Foundational Truths of Jesus’ Teachings: On Being Blessed

Key Terms to Understanding “Blessed”

1. Repentance – turning away from the world’s ways to live God’s ways.  It is to walk in God’s calling on my life by daily taking up my cross and following Him

2. The Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew), Kingdom of God (elsewhere in Scripture) is “near” or “at hand”

• a. Matthew (a Hebrew) wrote to fellow countrymen (Hebrews) so a Hebrew mindset would be in order to understand Jesus’ message in the SOTM (Sermon on the Mount)
• b. The Kingdom of Heaven was a familiar concept to the listeners but was expanded in Jesus’ teachings.  It consisted of three parts:
  • i. God’s rule and reign over everything (universally)
  • ii. God’s rule and reign in the hearts of those who are “born again” (personally)
  • iii. God’s future rule and reign through Christ (the Messiah) in the millennial kingdom (corporately)

3. What does “near” or “at hand” signify?

• a. The Kingdom of Heaven, as understood by the Jews, was about the Messiah bringing about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel as promised through the Prophets.
• b. The Kingdom of Heaven was ready to burst on the scene – it was “near” to becoming a reality
• c. The Kingdom of Heaven was “at hand” and available personally by being born “again”
• d. Cross References:
  • Daniel 7:14
    • He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
  • Matthew 4:17
    • From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
  • Matthew 6:10
    • your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
  • Matthew 7:21
    • “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
  • Matthew 25:34
    • “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
  • Luke 11:20
    • But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
  • Luke 17:20-21
    • Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”
  • Luke 19:11
    • While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
  • Luke 21:31
    • Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
  • John 3:3
    • In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
  • John 3:5
    • Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
  • Acts 1:3
    • After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
  • Acts 1:6
    • So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

4. What does “blessed” mean to Jesus’ audience (Hebrews)?  What would their understanding of being blessed or blessedness mean?

• a. See Psalm 1 and Psalm 32
  • Psalm 1:1-6 NIV1984
    • 1  Blessed is the man  who does not walk  in the counsel of the wicked  or stand in the way  of sinners  or sit  in the seat of mockers.
    • 2 But his delight  is in the law of the Lord,  and on his law he meditates  day and night.
    • 3  He is like a tree  planted by streams  of water,  which yields its fruit  in season and whose leaf  does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
    • 4  Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
    • 5  Therefore the wicked will not stand  in the judgment,  nor sinners in the assembly  of the righteous.
    • 6  For the Lord watches over  the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
  • Psalm 32:1-11 NIV1984
    • 1  Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
    • 2  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him  and in whose spirit is no deceit.
    • 3  When I kept silent,  my bones wasted away  through my groaning  all day long.
    • 4  For day and night your hand was heavy  upon me; my strength was sapped  as in the heat of summer. Selah
    • 5  Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
    • 6  Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found;  surely when the mighty waters  rise, they will not reach him.
    • 7  You are my hiding place;  you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
    • 8  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
    • 9  Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
    • 10  Many are the woes of the wicked,  but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.
    • 11  Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

• b. Blessed is a state of being not a tangible gift like wealth

• c. Being “blessed” is more than being “happy”
  • i. “How blessed. Greek makarios corresponds to Hebrew asher and means “blessed,” “happy,” and “fortunate” all at once, so that no one English word is adequate…to properly translate The Gospel of Matthew, one must do so from a Hebrew mindset.” answered Dec 27, 2015 at 3:30 Uriel Eiren Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/20250/what-does-jesus-mean-when-he-says-blessed-in-the-beatitudes-of-matthew-5

• d. “…the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 reveal a literary form that is particular, but not exclusive, to Jesus.
  • The form is:
    • Blessed (μακαριοι) … because (οτι) …
  • Note that the Beatitudes are bracketed by reference to the “kingdom of heaven” in the first, Matthew 5:3, and the last Matthew 5:11-12. Each need identified in a Beatitude, will find its supply from the kingdom of heaven.” answered Dec 13, 2015 at 0:16 Chris Thomas on Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/20250/what-does-jesus-mean-when-he-says-blessed-in-the-beatitudes-of-matthew-5

• e. Being “blessed” is an empowerment:
  • It is an empowerment to live out the life of repentance Jesus called us to live in order to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven.  The empowerment comes from being a part of the Kingdom of Heaven through repentance unto salvation through Jesus Christ.

5. Jesus’ form of teaching in the SOTM follows some patterns that were both familiar and unfamiliar to His audience:

• “Blessed… for theirs is…” (familiar) (The Beatitudes) (Chapter 5)
• “You have heard that it has been said… but I tell you…” (unfamiliar) (Chapter 5)
• Examples of living a Kingdom life (empowerment) (Chapters 6-7)
• The end result is found in Matthew 7:28-29 NIV1984 “28  When Jesus had finished saying these things,  the crowds were amazed at his teaching,  29  because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”

To the listeners, this was a fresh, new, proper, and correct interpretation of teachings they had heard all their lives that had been skewed from the original meaning of the Law – Prophets – and the Writings (the Old Testament).

Prayer

Father, thank you for blessing me with the gift of salvation that you brought through Jesus’ sacrifice for me on the cross to pay for the penalty of my sin.  Thank you for blessing me with the empowerment to walk in your ways.  Thank you for bringing hope in the midst of hardship that I can experience your presence and serve you with all my heart.  Your kingdom come in my life today as I seek to serve you. Amen

Summary

So, repentance is a turning away from the ways of the world, denying my “self” (flesh), taking up my cross (God’s calling on my life), and following Jesus.  It is “giving up” and “receiving.”  It is a total transformation of giving up an old way of living to a new way of living receiving divine enablement to live the kingdom life I am called to live.  In so doing I am “Blessed.”