Summary
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them. (V.1-2)
Jesus has declared that a new Kingdom is coming, and now He goes about giving us the rules that govern this new domain. He begins by showing us the character of the Kingdom in relation to the world. In the Beatitudes, He takes eight situations that would be deemed cursed, and He reveals that these traits are in fact blessed. He does not just mean that there will be a blessing in the future, a jewel in your heavenly crown, but that having an appropriate view of yourself, others and God will cause you to live entirely differently than those who follow the world. He promises it will make us more human. The character of the Kingdom is the image of God that we were intended to live out when God created the world. This is not just a moral lesson on how to be better; it is a picture of who He created us to be, flowing out of who He is.
Bible References
- Matthew 5:1 - 12
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