In what is called the Sermon on the Mount the Lord does not treat either of new birth or of redemption. He addresses His disciples that came unto Him, and begins with pronouncing who are the blessed in the kingdom. It is a solemn test whereby every disciple may try himself.
“Blessed the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.
Blessed they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.
Blessed the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.
Blessed the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed the pure in heart; for they shall see God.
Blessed the peace-makers; for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.
Blessed are ye when they shall reproach and persecute you, and falsely say every wicked word against you for my sake. Rejoice and exult; for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus persecuted they the prophets that were before you.”
Such are the qualities, said the Lord, which suit the kingdom. They are not those of man fallen nor even unfallen. The first man in Paradise had none of them any more than the outcast race. “Ye must be born anew,” and even then have your new character formed and impressed by the Lord Jesus. None other He owns (vii. 21-23), nor can others have to do with the Kingdom save for judgment. Those only do the will of His Father that is in the heavens. But the Savior Son of God elsewhere shows, and is, the unfailing way. “As many as received Him, to them gave He authority to become children of God” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)). Who are they? “Those that believe on His name.” They are born of God. They have life eternal, and can each say, “I live, no longer I, but Christ liveth in me; and that which I now live in flesh I live by faith in the Son of God that loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)). O, believe Him in Whom is life producing every quality God values! There is none other in His sight. Believe, and it is yours now; and with an evil nature in an evil world as is the fact, here it is indispensable as well as for heaven.
You, my brethren, may not have noticed that there are seven characters, all blessed in vers. 3-9, divided as after into four and three. Four righteous qualities are first, three gracious follow; and they rise respectively in each class. Christ manifested each and all in perfection. Those that follow Him, having Him as their life, must have His qualities reproduced and manifested in them.
Poor in spirit is the first named. It is just the opposite of fallen man’s aspiring spirit. Outward forms of poverty will not do. Under that garb what pride may lurk, what self-seeking, what party-spirit! “It shall not thus be among you, but whoever would be great among you, let him be your servant; and whoever would be first among you, let him be your slave” in this evil age and rebel world. Such was the Son of man in life and I death. He is the disciple’s example; for his is not a present place of honor but the kingdom of the heavens whether to faith now or displayed by-and-by.
And who was such a mourner where His Father I was unknown, and His own light and love scorned?’ Here too the disciple treads in His steps and looks for the comfort wherewith He was comforted and comforts.
Next, as He was meek and lowly in heart, so must he be who takes His yoke and learns from Him, assured of inheriting that earth where the hard and haughty have now their brief portion.
The last of these are such as hunger and thirst after righteousness, which marks not only persevering energy but this in inward personal desire, and they shall have satisfying fruition in and like “Jesus Christ the Righteous.”
After this, we have the higher characters of grace, but with righteousness preceding. As Jesus was full of grace and truth, so His followers not only exceed in their righteousness that of scribes and Pharisees, but show mercy not known to these. And truly they shall find mercy, as they have found it plenteously.
Theirs too is purity in heart, and as by faith they see God now, so shall they beyond others by-and-by (Rev. 22:44And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (Revelation 22:4)).
In fine, they are the blessed peace-makers who now represent the God of peace; and His sons shall such be called as they are.
But observe that the Lord reveals a supplemental blessedness for each of the two great classes. “Blessed they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake” answers to the opening class in 3-6, and so fitly repeats the opening blessing, “for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” The last of the two rises to the highest, and leaves the abstract for direct personal words of love: “Blessed are ye when they shall reproach and persecute you, and falsely say every wicked word against you for my sake.” This was suffering for grace in full. “Rejoice,” says the Lord therefore, “and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus they persecuted the prophets that were before you.”
As Christ only is all-sufficient now for evil and lost man, if he believe, so in His day shall the poor in spirit have the true and abiding riches. What then must be the lot of all who despise Him?