BEATITUDES (Matt.

5:1-12)

“expression of blessedness to the people people of God.”

I. Settings (vv.1-2)

A. Christ compared to Moses

1. both on the mountain
2. both gave instruction
a) 1st half relationship between man and God
b) 2nd half relationship between man and man

B. Jesus “sat down” (v.1)

1. signifies seriousness

C. audience is primarily “his disciples” (v.2)

1. walk with Christ
2. learner of Christ
3. not all are true disciples
a. Judas
b. John 6:66
i. hard teaching (v. 60)
ii. bread of life message
iii. people wants an easy life (v. 26)
c. John 8:31
i. describes who a true disciple is

II. Content of Beatitude Described

A. People are described

1. character of people who belong in the kingdom
2. not eight separate groups of people but eight qualities of the same group
a. same as fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)

B. Qualities commended
1. spiritual vs physical
a. Luke 6:20-21

C.Blessing promised
1. Does “blessed” mean happiness.
a. makarios means happiness
b. Some translations: Happy are those…”
2. Makarios does not mean simply happy
a. happiness is subjective
b. Jesus is making an objective judgement
i. not what they might feel
ii.what God thinks of them
3. What does the blessings look like
a. (read the promises)
4. Present or Future?
a. both
i. vv.4-9 they will (simple future tense)
ii. vv. 3,10 contains present tense but verb may not even be there
in Aramaic
iii. we enjoy the first fruit now; the full harvest is yet to
come (J. Stott)
 b. Paul’s already-but not yet

D. Does it Teach Salvation by Good Works

1. first beatitude proclaims salvation by grace not works (v. 3)
2. how not by works?
a. kind of “new law”
i. reasons for old law
- how to be God’s people, setting them apart
- realising that they are unable to keep the law drives
them to a saviour
ii. reasons for new law
- shows the non- christian cannot please God- on his own
cannot obey the law
directs him to christ
- shows those in Christ how to live as to please God.
iii. the law sends us to Christ to be Justified, Christ sends us back
to the law to be sanctified
iv. blessings promised are not merit but \gods gifts of grace upon
whom he is working such character

III. The Beatitude

A. poor in spirit (beggarly poor)

1. Matthew vs Luke
a. material poverty
i. has no refuge but God
ii. easier to have a humble dependence on God
2. spiritual poverty
a. Paul not having confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:4-6
b. The parable of the tax collector and the pharisee (Luke 18:9-14)
c. Jews establishing their own righteousness (Rom. 10: 3)
d. Nothing in my hand I bring/ Simply to the the cross I cling/
Naked, come to the for dress,/ Helpless look to thee for grace
Foul, I take to the fountain fly,/ Wash me Saviour or I die

B. those who mourn

1. not bereavement but repentance
2. not only confession but contrition
3. Christian life is not all joy and laughter
4. Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before
the house of God. (Ezra 10:1)
5. Paul’s grief (Rom. 7:24-25)
6. “Ought you rather mourn (1 Cor. 5:2)
A man sleeping with his wife
7. do we as christians make light of sin?

C. the meek
1. gentle, humble, considerate, courteous
2. “this meekness denotes humble and gentle attitude to others which is determined
by a true estimate of ourselves.” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

D. those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

1. 3 aspects:
a. legal - justification, a right relationship with God
i. given to us by faith in Christ (Rom. 9:30-31, Rom. 10:3)
b. moral - a righteousness of character and conduct which pleases God
 i. external conformity to rules (pharisees) vs inner righteousness of
heart, mind, and motive
- Matt. 23:23
- Amos 5:21-23
-Isaiah 1:13-19
c. social
i. examples
- liberation from oppression
- promotion of civil rights
- justice in law courts
- integrity in business dealings
- honour in home and family affairs
ii. scripture reference
- James 1:26-27

E. the merciful
a. def. - compassion for people in need
b. mercy vs. grace
i. mercy deals with the result of sin: pain , misery, distress while
grace deals with sin and guilt
ii. mercy dures, heals, helps; grace cleanses and reinstates
c. parabolic example
i. a servant whose debt has been forgiven

F. the pure in heart

a. inward purity vs ceremonial purity
- Matt. 23:25-28 “You cleanse the cup on the outside…”
b. sincerity vs falsehood

G. the peacemakers
a. live peaceably with all
b. Matthew 10:34-36
- put God before anyone else
- conflict is inevitable but we should never seek conflict and be responsible
for it
c. God of peace
i. God made peace with man
- Rom. 5: 1
ii. gave peace among man (Jew and Gentile)
- Eph. 2:14-16, Col. 3:11

H. those who are persecuted for righteousness

a. people would refuse to live peaceably with us
b. how not to react
i. don’t retaliate
ii. don’t sulk like a child
iii. not self-pity
iv. do not grin and bear it like a Stoic
v. don’t pretend that we enjoy it
c. how then do we react
i. with joy
- reward is great (Rom. 8: 17)
- persecution is a token of genuineness, a certificate of
Christian authenticity (Luke 6:26)