January 29, 2023: Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes

This week we discuss the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12, which not only play a significant role introducing the Sermon on the Mount, but also they serve to fill out the meaning of the “blessings” of God’s kingdom. We also discuss the Reformers’ interpretation of the passage, especially Calvin’s perspective that the “blessedness” of the kingdom combines with the kingdom’s ethical demands. We come back to recognize that the message of grace in the kingdom is combined with the ethical demands that will be developed in the Sermon on the Mount, but the focus is on grace.