Bible Study on the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5:3-12
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
(Those who are destitute of faith, hope and joy will be blessed because the love and peace of God is constantly present and completely surrounding us all every moment... When this realization comes to those who are 'poor in spirit', the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs because they will feel it and will understand that it is within them, as Jesus says..)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
(Those who mourn are not only those who feel sorrow for loss or pain but also those who feel such remorse for their sins that they feel inconsolable. But God's mercy, compassion and love (which reform and heal us all) overcomes every sin and brings each earnest and longing heart into subjection to Him.
"For the Scriptures say, 'As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to Me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'" Romans 14:11)
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
(The patient, peaceful, faithful and humble heart magnifies and glorifies the name (or magnificent and loving nature) of God which results in the inheritance of the earth; that is, everything that God has made which is always very good - anything and everything we could possibly want or need. "And God saw everything He had made, and behold it was very good." Genesis 1:31)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
(Hungering and thirsting after honesty, integrity, virtue, decency and goodness fills our hearts completely, and brings us closer to God. The closer we feel to God, the more we see everyone and everything the way He does - with love, with compassion, with the utmost tenderness and gentleness. Since this is our deepest desire, it is blessed of our Father, so that whatever we ask, we will receive because He is our delight and the reason for our joy. "Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4)
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
(Showing mercy, unconditional love, patience, kindness, understanding and compassion is the pure and perfect expression of the love of God through us... Nothing more can be added to the words of our Lord and Master, Jesus, when he said:
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
(When our hearts are aligned with God and remain constantly with Him, we shall see God and His love in everyone and everything... And we will think like Him as well... "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8)
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
(We are all children of God and as such, we are always working in His field to do His will which brings about the harvest of peace and an abundance of love. According to Barnes' Notes on the Bible, when something "is sown in peace - Is scattered over the world in a peaceful manner. That is, it is not done amidst contentions, and brawls, and strifes. The farmer sows his seed in peace. The fields are not sown amidst the tumults of a mob, or the excitements of a battle or a camp. Nothing is more calm, peaceful, quiet, and composed, than the farmer, as he walks with measured tread over his fields, scattering his seed. So it is in sowing the "seed of the kingdom," in preparing for the great harvest of righteousness in the world. It is done by men of peace; it is done in peaceful scenes, and with a peaceful spirit; it is not in the tumult of war, or amidst the hoarse brawling of a mob. In a pure and holy life; in the peaceful scenes of the sanctuary and the Sabbath; by noiseless and unobtrusive laborers, the seed is scattered over the world, and the result is seen in an abundant harvest in producing peace and order.")
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Again, what better words than those that come from our Lord and Master, Jesus, whose love was so great that he even washed the feet of those whom he loved but knew would desert and/or deny him when he needed them most:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That you may be the children of your Father who 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." Matthew 5:44-45)
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
(Those who are destitute of faith, hope and joy will be blessed because the love and peace of God is constantly present and completely surrounding us all every moment... When this realization comes to those who are 'poor in spirit', the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs because they will feel it and will understand that it is within them, as Jesus says..)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
(Those who mourn are not only those who feel sorrow for loss or pain but also those who feel such remorse for their sins that they feel inconsolable. But God's mercy, compassion and love (which reform and heal us all) overcomes every sin and brings each earnest and longing heart into subjection to Him.
"For the Scriptures say, 'As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to Me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'" Romans 14:11)
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
(The patient, peaceful, faithful and humble heart magnifies and glorifies the name (or magnificent and loving nature) of God which results in the inheritance of the earth; that is, everything that God has made which is always very good - anything and everything we could possibly want or need. "And God saw everything He had made, and behold it was very good." Genesis 1:31)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
(Hungering and thirsting after honesty, integrity, virtue, decency and goodness fills our hearts completely, and brings us closer to God. The closer we feel to God, the more we see everyone and everything the way He does - with love, with compassion, with the utmost tenderness and gentleness. Since this is our deepest desire, it is blessed of our Father, so that whatever we ask, we will receive because He is our delight and the reason for our joy. "Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4)
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
(Showing mercy, unconditional love, patience, kindness, understanding and compassion is the pure and perfect expression of the love of God through us... Nothing more can be added to the words of our Lord and Master, Jesus, when he said:
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
(When our hearts are aligned with God and remain constantly with Him, we shall see God and His love in everyone and everything... And we will think like Him as well... "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8)
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
(We are all children of God and as such, we are always working in His field to do His will which brings about the harvest of peace and an abundance of love. According to Barnes' Notes on the Bible, when something "is sown in peace - Is scattered over the world in a peaceful manner. That is, it is not done amidst contentions, and brawls, and strifes. The farmer sows his seed in peace. The fields are not sown amidst the tumults of a mob, or the excitements of a battle or a camp. Nothing is more calm, peaceful, quiet, and composed, than the farmer, as he walks with measured tread over his fields, scattering his seed. So it is in sowing the "seed of the kingdom," in preparing for the great harvest of righteousness in the world. It is done by men of peace; it is done in peaceful scenes, and with a peaceful spirit; it is not in the tumult of war, or amidst the hoarse brawling of a mob. In a pure and holy life; in the peaceful scenes of the sanctuary and the Sabbath; by noiseless and unobtrusive laborers, the seed is scattered over the world, and the result is seen in an abundant harvest in producing peace and order.")
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Again, what better words than those that come from our Lord and Master, Jesus, whose love was so great that he even washed the feet of those whom he loved but knew would desert and/or deny him when he needed them most:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That you may be the children of your Father who 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." Matthew 5:44-45)
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