These verses, the opening phrases of the Sermon on the Mount, hold some of the Bible’s most beautiful and best-loved poetry. Part of its beauty, though, lies in the fact that the meaning is not quite clear. What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? What does it mean to “inherit the earth” or to be called “the children of God.” The fact that there are many possibilities causes us to linger over the phrases, pondering them.

Understood in the internal sense, these blessings show the spiritual states of the various people who could be receptive of the Lord and the new church he was launching. On a deeper level it shows that states within ourselves that can lead each of us to the Lord and to a deeper understanding of His truth today.

The “poor in spirit” are those who know little about spiritual things, but want to learn. Those that “mourn” are those who want to be good, but see no desire for good in their church. The “meek” are those who love to care for and serve others. To “hunger and thirst after righteousness” shows a desire to rise up, to learn about what’s good and to come to desire it.

The “merciful” are those who love their fellow people. The “pure in heart” are those who love only what is good. “Peacemakers” are those who are in harmony with the Lord, gaining knowledge from Him and wanting what He wants. And to be “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” means acting out of love and care for others, even though you are condemned by others for it.

There’s something of a progression there, from those who simply want to learn to those who actively want to be good people to those who actually are good and acting out of love for others. None of it, though, describes those who are learned in the Jewish traditions, or even necessarily observant in terms of ritual; they are, rather, those who sense that it is possible to be a good person and are willing to make the effort.

And they are promised their rewards! The “kingdom of heaven” is the understanding the angels have of the Lord; “comfort” represents ideas that lead to the good of life; “inheriting the earth” is a state of loving others and being loved by them in return. The overall message is simple: If we truly wish to be good people, and are willing to let the Lord teach us how to be good people, we will end up filled with love and wisdom from Him. And that’s what we need to focus on: The desire to be good, and openness to ideas from the Lord. It’s not about ritual and intellectual “correctness”; it’s about ideas that lead us to be good.

But what of being reviled and persecuted? This depicts temptation, when the hells attack our newborn good desires and true understanding. They cause us to doubt our ability to be truly good and question the ideas that are leading us. And they can do it in many ways, reminding us of the fun we’ll be missing or reminding us of all the bad things we’ve ever done to render us hopeless. They will even attack the Bible and the ideas that come to us through it from the Lord; that’s represented by the idea that people also attacked the prophets.

These states, however, are blessed in their own way; only by battling these evils, which are rooted inside us, can we finally fully embrace the good life we have been striving for. That’s why it is pictured last, and that's why it leads to the “great reward” in heaven.

3. Christ

1. The Lord is called in many places Jehovah, Jehovah of hosts, and in particular God, the God of Israel, the Holy One, and the Holy One of Israel, and Lord, the Rock, Angel, the Arm of Jehovah, Prophet, the Son of man, while very frequently Jehovah is named, even He, since they are one - the Mighty One of Jacob, the Rock of Jacob. Therefore in general by Jehovah the Father Himself, and Lord are at the same time meant, as is clear from the following passages.

Jesus was taken up into heaven, and a cloud received Him, and then two angels said, This Jesus shall so come as ye have seen him going into heaven (Acts of the Apostles 1:9, 11).

Jesus rose from the dead according to the prophecy through David (Psalms 16:10), and that there Christ is meant and not David (Acts of the Apostles 2:27-29, 31; 13:24-37). Then said Jehovah, the Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool (Psalms 110:1; Acts of the Apostles 2:34, 35).

The Lord our God (Acts of the Apostles 2:39). He is the Lord of all (Acts of the Apostles 10:36).

Ye have slain the Prince of life (Acts of the Apostles 3:15).

That when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, he may send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the time of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the prophets from of old (Acts of the Apostles 3:20, 21).

Moses said, The Lord your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from your brethren, unto him ye shall hearken, whatever soul shall not hearken to that Prophet, he shall be destroyed from among the people; all the prophets have foretold him (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19; Acts of the Apostles 3:22-24).

Prediction from Isaiah (53:7-9), the Lord would suffer (Acts of the Apostles 8:32, 33).

Christ was the Son of God (Acts of the Apostles 8:37; 9:20).

Jesus is the Lord of all (Acts of the Apostles 10:36). He is the Judge of the living and the dead (verse 42).

They were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts of the Apostles 11:26). Paul explains the saying, this day have I begotten thee (Psalms 2:7) as referring to Jesus (Acts of the Apostles 13:33).

He is called the light of the nations, for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth (Isaiah 49:6; Acts of the Apostles 13:47).

The coming of the Lord for the rebuilding of the ruins (Amos 9:11; quoted Acts of the Apostles 15:16, 17).

Paul said that he was ready to be bound and die for the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts of the Apostles 21:13).

Paul at Rome preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Christ (Acts of the Apostles 28:31).

In the Acts of the Apostles it is said that they preached the Lord Christ only, and that they should believe in Him, and nowhere that they should believe in God the Father.