Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Christian ...

Matthew V. 3, 295
has chosen the second person as more appropriate to a discourse
than the third, makes this contrast distinctly prominent (vi. 24-26)
hut as he ahridges the number of the beatitudes, it is not improba-
ble that he has expressly enunciated this contrast only for the sake
of greater plainness. The discourse would have been too long and
uniform, if there were a " woe" to answer to each of Matthew's sen-
tences. But the idea that Matthew's fuller record is an am2)lifica-
tion of our Lord's shorter discourse, is refuted by the peculiar nature
of the portions found in Matthew alone ; a supplementary amplifi-
cation of the fundamental thought would have been less profound
and original. Nor does Luke's abridged form omit any thing essen-
tial ; the first and last blessings he has preserved, and omitted
nothing but the rich amplification. In Matthew, the arrangement
of the separate sentences is such, that ver. 3 corresponds Avith ver.
10, where the words, "theirs is the kingdom of heaven," with which
the discourse commenced, recur. Consequently, there are only
seven beatitudes to be reckoned, for ver. 10-12 do not add any new
thought ; they merely form the transition to what follows, since
they characterize the relation which the children of God bear to the
world, the description of their subjective character being completed.
In all the beatitudes, the one thought is expressed, that, according
to God's law of. eternal recompense, he who here thirsts for divine
things shall obtain full satisfaction in the kingdom of God ;
;
but, on
the contrary, he who is satisfied with the perishable, shall hereaftdir
experience, to his sorrow, the need of that which is eternal. There
is, therefore, here no contrast between virtue and vice ; even the Old
Testament punishes crime ; but the sensible need of salvation is
placed in contrast with the deadness of the natural man, who, with-
out a deeper craving for eternal things, can find his rest in what is
transitor}'. Over such a woe is pronounced, because when the
perishable things in which they rest, shew their true character, dis-
quietude will thence arise. The position which Christ thus takes
up, is therefore one above the law ; this last is seen to have fulfilled
its office, a sense of the need of salvation is awakened (Rom. iii. 20)
—the matter is now to satisfy it. The only circumstance that oc-
casions surprise is, that several of the points particularized by the
Saviour : Blessed are the meek, the merciful, the pure, the peace-
makers, appear to rise above this condition of awakened need of
salvation, inasmuch as they express an inward state of moral excellence.
But this feature is easily accounted for, if we remember how
frequently, in the language of Christ and his apostles, the germ of
the new higher life is viewed as coincident with its consummation.
True poverty of spirit, as the necessary condition of every development
of the higher life, includes it ; and in this very unity Christ
views it here. Thus understood, the first statements of the Sermon