The Charter of the Kingdom

The Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7, has been called the “Charter of the Kingdom.” The reference is to Jesus’ words as the guiding document containing His Kingdom’s foundational principles (a Constitution of sorts). A.M. Hunter saw the sermon as setting out the design or pattern for living in the Kingdom.

If I failed to adequately explain the paradox of the Kingdom in the previous post, Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount should resolve any confusion about the paradoxical nature of His reign and rule. Jesus’ sermon would have struck his readers as an epic, if not impossible, challenge. It should do no less to us. To explain away his commands or to water down the nature of the challenge in His words is to ignore His intention and avoid His directives. In other words, if you feel only affirmation about your spiritual condition when reading the Sermon on the Mount, you missed it.

The early Church interpreted the Sermon on the Mount as an ethical document that described how all Christians should live. It is a window into the Kingdom’s values and priorities. The stark contrast between the Kingdom of God and this world could not be clearer than in the Sermon on the Mount.

In Matthew 5:1-2, Jesus sees the crowds following Him as He goes up a small mountain – apparently an analogical reference to Mount Sinai, where Moses gave the law of God in Exodus 19-20. Here, the disciples of Jesus (the King) come to Him, and He discloses the order of the Kingdom. Jesus teaches “them.” But who is “them?” The disciples? The crowd? Does that matter?

While the crowd was undoubtedly present within earshot of Jesus’ voice, His words seemed directed at His disciples, those who had answered “yes” to His call. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his classic work, The Cost of Discipleship, “Jesus calls his disciples blessed in the hearing of the crowd, and the crowd is called upon as a startled witness.” Jesus appears to be addressing both the disciples and the crowd “to bring all who hear it to decision and salvation.”

Regarding the life of members of the Kingdom of God, what does the King value as the highest priority? Matthew 5:1-12 provides a clear answer – He blesses, honors, and approves the characteristics listed in the “beatitudes.” It certainly isn’t the values of this world. This world would find these characteristics to be pathetic weaknesses: Poor in spirit, mourners, meek, hungry, merciful, pure, peacemakers, and persecuted. Yet, God blesses, honors, and approves them!

What did Jesus mean by using these terms? They reflect radical spirituality that confronts the culture of this world in this generation, just as it did in the first century. The Kingdom of God belongs to the “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3) – those who acknowledge their spiritual poverty and dependence upon God as King. It is not contrived humility but a recognition of a spiritual reality.

Similarly, the Kingdom belongs to those persecuted because of righteousness (Matthew 5:10). Here, the conflict of the Kingdom of God with those in this world is on full display. Members of the Kingdom should expect persecution in this world— this world rejects Kingdom righteousness. This world rejected Jesus and His message; it will reject His followers.

This persecution, which results from the hatred and rejection of this world, is further explored in Matthew 5:11-12. The King blesses, honors, and approves of the members of the Kingdom when they are insulted and slandered because of Jesus (the ultimate expression of righteousness). In fact, just like the prophets of old, such treatment should produce joy and gladness in believers because it has high value in heaven (the Kingdom). The “reward” in heaven mentioned in these verses is the Kingdom of God!

The normal human instinct is not to revel in being insulted and slandered. The normal human (fallen) instinct is to defend oneself, avoid being insulted and slandered, or retaliate. However, radical spirituality must be lived out in this world (an expression of the Kingdom’s paradoxical nature). Those who are spiritually blind in this world will always behave in a manner that reflects the nature of creation under a curse, rejecting the King and His Kingdom. Members of the Kingdom do not allow themselves to seethe in anger or be resentful toward those behaving according to their fallen nature; they find joy in insult and slander, knowing that the King is watching and that He honors and approves of His followers. His approval and blessing are more valuable to them than defending their pride or seeking out human justice for their injury.

A word of caution is required here: the insult and slander involved here arise explicitly because of “righteousness,” not a haughty spirit of self-righteousness or a caustic personality. Rejoicing in insult and slander because of our haughtiness, self-righteousness, or caustic personality is simply another expression of our fallen nature. It is not radical spirituality; it is sociopathic behavior emanating from our sinful nature.

Mournfulness, meekness, hunger, mercy, purity, and peacemaking are sandwiched between the characteristics of being poor in spirit and being persecuted.

As A.M. Hunter explains, mourners in verse 4 are “those to whom the evil that is in the world is a continual grief,” and they “long for a Saviour to arise upon the earth.” Bonhoeffer notes that these mourners refuse “to be in tune with the world or to accommodate [ ] its standards.” These mourners will find comfort in Him, the Comforter!

Meekness in verse 5 refers to gentleness, which this world translates as weakness. In fact, the term used in the Greek New Testament has no pejorative connotation. It refers to “an unassuming humility that rests in God” (David L. Turner, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). This humility is modeled in Jesus’s life as strength submitted to the will and control of the Father. The gentle will inherit “land” (the earth) – a reference to sharing in the Messiah’s Kingdom.

In verse 6, we read that God honors and approves those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. These believers are famished for righteousness; they are driven for the righteousness of the Kingdom – everything that was lost in the Fall.

Mercy in verse 7 refers to the expectation that those who have received God’s mercy will be generous in doling it out to others. Like Christ modeled for us, this will require demonstrating mercy to those who do not deserve it.

In verse 8, the pure in heart refers to “an internal integrity that manifests itself behaviorally” (David L. Turner, Baker). The integrity of the pure in heart contrasts with the false rule-oriented purity of the Pharisees. Pure in heart refers to simplicity that is not diluted by a mixture of commitments. The pure heart is lovingly set to seek the face of God, and in Christ’s reign, they shall see Him!

Finally, in verse 9, God approves and blesses peacemakers. Peacemakers are not committed to winning at all costs, nor are they passive, peaceful people (peacekeepers). They are ministers of reconciliation who actively seek to facilitate peace in the constant conflicts that flow from this world’s brokenness and fallenness. God approves and blesses peacemakers because this characteristic reflects the work of Christ as the Son of God – his purpose in coming into the world is to reconcile the world to Himself – that is the work of a peacemaker.

This world does not value any of these characteristics. Indeed, in its nature, this world hates those who exhibit these qualities. But the King who reigns from eternity approves, honors, and blesses those who acknowledge their spiritual poverty, are insulted and slandered for their faith, who grieve at the evil in this world, who live in humility and gentleness, who are relentlessly driven for the righteousness of the Kingdom, who generously show mercy to those who do not deserve it, who with singleness of heart seek God’s face and who like Christ, actively seek to facilitate reconciliation whenever possible.

At any point in the day, I can lay my values and priorities next to those of the King disclosed in the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount and quickly conclude that His thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are not mine. Daily, I must surrender and ask the Holy Spirit to transform my values and priorities to those of the Kingdom.