This time I want to cover Dallas Willard's understanding of the "Blesseds" (as he sometimes calls them). I hope I can do this justice. For despite its flaws (which I'll get to), it is profoundly superior to the traditional understanding. His teaching on this section (and all of the Sermon on the Mount for that matter) has brought to much of Jesus' teaching a new clarity for me. I strongly suggest "Divine Conspiracy" to any person who longs follow Jesus.
As for the Beatitudes, Willard teaches that this introduction to his sermon about life under his rule is not itself an instruction on how to live. Rather Jesus is using those in front of him (see Matthew 4:23-5:2) to demonstrate the ways his kingdom would impact the world. Willard says, "They single out cases that provide proof that, in him, the rule of God from the heavens truly is available in life circumstances that are beyond all human hope." (You could compare this with Luke's description to the beginning of Jesus' ministry in Luke 4:14-21, I suppose.)
Jesus was not telling us then, that being poor in spirit, mournful, persecuted, etc... are in and of themselves favorable conditions to be in, or strive for. After all, there are billions of people in the world today who are either poor in spirit, or mourning, or meek who will never enter the kingdom. The blessings are not the conditions, but the kingdom and what comes with the kingdom.
In Willard's words:
Those poor in spirit are called "blessed" by Jesus, not because they are in a meritorious condition, but because, precisely in spite of and in the midst of their ever so deplorable condition, the rule of the heavens has moved redemptively upon and through them by the grace of Christ.
Willard envisions Jesus pointing to the crowd filled with people from various backgrounds as he spoke these. There were many who were not of Israel. Some had even recently been filled with demons. Jesus points to them and says, "They're by this kingdom finally being here." Not because of who they were, but because of who He was.So, he explains "poor in spirit" not as some creative way to describe humility, but as "spiritual zeros--the spiritually bankrupt, deprived and deficient, the spiritual beggars, those without a wisp of 'religion'".
Those who mourn are simply those who grieve, not just about their spiritual condition, but about whatever. The loss of a child, loneliness, in justice, pain... In the kingdom, in Jesus' presence particularly, there is comfort for those who grieve.
The meek are understood as "the shy ones, the intimidated, the mild, the unassertive", which is, of course what "meek" means, not those who have power but learn to control it. Jesus loves to throw surprising ideas out there for us to wrestle with (think of a Samaritan hero or the rich having extreme difficulty entering the kingdom, or needing a righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees). The spiritually poor laying hold of the kingdom and the meek taking the earth are perfect examples of that. But that's what his rule should mean.
He describes those who hunger and thirst for righteousness as those who have been deprived what is right, and so deeply desire justice. Or those who have sinned so badly that they "inwardly scream to be made pure" His kingdom brings resolution to both of those problems.
He sees the merciful as those who so often get taken advantage of and chastised by the pragmatists, those business-minded folk. But now as heaven has opened up and God's favor is near, they will find a mercy beyond that which they have shown.
He sees those who are pure in hear as "the ones for who nothing is ever good enough, not even themselves." They pick everything and everyone apart and find fault. But in the kingdom, they finally find something fully and truly good.
He sees the peacemakers as those who are usually hated by everyone, because they are not taking a side. They fight for those in the wrong (as typically both parties are). Their blessing is that they resemble their father in heaven.
Finally, he sees those persecuted as blessed, because the weight of our eternal glory far outweighs these comparably light and momentary troubles (2 Corinthians 4:17)
Okay, that's all I have time for this week. Next week, I'll offer my critique of this view and offer a slightly modifies view.
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1 comment:
Your review did the text justice. obviously if one were to read the book s/he would glean much more. But, his view makes much better sense than anything else I have read. I look forward to your "modified view."
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