The Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount (Unit 1) Flashcards
What are the Beatitudes?
Set of teachings by Jesus in Matthew and Luke read in the light of Isaiah 61
- Sermon on the Plains in Luke- love (especially love for outsiders)
- Sermon of the Mount in Matthew- coming of God’s kingdom and Jesus fulfills the Law
What do the Beatitudes call for?
Single minded devotion to God, outlining the standard for living modeled after Jesus (moral Christian living, St. Augustine)
- Must do it, not just listen
What are the patterns/traits in the Beatitudes?
Five great discourses by Jesus in Matthew
- End of each passage= ‘When Jesus has finished these things’ (end of a discourse and beginning of a new phase of his ministry)
- Shows the how prepared the disciples were after Jesus’ departure
How do the Beatitudes begin?
They introduce the identity and authority of Jesus clearly established, the location is important too
Why are the Beatitudes important?
They are instructions on how to build God’s kingdom and must be followed by anyone that believes Jesus is God
What is included in the Beatitudes?
Who is Jesus- fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah (Messiah)
- Shows that he is God and the promised Messiah
Why- sermon is right after the Proclamation of the Kingdom (Matthew 4)
- Teachings relate to establishing the Kingdom
For whom- right after Jesus calls for his first disciples and before he sends them on a mission to find the ‘lost sheep of Israel’
- Instructions directed to serious followers
What are the two major themes of the Beatitudes?
Strange blessings and righteousness
Explain righteousness (major theme)
Righteousness, not just about rules but a way of living
- Embraces God’s kingdom and being a part of it with God as our ruler
Explain strange blessings (major theme)
Each eight Beatitude starts with ‘blessed are the’ suggesting general instructions for behaviour
Ninth blessed with ‘blessed are you’ not just broad suggestion but specific instructions for specific people (disciples)
- Blessings are ‘super rational’ not following earthly logic but God’s logic of the cross and his kingdom
What are all the blessings?
Blessed are
- the poor in spirit
- those who mourn
- the meek
- those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
- the merciful
- the pure in heart
- the peacemakers
- those who are persecuted for righteousness sake
- you when people revile and persecute you
Blessed are those poor in spirit?
Blessed are the poor in spirit
- Those who don’t depend on earthly things, but on God
- Good news is the coming of his kingdom
Blessed are those who mourn?
Mourning for lost souls
- Old Testament references to the mourning of Jews in exile, similar to the mourning of those exiled from his kingdom because of sin
- Comforted by the arrival of God’s kingdom
Blessed are the meek?
Referring to righteousness, people who are humble and don’t seek through earthly things/wickedness
- Psalm references of God helping those oppressed and righteous, and bringing down the powerful and wicked
- Concerned for others more than yourself
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness?
Upholding the law, being in a relationship with God and making his will the first priority
- Introduces Beatitude’s key theme
- Used to describe God because of his faithfulness to his people/covenant
Blessed are the merciful?
Mercy is a key trait of God in the Old Testament, Promised in Isaiah and shown by Jesus (healing and forgiveness)
- Our Father, Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
- Showing mercy imitates God and shows strength
