Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” We are back on that hillside with folks from all the surrounding villages who have come out to listen to Jesus teach. And this next statement is getting a lot of approval from the crowd.
At this time, the Romans are ruling Israel and the Jews profoundly resent them. Roman soldiers stride down the narrow street knocking people out of their way, plucking small items from shop stalls while the intimidated shop owners can only watch, and generally making themselves as obnoxious as possible. There are a few good Romans, notably the centurion who builds a synagogue for Capernaum, but injustice abounds. The rich take advantage of the poor, and then there are tax collectors extorting exorbitant sums from their victims. Jesus’ listeners are anxious to know what he thinks about all this. What kind of person is Jesus describing?
Most of Jesus’ audience are well acquainted with hunger and thirst. In an economy dependent on farming, food shortages are frequent. If rainfall fails, water conservation becomes a real challenge. Now Jesus is teaching that God will bless those who are so passionate about righteousness that they want it as badly as those who are starving or dying of thirst. Mild irritation with unfortunate circumstances will not be sufficient; such people must desire righteousness and holiness so badly that life without it is completely intolerable.
Mattew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” David Guzik explains, “When this beatitude addresses those who will show mercy, it speaks to those who have already received mercy. It is mercy to be emptied of your pride and brought to poverty of spirit. It is mercy to be brought to mourning over your spiritual condition. It is mercy to receive the grace of meekness and to become gentle. It is mercy to be made hungry and thirsty after righteousness. Therefore, this one who is expected to show mercy is one who has already received it.
· The merciful one will show it to those who are weaker and poorer.
· The merciful one will always look for those who weep and mourn.
· The merciful one will be forgiving to others, and always looking to restore broken relationships.
· The merciful one will be merciful to the character of other people, and choose to think the best of them whenever possible.
· The merciful one will not expect too much from others.
· The merciful one will be compassionate to those who are outwardly sinful.
· The merciful one will have a care for the souls of all men.
One of the fundamental laws of the Kingdom of God is that the measure you give out is the measure you will receive. What goes around comes around. The more we experience God’s grace and forgiveness, the more likely we should be to grant grace and forgiveness to others. But does this always happen? Jesus told a story about a man who owed an unbelievably enormous debt to a ruler and the ruler forgave him. Then this same man went out and dunned another man who owed him a relatively tiny amount of money. Enraged, the ruler threw the first man and his family into debtor’s prison. The moral of the story is simple: we are all debtors to God, and if God forgives us, then we must also freely forgive others.
Jesus is encouraging his hearers to be merciful both to themselves and to all those around them. In some respects, this idea is counter-intuitive; however, traditionally, the rabbis have taught that there is good speech and bad speech. (For a fascinating look at traditional Jewish teachings that Jesus incorporated into his messages, check out the book Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewish Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life by Lois Tverberg.) When we use bad speech against anyone, we are violating the code of mercy. Likewise, when we hurt anyone or take vengeance, we are also violating God’s code of mercy.
If some of these concepts seem revolutionary, it’s because they run against human nature. Our natural tendency is to “look out for number one,” namely, ourselves. Jesus is announcing that if we are true citizens in the kingdom of God, we must put others first.
It’s quite likely that Jesus originally said far more than either Matthew or Luke has recorded. There may well have been questions from the crowd with arguments ensuing. But both Matthew and Luke want to keep the main thing the main thing; they want to focus on the meat of Jesus’ teachings.
May God help us to realize how much mercy He has shown to us so that we will also be just as merciful to others!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, Your mercy is overwhelming, beyond our words or comprehension. Help us to be merciful to all those around us. Help us to really long for Your righteousness. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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