The Beatitudes

Among the sermons recorded in the Bible, the Sermon on the Mount is perhaps the best known. Jesus’ hearers literally were astonished when they heard Jesus’ words for the first time. Gently, yet forcefully Jesus expounded the Old Testament with a New Testament focus. It is aptly called the Constitution of the Kingdom of God. In this series we will limit our study to the opening passage of the sermon, commonly known as the Beatitudes. No Scripture equals the description of the citizens of Jesus’ Kingdom than the elementary yet comprehensive sketch of His genuine subjects.

As we go through Jesus’ teachings in the Bible, you’ll notice that He loves to teach in surprising contrasts, He often puts white against black or good versus evil. We see that also in this astonishing Scripture of the Beatitudes. There are some amazing contrasts that we would usually not combine together. Who of you would call someone “blessed”? The word “blessed” you find in these Beatitudes, and in every opening word—that means supremely happy. Would you call someone blessed who is poor? Or sad? mourning? Or someone who is hungry—and the word is starving?

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Rev. A.T. Vergunst is minister of the Gospel in the Reformed Congregation of Carterton, New Zealand.