The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Not the poor in purse, or who are so with respect to things temporal: for though God has chosen and called many, who are in such a condition of life, yet not all; the kingdom of heaven can’t be said to belong to them all, or only; but such as are poor in a spiritual sense.
All mankind are spiritually poor; they have nothing to eat that is fit and proper; nor any clothes to wear, but rags; nor are they able to purchase either; they have no money to buy with; they are in debt, owe ten thousand talents, and have nothing to pay; and in such a condition, that they are not able to help themselves.
The greater part of mankind are insensible of this their condition; but think themselves rich, and increased with goods: there are some who are sensible of it, who see their poverty and want, freely acknowledge it, bewail it, and mourn over it; are humbled for it, and are broken under a sense of it; entertain low and mean thoughts of themselves; seek after the true riches, both or grace and glory; and frankly acknowledge, that all they have, or hope to have, is owing to the free grace of God.
Now these are the persons intended in this place; who are not only poor, but are poor in spirit; in their own spirits, in their own sense, apprehension, and judgment: and may even be called beggars, as the word may be rendered; for being sensible of their poverty, they place themselves at the door of mercy, and knock there; their language is, God be merciful; their posture is standing, watching, and waiting, at wisdom’s gates, and at the posts of her door; they are importunate, will have no denial, yet receive the least favour with thankfulness.
Now these are pronounced blessed, for this reason, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; not only the Gospel, and the ministration of it, which belongs to them. The poor have the Gospel preached: it not only reaches their ears, but their hearts; it enters into them, is applied unto them, they receive and embrace it with the utmost joy and gladness; but eternal glory, this is prepared for them, and given to them; they are born heirs of it, have a right unto it, are making meet for it, and shall enjoy it.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 36–37). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. For sin, for their own sins; the sin of their nature, in-dwelling sin, which is always working in them, and is a continual grief of mind to them; the unbelief of their hearts, notwithstanding the many instances, declarations, promises, and discoveries of grace made unto them; their daily infirmities, and many sins of life, because they are committed against a God of love, grace, and mercy, grieve the spirit, and dishonor the Gospel of Christ: who mourn also for the sins of others, for the sins of the world, the profaneness and wickedness that abound in it; and more especially for the sins of professors, by reason of which, the name of God, and ways of Christ, are evil spoken of.
Who likewise mourn under afflictions, spiritual ones, temptations, desertions, and declensions; temporal ones, their own, which they receive, either more immediately from the hand of God, or from men; such as they endure for the sake of Christ, and the profession of his Gospel; and who sympathize with others in their afflictions.
These, how sorrowful and distressed soever they may appear, are blessed for they shall be comforted: here, in this life, by the God of all comfort, by Christ the comforter; by the spirit of God, whose work and office it is to comfort; by the Scriptures of truth, which are written for their consolation; by the promises of the Gospel, through which the heirs of promise have strong consolation; by the ordinances of it, which are breasts of consolation; and by the ministers of the word, who have a commission from the Lord to speak comfortably to them; and then are they comforted, when they have the discoveries of the love of God, manifestations of pardoning grace, through the blood of Christ, and enjoy the divine presence.
And they shall be comforted hereafter; when freed from all the troubles of this life, they shall be blessed with uninterrupted communion with Father, Son, and Spirit, and with the happy society of angels and glorified saints. Isa. 61:1, 2, 3 seems to be referred to, both in this, and in the preceding verse.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Who are not easily provoked to anger; who patiently bear, and put up with injuries and affronts; carry themselves courteously, and affably to all; have the meanest thoughts of themselves, and the best of others; don’t envy the gifts and graces of other men; are willing to be instructed and admonished, by the meanest of the saints: quietly submit to the will of God, in adverse dispensations of providence; and ascribe all they have, and are, to the grace of God. Meekness, or humility, is very valuable and commendable.
The Jews in Jesus' day, though a proud, haughty, and wrathful people, cannot, but speak in its [meekness] praise: “Wisdom, fear, and meekness, say they, are of high esteem; but ענוה, meekness, is greater than them all.” They had two very considerable doctors in the time of Christ, Hillell and Shammai; the one was of a meek, the other of an angry disposition: hence, say they, “Let a man be always meek as Hillell, and let him not be angry as Shammai.”
Here meekness is to be considered, not as a moral virtue, but as a Christian grace, a fruit of the spirit of God; which was eminently in Christ, and is very ornamental to believers; and of great advantage and use to them, in hearing and receiving the word; in giving an account of the reason of the hope that is in them; in instructing and restoring such, who have backslidden, either in principle or practice; and in the whole of their lives and conversations; and serves greatly to recommend religion to others: such who are possessed of it, and exercise it, are well pleasing to God.
When disconsolate, he comforts them; when hungry, he satisfies them; when they want direction, he gives it to them; when wronged, he’ll do them right; he gives them more grace here, and glory hereafter.
The blessing instanced, in which they shall partake of, is, they shall inherit the earth; not the land of Canaan, though that may be alluded to; nor this world, at least in its present situation; for this is not the saints’ rest and inheritance: but rather, the new earth, which will be after this is burnt up; in which only such persons as are here described shall dwell; and who shall inherit it, by virtue of their being heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; whose is the earth, and the fulness thereof.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Not after the riches, honors, and pleasures of this world, but after righteousness; by which is meant, not justice and equity, as persons oppressed and injured; nor a moral, legal righteousness, which the generality of the Jewish nation were eagerly pursuing; but the justifying righteousness of Christ, which is imputed by God the father, and received by faith.
To hunger and thirst after this, supposes a want of righteousness, which is the case of all men; a sense of want of it, which is only perceived by persons spiritually enlightened; a discovery of the righteousness of Christ to them, which is made in the Gospel, and by the spirit of God; a value for it, and a preference of it to all other righteousness; and an earnest desire after it, to be possessed of it, and found in it; and that nothing can be more grateful than that, because of its perfection, purity, suitableness, and use.
Happy souls are these, for they shall be filled: with that righteousness, and with all other good things, in consequence of it; and particularly with joy and peace, which are the certain effects of it: or, they shall be satisfied, that they have an interest in it; and so satisfied with it, that they shall never seek for any other righteousness, as a justifying one, in the sight of God; this being full, perfect, sufficient, and entirely complete.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Who shew mercy to the bodies of men, to those that are poor, indigent, and miserable, in their outward circumstances; by both sympathizing with them, and distributing unto them; not only making use of expressions of pity and concern; but communicating with readiness and cheerfulness, with affection and tenderness, and with a view to the glory of God: who also shew mercy to the souls of men, by instructing such as are ignorant, giving them good counsel and advice: reproving them for sin, praying for them, forgiving injuries done by them, and by comforting those that are cast down.
To shew mercy is very delightful to, and desirable by God; it is what he requires, and is one of the weightier matters of the law; it is very ornamental to a child of God, and what makes him more like to his heavenly father. The happiness of such persons is this, that they shall obtain mercy: from man, whenever they are attended with any uncomfortable circumstances of life; כל מדחﬦ מרחמין עליו, whoever is merciful, men shew mercy to him: and from God, through Christ; which is free, sovereign, abundant, and eternal.
Men are said to obtain this, when they are regenerated, and called by grace; and when they have a discovery, and an application, of the forgiveness of their sins: but here, it seems to design those supplies of grace and mercy, which merciful persons may expect to find and obtain, at the throne of grace, to help them in time of need; and who shall not only obtain mercy of God in this life, but in the world to come, in the great day of the Lord; for which the Apostle prayed for Onesiphorus, 2 Tim. 1:18, The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Not in the head; for men may have pure notions and impure hearts; not in the hand, or action, or in outward conversation only; so the Pharisees were outwardly righteous before men, but inwardly full of impurity; but in heart.
The heart of man is naturally unclean; nor is it in the power of man to make it clean, or to be pure from his sin; nor is any man in this life, in such sense, so pure in heart, as to be entirely free from sin.
This is only true of Christ, angels, and glorified saints: but such may he said to be so, who, though they have sin dwelling in them, are justified from all sin, by the righteousness of Christ, and are clean through the word, or sentence of justification pronounced upon them, on the account of that righteousness; whose iniquities are all of their forgiven, and whose hearts are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, which cleanses from all sin; and who have the grace of God wrought in their hearts, which, though as yet imperfect, it is entirely pure; there is not the least spot or stain of sin in it: and such souls as they are in love with, so they most earnestly desire after more purity of heart, lip, life, and conversation.
And happy they are, for they shall see God; in this life, enjoying communion with him, both in private and public, in the several duties of religion, in the house and ordinances of God; where they often behold his beauty, see his power and his glory, and taste, and know, that he is good and gracious: and in the other world, where they shall see God in Christ, with the eyes of their understanding; and God incarnate, with the eyes of their bodies, after the resurrection; which sight of Christ, and God in Christ, will be unspeakably glorious, desirable, delightful, and satisfying; it will be free from all darkness and error, and from all interruption; it will be an appropriating and transforming one, and will last forever.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Not between God and man, for no man can make his own peace with God; nor can any mere creature, angels, or men, make it for him; Christ, in this sense, is the only peace-maker: but between men and men; and such are they, who are of peaceable dispositions themselves; live peaceably with all men, and with one another, as their relation obliges to, and their mutual comfort requires; and with the men of the world; and who are ready, willing, and very serviceable, in composing differences, and making peace between their fellow-creatures and fellow-Christians.
The Jews spoke very highly, and much, in the commendation of peace-making; they reckon this among the things which shall be of use to a man, both in this, and the other world. “These are the things, (say they) the fruit of which a man enjoys in this world, and his lot or portion remains for him in the world to come; honoring father and mother, liberality, והבאת שלוﬦ בין אדﬦ לחבירו, and making peace between a “man and his neighbour.” This, they say, Aaron was much disposed to. “Moses used to say, let justice break through the mountain; but Aaron loved peace, and pursued it, and made peace between a man and his neighbour, as is said, Mal. 2:6.” Hence that saying of Hillell, “be thou one of the disciples of Aaron, who loved peace, and followed after it; he loved men, and brought them to the law.”
Now of such persons it is said, that they shall be called the children of God; that is, they are the children of God by adopting grace, which is made manifest in their regeneration; and that is evidenced by the fruits of it, of which this is one; they not only shall be, and more manifestly appear to be, the sons of God hereafter; but they are, and are known to be so now, by their peaceable disposition, which is wrought in them by the spirit of God; whereby they become like to the God of peace, and to Christ, the great and only peace-maker, and so are truly sons of peace.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:10
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Not for any crimes they have, done, for unrighteousness and iniquity, as murderers, thieves, and evil doers, but for righteousness sake; on account of their righteous and godly conversation, which brings upon them the hatred and enmity of the men of the world.
Saints, by living righteously, separate themselves from them, and profess themselves not to belong to them; their religious life sets a brand upon, and distinguishes other persons; yea, it reproves and condemns their wicked lives and practices; and this fills them with wrath against them, and puts them on persecuting them.
Or by righteousness may be meant, a righteous cause, the cause of Christ and his Gospel; for by making a profession of Christ, shewing a concern for his interest, and by engaging in a vindication of his person and truths, saints expose themselves to the rage and persecution of men: and particularly, they are persecuted for preaching, maintaining, or embracing, the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ; because it is not of man, nor agreeable to the carnal reason of man; it is opposite to the way of justification, which men naturally receive; it excludes boasting, and is contrary to their carnal and selfish principles.
Persecution is either verbal with the tongue, by cruel mockings and reproachful language; or real, by deeds, such as confiscation of goods, banishment, imprisonment of body, and innumerable sorts of death: the latter seems here more especially designed, and both are expressed in the following verse; and yet the saints, though thus used, or rather abused, are happy; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: the same blessedness is predicated of these as of the poor in spirit, ver. 3.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.
The Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:11-12
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
These words are particularly directed to the disciples of Christ, and are designed to inform them, that they should not be exempted from reproach and persecution, and to animate and fortify them against it; and are prophetical of what they, and the first Christians particularly, were to endure for Christ’s sake.
Men should revile them, speak very reproachfully of them, brand them with infamy, and load them with disgrace; and persecute you from place to place, by ill usage of all sorts; and shall say all manner of evil against you: the worst things they could think of and invent, and all of them; such as that they were seditious persons, enemies to the commonwealth, and the public good, guilty of sacrilege, incest, and murder.
But what would serve to relieve them under these heavy charges is, that they were falsely laid; there was not a word of truth in them; wherefore their own hearts would not reproach them; but all were the malicious lies of men, invented on purpose to bring them and Christianity into disgrace: and that they were brought against them for Christ’s sake, for his name’s sake, for the sake of his Gospel and interest: the treatment they meet with is on his account, and the same that he himself met with; the like reproaches fell on him, which will be all wiped off from him and them another day; when they’ll appear to be the blessed persons, and their revilers and persecutors the unhappy ones.
Ver. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, &c.] Because of the honour put upon them, the glory they bring to Christ and his cause, by cheerfully suffering for it; and because of the glory and happiness that shall follow upon their sufferings: for great is your reward in heaven; not of debt, but of grace; for there is no proportion or comparison between what the saints suffer for Christ, and the glory that shall be revealed in them by him; not in earth, but in heaven.
Saints must not expect their reward here, but hereafter, when God himself will be their reward; he will be all in all; Christ and all his glory, glory and all the riches of it will be the reward of the inheritance, and which must needs be a great one.
And the more to animate them to suffer with joyfulness, and to support them under all their reproaches and persecutions, ’tis added; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you; as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, and others; which shews, that what should befall them was no new and strange thing, but what had been the lot of the most eminent servants of God in former ages.
Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 37–39). Mathews and Leigh.