.” – John 1:1-5
- “Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” – I Peter17-23
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