The Beatitudes

1
(No Transcript)
2

• The Beatitudes
• Matthew 53-10

3
D. A. Carson on Beatitudes

• Two of the beatitudes promise the same reward.
  The first beatitude reads, "Blessed are the poor
  in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"
  (53). The last one says, "Blessed are those who
  are persecuted because of righteousness

4
D. A. Carson on Beatitudes

• for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (510)
• To begin and end with the same expression is a
  stylistic device called an "inclusion." This
  means that everything bracketed between the two
  can really be included under the one theme, in
  this case, the kingdom of heaven.

5
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

• "The truth is that the Christian and the
  non-Christian belong to two entirely different
  realms. You will notice the first Bt. And the
  last Bt. Promise the same reward, 'for theirs is
  the kingdom of heaven.'

6
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

• What does this mean? Our Lord starts and ends
  with it because it is His way of saying that the
  first thing you have to realize about yourself is
  that you belong to a different kingdom.

7
Jesus Corrects the Pharisees!

• In His sermon Christ especially levels a blast
  against the Pharisees who were the religious
  conservatives, whose obsession to the externals
  of the law fell far short of the righteous
  standards of God.
• cf. Matthew 520

8
What are the Beatitudes?

• Question
• Are these to be understood as conditions for
  entering the kingdom or as characteristics of
  those who have already entered?

9
Pastor John MacArthur

• Are the truths in the Beatitudes the rules on how
  you get into the kingdom or are they rules on how
  you live once you're in the kingdom?
• The answer is Yes. Both!

10
Dr. John R. W. Stott

• These are not eight separate and distinct
  groups of disciples, some of whom are
  meek, while others are merciful and yet
  others are called upon to endure persecution.
  They are rather eight qualities of the same group
  who at one and the same time are meek and
  merciful

11
Dr. John R. W. Stott

• poor in spirit and pure in heart, mourning and
  hungry, peacemakers and persecutedThe group
  exhibiting these marks is not an elitist set, a
  small spiritual aristocracy remote from the
  common run of ChristiansAll these qualities are
  to ripen in every Christian character, so the
  eight beatitudes which Christ speaks describes
  his ideal for every citizen of God's kingdom.

12
Pastor Warren W. Wiersbe

• The Beatitudes tell us how to enter the kingdom
  and enlarge the kingdom but they also tell us
  how to enjoy the kingdom.

13
Theologian R. C. H. Lenski

• The Beatitudes read like a Psalm makarios at
  once recalls the 'ashre of Ps. 11. 'Blessed!'
  intoned again and again, sounds like bells of
  heaven, ringing down into this unblessed world
  from the cathedral spires of the kingdom inviting
  all men to enter. The word like its opposite
  ouai, 'woe', is neither a wish regarding a coming
  condition

14
Theologian R. C. H. Lenski

• nor a description of a present condition, but a
  judgment pronounced upon the persons indicated,
  stating they must be considered fortunate

15
Woe Blessed are Opposites

• Woe (Greek, ouai) is the pronounced judgment by
  God of the Pharisees' unfortunate state.
• Blessed (Greek, makarios) is the pronounced
  judgment by God of the kingdom citizens'
  fortunate state!

16
Contrast

• It is also interesting that a vivid contrast
  exists between the giving of the Beatitudes and
  the giving of the Law.

17
Puritan Thomas Watson

• Christ does not begin his
  Sermon on the Mount as
• the Law was
  delivered on
• the mount, with
  commands
• and threatenings,
  the
• trumpet sounding,
  the fire flaming, the earth quaking, and the
  hearts of the Israelites too for fear but our
  Savior begins with promises and blessings.

18
The First Beatitude

• Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for Theirs is the
  Kingdom of Heaven.
• Matthew 53

19
Pastor John MacArthur

• "It's as if Jesus crept into the large display
  window of life and changed all the price tags
  it's all backwards!"

20
Question

• What Does it Mean to be
• Poor in Spirit?

21
What is Poor in Spirit?

• The Greek noun translated "poor" is ptochos
  speaking of extreme poverty, without the means of
  self-support.
• The word poor is from the Greek ptokas, a noun
  that means poor in this world's goods a beggar,
  desperately ashamed even to allow his identity to
  be known. It is not just poor it is begging poor

22
Commentator Arthur W. Pink

• To be "poor in spirit" is to realize that I have
  nothing, am nothing, can do nothing, have
  need of all things. Poverty of spirit is a
  consciousness of my emptiness the result of the
  Spirit's work within. It issues from the painful
  discovery that all my righteousness are as filthy
  rags

23
Commentator Arthur W. Pink

• It follows the awakening that my best
  performances are unacceptable, yea, an
  abomination to the thrice Holy One. Poverty of
  spirit evidences itself by its bringing the
  individual into the dust before God,
  acknowledging his utter helplessness
  deservingness of hell

24
Commentator Arthur W. Pink

• Poverty of spirit may be termed the negative
  side of faith. It is that realization of my utter
  worthlessness which precedes emptying the heart
  of self that Christ may fill it it is a sense of
  need and destitution. This first Beatitude, then,
  is foundational.

25
Question

• What Does it Mean for Theirs is the Kingdom of
  Heaven?

26
Present Tense Future Tense

• Christ used the present tense "is" (Gk, estin)
  instead of the future tense "will be" (Gk,
  estain)"for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
• Present tense "envelop" (cf. Matt. 53 and 10),
  enclosing the future tense verbs (cf. Matt.
  54-9) suggests that although the final
  consummation of these happen in the future, there
  is a sense in which they take place in the
  present.

27
D. A. Carson on Present Furture

• The natural conclusion is that, though the full
  blessedness of those described in these
  beatitudes awaits the consummated kingdom, they
  already share in the kingdom's blessedness so far
  as it has been inauguarated.

28
For theirs (Gk. auton, emphatic) is the Kingdom
of Heaven- they and to them alone -
29
Three Concluding Observations

• The Beatitudes are Characteristics of the
  Citizens of the Kingdom.
• The First Beatitude is Foundational upon which
  the Other Seven are Built.
• The Pursuit of Humility is a Natural Goal of
  Citizens of the Kingdom.

30

• The Beatitudes
• Matthew 53-10

31
(No Transcript)