The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5: 1-6 Summer Study Session One

Hey, welcome to the first time EVER I have created a blog! Thanks to Mr. Jonathan Philpot for teaching me how to do this! This is going to be the simplest blog ever--just a weekly summary of the weekly Bible study. Below is the summary for our first of the summer studies, on 5-25-11:
    Matthew chapters 5 through 7:29 or 8:1 is given the name of the Sermon on the Mount (SOTM), a collection of Jesus' sayings compiled by gospel writer Matthew to reflect the particular emphases Matthew wished to convey to his early Church audience. It is a simplification, but a valid one I feel, to say that the SOTM as presented by Matthew declares what it means to live as a Christian, to live in response to the grace and love of God as seen in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
   The Beatitudes, the first 10 verses of Chapter 5, set the tone for the rest of this "sermon" of Jesus. The Beatitudes, so-called because the verses, set forth in the style of the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament {see Psalm 1, Psalm 84, for example}, start with "Blessed are ....," serve as an introduction to the whole SOTM. 
   There are varying ways of translating the Greek word "makarioi." One sense for the word is "happy"; another is "congratulations are due to....." Commentators say that the best translation of this many-nuanced word for this context is the familiar "blessed," because it conveys both the sense that there is something tangible that will be rewarded if a person displays these qualities, and that it also reminds us that these rewards are very much due to God's graciousness in granting them!
   Verses 3-6 of Chapter 5 describe our desired attitude towards God; verses 7-10 describe our desired attitude towards other people. This week we are just covering our attitudes toward God. My hope is that we will read the notes on each verse/attitude, read the supporting verses, and reflect on the questions posed for each verse. 
Matthew 5: 3  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Greek word used for "poor" is "ptoches", which is also translated "beggar" or "begging," the sense being that not only does someone have little in the way of their spiritual relationship with God but are desperate enough to beg to gain more. The New English Bible translates this poor in spirit as "those who know their need of God," and one commentator noted: "The poor in spirit are those who live in humble acknowledgement of their impoverishment before God and who lift up hopeful prayers." (Garland) 
Supporting Scripture: Matthew 8: 1-4, 5-13; 14-25; 15: 21-28; 20: 29-34
Reflection Questions: Where in your relationship with Jesus are you poor? Are there areas of your life where you, in effect, have shut Him out?
Matthew 5: 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." When I hear this phrase I automatically think: if I suffer a loss, the death of someone close to me, I will be comforted. I think that this is a true statement, but the sense of this verse is much broader than my relatively narrow focus. Jesus is saying, I believe, that those who care deeply enough about others truly enough to be mournful when things go wrong are the ones who will be comforted when His kingdom is established. If we suffer over the poverty and hunger of the world; if we bemoan the apparent eclipse of God's purpose on this earth; if we are sorrowful for those people who do not know the peace of Jesus Christ; if we are burdened by continuing war and injustice on our planet--we will be comforted and our mourning eased when Christ's rule is established fully upon this earth.
Supporting Scripture: Isaiah 61: 1-3; Matthew 9: 35-38; 23: 37-39
Reflection Questions: Do the sufferings of others matter to you? What causes or human conditions concern/trouble/motivate you the most?
Matthew 5: 5 "Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth." Dictionary.com defines "meek" as: "humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others; overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame." The sense, however, in this word's use here in the Beatitudes, is that of powerless. Not a humble, less than willing acquiescence, but a welcoming of God's sovereignty in all areas of our lives. 
Supporting Scripture: Psalm 37: 11; Isaiah 11:4; 29:19; 57:15
Reflection Questions: In what areas of your life are you still insisting upon control (as seen by your actions much more than by your words)? What makes it so hard to relinquish control to God?
Matthew 5: 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Righteousness= God's righteousness, doing what God requires. One commentator wrote: "Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness have a gnawing desire to see God's will accomplished in their lives...." I think the key phrase here is "gnawing desire." Being a part of Wesley, going to church, participating in a mission project or two--these are all great things. But are they part of the "habit" of being Christian, or are they the result of an intense ambition to become closer and more intimate with Jesus Christ?
Supporting Scripture: Psalm 107: 5, 8-9; Amos 8: 11
Reflection Questions: Do I have a "gnawing desire" to become closer to Jesus? For what things do I hunger and thirst? How often do I struggle over "what is the right thing to do in God's eyes" when making a decision?