Living Like Yeshua, Part 5

 

In continuing with Yeshua's Sermon on the Mount, we're going to spice things up a bit. Rather than looking at one verse, we're going to hit three. Or at least start and see if we get that far.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Matthew 5:7-9, BSB

In the Roman Empire that ruled during Yeshua's lifetime. mercy was a sign of weakness. Even in the Greek Empire, it was not seen as a virtue. The respected virtues were strength and power, not kindness.

Yet Jewish and Christian cultures dared to be counter-culture. They pushed the view that mercy was an attribute of the divine. Indeed, a core attribute. For as the prophet Micah declared, "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8, BSB

But here, in His sermon, Yeshua takes things a step further, Not only is mercy an attribute of the Lord, but it is an attribute of His true disciples. He calls us to live with compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. Even towards our very enemies!

And in return, Yeshua says that those who live in this way will inevitably be shown mercy. Not necessarily by everybody. Some enemies are hard to reach. But mercy will come. And you will be blessed.

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But the next verse is perhaps a bit more fuzzy. the "pure in heart", what is that? 

Pure (Greek: katharos) of heart (Greek: kardia)

If kardia looks a bit like cardiac, you're absolutely correct. That's where we get the term. It literally means heart. But in ancient times, the heart was though to be more than just a physical organ. It was the center of your mental and emotional disposition. 

And katharos, in its most literal sense, is "without mixture", but can more broadly mean clean, pure, innocent, sincere, genuine, free of guilt

But what about seeing God? Won't everyone who goes to Heaven see God?

That isn't necessarily what is being said. Because "see" in this case is "opsontai", which has a broad definition, sometimes meaning a perception, a knowing, rather than a physical sight.

The movie 'Avatar', inspired by the European colonization of the Americas, as well as the oil wars in Iraq, is a great example of this idea. In this film, the Na'vi, a tall blue-skinned humanoid alien race is invaded by human colonists who want their lush planet's natural resources. The Na'vi are a deeply spiritual people with an innate connection to the nature around them. And one of the sayings of the culture, when two individuals really connect on a soul level, is "I see you". Not with their eyes, but rather they know each other. They understand each other's true self. There is a deeply intimate spirit connection.

And this is what is being expressed in Yeshua's sermon.

 So in other words, those who live mentally and emotionally sincere, those who genuinely desire to know Abba's heart, those who's thoughts and emotions are driven by innocent and guiltless intention, these are they who will intimately perceive and understand the true essence of Abba.

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And then there are the peacemakers who will be called sons of God.

Peacemakers are eirénopoios, which means "to make whole/harmonious"

In today's culture, even within the church, among believers to fellow believers, we seem to have fallen into a rabbit hole of thinking "if only they had common sense to see things the way I do, we would all get along"

But it gets a bit more complicated than that.

"And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth" ~2 Timothy 2:24-35 

 Now, if a fellow believer is scripturally in the wrong, reprove them with scripture. If a non-believer, then they don't believe in your God or your book in the first place, so it will do less good to explain your religion's rules. But you can still attempt to correct them by other means. The physical, the scientific, sometimes their own logic, can be turned against them. This does take being wise as serpents. 

But also gentle as doves. I've seen far too many people forget that part. It is no wonder politics are so polarizing...

Peacemakers are those who first build middle ground. They build rapport, connection, and trust with those they are trying to make peace with. And then gently and kindly use whatever means they will respect and listen to, not to tell them the rightness of your way, but to guide them to a point where they realize the error of their own way.

"...they will be called sons of God."

 In ancient times, you name was more than a sound that your mother made when she wanted you to come to her. Names were the embodiment of your identity. This is why Naomi, upon returning to Israel from Moab, told her relatives "do not call me Naomi (pleasant). Call me Mara (bitter)."

So peacemakers will bear the identity of sons of God.

But as we know from John 3:16, Yahweh has one begotten son, Yeshua. So peacemakers, then, will be recognized as bearing the identity, the likeness, of Yeshua.

That being said, no, Yeshua was not always a peacemaker. He did say "I have not come to bring peace to the world, but a sword."

Yet most of His life, He did bring peace, and to most people He interacted with. Those He withheld peace from were those whose hearts had hardened beyond peace. Those He knew could not be reached by any measure of kindness. We are not literally Yeshua. We can know someone by their fruits in the present, but we can not know what they will yet become. So be peacemakers.

 In conclusion, be kind and compassionate. See that your motives and desires are genuine, sincere, and free of impurity. And strive for harmonious wholeness.

This is the way.