We have had the announcement of the Kingdom in the and 4 chapters and for aught contained in them we might suppose that it was hailed with universal joy, and that there was a ready submission to Jesus and a heart-felt welcome from the nation at large. But passing on to the 5 chapter, we become immediately conscious of a change. The being born a Jew is no longer the ground on which He can be received into the Kingdom, (and this is evidently the ground in the previous chapters). He who knew what was in the heart of man, knew that the righteousness which was meet for the Kingdom was distasteful to man, and that both it and Himself, the King, would be rejected. Doubtless, even at this time, the Lord was discerning the appearance of that hatred which ended in rejection and death.
Hence it is, that in chapter 5 and the following chapters, the heirs are found in association with poverty and persecution, the objects of man’s malice. In a word, they are the rejected followers of a rejected Messiah. His rejection is the keynote of the sermon on the mount. And from this point the Kingdom enters upon a new phase, but which is not fully brought out till we come to the chapter 13. Here it is simply, that the King is rejected. But while this entails suffering upon the heirs, it also brings them into greater blessing and privileges. Prophecy foretold the greatness of the Kingdom; but it is only here that we have the increased blessing which ever accompanies suffering endured for the Lord’s sake. In short, it is not now, blessed are they who have power and dominion given unto them, and who are consequently in the high places of the earth (where they will be by-and-bye); but blessed are the meek, the poor in spirit (i.e., such a one as the world would despise), the mourners. Blessed are those hungering and thirsting after righteousness—a clear proof that righteousness, in this place of the Kingdom, does not exist, at least, is not a characteristic. The fact is, the King was going away, and suffering and oppression would be the lot of the heirs until He came again.
Perhaps it will not be unprofitable to dwell a little here.
And what a privilege is ours to know that not only were men inspired by the Holy Spirit to give us these gospels, but also that the order of the relation to the events by Matthew is inspired, and also the order of the relation in the other gospels. But from Mark we learn that this discourse was not all spoken at the same time (Mark always relates in the order of time). Matthew alone gives us in one consecutive discourse the new position of the heirs, morally. It is clear that when the saints possess the Kingdom (Dan. 7:22-2722Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:22‑27)) this sermon, as a whole will not apply. It supposes the King rejected and absent; that wicked men are triumphant and rule. Hence all in the world is antagonistic to the Kingdom. Hence the sufferings of the heirs. Hence, too, the Kingdom of the Heavens would suffer violence, and the violent would take it by force. This is not the grace that saves him that worketh not, it is the very contrast.
The blessedness here spoken of is that of the Kingdom; the Church does not appear. Of course the Church has it; but it has more. The privileges and duties of the Church are higher, and go beyond the Kingdom. And it is only the Kingdom in view here. Yet it is clearly intimated that the blessedness of those in the new position of the Kingdom was greater than it would have been, had there been no rejection. For here is brought out their relationship to God, who is called their Father in Heaven. God would act as a Father to them, and deal with them as with children. The Prophets spoke of God as Father; here in the Gospel, it is in a somewhat dearer way, for they would be children suffering for the sake of His only begotten Son. Still they could not say as we can now in the Church, that God is our Father, because He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” My Father and your Father.” There is no such link as this with the heirs (as such) of the Kingdom. Jesus speaks to them of God as “Their Father.” To the Church He says, “My Father and your Father.” We have the moral feature of the Kingdom. Hence it is called the Kingdom of God, for the qualities insisted upon are not peculiar to the circumstances of the Kingdom of Heaven. That is, righteousness and obedience took the form of meekness and long-suffering, because evil for the time was triumphing within the sphere of the Kingdom. The only way to the Kingdom of Heaven was to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Hypocrites are found in it, and false brethren; when it is established in power everything that offends will be taken away. They are nominally in the Kingdom—within its precincts—for the words, Kingdom of Heaven, always include the idea of space, while Kingdom of God does not.
But the grand feature which would characterize them in their conduct to the world, is the submission even to the blessing and praying for those who despitefully used them. The principle of the Kingdom, as far as they go, must assimilate with the future thing, soon to be brought out, namely, the Church.
(To be continued, Lord willing.)