26/03/2026
My take on Beautitudes:
Often we read them and they are very encouraging upon reading but seldom we grasp the context in which the sermon appears in the Gospel of Matthew.
This was the first public sermon and Jesus tried to introduce the Kingdom of heaven in this.
The people of that time were burdened with taxes, disappointment, discontent, eagerly waiting for Messiah to deliver them from oppression, they were battered, sometimes even treated as dogs by Romans, constantly living a life in fear and hanging just by a thread.
The Jesus in this time introduces an idea which was an opposition to the reality they expected
Jesus tells them
Blessed are poor, meek, those who hunger, those persecuted
While they expect glory, riches, an establishment of authority, a satisfied appetite
So lets ponder upon what is going on here.
God talks about spiritual poverty, sorrows for sin or shortcoming, meekness, hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity, peace and persecution
These are all roots which would bear fruit of Spirit eventually
Instead of focusing on the separately
Let’s focus on them together in a sequence and see it as a journey in the kingdom of God from our entry to the establishment.
The first two demonstrates humility. You tell God that I cannot do this alone. I cannot bear the weight of these situations, my shortcomings, my sin and you mourn and empty yourself. It seems like you have given up but it is a beginning because at this very point grace is entering your life. You stop relying on yourself you start relying on Him. What you thought was an end, through Christ becomes a new beginning. You stop striving and start surrendering.
Next two are meekness and hunger for righteousness, once you surrender you start believing in Him, you start realising that you can do all things through Him. This makes you secure and hence grounded and meek yet not weak. You do not have to be loud to assert yourself but you strength lies in your belief. You start channeling His strength and then you realise that this power the authority can only satisfy this body but your spirit craves more that is God and this emotion fires fires up holy desires, to be like Him promoting righteousness.
Then he talks about mercifuls and peacemakers.
After this transformation comes love which builds compassion kindness mercy and drives you to make peace on earth
And then comes integrity with all this.
Now God is not just working for you
He is working in You
Your heart has changed
Your responses have changed
You have started to reflect heaven on earth
You have not just improved but transformed
Then you become immovable, unshaken by worldly things like persecution you stand firm in your faith in the face of death because what God has formed in you cannot be shaken.
This faith is not an achievement but a life God forms in us over many years.
It is the work of grace and spirit. It is Christ being formed in us.
God bless you all.
Regards,
Insha
