THE BEATITUDES

Matthew 5:1-10
 ST MATTHEW-THE NEW TORAH

• Matthew is Torah, the Law of God given through Moses with Christ as the ultimate
Moses and the interpreter of the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets for the Church

• Jesus’s sayings were Aramaic in nature & Earliest Christian writers viewed St. Matthew
as an Aramaic gospel

• Matthew is considered the guardian of Jesus’s teachings. Matthew is one of the

twelve, and writes the whole Gospel like a Torah, like a law, because it’s the new
Torah; it’s the new Law
 THE NEW MOSES

• In Matthew, you have Jesus and His life patterned on that of Moses

• When Jesus was a child, they tried to kill Him, like they tried to kill Moses. He is saved
by God, but He goes into Egypt to be saved – the opposite direction

• Now, the killing is being done in Judea, not in Egypt. And then Matthew says that He
had to go into Egypt, because it is written, “Out of Egypt, have I called my Son.”

• Because Israel, the firstborn son of God, was taken out of Egypt into the Promised
Land, Jesus goes there and comes back again as the leader of the people.
 THE NEW MOSES

• When Jesus comes back into Judea, they’re still trying to kill Him. So then, He is
hidden until He comes out, and is baptized in the Jordan

• The Jordan marks the boundary of the Promised Land. Moses was not allowed to
cross the Jordan. Only Joshua was; Jesus is simply the Hebrew form of Jesus

• Once Jesus goes through the water like Moses, He is driven into the desert, just like
Moses was. And as Moses was 40 days and 40 nights, and they were 40 years in the
desert, Jesus was 40 days in the desert being tempted by the devil

• And He’s victorious over the devil in the desert place, and then starts His preaching
that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; that the Messianic Age has come
 JESUS SPEAKS WITH AUTHORITY

• In St. Matthew’s Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount is given on a mount like Moses.
Moses went up to the mountain, and the people couldn’t go with Moses. Moses
spoke face-to-face with God, and then he came down and told what God told

• In the New Testament, it’s very different. Jesus still goes onto a mount, but He speaks
for Himself. Not like the scribes and Pharisees, He speaks on His own authority,
because He’s God Son. He’s God’s Word. He’s the final revelation of God

• Jesus goes on the Mountain. He goes apart from the people to the mountain, and
His disciples go apart with Him. And it says, “sitting down,” and it’s very important
that it says, “sitting down,” because the master taught in the Temple sitting down
 SERMON ON THE MOUNT
• The sermon on the mount begins with the Beatitudes

• If you count the Beatitudes, and include the “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,”
which is the first eleven verses, there are ten of them, like the Ten Commandments

• And they’re positively put. There’re not, “Thou shalt not” anymore. But it is rather,
“How blessed are” or makarios

• There are two meanings of the word blessed. One is blessed like God blesses you.
But makarios means how blessed, happy, lucky, and fortunate. “who believe that I
am the Son of God, the Messiah, who will be raised from the dead and glorified.”
 Matthew 5(NKJV)
The Beatitudes

5 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.
THE BEATITUDES – NEW TESTAMENT
GREEK
THE BEATITUDES – RUSSIAN MONKS
VALLAM MONASTERY
THE BEATITUDES - ENGLISH
 POOR IN SPIRIT
• The Lord teaches His disciples that those who are “poor in Spirit” recognize and
affirm they are ultimately dependent upon God for their lives and sustenance

• All that we are as unique persons and all that we have is a gift from God

• To see ourselves as “poor in spirit” refers first and foremost to our perception of our
relationship with God, which should be one of total dependence upon God

• To be poor in spirit is difficult is difficult for two main reasons:

1. Deep in our hearts we sometime rebel against the notion of radical dependence
2. Western society exalts the tendencies of independence and self sufficiency
 123
• Christian reality is founded upon Christ’s teachings. As Christians we believe that
God and His saving activity precede and are the foundation of our existence

• The power and sustaining goodness of the Holy Trinity are the very centre of our
creation and our own personal existence

• We affirm that God the Father has created us

• We profess that Jesus Christ, God the Son has come into the world in order to unite
humanity with divinity, and thereby, restore us to fellowship with God

• We acknowledge that God The Holy Spirit is now at work in our midst to conform
each of us in a unique manner to the likeness of Christ
 PROSPERITY & POOR IN SPIRIT

• Anawim was a technical term for Christians who were the poor. Jesus, who was rich,
became poor. He had nothing. “So if you’re my disciple in the final covenant, you
have nothing.” You are poor as far as this world is concerned

Matthew 19:23-25 (NKJV)

23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be
saved?”

Is it possible to be prosperous materially and be considered “Poor in Spirit?”

 123
HUMILITY

Genuine humility is not always a virtue that is honoured and encouraged in society

Far from being an expression of fear and timidity, true humility is an expression of
personal integrity, strength and courage which reflect the teachings and character of
Christ

The recognition that we are “Poor in Spirit” before God our Father is a necessary
precondition for our spiritual growth therefore humility is essential
123
 THE GIFTS OF GOD
• All the gifts that we enjoy in this life should make us conscience of our dependence
on God who is our Creator and sustainer

• The blessings we receive should direct our attention to God; sometimes we receive
the gift but fail to receive the Giver, so that our attention is directed away from God

• Spiritual and material blessings are gifts of God that may be turned into idols and
make very poor substitute for God in our lives

• It is possible for men with material wealth to be wealthy and poor in spirit yet very
difficult. Among these were Abraham, Joseph and Job, from the Old Testament and
Zacchaeus and Joseph of Arimathea from the new Testament

Think of an individual that has impacted you whom you would consider poor in spirit
 PSALM 103
• The recognition of being poor in spirit leads us to manifest a sense of gratitude and
thanksgiving for all the blessings we have received

Psalm 103 (NKJV)

A Psalm of David.
103 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s
 PRAYER
• Prayer takes our attention away from self and centers it on God

• Jesus frequently prayed prior to important events in His ministry. Jesus prayed prior to
His baptism , before selecting the twelve disciples, before His miracles as well as
before and after His death and resurrection

• Jesus’ prayers were distinctive yet expressed the sense of intimacy between Jesus
and God His Father

• Each prayer of the Lord was a natural and loving expression of His dependence
upon His Father, affirming and nurturing the bond of love existing between them