“And He Opened His Mouth and Taught Them.”
By C. Green
THESE are the words of the inspired penman, as he would show how our Lord began his first discourse to the people, who were so eager to learn his doctrine. All classes of hearers were present, and all listened to the words of life, and were taught their duty to God and their fellow-men. And not for these only were his words of wisdom spoken, but after generations, for all coming time, may learn from this great sermon the way to eternal life; and happy is he who hears and obeys. Our Lord commenced his address with blessings; not indiscriminately pronounced upon all, but upon those who are awakened to a sense of their true condition, as well as to the fact that they are lost and undone. These need just such consolation as he here gives: His first words are, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Here is brought to view a class who, by the Spirit of God and the word preached, begin to see themselves in the light in which Heaven has regarded them during their existence. A person truly awakened to a sense of his sins starts, as one from a sound sleep, to see the gulf beneath him, into which he is about to fall. No hand seems near to save. The proud spirit of his nature is broken. Destitute of any good, poor in every virtue, abounding in evil, which he now sees in its hatefulness, he seeks for pardon and relief from that Being he has so often offended. Such an one advances no claim to that for which he seeks, and for which he earnestly pleads. His prayer is not that of the self-righteous Pharisee, but his petition is one that66becomes the poor publican. He is poor in spirit, and feels his need of Heaven’s forgiveness and blessing. Does he obtain it? Is there not some consolation for him in his utter poverty of soul? Oh, yes. As the waters of the forest stream refresh the tired and hunted stag, our Saviour’s blessed promise, “For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,” refreshes the soul aching under its burden of guilt. “Blessed are they that mourn.” Who are the mourning ones? Those who have been brought to a knowledge of their poverty of spirit, and who realize that their past lives have been such as to cause them to mourn. Others may mourn, but none like those who realize the wrongs they have committed against a long-suffering Benefactor. Poor in spirit, and with a just sense of their sinfulness before God, they may realize his pardoning mercy, yet a sense of his goodness, mingled with the knowledge of their own offenses, produces the keenest anguish and a repentance not to be repented of. Who can thus mourn? To such, the words of our Saviour apply: “For they shall be comforted.” These two important conditions existing in the mind and heart, another is the result, namely, meekness. That person who truly knows himself is of a meek spirit. He realizes that there is a great deal more to learn than he knows; and, possessing meekness, he is ever ready to receive instruction; and he will seek aid and wisdom from a divine source. As this life is far too short to enable one to come to a just sense of God’s infinite love to his creatures, the blessing, added as an incentive to those aspiring after a better knowledge of God, to the meek seekers after truth, is, “For they shall inherit the earth.” Yes, “the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” The meek love peace, and “over there” their souls shall be satisfied with it. A knowledge of the soul’s poverty of the grace of God, while it produces mourning and causes meekness, will also create an insatiable hungering and thirsting after righteousness. How eager such are to gain that knowledge which will enable them to render their ways more acceptable to God, who has manifested such pardoning grace and mercy. The word of God is studied, that righteousness may be obtained, and how often have these hungry souls been filled with the bread that comes from Heaven. Such are happy indeed, and if they continue to thus exercise their minds—if they hunger and thirst after righteousness—they are assured that they shall be filled. Those who possess the grace of righteousness have in themselves the element of mercy. They understand what mercy has done for them. Having been forgiven, they have learned how to forgive. Having felt the need of mercy, and realized its effect upon their own hearts and consciences, they are prepared to manifest it toward others; and in the exercise of this beautiful grace, they are assured that “they shall obtain mercy.” “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Who has so succeeded in cleansing his ways as to render his heart pure in the sight of God? David prayed, “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” He also prayed for a clean heart. Our Saviour, understanding the steps to be taken by the unregenerate, first speaks of conviction of sin. The soul, stout in its rebellion, is suddenly stricken with a sense of its own weakness and poverty. Mourning, meekness, hungering after righteousness, and a merciful spirit, grow out of this conviction and conversion, and, as a consequence, right motives, proper thoughts, and good intentions fill the mind and heart. Thus by grace the heart becomes pure, and the blessed assurance to the pure in heart is that “they shall see God.” But why repeat further these beautiful declarations—these beatitudes—as they are rightly termed? The meek, the righteous, the merciful, and pure, love peace, and are desirous that all mankind should enjoy its blessings. Such are peace-makers, ever trying to produce harmony where discord and strife seek to rule the hearts and minds of men. Especially among brethren, where division and misunderstanding are doing their work of separation and destruction, we find these earnest souls striving to restore harmony and peace. Such are assured that they are the children of God. But how often are they misunderstood? The world, judging them by its own low standard of right-doing, is ready to ascribe to them wrong motives, and even cause the flames of persecution to kindle about them. Their own brethren may often be found misjudging them; but they are the favored ones of God, and amid revilings, persecutions, and evil speakings, they are exhorted, yea, commanded to rejoice. And why rejoice? Because of the blessings pronounced upon them, and the assurance that great is their reward in Heaven.