Caples, 2.20.19

The of ​ – “Blessed​ are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” (:7) and “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). General thoughts about the Beatitudes:

● In order to understand the thrust of the beatitudes, you must look at them collectively as one blessing. ● Each beatitude builds on the previous ones. ● Jesus has set high standards for individuals to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. ● Jesus does not bless everyone.

Part 1: ​ “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7):

Understanding Mercy​:

Mercy is sometimes described as not doing something.​ That is, not giving others what they deserve. There is some truth to this understanding, but it is not a complete definition. It is not merely refusing to bring judgment on those deserving of judgment.

The word “​ mercy”​ is used in the of Matthew to refer to showing compassion, pity, and favor toward the suffering and needy (:27; 15:22; 17:15; 18:33; 20:30).

The parable of the Good Samaritan () provides a good picture of the biblical meaning of mercy. After describing the scenario Jesus then asks Jesus then asks, ​“Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (Luke 10:36) The lawyer responded, “​ The one who showed him mercy”​ (Luke 10:37). Here we see that mercy is showing compassion, pity, and favor.

Mercy is not just a detached feeling or a sentiment that does nothing. Mercy is a feeling that causes the individual to act. Mercy is genuine compassion expressed by offering real help and sometimes even selfless sacrifice. The people in God’s kingdom are those who are givers of mercy. Mercy is something that is shown, not merely felt. Later in Matthew, Jesus will call mercy one of the weightier matters of the law (:23).

The Mercy of God​:

We see Jesus showing mercy on many occasions. He looked on people and was moved with pity and compassion (Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32). Jesus showed compassion on the sinful woman caught in adultery. Jesus always showed compassion and love toward the people. This is what attracts us to Jesus! He truly cared for people. He had a legitimate concern for their needs and difficulties. Even while hanging on the cross, with nails driven through his outstretched hands, we see the mercy of Jesus. “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (:34).

Mercy and Forgiveness​:

There is a distinction between mercy and forgiveness. The mercy of our Lord is the basis for his desire to forgive us. “​ …he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior…” (Titus 3:5–6 ESV). ​Mercy was the basis upon which forgiveness was extended. God’s forgiveness of our sins flow from his abundant mercy.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (Ephesians 2:4–6 ESV)

We must be merciful because this is the very character of God. Jesus declared, ​“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (:36).​

The Challenge of Mercy​:

● It makes us vulnerable ● We may be hurt by what people do to us ● Mercy is not earned—but it is something we must show ● Mercy and grace do not allow us to sin even more ● It is what God wants from us -- “​And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8 NIV). ● God only shows mercy to the merciful. F​ or judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13 ESV).

Part 2: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8): The Heart​: In our culture when we speak of the heart, we are either using the heart in terms of emotions or our will and desire. Biblical writers only referred to our will, our desire, and our mind. The heart was the sum of the inner person with all its many aspects. To say this another way, the heart was the control center of the body. For we have great joy and consolation in your love, b​ ecause the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. (Philemon 7 NKJV)

When the scriptures tell us to l​ ove the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (cf. :37)​ , these four things are indistinguishable to the ancients. There is not a division that we might be tempted to make as if these​ are four separate​ things. The statement is emphatic to refer to the whole of our very being.

Purity of Heart​: When Jesus says that those who belong to his kingdom are those who are pure in heart, He is not asking for people to be emotional or act from the heart. Rather, Jesus is declaring that his people have purity of mind, purity of will, and purity of desire. There are two aspects in the scriptures that picture what it means to be pure in heart: sincerity and cleanliness.

● To be pure in heart m​ eans that we are ​sincere ​ and not double-minded.​ We will have unmixed motives as the basis for all that we do. James spoke directly to this problem. Y​ ou adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4 ESV)

Then James gives the solution to this problem a few sentences later. S​ ubmit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and ​purify your hearts,​ you double-minded. (James 4:7–8 ESV)​. Purity of heart means that those who belong to his kingdom are only focused on Him. They are not focused on the other cares and concerns of life. They do not try to serve two masters.

● To be pure in heart also means that we are ​clean and holy in our desire, will, and mind.​ This is the natural outcome of having a sincere heart that is focused on Jesus. The mind, the will, and the desires are transformed from impurity to purity and righteousness. We see this idea in many places in the scriptures also.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” ( 17:9–10 ESV)

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. (:18–19 ESV) Maintaining a pure heart is critical if we are going to hunger and thirst for righteousness.​ Righteousness cannot come from an impure heart. We have sick hearts that require transformation. God is the cause of the transformation, according to the scriptures.

Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? (Proverbs 20:9 ESV)

Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:7–9 ESV)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 ESV)

For they Shall See God:

What a reward! ​ This is ​the highest possible blessing there is: to see God. S​ eeing God is the culmination of all our hungering and thirsting. Purity of heart is the indispensable prerequisite for fellowship with God. Only the transformed heart will be able to see God. ​The writer of Hebrews said that without holiness no one will see the Lord (:14).​ I don’t know what greater motivation could be given to us. ​Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God!