This passage starts in Matthew 4 with Jesus just having recruited his disciples from their fishing boats and them observing all of the miracles of healing he was performing. Verses 3-12 Describe the needed Character of a Disciple as they seek to align to God's character.
Identification
[Mat 5:1-48 NKJV] 1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed [are] those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed [are] the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed [are] those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed [are] the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed [are] the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed [are] the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed [are] those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great [is] your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all [who are] in the house. 16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches [them], he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' 22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. 27 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast [it] from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast [it] from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 31 "Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. 33 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' 34 "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 "nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. 38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have [your] cloak also. 41 "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 "that you may be sons of your Father 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. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more [than others]? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Observation
Jesus realized that there was an unlimited demand for physical healing and more people were coming.
Jesus knew it was time to scale his ministry by teaching disciples that could bring the gospel of eternal life to more people.
This message was for committed believers who had repented from their own ways, not for the multitudes.
This was Jesus's first recorded lesson of the fundamentals of being a disciple.
v3
Blessed - happy, fortunate - granted special favor by God with resulting joy
Poor - beggar, destitute, empty
In Spirit - the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides
Be filled with the spirit of God and not my own spirit
Jesus gave up his own power for the Holy Spirit to fill him.
Satan was "full of his own spirit" - “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14
Satan tempted Jesus to a temporal earthly kingdom. - Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Matthew 4
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Phillippians 2:5-7
Kingdom -royal power, kingship, dominion, rule
Of heaven - the universe
...tax collector in the temple, beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:9-14)
2 Timothy 2:12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him.
_________________
v4
Mourn - Grieve, lament, wail
Intense emotion over lack or loss
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:7-10
_________________
V5
Meek
- Strength under control
- vs aggression
Psa 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
To be meek is to be gentle, humble, lowly. “The meek are the ‘gentle’… those who do not assert themselves over others in order to further their own agendas in their own strength, but who will nonetheless inherit the earth because they trust in God to direct the outcome of events.” ESV Study Bible notes.
The meek show joy and happiness under dire circumstances. No matter what happens in the world around them, they latch on to God’s provision and plan for their lives. Matthew Henry commentary
Inherit - receive an allotted portion from a benefactor
the Earth - land
...and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10
__________
V6
Hunger - hungry, to suffer want, needy, famished, to crave ardently
Luke 1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
It takes time to build up a taste for healthy food and drink as we observe the results they provide in enabling us to be restored, relevant and relating to God and others.
Thirst - 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
Righteousness - the way in which man may attain to a state approved of God,
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1 John 3:7
Righteousness comes from God on the basis of faith (Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:22; Romans 9:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). God declares us to be righteous because we have become part of His family, and he is righteous. We are part of the Righteous Family. God ‘imputes’ it to us – he gives his righteousness to us.. It means we are in ‘right standing’ (thanks to Jesus) and that we are committed to doing the ‘right thing’ (imitating Jesus).
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
Filled - to be right with God, satisfied in communion with God
Great devotional audio from Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... By Charles Spurgeon. Charles Spurgeon: The Beatitudes - Blessed Are They Which Hunger And Thirst After Righteousness 4/8
_____________________
7
Merciful
compassionate (actively)
Mercy
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 "that you may be sons of your Father 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. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [Mat 5:44-46 NKJV]
Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17
Interpretation
Jesus has power to physically heal for temporal relief.
He prioritized his time to recruit others who could preach the gospel for eternal relief.
v3
I am desolate of power compared to the all knowing, powerful God who eternally rules the universe.
I will realize personal satisfaction, fulfillment, joy, when I submit to God's rule and I will rule with him eternal.
Satan will offer me temporal power over others, but eternal death.
Vs 3-5 are about us emptying ourselves of our self will, our pride, our power, our temporal control.
Vs 5 is about gaining the mind of God to know how to Love
Vs 6 is about showing unconditional love
v4
Learning and experiencing God's greatness, holiness, love, mercy and grace cause me to mourn over my sin against God and others and repent. I can find comfort in my relationship with God and others being restored.
Principle: As I acknowledge my sin, repent, and humble myself before God I will be comforted in God's love, mercy and grace.
______________
V5
Prioritizing the eternal needs of others over my temporal comfort.
As God is the King of the universe and will regain control of the world, we will then reign with him.
As I observe temporal threats and losses in my life I will feel emotions that can include fear, anxiety, anger, and loss of hope. Instead of reacting I need to pause and reflect on how Jesus responded to similar losses, and I can find hope in the eternal purposes of God to conform me and comfort me through this loss for his glory.
________
vs 6
Great yearning for knowing God so that I align with his mind.
Hymn - May the mind of Christ my savior live in me from day to day.
Hunger and Thirst are an undeniable craving and obsession to find the right steps in his path that allows him to be in greater communion with God.
To be satisfied in drawing near and knowing God and seeing the fruit of his spirit in my life.
Righteousness can be measure by the fruit of the spirit. These are God's characteristics that show our love to him and others.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
_______
7
Mercy is often asked by people of Jesus to provide relief from their sickness, pain or loss. (Gospels)
Application
I need to prioritize my time to focus on the eternal needs of others.
I need to look to scale my impact on the kindom by discipling those God puts in my life to be greater disciples.
v3
Daily submit to God by acknowledging all that he is, know him through His word and Spirit, communing with him in praise and prayer, and obeying him.
v4
Practical Application: Study scripture to know God's character and commands, see who I really am before God and repent from my independence to him and commune and find comfort in him.
_____
v5
When competing priorities come, consider the eternal outcomes for the Kingdom first before acting or reacting.
____________
Vs 6
Study God's word to know God daily, observe how others have applied it, apply it and observe my results in communing with God.
_________________
vs 7
When I am faced with people that are difficult I need to look at what pain they are in.