Tue Feb 1, 2000 12:39 am

by James Doerfel

Message # 2069 on btdisc list

Our exposition of the Sermon on the Mount begins with 4:17, the beginning of the second section of Matthew (see Kingsbury, Structure), "From that time Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;'" and 4:23, "proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom." The Sermon on the Mount is, IMO, a carefully arranged and theologically positioned synopsis of Jesus' preaching ministry, i.e. "the gospel of the kingdom." The good news of the kingdom is summed up in the phrase "the kingdom of heaven is at hand," that is, the eschatological age of God's righteous rule has drawn near.

Locally speaking, the realm of God's imminence and glory, heaven, is imposing itself into history (in the Person of the King of heaven) for the sake of salvation-blessing. This unprecedented event, the coming of the kingdom of heaven and the dawning of the eschatological day, with its unparalleled blessing and access to the Father, is the basis for a heightened standard of righteousness. This message is the summation of the prophetic witness in the OT from Samuel (the JBap of David and forerunner to the OT kingdom, see 1 Sam 7:3) to John. The prophetic office of Jesus shows distinct continuity with the prophets of the OT, but there is a pronounced discontinuity as well. This one is more than a prophet, for the prophets merely foretold the day of the LORD. This One effectively ushers in the day of the LORD. The prophets were ambassadors for the kingdom. This One was the King Himself. The prophets were servants of God. This One is God's own Son . . . This One is God with us. Before us stands the Lord of the covenant, who, for our sakes makes Himself the servant of the covenant; and it is as the Lord and Servant of the covenant that Jesus now rules and ministers to the new people of God. This is the son of David, the son of Abraham (continuity); but this is also the Son of God, Emmanuel (discontinuity). Thus we may expect to find a measure of continuity with the OT message; but, as Kingsbury points out, the royal titles of Jesus ("Son of David" and "Christ") are subordinate to the divine title "Son of God." IOW, it is as the Son of God that Jesus is the Son of David. It is as Emmanuel that Jesus is the Christ. (See Kingsbury,

JBL 95 (1976): 591-602; BTB (1975): 583-91)

As the Servant of the covenant, Jesus' message is preeminently redemptive-historical. As the Lord of the covenant, Jesus' message is preeminently eschatological. He comes announcing the dawning of the new day, the Day of Yahweh, the *event* of the coming of the kingdom of heaven, and what the coming/presence of the kingdom means for the new people of God. But with the coming of the kingdom comes the eschatological crisis: the unexpected postponement of the glory of the kingdom. Thus Jesus' message addresses those who live in the kingdom while the present world-order (present age) continues. The continuation of the present evil age means a continual (intensified) battle with the curse, with the wicked, and with the devil. The intrusion of the kingdom of heaven means unparalleled grace (H.S.) to help in time of need, supreme confidence, unprecedented access to and intimacy with the Father, superlative blessing, and unparalleled revelation. With this eschatological heightening of blessing (indicative) invariably comes eschatological heightening of ethics (imperative). Thus, the body of the sermon focuses on the moral and ethical ramifications of the coming of the kingdom of heaven during a time when the present world-kingdom remains. The coming of the kingdom of heaven means that there must be a new standard of righteousness, a standard set in the coming (5:17) person of the Son of God, righteousness incarnate. This superlative righteousness of (the kingdom of) heaven (the goal) becomes the objective measure of righteousness in the present, because God Himself is with us. Nothing less than God-righteousness will suffice in this age of heaven, and that means that everything short of incarnate righteousness is absolutely obsolete, every earthy righteousness, including every type and shadow righteousness, is insufficient (Heb 12:25).

In the person of Jesus Himself, the King of heaven, the kingdom of heaven is present. Jesus is "God with us," speaking from his heavenly throne where He has ascended and sat down (5:1). Thus the Sermon on the Mount presupposes the cross and resurrection of Jesus, and must be read in that light. The unprecedented blessing of the new day of the kingdom of heaven is opened up for us in the enthronement of the king who mediates heaven-blessings to those who bear the reproach for His sake that He bore on earth. The character of the kingdom of heaven on earth is the character of the king on earth--humble and meek and persecuted and weak. This is the basis for the beatitudes, the opening section of the sermon. The coming/presence of the King/kingdom of heaven (God Himself) means an age of unprecedented blessing.

There are 8 beatitudes. The first and last beatitudes, "blessed are the... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," form an inclusio, bracketing the middle six, and providing an interpretive framework for the group. The verb tense in these two bracket-beatitudes (present) is indicative of the already-possession of kingdom blessing, albeit hidden. Thus, for example, those who mourn (present tense) are blessed (present tense) for they shall be comforted (future tense). And that comfort is already the basis for their supreme joy in the face of their mourning.

The verb tense for the middle six beatitudes is future (e.g. "they shall be comforted") indicative of the eschatological reversal, which takes place at the end of the world and the consummation of the kingdom. The first three of the "future" beatitudes (along with the first) are stative: those who mourn, the meek, the hungering and thirsting after righteousness. The final beatitude of the first half (v 6) is the climactic. The last three (along with the final) are intensive: the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. The last beatitude of the first half (v 6) parallels the conclusive beatitude (v 9) because of the expanded description of the blessed to include "righteousness," the leitmotif of the entire sermon. Beyond that, the 8 beatitudes appear to be conscientiously recalling OT promises which base present blessing in eschatological (i.e. "that day") context, and which make the source of that blessing either God

Himself or the Servant of Yahweh; and Jesus borrows His themes liberally from the "servant prophesies" in Isaiah and the Psalms.

Thus we find that Mt 3-4 // Isa 61:1-2 and Mt 5-6 // Ps 37:11; 107:5, 9 and Mt 7-8 // Prov 17:5c (LXX); Ps 24:3-4 and Mt 9-10 // many places in Isa & Pss. Thus, the present condition of the heirs of the kingdom is, after the pattern/image of the Servant-Heir Himself, defined not by honor but by humiliation.

Verses 11-12 constitute a summary-beatitude, and an exposition or expansion of the final beatitude (v 10), a key to interpreting the previous 8. It is linked to v 10 by the repetition of dioko- . . . eneken. . . , with the key variation eneken diakosounes / eneken emou (for righteousness' sake / for my sake). The righteousness of the kingdom is "personified" (embodied, centered, found) in Jesus Himself, God with us (cf. Jer 33:16). And, following the personalization of the summary-beatitude, here the blessing is directed at "you," the "you" who will be the immediate subject of the next sub-section.

Furthermore, "persecute" in 10 is expanded to include "cast insults, persecute, and speak evil falsely against" in 11. The hostile insults, false malicious accusations, and sadistic persecution which so soon are directed at Jesus, will be directed at all those who identify themselves with Him, i.e. for His sake. That has been the pattern since the prophets. And the great heavenly reward, which Jesus Himself receives, those who identify with Him, suffering for His sake, will also receive.

The 8 (Charles Dennison identifies 7 with a summary-beatitude and an expansion-beatitude) beatitudes point to the eschatological reward which comes / will come to those who, for the sake of the kingdom, presently suffer. The manner of the life of the kingdom bears the mark of humiliation, and the reversal of fortunes which is effected by God's eschatological interposition answers to and resolves the particular manner of suffering. The poor in spirit are those who are humbly and completely reliant on God alone, having no other recourse than their hope in Him. These stand in opposition to the wealthy in spirit (the self-sufficient), who rely on themselves. The thought parallels Jesus' statement in 9:12 and Paul's criticism of the Jews who attempt to establish a righteousness on their own. Those who mourn are mourning because of the violence of the world against the kingdom and its King.

The meek, as opposed to the aggressive, self-assertive who grasp greedily after the cursed earth, are patiently waiting for the inheritance of the new earth, even to the extent of willingly offering up their present possession. Herein lie their blessedness, and the hypostasis of their inheritance. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are those who have accepted God's provision of righteousness and long for the resurrection and beauty of holiness.

Like food and drink, kingdom-righteousness is their very livelihood, their sustenance. Their eschatological satisfaction is to be found in the inheritance of God Himself. The merciful is not a synonym for humanitarian. Rather, covenant mercy is in view here, as is made clear by the mercy shown (divine passive) to the merciful. The pure in heart single-minded, "pure" in this context used in the sense of "unadulterated." The heart of the pure in heart is fixed singularly and unwaveringly on God Himself, as is made clear by the blessing, which matches their disposition. To the pure in heart is given the highest blessing, "they shall see God." The peacemakers are probably the most difficult subject to pin down, but I believe that Jesus Himself, like in the Psalms, is the Blessed Man first and foremost. Thus Jesus' peace making between God and man is the exegesis of this blessing. He was declared "Son of God" by the resurrection of the dead, having made peace with God. And He has turned over to His church the ministry of reconciliation.

James Doerfel