3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed 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. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
N.T. Wright points out that the Beatitudes actually turn what we know upside down. In our world those who mourn are not always comforted. In our world the meek have not inherited the earth. A lot of people think the Beatitudes mean that these injustices will be settled in heaven, but N.T. Wright points out that Jesus is actually talking about this world. Hence the expression "the meek shall inherit the earth" rather than heaven. The Lord's Prayer is another clue because Jesus prays that God's kingdom will be come, and God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Christians are not called to suffer until they go to heaven. We are called to live our lives in a way that will bring about God's kingdom right here on earth. That is no easy task, but what is impossible for man is possible with God (Luke 18:27).
Fine Print
This is the second post in my sermon series on N.T. Wright's Matthew for Everyone. See all the posts in the series here. I'd like to reserve this thread for sympathetic discussion. Critical comments are welcome here.
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