This is Jesus’ best-known teaching, and most of it concerns how to live a holy and noble life. The message is delivered from the perspective of a mountain, a key and important symbol in the Bible. Why did Jesus deliver it on a mountain? He could have done it in the temple. Well, every single part of Jesus’ life and actions has some symbolism that just makes sense when we consider who He is and what message He came to deliver. The sermon on the mount is a symbol of what it means to live among our neighbours. It greatly endorses humility and forgiveness and introduces us to an archetype that would be modeled as the “perfect” human being, all good things considered. Why would Jesus, God who came to save sinners, give them a blueprint for perfection when He knew the people would sin anyway? Wouldn’t it make sense to just tell them where they were wrong and what they could do to just be a bit decent? God is love. The sermon on the mount is the awakening people need in order to choose His way. This way is the one bridge that establishes fully the heaven and earth relationship. It is, in some ways, the gateway to a world where we might be free from all the pain we ultimately get as a product of being sinners. It is the gateway to being free from injustice, suffering, and death.
Jesus presents some utopian ideals in this sermon. The worldly standard might be strength and power, but in this scripture we get more of vulnerability and love, traits that are able to establish one as weak among people of this earth, but once again, this is a heavenly teaching, none of earth’s standards can truly destroy its message and true essence.
The mountain is ultimately a symbol of Godly deliverance. It is a place where messages of escape from oppression often come in the Bible. And here, it serves a similar purpose. Moses encountered God face to face on Mount Sinai, and that encounter gave us the Ten Commandments. Abraham almost sacrificed his own son at Mount Moriah, and the result of that was him becoming father of all nations and God making promises to him on how his descendants would fill up the earth. After a long flood that destroyed the whole world and set a new canvas for what the world is known as today, Noah’s ark’s final stop was on Mount Ararat, where he saw the promise of a new earth that would never be destroyed by floods again. Yet after all the laws have been passed, we have people waiting for a savior, Jesus, speaking with authority on the Mount and filling full what the law says, a speech that remains true for all time.
The true question I want to present is: to belong in God’s kingdom, what would make us people who would be chosen to be on the ark? What makes up the ‘ultimate good’ archetype, and how can we as individuals move as close to it as we can? The sermon is a presentation of what makes up the Ark’s passengers and what would make them stay afloat if all hell broke loose. My focus for this is Matthew 5:3-11, known as the Beatitudes. This focus, I believe, leads to truth in happiness, two traits the world needs for all time.
Matthew 5 vs 3-11
- “Blessed are those who know they are spiritually poor; the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.“
A wise man knows a wise man knows nothing. That’s what makes one who’s self-aware of their spiritual poverty an inheritor of heaven. Spiritual poverty is not allowing ourselves to be poor in faith, making ourselves come short in good deeds or any sort of alignment with that which is toxic for our souls. Jesus did not come to provide a cushion for sinners to rest on and believe we will somehow get to heaven. Even in his sacrifice, we first need to accept. Traditionally, they were called peace offerings, entailing that one first accepted they had sinned against the Lord, then made the sacrifice as a way to ask for forgiveness.
The spiritually poor are sinners when we acknowledge our shortcomings, envision a greater good for ourselves and the world around us, and decide we will intentionally act to attain that greater good. Then we become happy, for in that state, there is no menial or meaningless work as long as it helps someone (ourselves included) in a positive way. Nothing is trivial, even in your scope. Statistics show there are so many opportunities for us to do good in this insufficient structure, so many people and the planet need our help. There is no shortage of opportunity. Just take a look, start with having order in your room before moving to change many things in the house you live in, and maybe then you can start recognizing opportunities in the community. There always is something.
Our recognition that we are not pure, just because we sin, coupled by a firm belief in doing better not only provides the knowledge of us being spiritually poor but gives us an epiphany on what makes heaven attainable. Heaven belongs to those who know heaven isn’t owed to them. The mission is to become people with some worth to belong in heaven while recognizing we can never truly deserve it. Our human nature denies us ultimate purity. We need to know and make good choices with this knowledge. We transform ourselves to constantly maintain the goodness we bring to the world.
- “Blessed are those who mourn; God will comfort them.”
There is purpose in pain. A sort of purpose that realigns us with that which we would have lost. Sometimes, that loss is ultimately ourselves. We lose ourselves to the world, to the people we meet, the drugs we take, the work we indulge in, and mostly to sin.
This life of sin gives us so much pain. Each of us has a story. Death, heartbreak, loss, divorce, abuse, job loss, and terminal diagnosis are all hard blows, even when we are at our highest. The promise we have is a promise of comfort despite this pain. Happiness in a time where it doesn’t seem like we are ‘blessed’ or supposed to be happy. No one would walk up to you and say, “I’m so blessed. I lost my mother just two weeks ago.” Not only is that confusing, but it’s absurd to even imagine saying. Yet, here is a beatitude that gives us permission to mourn. When we mourn, not only are we allowing ourselves to process the pain sin brings, but we are opening our hearts up to a comfort which only comes from the divine.
When we cry, not only does God see us, but He manifests Himself in the world, and we are comforted by words, hugs, our comfort show, or food and even sometimes by a text.
Blessed are those who mourn, for sometimes they’re mourning over their sinful selves and wholly transforming into new people whom God accepts and comforts. It’s truly a blessing to be able to mourn, not out of weakness, but out of knowledge that we allow ourselves to be not of this world but of a blessed world all because we’ve accepted God into our hearts. Mourning is the kind gesture which shows we’re open to find, and accept kindness.
- “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.“
God’s promises are nothing light of what everyone dreams of. They span from inner peace, wisdom that spans through generations, abundance of wealth, and a plethora of other luxuries. Some look at all this and take pride in themselves for choosing God because it seems like once you’ve done so, all you have to do is wait, and you shall receive all God has promised. This is where our human nature gets it wrong. We get too proud too quickly and forget we have a purpose to serve. A purpose not engraved to be one thing but a purpose given to us to be everything.
Nietzsche gives a fair, somewhat harsh take on Christianity; it’s tough, but I share some sentiment. He believed Jesus’ sacrifice did not complete the work of Christianity. While it seems he is taking Christ as someone less, how about we view it as Christians not doing Christian work but still claiming Christianity? Sometimes, we are so blinded by taking pride in the work that Jesus did that we forget to be humble enough to follow the same work and be more, first for ourselves, then for others. The humble know they are on a narrow path, they pass through a gate meant for the few. That’s why they keep their heads down and keep working because as soon as pride takes over and they lift their heads to the world, the easy path calls and will destroy everything worked for. With purpose comes the knowledge to keep working. With wisdom comes the humility to not take pride in what we neither started nor will finish. And with humility comes Gods comes God’s promises and inheritance of the earth, not as we know it, but as it will be when it is all said and done.
- “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they shall be filled.“
Humanity fights and keeps fighting because the hunger and thirst of the ones who control most people cannot be fulfilled. So we destroy each other. It’s one thing that we’ve enclosed ourselves within borders just so we have power and some sense of belonging within them. It is another that we’re never satisfied with what we have, so we turn into savages for more. Constantly, we look for satisfaction outside ourselves. We take substances to make ourselves feel something. We’re addicted to people, the news, gadgets, specific food, and all sorts of external forces just because maybe one day we will be able to be fulfilled. Yet, we walk around feeling like we lack something.
The forces we feed off for fulfilment will never satisfy us fully. The pursuit of what the world has to offer digs deeper holes within our spirits even as we attain more. Chasing any worldly achievement leaves you with a void that needs more worldly achievements. Chasing for soul food — righteousness, some sense of serving which comes from the spirit and manifests through the body — leaves you filled, yet you never stop chasing.
The hunger and thirst for living a life that makes your conscious build one which would be welcome on the Ark is a journey of unending satisfaction. This satisfaction is by no means comfort but a thrust which keeps one persistent enough to learn, live, and love in the truthful manner the sermon on the mount presents to us.
- “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.”
“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive these who trespass against us.” It all really boils down to the reciprocation concept. We are all models of little universes, and thus, we understand the universe to the extent to which we understand ourselves. Every day is a little test. How much are you willing to stand by your principles? Is today the day you snap and finally give it all up, or are you going to rise into something bigger than yourself?
Good people carry an ultimately unique and forever rewarding charm card. No matter how ugly the world turns, something will be good to them. In all, if nothing goes well from the outside, they will be good to themselves; they don’t need the world to trigger it. So standing by mercy gives mercy. A freeing concept which forever engraves itself in those who choose to step up when the whole world sits and stares. So when the forgiveness of sin is a prayer made, not because we deserve a clean slate, but because we also give others clean slates, it is only right to be happy in knowing our internal decisions will play a part in God’s decision on us.
- “Blessed are the pure in heart; they will see God.“
The first thing to learn from this is God’s concern with our hearts. It is not enough to clean up or act on the outside. We need to be people with one will; that’s what makes us pure. Looking like we play the good part while our hearts, thoughts, and secret actions are vile makes us as impure as the ones we judge for being publicly vile.
Purity in heart is not humanly attainable; we’re already flawed in our buildup, but we always have to give ourselves up to serving that which makes us pure.
When we do give ourselves up to be pure in heart, we unlock something different spiritually. We well be happy, and we will see God. Seeing God is not literal. It is being so soaked in His presence and glory that our walks of life become nothing short of pure and purposeful.
- “Blessed are those who work for peace; God will call them His children.“
Weak men create tough times. Tough times are not exactly peaceful. The conflict starts internally and spirals out to the outside, creating a ripple effect, just like a sinking stone. Our social structures are corrupt and incomplete simply because they’re imperfect. This is by no means personal to any one of us; there are multiple events from the beginning of mankind that created the foundation of this broken structure. So working for peace means we recognize this imperfection. Secondly, we do not inherit corruption simply because it is a part of society. Be quiet and alone for 10 minutes a day and notice the difference it makes. It is only when work does not look like changing the world all at once, but changing oneself to change everyone else. The Noah’s Ark archetype is for a new state of people who come with knowledge of a broken world, yet they’re willing to build a new one. God’s promise in the rainbow — that He will never again destroy the earth with a flood — is a sign of trust in those He calls His children. Noah was just one, a man who took it upon himself to be a carpenter for the Ark. Carpentry is a very revealing endeavor; what you build either works well or collapses. So, maybe if we are honest in the work for peace and work as honest carpenters do, we will be honest in life and be called as children of God.
10-11. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
“For he who seeks to do good will have to go through the opposite but equal.” The world makes us pay prices for being followers of the good will. That’s just how it goes, whether we can change it or not is not entirely in our hands. The world has balance, but that does not make it fair in any way, it is somehow just a bit square. There is a blessing in the struggles you face especially if you are able to manage your heart through it and pick yourself back up and stay on the mission. This is entirely the point of having that good heart anyway. In as much as evil has opportunities to attack you, you have just enough opportunities to stay steadfast in your will, purpose and mission which is otherworldly.
Sometimes the concept of not being people of this world gets to people’s head a bit too much. It makes it seem as if we are to abandon the world, yet to achieve a promised heaven, we are to transform this world. With good deeds, firm belief and just an upright morale and kind hearts, we are able to pass on to other people that which the world does not entirely promise us. There’s usually some talk about not owing anyone anything, I disagree. We owe the world the love we feel like we owe ourselves, because only when we learn to share when we feel entitled are we willing to give ourselves some love.
Love is war. So be ready to fight for what you love, not everyone will hold the same beliefs as you.
The Sermon on the Mount ultimately brings out the positive meaning of life. Jesus gives an unorthodox meaning to what people presumed life to be. In a world where God had been called to always help in battle, obliterate the enemies and have to prove His power over and over again, He comes down to teach ways that show He is a peaceful God, only when we live as peaceful people. This scripture is here today because I believe it is the blueprint of what it means to be human. It is a clear description of the structure of reality we are called to shape. We are the ones to answer.
Tadiwa Vambe 
Leave a reply to mavismabedhla1 Cancel reply