“AND JESUS went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. His fame went throughout all Syria,” which was north of Galilee. “And they brought unto Him all sick people..., and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.
“And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from bond Jordan.” vv. 23-25. Verse 23 is a summing up of the whole of the general ministry of the Lord. It is not a question of time here. What is described in these few verses must have covered a considerable space.
We now come to what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount, in chapters 5-7. In this discourse the Lord shows what should characterize the kingdom in its principles, as well as the operations of faith in those who should enter into it.
Chapter 5:1-12. In this section we have the character of those who are to enter into the kingdom and the blessedness of their portion.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit... they that mourn... the meek... they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness... the merciful... the pure in heart... the peacemakers...” How different the things mentioned here to that which characterized Israel, and man generally, whom He had to denounce as proud in heart and in spirit!
Those things mentioned here were those things which characterized the Lord Jesus Christ in His pathway through this world. Who mourned as he, and who hungered and thirsted after righteousness as He did? He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53). These things should characterize the children of the kingdom, those who are “born again.” It is impossible for the natural man to carry them out as they are given here.
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake..
Blessed are ye, when men shall rile you, and persecute you... for My sake.” There are two kinds of persecutions mentioned here, first, that which comes from attempting to live according to the righteous principles of Christ’s kingdom. Then there is that which springs from being a disciple of Jesus, and from following a rejected Master. But in either case they were to rejoice for great was their reward in heaven. The prophets of old who had sought to go on for the Lord had suffered persecutions.
Then we have the position of those who are to enter the kingdom of heaven in a state of things so adverse to it— amidst persecution, corruption and darkness. vv. 13-16. “Ye are the salt of the earth.... Ye are the light of the world.... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” There must be a moral aspect of the kingdom before it could be set up in power. The leaders of that time did not see the necessity of this and so they have not received the blessing of the kingdom.
ML-02/25/1962