I have an NIV Life Application Study Bible, which has a chart on the 'Key Lessons From the Sermon On The Mount."
In this chart, it says the following of Matthew 5:3:
Old Testament Application: Isaiah 57:15, which reads, "For this is what the high and lofty One says--He Who lives forever, Whose Name is Holy: 'I live in a hight and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"
Clashing Worldy Views: Pride and personal independence
God's Reward: Kingdom of Heaven
How to develop this attitude: James 4:7-10, which reads, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up."
So, based on that verse, I believe Matthew 5:3 refers to those of lowly spirits and contrite hearts. Those who are humble.
That's what I take from it, anyway. Hope that helps, sister!
Your reply is far helpful than you can ever know and opened up my mind to understand familiar passages like 'James4' but missing where what he rebukes (pride) was coming from.
Please do make it a habit to partake on my bible questions as i'll be posting here from time to time. With that kind of a study bible, you could really be helpful.
This surely clarifies that John the Baptist was preaching invain when calling people to repentance, since fellows whom Jesus ministered to on the mountain of blessings were too concerned about nourishing their pride and indipendency according to the worlds standards. He's massage (Jesus) was not making sense when carrying on about 'hunger in spirit'
Just as I was missing the whole thing about the soon coming kingdom of heaven before getting saved. I missed what was referred to as 'goodnews' in that while thing cause I was too concerned about worldly ideal of achievements.
That was very helpful Cat,
And made sense of a lot of things.
Oh one more question dear:
I understand that Jesus started He's ministry just after He was told about John the Baptist being prisoned. Is that the same John who saw vissions of Jesus in the book of Revelations?
Thank you for your question. I had the same sort of confusion as you did about John the Baptist. I knew there were 2 Johns, but did not know which one did what.
My Life Application Study Bible has profiles of all the main characters in the Bible, including both John the Disciple and John the Baptist. The profiles document each character's strengths, accomplishments, weaknesses, mistakes, lessons from their lives, vital statistics (where an when they lived, etc.), and their key verses.
John the Disciple was originally one of John the Baptist's disciples before becoming one of the 12 disciple of Jesus (the day John the Baptist baptised Jesus).
John the Disciple is the one who wrote five New Testament books: The Gospel of John, John 1, 2, and 3, and Revelation. He wrote the last while he was exhiled on the Island of Patmos.
John the Disciple had weaknesses! Like James, he had tendencies toward outbursts of selfishness and anger. Example: He asked Jesus for a special position in His Kingdom.
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John the Baptist was actually related to Jesus.
After Mary received notice from the angel Gabrielle she was pregnant with our Lord, she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was 6 months pregnant with John (Luke 1:39-56).
John's story is told in all four Gospels.
John the Baptist was God's appointed messenger of the arrival of Jesus (His ministry);
--Was a preacher whose theme was repentance;
--Was a fearless confronter (boldly confronted religious leaders and King Herod about their sins);
--Was known for his remarkable life-style (lived in the desert);
--Was uncompromising in his faith and humility.
Lessons from his life:
--God does not guarantee an easy or safe life to those who serve Him;
--Doing what God desires is the greatest possible life investment;
--Standing for the Truth is more important than life itself.
John the Baptist paid the ultimate price for his boldness. King Herod's wife Herodias (who had been previously married to Herod's brother Phillip) wanted John killed because John told the king he was wrong to take his brother's wife. It was her demand for John's head on a platter that resulted in his death. (Mark 6:14-29).
I guess the best way to tell one John from the other is: The Disciple was with Jesus and wrote about him; the Baptist introduced Jesus' and baptised Him (which started His ministry).
Thanks again, Sisygirl, for asking this question. I learned a LOT today! Hugs n God bless, sweety!
I'm glad if you've learned something while helping me dear cause I learned so much from you and greatful of helping me understand differences between the 2Johns'
You've got me seaching further I must admit, hense taken too long to write back to you. Would have left it like that now,,,, would I? I've discovered so much Cat taking from your above answers and going back to the sermon on the mount. What I first understood through the Holy Spirit's help is that, Jesus' heart was very hurt and troubled on that sermon. The sermon took place just after he was told that John the Baptist was prisoned for He's sake. Knowing what was yet to come/happen to John (being killed) since He was God seeing things afar, yet in a human form. He had to strengthen them through this sermon, so they don't lose heart when hearing about John's death. Would say that He's sermon on the mount was inspired by what He heard about John... That is just me saying dear.
But now people missed He's sermon cause He didn't nourish their proudfull hearts, He was not even close from what the disciples and the multude wanted to hear. Seeing through their hearts, He tries to break the ice by first saying "Blessed are the poor in spirit..." hoping they would soften their hearts since in Like 18:11 "The Pharisees stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I pisses.' 13 And the tax collectors, standing afar off, would not so much raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merceful to me a sinner!"
That was a prayer of prideful self-righteousness. The Pharisee saw himself as greater than other men, as if he were sinless--and thanked God for this. He was exalting himself before God.
But the tax collector asked for mercy in his prayer because he knew he was a sinner. He was humble before God.
At the end of that parable, Jesus said, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
My Study Bible notes have comments about this parable: "The Pharisee did not go to the temple to pray to God, but to announce to all within earshot how good he was. The tax collector went recognizing his sin and begging for mercy. Self-righteousness is dangerous. It leads to pride, causes a person to despise others, and prevents him or her from learning anything from God. The tax collector's prayer should be our prayer because we all need God's mercy everyday. Don't let pride in your achievements cut you off from God."
The Pharisees memorized the Scriptures, but they did not apply them to their lives. They just thought themselves better than everyone else for their knowledge and had no love for others. That's not what Jesus was teaching.
Does that help clear things up, sis? Have a Blessed day, Sisygirl! Hugs!
Yes dear that was very helpful. You've answered a question i've always had about the Pharisees, a qurstion not inline with our current discussion. When John the Baptist said to the Pharisees, "Brood of Vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? I wondered how was he gonna win them over to Jesus when insulting them? But now I understand where he (John) was coming from. He knew their attitudes and challenges them to bear fruits worthy of repentance, knowing not a single fruit was gonna manifest from them with this kind of attitude.
Thank you so much Cat.... Hoping to enjoy your company again soon when needing help in understanding a certain passage.
