Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - June, 2005

Bible Study - Commentaries
Matthew Chapter 5: 1-5

from Kaniyamparmabil Achen, the Great Teacher of Malankara

Sermon on the Mount

Verse 1-5: 
1 "When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a hill; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 
2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, 
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 
5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth”

“He went up on a hill”

We are not completely sure on which this hill is. But the scene of this discourse is traditionally located on Karn Hattin (or Kurun Hattîn), the Horns of Hattin, seven miles southwest of Capharnaum. The other two occasions when the Lord ascended a hill are also very important. They are 1) During His transfiguration (Mat 17:11) 2) During His ascension (28:16). We can also see that Moses also ascended a hill to receive the 10 commands for the Israelites (Exodus 1).

“When he was seated”

Usually the Jewish Rabbi would stand when delivering speeches. But they would sit when they teach or give speeches of authority. In the early church also the speaker would sit and listeners (including the kings) would stand.

“He opened his mouth”

This usage instead of ‘he spoke’ has a special meaning. This kind of usage was used for expressing serious matters or opening ones own mind. That is, it was not merely an advice but it serious instructions. [This is also a fulfillment of prophecy in Psalms 78:2, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old”]

The Sermon

Many of the parts of the Sermon in St. Matthew can be seen in St. Luke, too. St. Matthew has 107 verses, while Luke has 30 verses. But another 34 verses are in other parts of St. Luke’s epistle. So 64 verses are common between the two epistles. The night before this preaching, Jesus Christ spent praying to God (Luke 6:12). This teaching of Mount Sermon consists of: 

1. Rules of His kingdom
2. Principles of Christian living 
3. How they characterized in the life of our Lord 
4. He showed that both the literal breaking of the Law and even the thought process that leads to the breaking of the Law was wrong, too 
5. Jesus - the new Moses - gave a new commandment to the people, which was the fullness of the Laws given by God to Moses at Mount Sinai 
6. This sermon was the continuation of the teachings about the Kingdom of God which started in Matthew 4:17; and 4:23 
7. Gives emphasis to happiness, hope, love and humility (simplicity). 

This sermon can be divided into 4 sections: 

1. Who is blessed? (Mat 5:3-12)
2. Jesus wants His disciples (followers) to display their discipleship. Their relation to this world should like salt and light ( which is explained ) 
3. Relationship of His new teaching to Laws and prophesies 
4. The practical suggestions for righteousness for the people of his kingdom as opposed to the righteousness of Pharisees and scribes (Mat 6:1-7, 27)

Verse 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” 

Scriptures say who is blessed in many places. They are in Mathew 5:3-10; Luke 6:20-23; ( i.e. The Sermon ) John 13:17, 20:29; James 1:12; Romans 4:8; 1 Peter 3:14; Rev 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14; In the Old Testament: Psalms 1:2, 34:1, 34:8, 40:4, 41:1, 65:4; 84:5; 94:13; 106:3; 112:1, 119:1 Malachi 3:15.

The reference here is not merely about material poverty. The poor person understands his poverty and places his full hope to the Lord. Just like this poor man, one who places his full hope to the Lord is the ‘poor man’. King David shows this truth in Psalms. He says, “This poor man called….” (Psalm 34:6). God will not discard such people (Psalm 9:18, 33:10, 68:10, 72:4, 107:41, 132:15). In short, one who understands his own powerlessness and who places all his hope to God is blessed. So ‘the poor in spirit’ is the one who places the Lord above all the material assets by treating them as trivial. For such people ‘is the kingdom of heaven’. 

Compare this with “your kingdom”. And “Thy will be done; as in heaven, so on earth” in Lord’s Prayer (Mat 6). So church is the fellowship of the believers where “Thy will be done on earth” similar to “Thy will be done in heaven”. (Kingdom of heaven is stated as church). So we have to be members of such church and live in obedience and righteousness.

The heavenly life after resurrection is the supreme reward for the ‘poor in spirit’. So we have to 1) understand our own powerlessness 2) submit to our Lord in full. 3) Live in compete obedience 3) and therefore inherit the Kingdom of God 

[Also read http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/poor.html ]