How To Be Truly Happy! - Matthew 5:1-6

 Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

At the end of the last chapter as Jesus taught, preached and healed many illnesses and sicknesses, the crowds flocked to him.  So he withdraws to a mountainside to give further teaching to his disciples.  But it is pretty clear in subsequent verses in Matthew that it was not meant to be a just a private audience of his closest disciples. 

"It is wrong to think that Jesus went up on a mountain to remove Himself from the multitudes. It is true that Jesus gave this teaching to His disciples, but this use of the term is probably broad, including many among the great multitudes that followed Him mentioned in Matthew 4:25. By the end of the Sermon on the Mount, people in general heard His message and were amazed (Matthew 7:28)."(Guzik)

Jesus often sat down when he taught.  It was customary for rabbi's to teach in this way.  It was also customary for the students to stand when the rabbi was teaching.  Jesus had preached about the kingdom coming on earth as it was in heaven, and then showed the power of the kingdom through healing and delivering people from demons. Now he wanted to teach them how to live with a vital life within the kingdom. 

The Beatitudes

Someone has called Jesus teaching here the "Be-Attitudes". The term actuallys means blessings.  But these blessings come out of an attitude and way of life. 

"All of these character traits are marks and goals of all Christians. It is not as if we can major in one to the exclusion of others, as is the case with spiritual gifts. There is no escape from our responsibility to desire every one of these spiritual attributes. If you meet someone who claims to be a Christian but displays and desires none of these traits, you may rightly wonder about their salvation, because they do not have the character of kingdom citizens. But if they claim to have mastered these attributes, you may question their honesty." Guzik

He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Notice Jesus doesn't start by laying the heavy burdens of the Old Testament law on them.  He focuses on the blessedness of those who live in the way he will prescribe.  The word "blessed" means "happy". We often say "don't worry, be happy" But being happy doesn't happen by accident.  We will see being happy is a result of a way of life that Jesus describes as blessed!

Some people equate poor in spirit with material poverty but the phrase suggests something a little deeper. 

"But it seems much more probable that the truly humble are intended, or those who are sensible of their spiritual poverty, of their ignorance and sinfulness, their guilt, depravity, and weakness, their frailty and mortality; and who, therefore, whatever their outward situation in life may be, however affluent and exalted, think meanly of themselves, and neither desire the praise of men, nor covet high things in the world, but are content with the lot God assigns them, however low and poor." Benson

They inherit the kingdom, because by surrendering to God's will the power of the kingdom comes into their lives. A great word for poor in spirit is "humility"  

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted 

The ancient Greek grammar indicates an intense degree of mourning. Jesus does not speak of casual sorrow for the consequences of our sin, but a deep grief before God over our fallen state. (Guzik) “The Greek word for to mourn, used here, is the strongest word for mourning in the Greek language. It is the word which is used for mourning for the dead, for the passionate lament for one who was loved.” (Barclay)

We also know Jesus wept with those who wept.  Some also see the mourning as part of the being poor in spirit.  The mourning may be a sorrow associated with acknowledging our sinfulness before God. A grief over our sin.  This would explain the "being comforted" part of the verse.  

"Those that mourn thus shall be comforted. So those that grieve over sin; that sorrow that they have committed it, and are afflicted and wounded that they have offended God, shall find comfort in the gospel. Through the merciful Saviour those sins may be forgiven. In him the weary and heavy-ladened soul shall find peace Matthew 11:28-30; and the presence of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, shall sustain them here John 14:26-27, and in heaven all their tears shall be wiped away, Revelation 21:4." Barnes

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

Often the term "meek" has a negative meaning.  Those who are meek, are seen as weak and wimpy.  

"In the vocabulary of the ancient Greek language, the meek person was not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word “meek” was strength under control, like a strong stallion that was trained to do the job instead of running wild. (Guzik)

As part of their deportment, they receive what they need from the God.  I am reminded of the verse which we will see on 6:33, "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these will be given to you as well."  

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

There are many things people hunger and thirst for in this world.  Popularity, success, riches, fame, are a few of them. But hungering and thirsting for righteousness is to hunger after the things of God.  To hunger after justice and mercy.  To hunger for the world to know God.  To hunger for a life worthy of our calling in Christ!  Pursuing the things of the world will leave us empty, but as we pursue the things of God we will be truly filled! 

What do you think will make you happy in your life?  What qualities which Jesus mentions do you need to cultivate in your life? How can you hunger and thirst after God this week?