Look North

The Beatitudes – Dallas Willard style November 16, 2007

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) as from The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard (pp.100, 116-119)

 3        Blessed are the poor in spirit [“the spiritual zeroes- the spiritually bankrupt, deprived and deficient, the spiritual beggars, those without a wisp of ‘religion’”], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4        Blessed are those who mourn [“the weeping ones”], for they will be comforted.

5        Blessed are the meek [“the shy ones, the intimidated, the mild, the unassertive”], for they will inherit the earth.

6        Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [“who burn with desire for things to be made right . . . in themselves” or in others], for they will be filled.

7        Blessed are the merciful [those who are “taken advantage of”], for they will receive mercy.

8        Blessed are the pure in heart [those “for whom nothing is good enough, not even themselves”], for they will see God.

9        Blessed are the peacemakers [the ones “in the middle” where “neither side trusts you”], for they will be called children of God.

10    Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, [those who stand up “for what is right”], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11    Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account [you’ve “gone off” your “rocker and taken up with that Jesus”]. 

12    Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Our life group discussed this text last evening. We were all enthralled at the down to earth simplicity of Jesus’s teaching and astonished at how He opens the doors wide to the Kingdom of the Heavens just for us. Share a comment about how you used to view the Beatitudes and how you view them today.

Peace and joy.