ipl-logo

Beatitudes In The Sermon On The Mount

1564 Words7 Pages

The word beatitude comes from the Latin word beatus, meaning “happy, fortunate.” The blessings that God bestows on the repentant believer are in relation to the believer’s spiritual, ethical, moral and righteous life. That is not to say that the believer must earn the blessings; however, the blessings result from rightly living. The beatitudes are an extension of Jesus’ proclamation in Matthew 4:17 (NRSV), “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus is telling His disciples that, not only are they to live righteous lives, but that all believers must live righteous lives as well. He speaks as One with authority; as Matthew noted in verse 23, Jesus taught in the synagogues. He was called Rabbi, Lord, Master, Teacher, and other names assigned to someone with authority. He spoke with a voice of authority that amazed crowds, even the curiosity seekers who were not believers. When He begins to deliver the Great Sermon, not only were the disciples listening, but also a multitude of followers within hearing distance. …show more content…

Jesus’ message of avoiding sin and embracing spiritual obedience from a “mountain” draws comparisons to Moses’ deliverance of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. In each case, a set of “rules” to live by was given from a mountain. The beatitudes all apply to everyone, not to separate categories of people. We all at one time or another may be poor in spirit, or in mourning, or become meek spiritually, or we may hunger and thirst for righteousness. Each of the blessings addresses a spiritual issue which should direct our daily lives. God knows our struggles and He will provide a way for us to endure them; and become even stronger if we believe on Jesus and if we put our trust in

More about Beatitudes In The Sermon On The Mount

Open Document