The Preaching of the King
Matthew 5:1-7-29
This chapter, and the two that follow it, are the longest and fullest continued discourse of our Savior that we have in all the gospels. The many miraculous cures wrought by Jesus in Galilee were intended to make way for this sermon, and to prepare the people to receive instructions from one in whom there appeared to be a divine power and goodness. This sermon was probably a summary of what Jesus had preached in the synagogues of Galilee..
The sermon is preached on a mountain in Galilee. As in other things our Lord Jesus had no convenient place to preach in, any more than to lay His head on. While the scribes and Pharisees had Moses’ chair to sit in, with all possible ease, honor, and state, and there corrupted the law; our Lord Jesus, the great Teacher of truth, is out on a mountain seated on a nard rock or the stump of a tree. The sermon is an exposition of the law. The law was given to Moses upon a mountain. The difference is when the law was given the Lord came down upon the mountain, now the Lord goes up on a mountain. On Mount Sinai He spoke with thunder and lightning. On this mountain in Galilee there is no thunder or lightning. When the law was given to Moses the people were told to keep their distance; now they are invited to draw near. To this mountain we are called to learn to offer the sacrifices of righteousness.
The Sermon on the Mount does not present the way of salvation but the way of righteous living for those who are in the family of God. It is a contrast between the new way with the old way of the scribes and the Pharisees, a detailed explanation of the call to repent. It is a comparison between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. It is for the benefit of the disciples of Jesus because they are to teach others and it is necessary that they have a clear and distinct knowledge of these things. Although this discourse was directed to the disciples, it was in the hearing of a multitude. On this mountain in Galilee no bounds were set about it to keep the people off it as it was about Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:12). The good news is through Jesus we have access to God, not only to speak to Him, but to hear from Him. The duties prescribed in this sermon are to be conscientiously performed by all those that enter the kingdom of heaven.
When Jesus had placed himself so as to be best heard He taught the disciples and the people according to the promise in Isaiah 54:13. He taught them what evil they should avoid, and what was the good they should do. He begins His sermon with blessings because He came into this world to bless us as the great High Priest of our profession. In Him all the families of the earth are blessed. He came not only to purchase salvation for us, but to pour out and pronounce blessings on us; and in this sermon He does it as one having authority, as one that can command the blessing that have been promised to the believers. The Old Testament ended with a curse (Malachi 4:6), the gospel begins with blessings and each of the blessings has a double intention. They identify those who are to be accounted truly happy, and what their characters are. This is designed to rectify the ruinous mistakes of a blind and carnal world. Happiness is the thing which men pretend to pursue. But most mistake the end, and form a wrong conclusion and then wonder why they missed what true happiness is. As well as the general opinion the happy are the strong and rich, the great and honorable men and women in the world.
In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord Jesus corrects this error and advances a new way of life. He gives us a different idea of happiness and happy people, which, however paradoxical it may appear it is in itself a rule and doctrine of eternal truth and certainty, by which we must shortly be judged. The sermon is designed to remove the discouragements of the weak and poor who receive the gospel, by assuring them that His gospel does not make only those that are widely known and honored for the gifts, graces, and comforts they have received, but that even the least in the kingdom of heaven whose heart is right in the sight of God can find happiness in the kingdom of heaven.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us what God expects from us, and what we may expect from Him. No where in the Bible is this more fully set before us and in fewer words than in this sermon or a more exact reference to what God expects from us and what we may expect from Him. This is the good news which we are required to believe and conform to. The highway to happiness is here opened and it comes from the mouth of Jesus Christ.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gives us eight characteristics of the blessed and truly happy in this world, their inner qualities, and their future blessings. The inner qualities of the blessed contradict the proud thinking of the scribes and Pharisees who believe they can attain righteousness through their good deeds and their relationship with Abraham. Jesus points out this error in their thinking when He tells us righteousness, blessings, and happiness are not through good deeds or a relationship with Abraham, but through a relationship with Him.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus reveals the secret which is hidden from the ungodly and unrighteous who believe the comforts and luxuries of this world are indispensable. He strikes at the root of the carnal conceit of the Jews, who vainly believed external peace and prosperity were to be the result of the coming of the promised Messiah.
Jesus didn’t open this sermon with the pronouncing judgments on the wicked, but blessings on His people. The poor in spirit are blessed not because they are poor but because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The ungodly and unrighteous of this world claim it is the rich who are the blessed and happy people for theirs is the kingdoms of the world. What they don’t understand the kingdoms of the world are fading away. The kingdom of heaven is eternal, it will never fade away. Jesus says it is the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom far greater than all the kingdoms of the earth.
When we compare what Jesus said about the happy people in this world we need to remember there is a vast difference between being poor in the spirit and financial poverty. There is no virtue and often disgrace in financial poverty. Financial poverty doesn’t produce humility of heart. This poverty of the spirit Jesus speaks of is not generally found in the majority of the religionists. We often see and hear advertised a conference for "promoting the higher life," but who ever heard of one promoting the lowly life? Many books are written telling us how to be "filled with the Spirit," but where can we find one telling us what it means to be emptied of self-confidence, self-importance, and self-righteousness? In His sermon concerning wealth Jesus said, "That which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15), it is equally true what is of great price in His sight is despised by men. Almost all of the so-called "ministry" of this generation feeds pride, instead of starving the flesh; puffs up, rather than abases; and anything which is calculated to search and strip is frowned upon by the pulpit and is unpopular with the pew.
Spiritual poverty is the opposite of the proud, self-assertive and self-sufficient disposition which the world admires and praises. It is opposite of the independent and defiant attitude of men and women who refuse to bow to God, who say "Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?"
The poor in spirit have arrived at the point in life were they know they have nothing, are nothing, and can do nothing in themselves, and have need of all things. Poverty of spirit is a consciousness of their emptiness, the result of the Spirit’s work within. All their righteousness as filthy rags, their best deeds are unacceptable, an abomination to God. Poverty of spirit brings us to our knees before God, acknowledging our utter helplessness and deserving the judgments of God. It corresponds to the initial awakening of the prodigal in the far country.
Poverty in spirit is realizing God’s great salvation is free, "without money and without price," the most merciful provision of God’s grace. If God put a for sale tag on His grace and salvation no sinner could purchase them because he has nothing with which he could possibly purchase them. Most people don’t understand it is the Holy Spirit who opens the eyes of the sin blinded. It is those who have passed from death unto life who become conscious of their spiritual poverty, take the place of beggars and are glad to receive Divine charity, and begin to seek the true riches. Poverty of spirit is the realization of our utter worthlessness which precedes the laying hold of Christ. It is the Spirit emptying the heart of self that Jesus may fill it: it is a sense of need and destitution.
The one who is poor in spirit is nothing in his own eyes, and feels that his proper place is in the dust before God. He may, through false teaching or worldliness, leave this place, but God knows how to bring him back; and in His faithfulness and love He will do it because this is the place of blessing for His children.
It is the spiritual poor and not the financial poor who are pronounced "blessed." The poor in spirit are blessed because they have a disposition the opposite of what was theirs by nature. They are blessed because they have in themselves the evidence that a Divine work of grace has been wrought in their heart. They are blessed because they are heirs of the kingdom of heaven in the present and in the hereafter.
