In this lesson we see the loss that people sustain when they begin and end their Scripture reading according to the divisions of the chapters. In beginning to read,
"And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain." (Matthew 5:1) we get no idea of why the multitudes came to Jesus. Even the last verse of the 4th chapter, which is included in this lesson, and which says that: "There followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan," (Matthew 4:24) does not give us the desired information. For this we must go still further back, and read that: "Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." (Matthew 4:23)
Literally, "healing every sickness and every weakness among the people."
happened that He had so great an audience that He was obliged to go up into the mountain. He had something to give the people, and it met their needs. Notice what is said: "They brought unto Him all the people that had any kind of disease, or were afflicted in any way whatever; and He healed them." (Matthew 4:24)
Now we know why the multitudes came to Him, and how it happened that He had so great an audience that He was obliged to go up into the mountain. He had something to give the people, and it met their needs. Notice what is said: "They brought unto Him all the people that had any kind of disease, or were afflicted in any way whatever; and He healed them." (Matthew 4:24)
Then there were no sick and infirm people left in His track. This was the preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom, the same Gospel which is to be preached in all the world as a witness unto all nations, until the end comes.
In the Spirit, Jesus is just as really here with us now as He was in Galilee and Judea, and He has the same message to proclaim to us, with the same power. If we personally believe on Him, as did the people who saw Him in the flesh, we may experience the same blessings. Jesus heals every sickness and every weakness. Follow Him now, and let Him do it for you.
Much depends upon a proper understanding of the force of the word "blessed," which occurs so often in this lesson. To most people it has a far-off meaning; it is a "religious" word, and they have difficulty in bringing it into daily affairs. It is, however, the common word for "happy." It occurs in the texts, "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them." (John 13:17)
Paul said to King Agrippa, "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day." (Acts 26:2)
It was the common word among the Greeks for "fortunate," and indicated "the highest human happiness." It was said of persons who were well off, wealthy. It also expresses the happiness of the glorified saints, as: "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." (Luke 14:15)
When you read the beatitudes, remember that all this happiness is said to be the present possession of those in the conditions mentioned.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)
These are the people who have a low estimate of themselves, and who are usually despised by the self-confident. They have nothing of which to boast, and are conscious of it; therefore they depend wholly on the Lord. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It belongs to them, and is their portion now. When Jesus began to preach, He said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17)
Later on He said, "The kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)
All the joy of the kingdom of heaven belongs in this present time to those who are poor and despised, and even oppressed. What a pity that so many of them do not believe it, and so do not experience it!
"Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:3)
There is here no limiting of the mourners. Christ does not say that a certain class of mourners are blessed, but includes all. He is anointed with the Holy Spirit, "to comfort all that mourn." (Isaiah 61:2)
No matter whether they mourn for sin, or for sickness and death; on their own account; or for others; the blessing applies to those that mourn. If people believed this, they would be found saying, "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." (Psalm 30:11) "They shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
Let no one try to deprive himself or others of the comfort of this promise, by saying that the comfort is future. Hear the words of Inspiration: "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
The Holy Spirit, Christ's abiding Presence, is the Comforter. He does not leave us, but abides with us forever; therefore the Comfort of the Gospel is ours continually in this present life.
But even if the comfort spoken of were admitted to be future, it cannot be denied that the Lord says that they that mourn are happy. "Happy are they that mourn." No mourning or cause of mourning can be so great that the one who knows the Lord cannot find joy in it. "We glory in tribulations also." (Romans 5:3) "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10)
What must the joy of heaven be, when the presence of God is so gloriously great and comforting that it can manufacture joy out of sorrow?
"Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
They do not have much of the earth at the present time. If a man would possess much of this world's goods, he must press his own claims against those who are seeking to enrich themselves at his expense. This is not the characteristic of meekness. The motto of this world is, "Every man for himself."
And the meek are crowded to the wall. Yet the earth is the inheritance of the meek. Meekness was the chief characteristic of Christ, the Prophet like unto Moses, and He had no place where to lay His head.
Where then does the blessing of the text come in? Ah, it is "the world to come," that is given to the meek. It is "the first dominion," the earth made new, which was the possession of man in the beginning. "And you, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto you shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." (Micah 4:8) But man was then a king. Exactly, and the meek, even though they be despised and snubbed by the "great" ones of this world, are all kings.
Meekness does not mean meanness or cowardice. Picture the first man in his Godlike majesty, innocent and pure, yet ruling over all creation, or Christ before Pilate and the angry mob, or standing calmly before the raging demoniacs, or stilling the tempest, and you have the perfection of meekness. "He that is slow to anger is greater than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32)
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
It is a blessed thing to hunger and thirst. Too few know what it means. Thousands know what it is to be hungry and thirsty, and if they only understood that the hunger of the body is but the crying out of the weakened nerves and muscles for that which God's immediate presence alone can supply, they would experience the happiness of hunger.
By the food which we can see, God teaches us our absolute dependence upon Him. We see the food that we eat, but we cannot see the life that it contains, that which is the reality of it, and which alone makes it valuable to us.
God has life infinitely beyond what is contained in the food and drink that He supplies to us, and if we recognize Him in these gifts, we shall be in a position to accept the infinite gifts that His Spirit bestows. Then even our eating and drinking will be a means of securing the righteousness of God. The seen will teach us of the unseen.
The promise to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, is that they shall be filled. With what will they be filled? Evidently with that for which they hunger and thirst, namely, righteousness. And when shall they be filled? When they hunger, of course.
So if we but understand the fact that the calling of our bodies for food is but the craving of the system for the life of God, to supply its lack, and that the life which He gives as in the food that satisfies the body is the very same life that cleanses us from all sin, and that it will do for us "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think," (Ephesians 3:20) if we but take it for everything it is designed to be to us, we shall be "filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:11)
"Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
If we consider that the converse of this is true, it will come home to us more forcibly. There is nothing arbitrary in the fact that the merciful shall obtain mercy, or that those who are unmerciful cannot obtain it. God gives to every person just what he desires and loves.
If a man shows mercy, that indicates that he loves mercy, and such a one will obtain mercy. But if a man is unmerciful, even though it be to the smallest creature, he shows that he does not love mercy; and no matter how much he may cry out for mercy, his actions give the lie to his words, and the mercy that he has rejected does not come to him.
Just as the kingdom of God is within, so all the joys of heaven must spring from within. Those who accept the gift of Christ, cannot but receive with Him all good things.
"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)
They shall see God, because their eyes are open to see Him. God's everlasting power and Divinity, "that which may be known of God," are clearly to be seen in everything that He has made; but: "God is Spirit, and" (John 4:24) "spiritual things ... are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:13,14)
Not alone in the future state, when the curse is removed, will it be that: "They shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads;" (Revelation 22:4) but they that know the joyful sound are even now blessed: "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance. In your name shall they rejoice all the day: and in your righteousness shall they be exalted." (Psalm 89:15-16)
There are sights every day for those whose hearts are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, which are as hidden from the eyes of skeptics as are the tints of the rainbow from the blind man. God's Spirit gives sight to the blind, enabling them to "see that Just One." (Acts 22:14)
"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)
This is but natural, for God is: "The very God of peace." (1 Thessalonians 5:3)
There is no better way to make peace, than to carry it in one's own heart and life. "[Jesus] is our peace," (Ephesians 2:14) because He gives to us His life, reconciling us to God. The most successful peacemakers are not those who go about intermeddling with strife belonging not to them, but those who themselves have the peace of God ruling in their hearts. "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15) "O that you had hearkened to my commandments! then had your peace been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea: ... There is no peace, says the Lord, unto the wicked," (Isaiah 48:18,22) but only to those who hearken to His commandments.
Therefore the only way we can make peace is to proclaim and present the righteousness of the law of God. The preachers of righteousness are the true peacemakers.
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)
The persecuted ones have even now the same thing that the poor in Spirit have. "He gives more grace. Wherefore He says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble." (James 4:6)
The meaner one's position, and the worse his circumstances, the more of the grace and glory of heaven does he receive. God supplies every need, according to His riches in glory.
It is the knowledge of this fact that makes the persecuted ones meet persecution with joy, and march even to the stake with songs of joy, glorifying God even in the very fires. It is not bravado, but the overflowing of the joy of leaven which is in their hearts. It is no use trying to explain this to those who do not know the Lord. They must taste, and see for themselves that the Lord is good, and that there is no want to them that fear Him. "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him. O fear the Lord, you His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him." (Psalm 34:8-9)
Moses found the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." (Hebrews 11:24-26) He did not look back with longing eyes to the glories of Pharaoh's court, nor did be waste breath in vain longings for the time when he could throw off the heavy burden, and cease bearing the arose, and enjoy the bliss of heaven. No; he found all the bliss of heaven in his daily round of duties, and in the midst of the overwhelming burdens, because: "He endured as seeing Him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:27)
The unseen was constantly before His eyes, and while men are beholding the unseen, even their afflictions make for them "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:17)
"Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." (Matthew 5:11)
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." (Matthew 5:12)
This is the culmination of blessing, as it is the culmination of evil to be suffered. With this in mind, and in his heart, no one can spend time seeking to answer false accusations, or mourning over them.
If you endeavor to defend yourself against a false charge, no one believes you, except your friends, who did not believe the charge; and for them the explanation is unnecessary. The best answer to a false accusation is its own falseness and time will demonstrate this, no matter how plausible it is made to appear at present. So rejoice in the knowledge of the fact that it is false.
A woman once complained bitterly to the writer on account of false charges that were made against her husband, who was engaged in Christian work which made him a target for the envious. She said, "I think it is too bad that such things should be said, when there is not a word of truth in them."
To this I replied, "Would you feel better over the matter, if the charges were true? Would you like to know that your husband was guilty of the things charged against him? Ought you not to be glad that his enemies cannot find anything to bring against him, except that which is false?"
She had not looked at the case in that light, and felt much relieved. What an honor, to be counted worthy to be classed among the prophets which were before us! Who would not count it all joy, to share the bliss of being reckoned with Moses and Jeremiah? Then do not shrink from whatever cruel blow may fall. "Tribulation works patience; And patience experience; and experience hope: And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:3-5)
One thing must not be overlooked, and that is that the blessing, the happiness, spoken of here is not something which we have to manufacture, or which we can possibly produce, but that it comes with the condition specified. The peace of God cannot be produced by men. The joy of heaven must come spontaneously from the spring of eternal life in our heart. "You have put gladness in my heart." (Psalm 4:7)
This is the exclamation of the one who knows the comfort of the Holy Ghost. We may simulate joy, but this will not do. Joyful people often shout and sing for joy; but mere singing and shouting, no matter how lustily, will not produce the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is strength, and shows itself in victory over the temptations of the devil. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)
God says, "Rejoice!" and when we receive His Word into our hearts, the joy will be there, and we shall have only to give expression to it. "Happy is that people whose God is the Lord." (Psalm 144:15)
Are you happy? If not, why not?--Present Truth, March 22, 1900--Timeline: IV-7 (First Galilean Tour), 15 (Sermon on the Mount)--Matthew 4:23-25; 5:1-12.