A Counter Cultural Message: The Beatitudes
A Study of the Sermon on the Mount
It seems to me that it is very fitting to begin these articles by looking at Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. The reason for this is that in this sermon, Jesus is directing his message to the crowds that have gathered, which includes his disciples.
Matthew 5:1-12 is where we are really going to set our focus, as it is where Jesus first begins his sermon by identifying his audience and drawing in the crowds.
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, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Matthew 5:1-12
The first thing that we will notice is Jesus. He recognizes that people are around him, and he takes advantage of this opportunity to teach. The lesson that he teaches is not just for people who follow Jesus but for everyone. Christians are supposed to follow what is taught, but this message is also a draw to those who have never heard the good news. The word of God is both very instructive and intriguing. It catches people’s attention. This sermon in particular is attractive to people who don’t already follow Jesus. The reason has to do with it being a countercultural message. We see this in verses 2-12 when Jesus identifies those who are listening and hooks his listeners with a message that is different from what was being taught at that time and is even taught today. Jesus was a different teacher, and his message was different than the other teachers at the time. Matthew 7:28-29 show this by saying, “When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”
Now, regarding this introduction to this sermon and its message, Jesus is teaching about the kingdom of heaven and who the kingdom is for. People who we often say deserve things or get things are people who have done something or are popular. In our world, to be somebody is extremely important. This was also true at the time that Jesus gave this lesson. The religious leaders thought themselves to be somebody and required others to follow their example. They wanted others to become like them, and when people didn’t become like them, they were put down as being unworthy. Jesus in this sermon flips that point of view on its head. He begins doing this with this introduction that we call the beatitudes.
While I will not go into each one of the beatitudes in great detail, I will recommend listening to the Through the Eyes of Jesus Podcast on the beatitudes. It is very helpful in understanding each of these that Jesus talks about in these few verses. What I want you to see is how Jesus’ message is opposite that of the world. The world promotes violence, riches, power, and many other things. Jesus teaches humility, peace, rest, and things like these. One of the coolest things about the beatitudes is this: Jesus is describing himself. We are to become like Jesus. The world wants us to be like them, be the movie star, have the new car or phone, do this event, have so much money. These things are not necessarily bad, but when they become our focus and we are no longer like Jesus who describes himself here in Matthew 5, we have missed the point. We are to pursue a relationship with God first and foremost; that is what matters.