Julie
I think it’s obvious that we’re going to be looking at the words of Jesus in this series. But it’s important to remember the actions of Jesus as well. And we’ve got to put the two together to get a fuller picture of the practical outliving of his teachings. So we’re going to spend a lot of time talking about his words, but we have to remember that we’ve got examples of his actual behaviour, his interaction with people, many of whom would have been judged unclean in the eyes of the law, et cetera. So there’s always the actions of Jesus as well as his words.
Craig
Brilliant. Yes, it is essential that we link the two.
Simon
That’s a really, really good point because obviously, ultimately, he gets arrested. You’d be tempted to say this is all very well and good, Jesus, but show me this teaching lived out. And that’s something we can come back to, whether or not we think he lives by his own ethical values.
Craig
Yes, absolutely. And that provides a template for us who live in a very different context, because there’s no point in just hearing the words and not doing them, as Jesus himself once said.
Julie
And that’s how rabbis taught people, isn’t it? People followed them and travelled with them and journeyed with them. So they saw, they copied their example.
Roy
It’s not just about the words that were taught but the life that was led. Jesus taught, yes, but he imparted a way of life to his followers.
Julie
Yes, it’s not just hearing the words.
Roy
The Beatitudes are an invitation into a way of life. They aren’t a creed or a doctrinal statement.
Craig
Okay, before we dig into the sayings, let’s be frank. The reason we’ve entitled this series as we have is because on the few occasions I’ve heard the Beatitudes referred to in our wider culture over the last 12 months, it’s been because a certain brand of right-wingers who identify themselves as Christians have taken it upon themselves to denounce Jesus’ teaching as weak and ineffective. So we are being told that these teachings are irrelevant in a world in which might is now right. And, if I’m honest, a plain reading of Jesus’ words can appear to represent an impossible moral ideal. Might it drive us to despair if we tried to live like that? Putting it bluntly once again, does the sermon promote unrealistic perfectionism? Might it be meant only for an elite group, such as monks who live in a cloister? Is Jesus promoting a gentle Christian ethic which is far too naive in a world of bullies, elites, and modern weapon systems? Those are the kind of questions which will be in the background as we begin to discuss the actual beatitudes themselves.
Simon
I think what you’ve just said, Craig, might easily be taken as hyperbolic and an overstatement. Very few people will come out directly and say, “I don’t believe in the teachings of Jesus. I think they are nonsense”. I recall one pretty well-known example which demonstrates that this really is happening.
Russell Moore was the head of ethics for the Southern Baptist Convention and was effectively pushed out for opposing Donald Trump. He gave an interview a few years ago with the National Public Radio in the States. He said in that interview that multiple pastors had told him they would quote the Sermon on the Mount, specifically the part that says to turn the other cheek when preaching. Someone would come up after the service and ask, where did you get those liberal talking points? What was alarming to him is in that in most of these scenarios when the pastor would say, “I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ”, the response would not be to apologise. The response would be, “yes, but that doesn’t work any more. That’s weak”.
Moore said, “when we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, we’re in a crisis”. (https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192663920/southern-baptist-convention-donald-trump-christianity)
Helen
I’m fascinated by the idea that the Beatitudes and the explanation that follows it in the Sermon on the Mount could be viewed as weak or naive. In the example of Moore that Simon has just given, critics consider the idea of ’turning the other cheek’ to be weak. This speaks to me of poor understanding since I think these sayings, and the specific example of turning the other cheek, were Jesus encouraging a subversive act which forced the aggressor to hit the victim as an equal, thus disrupting the power dynamic between them. And this is what the Beatitudes mean to me; Jesus encouraging non-violent, subversive beliefs and actions which show that those without power are those most valued and needed in the Kingdom.
This reminds me of the real hero in Lord of the Rings; Samwise, the ‘ordinary’ hobbit – humble, home loving, loyal and emotionally intelligent. He shows us that even the most insignificant person can have a huge impact on the world. Tolkien called Samwise ’The Chief Hero’ even though he has none of the strength, power or wealth of the other heroes.
