Think about that second when Jesus first opened his mouth to start his Sermon on the Mount.
The Gospel of Matthew units the scene. Jesus has been baptized by John (3:13–17) and endured forty days of wilderness fasting and temptation (4:1–11). He has quietly begun his public ministry within the area of Galilee and referred to as his first disciples (4:18–22). He began by instructing in synagogues. However now as his fame spreads, the crowds swell, and his ministry is more and more consigned to open air (4:23–25).
Seeing the crowds, Jesus goes up a mountain. The light slope will function a pure theater the place he is likely to be seen, and his phrases heard, by the lots.
Has humble Galilee ever seen something like this — anybody like this? Not solely does this tradesman’s son heal, however he speaks with a fascinating weight. The scribes borrow their authority (as they need to) from Scripture as they train and clarify God’s phrase. However this man, completely in sync with Scripture, in some way speaks on par with Scripture — and even in some enigmatic sense, his authority appears to rise above it.
There are whispers. Would possibly this be the prophet to return? Would possibly this be the Messiah himself? All of it makes for an electrical second — the air thick with power and pleasure.
A hush ripples by means of the gang. He’s about to talk. What’s going to Jesus say? How will he begin? What would be the first subject he addresses at such a poignant second?
He opens his mouth and says, “Blessed . . .”
Ninefold Happiness
Remarkably, Jesus’s first subject — his repeated first subject — is to the blessedness, the happiness, of his hearers. He assumes they wish to be comfortable, and he makes an prolonged attraction — a holy, perceptive, profound attraction — to their happiness. Not simply as soon as however again and again.
The chorus of those treasured opening phrases, which is able to come to be referred to as “the Beatitudes,” addresses the deep and enduring need of the human coronary heart to be comfortable — that’s, blessed.
Blessed are the poor in spirit. . . . Blessed are those that mourn. . . . Blessed are the meek. . . . Blessed . . . Blessed . . . Blessed . . . Blessed . . . Blessed . . . Blessed . . . (Matthew 5:3–11)
9 instances Jesus makes his stunningly hedonistic attraction and tops all of it off with the exhortation — for these within the face of persecution no much less — “Rejoice and be glad, on your reward is nice in heaven” (5:12).
The opening salvos of Jesus’s most well-known sermon promise true happiness. His chorus is reward; his cost is “rejoice and be glad.” Many people in the present day are so conversant in these Beatitudes that we miss the shock, the scandal, the gall of a preacher unleashing such a pleasure-seeking manifesto on an unsuspecting viewers.
Our Blessed God
A part of the rationale we miss this edge in Jesus’s message is as a result of our phrase blessed has misplaced a lot of its energy. Within the first century, blessed was no overused hashtag. It wasn’t Christianese, affected by overuse and shallowness. “Blessed” within the Hebrew Scriptures was “the person [whose] delight is within the legislation of the Lord” — so wealthy and full and candy a delight that “on his legislation he meditates day and night time” (Psalm 1:1–2). Blessed was no small promise from the mouth of Jesus to the ears of the crowds.
“The dominion of heaven is, before everything, the sphere of God’s comfortable smile and favor.”
The Greeks had mused concerning the “blessedness” (makarismos) of their gods as “the transcendent happiness of a life past care, labor, and loss of life . . . the comfortable state of the gods above earthly sufferings and labors” (TDNT). In 1 Timothy, Paul applies the time period to the Father of Jesus Christ. He’s “the blessed God” who has entrusted Paul with “the gospel of his glory” (1:11). He’s “the blessed and solely Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (6:15).
Accordingly, Peter van Mastricht, favourite systematician of Jonathan Edwards, would come alongside centuries later and outline divine blessedness as God’s
excellent enjoyment of his personal self, from which there’s mentioned to be fullness of joys along with his face (Psalm 16:11). In it’s contained not solely an actual data of his personal self, a data correct to him alone (Romans 11:34; 1 Corinthians 2:11), but additionally a fullness, repose [rest], and pleasure in himself, within the communion of the individuals, and in all his works (Proverbs 8:30; Matthew 17:5). (Theoretical-Sensible Theology, 2:489)
In different phrases, to be God is to be comfortable — infinitely, unshakably comfortable. As a result of what makes him happiest — who makes him happiest — is infinite and unshakable: himself. God isn’t an idolater; he has no larger pleasure than himself. He’s supreme being — highest, infinitely so, in worth, glory, magnificence, and happiness. God is way and away, totally unequalled, essentially the most precious and most pleasant actuality. And earlier than the rest existed, by means of his inventive thoughts and palms, he was totally happy in himself. He alone is the bottomless supply of all delight, even for himself. He’s God, and to be God means to own and revel in infinite bliss. And apparently, to be inclined to share it.
Our Blessing God
What’s so gorgeous in Jesus’s repeated name to true happiness is that it presupposes God’s willingness, even eagerness, to increase his personal happiness to his creatures. The blessedness Jesus guarantees is the blessedness of God himself shared along with his folks. In truth, as his disciples and their increasing circle come to be taught, Jesus himself stands amongst them because the totally human (and divine) expression of God’s happiness.
Jesus comes as an extension of his Father’s personal blessedness, and he presents that blessedness to those that hear him in religion. The dominion of heaven — so distinguished in Jesus’s instructing — is, before everything, the sphere of God’s comfortable smile and favor.
Surprising Situations
Nonetheless, the repeated invitation to such blessedness isn’t but the tip of the shock. 9 surprising, seemingly upside-down {qualifications} observe Jesus’s ninefold promise of God-given happiness. Counter to our pure expectations, these guarantees should not for the robust, the glib, the proud, the vindicated, the exacting, the worldly triumphant. This happiness, the happiness that comes from God himself, is on supply to the weak, the lowly, the despised, those who look silly and shameful within the eyes of the world —
the poor in spirit . . . those that mourn . . . the meek . . . those that starvation and thirst for righteousness . . . the merciful . . . the pure in coronary heart . . . the peacemakers . . . those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake . . . . (Matthew 5:3–10)
The blessed God isn’t into icing the desserts of in any other case comfortable folks. He takes the empty and fills them, from the very backside, along with his surpassing blessedness. He takes the needy and shares with them his personal boundless bliss. He recruits those that lack, that he may fill them. He receives the dependent, that his personal pleasure in them is likely to be seen to be as wealthy and full and thick as divine pleasure actually is.
The comfortable God, in his fullness and bounty, in his infinite pleasure and delight, generously overflows to provide, enrich, consolation, feed, prolong mercy, present himself, undertake, vindicate, and reward all who will abandon the pretense of being high quality with out him and gladly obtain the lavish abundance of his grace and mercy.
Happiness Rewards the Humble
Jesus’s opening traces on this sermon name us to acknowledge the depth of our vacancy, acknowledge the extent of our neediness, even glory in our lack and our dependence, and acclaim the fullness of God’s beneficiant provision and contagious happiness.
He’s each the blessed God and the blessing God, who despatched his personal Son not solely to talk of our blessedness in him however to safe it. The comfortable God is the giving God — giving mercy, the dominion, the entire earth, and nice reward (Matthew 5:3, 5, 7, 12). He comforts and satisfies (5:4, 6). He reveals his personal coronary heart to his youngsters and calls them his sons (5:8–9).
This comfortable God and Father makes his solar rise, and sends his life-giving rain, even on the evil and unjust (Matthew 5:45–46). He rewards those that search him in secret (6:4, 6, 17). Certainly, he is aware of what his youngsters want earlier than they ask, and he’s keen to provide good issues to those that ask (6:8, 32; 7:11). He feeds them much better than the birds (6:26) and garments them much better than the lilies (6:30). He provides day by day bread, forgives money owed, and delivers from evil (6:11–13, 15).
“Blessed . . . Blessed . . . Blessed . . .” Jesus says. And he invitations us into the very happiness of God.
