Zephaniah prophesied in Jerusalem during a time when many in that city were faithless and corrupt. Most of the book of the prophet Zephaniah is about the terrible Day (“The Day of the Lord”) when the Lord will wreak vengeance upon idolaters and the unfaithful. But this passage describes a “remnant,” a humble and just minority, who will receive, not vengeance, but security. Both Jesus and Zephaniah address this remnant, or “moral minority.” They want their listeners not to choose the path of arrogance, not even to pine for power, but to “seek justice … seek humility, do no wrong, speak no lies (Zephaniah), and to “thirst for righteousness, be merciful, be peace-makers” (Jesus).

Two things about the situation in Corinth made it necessary for Paul to remind the Christians there of their humble station and of his own humble apostolic status: 1) Corinth was a Greek metropolis with philosophers placing a high premium on knowledge and sophistication; and 2) the Christians there enjoyed an abundance of what are called charisms, or spiritual gifts including some extraordinary powers like healing, prophecy, and speaking in tongues. Paul advised these Christians to use their gifts and heaven-sent blessings for the good of the community, not just for their own aggrandizement, and he reminded them of the contrast between Christ’s values and the world’s values.

Bombshells: In both Matthew and Luke, the Beatitudes are a “series of bombshells” or “flashes of lightning followed by thunder of surprise and shock” because Jesus reverses our “natural” assumption that happiness lies in riches, power, pleasure, and comfort.  We believe in personal pride; Jesus blesses poverty of spirit.  We seek pleasure; Jesus blesses those who mourn.  We see the prosperity of aggressive people; Jesus blesses the meek.  We love good food and drink; Jesus blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  He challenges his listeners to find fulfillment of their needs in God, in their particular socio-economic context.  The peasants, the farm workers, and the artisans of the villages in Palestine were the oppressed class.  The majority of them had no political power or rights.  In contrast to them were the rich and powerful, who owned most of the land, collaborated with the hated Romans, controlled the Temple cult, and interpreted the laws of God.  Jesus addresses this situation in his Beatitudes.

Christ is the center of the beatitudes: Each beatitude looks at the Christian life from a different perspective. Matthew’s first beatitude with its “the poor in spirit” ( 5:3 ) is the best known and perhaps the most difficult to interpret. Matthew’s “in spirit” indicates that these “poor” make no claim on God. Matthew’s eight beatitudes expand on the first. The mourners will experience God’s comfort (v. 4). The meek demonstrate a Christ-like attitude that demands nothing for itself. Thus the meek with Jesus shall inherit the earth (v. 5). Those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (v. 6) desire God’s saving righteousness in Christ. The mercy Christians show to others (v. 7) must be that of Christ, who showed mercy to his tormentors ( Luke 23:34 ). In the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer Christians pray that God will forgive them, just as they forgive others ( Matt 6:12 ). “Seeing God” is reserved to Christ ( John 1:18 ), but now the pure in heart will see God with him (v. 8). The Gospels reserve the phrase “Son of God” to Jesus alone, but the peace-makers show themselves to be reconciled to God, and all people are now entitled to a like honor in being called the sons of God (v. 9). The eighth beatitude follows the first with its promise of the kingdom of heaven, Christ’s pledge that they will participate in his suffering and glory.