If you were to look in the Bible for a succinct summary of Jesus’ Way, you would look no further than the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 to 7).
So profound is its message that Indian peacebuilder Mahatma Gandhi committed himself to reading the Sermon on the Mount every day.
Gandhi was in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1927 speaking at the Y.M.C.A. in Colombo, ‘If I had to face only the Sermon on the Mount and my own interpretation of it, I should not hesitate to say, “O, yes, I am a Christian.’” He then added: ‘You of the West take Jesus apologetically at this point, while I take him seriously and literally.’”
(Cited by Frank Eden, Treasury of Christian faith).
“Gandhi and Lord Irwin, former Viceroy to India, were friends. On their return from the Round Table Conference at London, Lord Irwin paid a visit to the Mahatma in his ashram. During the conversation Lord Irwin put this question to his host: ‘Mahatma, as man to man, tell me what you consider to be the solution to the problems of your country and mine.’ Taking up a little book from the nearby lampstand, Gandhi opened it to the fifth chapter of Matthew and replied, ‘When your country and mine shall get together on the teachings laid down by Christ in this Sermon on the Mount, we shall have solved the problems not only of our countries but those of the whole world.’
Maybe you would like to commit yourself to reading the Sermon on the Mount daily like Gandhi did. But not just reading it, actually putting it into practice because that is Jesus’ Way.
Text: Matthew 5:3-12
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Blessed (Gk. Makarios) ~ happy, to be envied, fortunate, well off.
But it’s more than that. Makarios was used in classical Greek to denote “the life of the gods.”
There were 12 main Roman gods, with the big three being Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva (the Capitoline Triad)
Jupiter was thought to have originated from the Greek god Zeus.
Jupiter hurled lightning bolts, created booming thunder and cloudbursts of rain, and generally made the other gods nervous. He had several lovers outside of his marriage to his sister, Juno. Their marriage was not a happy one because of Jupiter’s multiple affairs.
The Greek pantheon consisted of the 12 Olympian gods. The three most powerful gods among the Olympians were Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, god of the underworld.
Zeus was a carefree god who loved to laugh out loud. He was unpredictable – nobody was able to guess the decisions he would make. He was also easily angered which could be very destructive.
There were lots of other Greek gods like Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
So, back to Makarios “the life of the gods.” To the first century mind this word had connotations of violence, war, sexual exploits, and self-indulgence. And yet, in his Sermon on the Mount Jesus took this word and applied it to those who follow his way of life, the divine way, the Jesus way.
Jesus was a Voice from Elsewhere, teaching that the followers of the true God would behave counterculturally to the gods of the day.
Theologian Ron Dart has translated the Beatitudes in a fresh new way with this deeper understanding of Makarios…
The Divine Life is for those who die to the demands of the ego. Such people will inhabit the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Divine Life is for those who have lived through tragedy and suffering. Such people will be comforted at a deep level.
The Divine Life is for those who bring their passions under control for goodness. It is such people that will inherit the earth.
The Divine Life is for those who hunger and thirst for justice. Such people will be fed to the full.
The Divine Life is offered to those who are gracious and merciful. Such people will be treated in a merciful and gracious manner.
The Divine Life is offered to those whose Home is clean on the Inside. Such people will know the very presence of God and see His face.
The Divine Life is offered to those who are Makers and Creators of Peace. Such people will be called the children of God.
The Divine Life is known by those who are persecuted for seeking Justice. Such people will know what it means to live in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Divine Life is known by those who are mistreated and misunderstood in their passion for justice. They will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. The prophets were treated this way in the past.
The Beatitudes point to Jesus.
This is what Jesus is like.
These words became flesh and dwelt among us.
Jesus was A voice from Elsewhere!
Jesus points to the true nature of God.
This is what God is like.
The Beatitudes also point to us.
This is what it is like to live the divine life in Christ.
The apostle Peter agreed. In his first letter he wrote, “[Jesus] has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature…” (2 Peter 1:4). In other words, God’s desire is for people to share in the divine life by Jesus’ words becoming flesh in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Living the Beatitudes, then, is the outward evidence of someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by grace.
Praise God for the gift of tongues. But, if you speak in tongues and yet your life is characterised by ego & selfishness; if you are unkind and ill-mannered, and lack empathy towards those in need, you may be filled with “a” spirit but it certainly isn’t the Holy One! As Paul wrote, “If I speak in tongues…but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
Time doesn’t permit us to reflect on each of the Beatitudes so let’s just ponder three of them using Ron Dart’s translation…
1. Those who die to the demands of the ego.
The Divine Life is for those who die to the demands of the ego.
There is nothing inherently wrong with the ego. It’s how it is used.
(Personality, individuality, self-esteem)
The problem arises when the ego demands: I want everything MY way. I want what I like, how I want it, what fulfils MY desires, all at the expense of others. The story of Adam and Eve illustrates this well.
“The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom.
Adam & Eve gave in to the demands of the ego and were driven out of the kingdom. But for those who die to the demands of the ego. Such people will inhabit the Kingdom of Heaven.
Paul put it this way, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2:20). The “I” (ego) has died with Christ.
2. Those who have lived through tragedy and suffering. Such people will be comforted at a deep level.
Some people seem to experience more than their fair share of tragedy and suffering. Such people are often the most gracious people you’ll ever meet. Each of us should develop the capacity to mourn with others rather than trying to fix them or patch them up.
2 Cor. 1:3-4, “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
3. Those who bring their passions under control for goodness.
Meekness is having your passions under control for goodness. That is, gently yielding our rights for the good of others.
Jesus’ arrest illustrates his meekness well. He was meek but not weak…
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)
I.e. 500 x 12 = 6,000
Jesus could have exercised his rights. He could fight for his freedom. But he chose meekness. His passions were under control for goodness. He surrendered his freedoms for the benefit of vulnerable. For us. And genuine followers of Jesus will display meekness too. We will bring our passions under control for goodness.
I encourage you to spend time meditating on the rest of the beatitudes using Ron Dart’s translation.
In the beatitudes, and the entire Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, this is how my grown-up followers behave as they participate in the divine life. As they live the Jesus’ Way!
Discussion Questions
In what ways do you see Jesus being a Voice from Elsewhere?
Read and discuss the quotes from Mahatma Gandhi.
Discuss: Living the Beatitudes, then, is the outward evidence of someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by grace.
There is nothing inherently wrong with the ego. It’s how it is used. In what ways is your ego (personality, individuality, self-esteem) used for good?
In what way(s) did the ego get Adam and Eve into trouble?
Do you know anyone who has experienced more than their fair share of tragedy and suffering? “Such people are often the most gracious people you’ll ever meet.” Discuss.
In the light of 2 Cor. 1:3-4, discuss this quote: “Each of us should develop the capacity to mourn with others rather than trying to fix them or patch them up.”
Meekness is bringing your passions under control for goodness. Share together practical examples of how you can express meekness in everyday life.
Meditate on the beatitudes using Ron Dart’s translation. What stands out to you and why? How might you apply this truth to your life?
Going Deeper
Commit to reading the Sermon on the Mount every day for a month.
Read anything by Walter Brueggemann
Enjoy this teaching series on the Beatitudes…
Read: “The Beatitudes: When Mountain Meets Valley” by Ron Dart