The Beatitudes

Scripture
 
[1] Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
[2] And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
[3] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[4] “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
[5] “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
[6] “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
[7] “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
[8] “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
[9] “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
[10] “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
[13] “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
[14] “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (ESV)
Engaging the Scripture
1. Who are the recipients of Jesus’ teaching? (vs.1)
2. What does it mean to be “blessed”? (vs.2-11) – See Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed by whom?
3. What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? How is this person “blessed”?
4. How are those “who mourn” comforted?
5. Who are the “meek”? How shall they “inherit the earth”?
6. What does it mean to “hunger and thirst for righteousness”? How will they be “satisfied”?
7. Who are the “merciful”? How shall they receive mercy?
8. Who are the “pure in heart”? How shall they “see” God?
9. Who are the “peace makers”? (Is there a difference between being a “peace-maker” and a “peace-keeper”?) How will they be blessed?
10. What does it mean to be “persecuted for righteousness’ sake”? (vs.10-11) How could this possibly end in blessing? Why should those who are being persecuted “rejoice”?
11. What does it mean to be “salt” and “light”? (vs.13-16) How can salt lose its effectiveness and light be dimmed? To what do these metaphors refer in seeking to live for Christ?
Living as a Kingdom Citizen
Which of the beatitudes stands out to you the most? Why?
1. What are some ways in which God has blessed you?
When are you most likely to remember this?
What causes you to be forgetful of this?
2. What ways can you function as “salt” and “light” to those who are around you?
Is there any person or group that specifically comes to mind that is most important?