Tags
Matthew collects a great many of Jesus’ teachings and puts them in one place spanning chapters 5 – 7. It doesn’t seem to matter much whether he really said all of these things in one sitting or whether he taught various bits at various times, likely repeating many bits in different settings. And it doesn’t strike me as deceptive writing to gather them all in one place if they weren’t in fact taught that way; nothing in this Gospel hinges on the idea that this is one sermon.
The Beatitudes are a short list of qualities or situations that Jesus calls blessed or happy.
Many of them address what could be considered positions of weakness — mercy, spiritual poverty, meekness, gentleness, etc. The charge of weakness may be especially poignant in a time when many were poised for a militaristic revolution against the Roman occupation. Jesus wants us to know that his way does not call for violence, aggression, and force. That said, mercy and the like are not weaknesses at all — there is great strength in recognizing the truth, the reality, of spiritual poverty; and giving mercy or being gentle or meek or making peace can all be powerfully strong things, not at all like being a doormat.
The one about persecution bringing blessing is a little problematic, because some religious and other groups have taken persecution as a sign of God’s favor when we might consider them wrong to do so. One must have additional criteria for judging a thing than just whether or not it encounters persecution. If you do feel you have good reason that your cause is just and good and holy, though, it can be a source of comfort and strength to know that the just and good and holy have always faced opposition, and that opposition does not always mean that one is in the wrong.
My favorite of the Beatitudes is in the middle:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
It’s the one that most resonates with me. I have a nearly pathological fear of being wrong and sinfully so. I deeply desire to be good and just and holy and right and fair and faithful and get EVERYTHING right and always do the right thing and even feel the right way and think the right things. It is a great comfort to know that God sees this hunger and thirst, and the underlying fears, and the past experiences of failure and shame, and that he promises to satisfy me with the righteousness I so desire.
Hi – should I keep calling you Nona here, or would you like to be Marcy now?
I’m glad that we are finally getting to the beatitudes, thanks for starting this post. This is some of the best parts of the Gospels. I agree with you that this is probably a collection of sayings from different sermons, and that it doesn’t detract from them at all by listing them here as one sermon. I also agree with you that the position of gentleness and mercy aren’t weaknesses but can be incredible strenghts even in violent situations. However it does not mean being a doormat either. I’m not sure what poor in spirit’ means.
My favorite beatitiude is “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the children of God.” Peace is so important, and so much hinges upon peace and peaceful ways of resolutions. If somebody knows just one Hebrew word it is probably shalom, peace. When I think of ‘blessed are the peacemakers” I always think of this particular group:
http://www.reconciliationnotrevenge.com/
http://www.theparentscircle.org/Article.aspx?ID=739
I mean, if these people can seek peace and forgiveness for each other . . . . It’s the only hope I have for any solution to Israel/Palestine. I hate the fanatics, right wing politians and fundamentalists who think the only way out is through their enemies blood. I say that for both Jewish/Israeli and Muslim/Palestinian sides. I DO NOT stand with or for Israeli hard line right wing politics, or the Ultra-Orthodox fundamentalists. But that is getting off topic.
Also, peacemaking is something I can do, in small ways in my life. I can care for my family, and help my friends when they are having a hard time. It’s been almost a year now that I’ve had to come to terms with limits in my hands, being careful not to aggrevate the inflamation in my thumb tendons, but I still have made a few things to keep some people warm, and it is currently +3 F, with a subzero wind chill so that is important.
What I like best overall about the beatitudes is that there is no fine print on them, “*this offer of blessedness null and void to all who don’t do it with the exact proper theology or belief in Jesus.” It’s just “Blessed are . . .” It’s some of the most inclusive language in the Gospels. I mean consider the people in the Parent’s Circle, most if not all are Jewish and Muslim. For the most part, these are not Christians – but if ‘blessed are the peacemakers’ doesn’t apply to them then who can it apply to?
Take care – TTYL more on this later.
Hilary
I can be Marcy, now.
I’ve generally heard / been taught that “poor in spirit” means recognizing how little we know and understand spiritually — not thinking ourselves as God’s equals in knowledge or power or authority or anything. Spiritually humble. It’s interesting that in Luke’s gospel, I think he just says “the poor,” not “the poor in spirit.” It is interesting to me that sometimes the Bible relates spiritual and earthy things as if they are connected — sin and sickness or sorrow, for example, or here poverty and poverty of spirit.
That group you linked to — beautiful. And yes to the importance of peace. Peace is a major emphasis in Montessori education, too, from helping the littlest ones learn to resolve their conflicts, to providing peace materials and space for meditation and calming oneself, to explorations of diversity and the world.
I get what you are saying about the fine print!
Hey Marcy!
Time zones are interesting. Your post is recorded at 6:03 pm, but for me it’s 4:45 pm right now as I type. I hope you are ok with the storm going across the states, in MN we just barely got a few inches. Right during morning rush hour, the worst time of day for 3 inches of snow to screw everything up.
So for ‘blessed are the poor in spirit,’ does my being humble about how much I don’t know about Torah, and G-d, and Jewish history and theology would count towards qualifying for that particular blessing? It makes sense to me that recognizing my limits about how much I know and how much is ultimately knowable, yet still stiving to learn and understand as best I can would be worthy of blessing, and being blessed for the endevor. I like understanding the beatitude that way.
“You are not expected to complete the task* but neither are you free to abandon it.” Rabbi Tarfon from the Pirke Avot. The task could be either tikkun olam, mending/healing the world, or Torah study. Both are tasks that no one person can completely fulfil, but we must still strive for and take our efforts seriously.
I’m not always sure that material poverty and spiritual poverty are 1:1 the same – there are plently of materially wealthy people who are very spiritually poor, and people with relatively little material wealth that have a spiritual depth and peace. But on the other hand it is very hard to have spiritual wealth when basic needs for food, shelter, safety, and physical health/medical care are not met.
Take care!
Hilary
I think you’re right about “poor in spirit.”
I like Rabbi Tarfon’s saying.
And no, material and spiritual poverty are not identical — but there is some connection implied. Perhaps Jesus just said “the poor” and some heard it as spiritual and others as material and perhaps others in other ways.
Similarly, sin and sickness and sorrow are not identical, but having them connected may help us to understand each more deeply.
Oh for crying out loud, I didn’t mean for yet another two weeks to go by without replying to you. Thanks for emailing to get back on track. From what you mentioned struggling with, here is a song I like, and you might enjoy:
This is important:
“The one about persecution bringing blessing is a little problematic, because some religious and other groups have taken persecution as a sign of God’s favor when we might consider them wrong to do so. One must have additional criteria for judging a thing than just whether or not it encounters persecution.”
When Jesus was speaking, and even more for his early followers when the Gospels where being written, persecution was real, a matter of life and death. I keep that in mind when I come across certain Christians who feel persecuted when they are told they can’t force Christian prayer on non-Christian kids in public schools. As a Jew and lesbian I have very little patience with those people who think persecution is not being able to write the law for everybody else. Pogroms are persecution, limits on visa’s whe you’re being exterminated in your country is persecution, risking being fired or loosing your lease for having a consensual adult sexual relationship is persecution. Sharing legal benefits with same sex couples and praying privately with some friends at school is not persecution.
I gues it’s part of the arc of Christian history. The records of Christianity’s begining, the New Testament, are the writings of a small group of people in a dangerous pagan environment. But after over a millenia of Christandom in Europe Christianity as it is now comes from a place of dominance, and is watching that dominance being challenged. Sometimes loosing privalege feels like persecution.
But the same criteria cuts against Jews as well as Christians. Anti-semitism is a serious charge, and not something to be lobbied around at someone just because they disagree with a Jew about Jewish issues. For example, just thinking Jews are wrong for not accepting Christ, and saying so, is not anti-semitism, but firing or obviously not hiring a Jew just for his or her religion obviously is. I certainly know the reasons for Jews being a little more twitchy about possible persecution, but we can also take a deep breath and calm down sometimes.
I really wish the US gov’t would stand up more to Israeli polititians along the lines of “Yes we will always be there for you, but would you get your head out of your ass and stop making it so hard for us? Stop being fanatics and work something out with your neighbors.” I just watched a movie where a Palestian mother who’s teenage son was shot point-blank by an IDF soldger was able to connect with an Israeli mother who’s son was blown up in a suicide bombing. If these women can be able to literally embrace each other, there is no excuse for anybody else not to make peace. None.
You said you liked Rabbi Tarfon’s saying, “You are not expected to complete the task . . .” Here’s what it sounds like, camp song style:
So, what you do is important, but you’re not expected to do everything.
Take care
Hilary
I’d want to suggest talking about a continuum or degrees of persecution rather than a black and white “this counts” and “this doesn’t” kind of thing, but yeah — it’s important to keep perspective.
Thanks for the songs!
Here are a few I’ve been listening to lately:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200664474676380&l=2166686794769623730
1st song – nice melody, but I couldn’t catch the lyrics well enough to comment. I’m kinda guessing a Catholic chapel with the crucifix including the body instead of an empty cross, but I could be wrong. If you look behind the boys sings “Lo alecha” there are some fancy doors in the middle of the wall, that’s the Ark with the sefer Torah’s in it. I’m commenting on that because it seems the closest equivalent to the Crucifix as the main focus.
2nd song – very pretty. I am deliberately not letting myself get cynical but just appreciate the sentiment as expressed. The hands that serve the bread and wine – that’s a reference to communion, right? Is that part of something you do with every service? How different is Protestant Mass to Catholic Mass? I’ve been to 3 Catholic Masses, but I think only one Protestant – no, two – masses. And two Muslim prayer services, FWIW.
It’s interesting what she said about loving her brothers and sisters in Christ as she loved her own biological siblings. My brother isn’t Jewish but Buddhist, and I can’t quite help but wonder how she would feel about ‘brother in Christ’ or a real brother who became Buddhist. I am familiar with the concept of the Church as the Bride of Christ, and it feels a little weird to wonder how Christian men feel as part of the ‘Bride’ of Christ. But then again Jews have the metaphor of Shabbat as a bride, of going to greet the Sabbath queen, and for Jewish women to sing about greeting the Sabbath bride brings up the same metaphorical issue.
3rd song – like the acoustic music. Since there is nothing specifically Christian in the imagry or lyrics, it’s something that I could listen to for spiritual music and not feel myself pulling away at any specific Christian references. I liked the general language of something greater then the sun, or the moon, or the wind on the prairie.
4th song – love the music. I’m not totally sure what he’s singing about. Is it just a song about a sailor on a stormy ocean, or is it Christian metaphors for life, Christ being a lighthouse, looking for a lost sailor in a storm? Or are the lyrics more open-ended for multiple interpretations?
Thanks for sharing!
Hilary
Our church has communion every week, and it is the focal point of the service. Some churches have it weekly but the sermon is more important. Some churches have it less frequently — monthly, quarterly, or even less frequently.
I think the fourth one is fairly open — I haven’t actually read all the lyrics. It makes me think of trusting, of faith, in God’s provision and protection in the midst of stormy times of any kind.
Marcy
I’ve finally started researching for an idea I’ve had for a while. I want to see how much of the beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount in general I can find a match with in the Pirke Avot, and the Mishna and Talmud in general. The Mishna was compiled around 220 CE, about the same time the written Gospels were being developed, so it is the closest apples to apples comparison of the works of the Pharisees, as they transitioned into Rabbis, with the Gospels. The Pirke is part of the Mishna, the easist part to read and understand, the ethical backbone of it. So if you haven’t figured it out, yes, all the sayings I’ve quoted from Rabbi Tarfon and Hillel are the words of Pharisees, as they’ve come down through the Jewish traditions.
I went to temple this morning to sit in the library and start combing through the Pirke to find how well different sayings line up with the beatitudes in Matthew. I didn’t need to go to temple to do this, I just wanted to get away from the housework and be in a nice environment to study in. This is what I found so far:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Going of off your interpretation of ‘poor in spirit’ as humble:
“I’ve generally heard / been taught that “poor in spirit” means recognizing how little we know and understand spiritually — not thinking ourselves as God’s equals in knowledge or power or authority or anything. Spiritually humble.”
I was able to find several quotes that apply.
Avot 4:10 – Rabbi Meir says:
“Do as little business as you can, and Torah your real business.
Be humble in spirit before every person.
If you neglect Torah, you will find many to help you. And if you labor in Torah, it has good wages for you.”
“Be humble in spirit before every person.” To me this implies acknowledging, at least to yourself, that you don’t know everything about the person standing in front of you, or on the other end of a screen, or speaking into the radio. That doesn’t mean you can’t have an opinion on what they do, or allow yourself to be taken advantage of or hurt. But just the humility to realize you don’t know everything about what drives people, even the people closest to you in your life. There is a note from Maimonidies, “Be humble – not only in the presence of your superiors.” He’s a 12th century philosopher from Egypt. Very cool guy, still a big name in Judaism.
Also a note from the Talmud about this quote – “As water flows from the high ground and settles in the low, so are the words of Torah only alive in the humble.” Being humble about, as you said, the limits of our knowledge, of God and God’s power, is what allows what knowledge we do have to come alive. And the good wages are the good things in the world to come, so that is very much in keeping with the kingdom of heaven.
Avot 5:20 Judah ben Tema would say:
“The brazen go to Gehenna,
the modest, to the Garden of Eden.”
Well, that’s straightforward. Be a brazen, self-righteous know-it-all and go to Hell, be humble and modest and go to Heaven. Judah ben Tema was one of the Rabbis active after 135 CE and the distruction of the state of Israel from the bar Kochba war against Rome. Being modest and humble, poor in spirit, would have been just trying to rebuild and survive rather then continue the brazen, arrogent attitudes that challenged Rome and lost.
Regarding being too arrogant to go to heaven, “The Holy One says of one who is arrogant, ‘There is not room enough in the world for both of us.’” Talmud, general quote.
And finally, Avot 4:4 from Rabbi Levitas of Yavneh (that’s the acadamy Jochanan ben Zakkai founded after the fall of Jerusalem)
“Be very, very humble, for the hope of human kind is the worm.” That’s kind of the opposite of being humble for the kingdom of heaven, because no matter what you do, you are still going to end up dead.
“”My name is OZYMANDIAS, King of Kings.”
Look on my works ye Mighty, and despair!
No thing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
Hilary
Very interesting! And a great idea, finding the parallels.
Interesting note on the word “humility” — our priest has a number of times reminded us that humility does not mean shame or thinking you’re such an awful awful failure and wretch, but means recognizing reality — including the reality of our flaws and failures and sins.
It’s an interesting difference to contemplate — to what extent is it possible to really recognize the reality of sin or failure, without feeling shame? Or how much shame is “enough” or “too much.” Having confidence in God’s forgiveness and redemption seems key — we don’t have to grovel for it, earn it, beg for it — nor can we be presumptuous and take it for granted.
I didn’t get to this last night, but I thought of another way seeing ‘poor in spirit’ as humility works. Be humble in your judgement of other people, because ultimately we don’t know how God is going to judge them, in the world to come, in the kingdom of heaven. We are not God’s equal in power, knowledge and especially judgement and should keep this in mind when dealing with someone we don’t like, doesn’t agree with us, or believes very different things then we do.
Acting with arrogence and assumptions when dealing with people has a good record of epic fail. It does not bring peace, shalom, or help realize the kingdom of heaven. But when we act with humility to recognize what we don’t know, take that into acount, and use it as motivation to ask, listen, and learn, that does work better to bring peace amoung people. As a Jew redemption is as much about this world as the next, and humility, combind with patience and compassion can help to bring the kingdom of heaven to this world and our lives.
So, now I really like this verse.
I hope you’re ok with the fact that I’m comparing Jesus’s teachings to our records of the Pharisees ethics. They are so typecast as Jesus’s worst enemies, I want to see how a comparison of ethics really stands up. I know there is no way to have a 100% perfectly historically accurate comparison, but this is as close as I can get it.
I’ll admit, this is something I’ve been worried about for a while. I know asking you to see the Pharisees in a positive or even neutral light is going against every religious fiber and nerve in your body. I lurk around several Christian blogs, and on both liberal and conservative blogs Pharisees are always the most negative example of what not to be, of the ultimate in hypocracy, legalism, and dry literalism that places the letter of the law above any compassion or ethics. Sometimes it’s the only thing I see liberal and conservative Christian blogs agree on.
Even in the Talmud and Pirke, there are records of critisim, decrying hypocracy and literalism. But that is an internal self criticism along side so much more wisdom and compassion.
Please let me know if this is a problem for you, because I think comparing the two sources can enrich our understanding of them both. Even on this one verse I see that happening.
Hilary
Yes, I agree, about judgment of others as well as judgment of self.
And no, I have no problem with the Pharisees. N. T. Wright and others of his ilk have pointed out that the Gospel record is / may not be entirely accurate in its portrayal of that group. Surprising that you’ve found liberal Christian blogs that still portray them so negatively.
My problem is more about what to do with this information about my sacred text, and not so much about hearing other perspectives on the Pharisees.
You have no idea how much better I feel about this, knowing that. I just emailed you, if you’d check it out.
Marcy
Hope you had a good Palm Sunday. Here’s the next in the J101 series, Torah and holy texts.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2013/03/judaism-101-the-torah-and-other-sources-of-holiness.html
I think you’ll like this – different definitions of Torah, my take on our prayerbooks as sacred inspirations, and a comprehensive set of links and descriptions for non-Orthodox Judaism, plus links to music. I don’t think there is going to be a lot of talk on the discussion threads, though.
I’ve got my mom’s Passover seder tonight – then I’m blocking some time for Matthew. I’ve been so focused on answering questions for the J101 project that I need a break, and Matthew’s a good contrast.
Take care!
Hilary
A blessed Passover to you and yours.
Our Palm Sunday was funny — we left in-laws’ house early in the morning to beat the snow storm, and managed to get to our town and to church about a half hour into the service. We missed the procession with palms and some other things, but it was still good to be there.
Thanks for the link — interesting conversation.
And here’s something I came across today: http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2013/03/the-middle.html
I liked that story from the VWM. Passover is very a much an in the middle type story. We start in slavery, end in freedom, but in the middle of nowhere. The other half of the story, getting the Torah, isn’t until Shavout 50 days later. And the conclusion, finding a home in the Promised Land has no celebration at all. It’s funny, how much we take Israel as a name, how much it means to us, how tightly we’ve held to the idea of Israel as a home for centuries of exile, and yet there is no holiday marking the occasion of conquering Canaan and creating Israel. I think it’s because Judaism developed in diaspora so celebrating “We kicked Canaan’s ass to the sea and conquered” was a bad idea. That’s what happened to Hanukah after all.
I had a good time at my family’s seder. But one thing that I realized is that I want both a more traditional liturgy, and a more radical English commentary. I would like to say more of the prayers in Hebrew. I understand saying most of them in English because most of the people at the seder aren’t Jewish or don’t know Hebrew. But on the one hand I would like more of the traditinal prayers, customs, and songs. On the other hand, I’m having less and less patience for completely glossing over the consequences of God redeeming us from Egypt and taking us to the land of our ancestors – never mind the fact that other people already lived there.
I’ve never given any thought to how the Canaanite conquest bothered people who read those stories. I mean, it’s tribal conquest from 3,000 years ago, we haven’t done it much since. I started trying to research it, and stopped when it was one thing too many. But the modern consequences of the nation of Israel today are high and a lot more complicated and I wish that was in some small way included in the seder. I think when Penny and I start our own family seder traditions I’m going to shop around for a haggadah I like better, or just make my own.
Anyway, take care
Hilary
Reminds me of the Emerging / Emergent church movement — they are interested in a lot of the old traditional things like incense and bells and the early prayers and rituals, and they are very modern and fairly liberal in their doctrines, particularly about social justice and such.
I’ve similarly enjoyed the “high church” style of the Episcopal church we go to now, and the more liberal but still faithful teaching.
Interesting point about no holiday celebrating coming to the Promised Land. I wonder if that’s actually meaningful — meaning that the true Promised Land is about more than a region on the earth.
I think, regarding no holiday for conquering the promised land, is that it was just too dangerous. The last war fought on Israel’s behalf ended in total disaster, and the Rabbis who were developing diaspora Judaism for long-term survival couldn’t afford to risk a nationalistic holiday that could be used for emotional manipulation as a rallying point for another war. Look at how much propaganda and manipulation is used for uncritical support of modern Israel now – I think they made the right choice.
I hope you had a good Easter. I’d a good Passover but I’m glad it’s done, and I can have pasta and bread again. The next holiday is Shavuot in 50 days, when you have Pentecaust. Have I ever explained our solar/lunar calender to you? I can’t remember. Anyway, I’m going to try and look at the next beatitude verse and see what I can find out about it.
Take care
Hilary
That makes sense… I guess I was thinking a date closer to the events for the OT texts that establish the holidays.
Easter was lovely for the most part — love the Holy Week services. Easter day itself had a few hiccups but was still mostly good.