Hope for the Downtrodden

Much of what Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount was directed towards individuals who felt persecuted and powerless. That is, Jesus delivered a message of hope for many people who had none. This is a very encouraging message because Jesus realized that his Father chooses people who are disadvantaged by worldly standards. By disadvantaged, we mean people who do not exactly fit the ideas of worldly power and success. This is especially true in Western civilizations. The definition of success by Western standards is often spiritually unhealthy. We may feel like a failure when we have not succeeded by some of these standards. But many of these standards are material, competitive, greedy, selfish and violent. So, if we are feeling downtrodden or helpless, perhaps we need to change our perspective. We should read the Sermon on the Mount. We may get a different idea about what God considers to be important.

The fact is, even Jesus was downtrodden. This is why Jesus was so loved. By worldly standards, he was never on “top.” He could have been. But he made a determined effort not to be. He did not always do what he had the power to do. He said “no” to the many temptations offered by Satan. We can learn a lot by just looking at what he refused.

During the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, Satan offered Jesus what might be considered the world. But Jesus declined every single offer. Whereas, the philosophy of this world is to take advantage of every offer that comes along, Jesus saw all these temptations as requests for submission from the Devil. But many people will follow after Satan instead of answering Satan like Jesus did with “it is written.” Satan offered Jesus tremendous opportunities because Satan recognized that Jesus was an extremely powerful adversary. Look at the kinds of offers Satan made! For a little worship, Satan promised him “all the kingdoms of the world.” This was no small offer. Many powerful people today would love to have world domination. However, Jesus declined. Yet we are told that Jesus wants to come back and to violently dominate the world. But he has already refused that course, why would he follow it now? We know Judgement Day is coming. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10) But this is not the time when Jesus will be establishing his kingdom. It will be “the end” of his rule instead of “the beginning.” As 1 Corinthians 15:24 proclaims: “Then cometh the end” (speaking about the end of his rule).

We notice that in the temptation of Jesus, Satan distorted the scriptures. As always, he used subterfuge. We have witnessed such distortions many times. For example, we just got back from West Virginia where some churches handle copperheads, rattlesnakes and perhaps other deadly serpents in their worship services. They are tempting fate and playing games with the Devil; but they see snake handling as a legitimate form of worship. Some of them actually die. Even a few deaths are ample evidence of their folly, but they quote from such passages as Mark 16:17-18 to justify their practice. But how did Jesus see such scriptural perversions? Well, in his temptation, Jesus said to Satan: “It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” Although Satan quoted scripture, Jesus cited a scripture that was much more appropriate. No doubt it was possible for Jesus to cast himself down from the pinnacle of the temple (or the south end of the high retaining wall surrounding the temple mount) without harm. But Jesus appealed to a much higher objective. Therefore, we learn by his temptation that the motives behind our actions are very important. At other times, Jesus willingly performed beneficial miracles to build faith and assist the afflicted. But temptations from Satan were very different. Jesus realized that Satan was endeavoring to destroy him. He recognized the source and the objective of Satan's requests. Since Satan intends nothing good for any of us, we would all do well to recognize the source and the objective of all his suggestions.

After Jesus successfully opposed all these supposed “opportunities” (Matthew 4), he gave what is called his spectacular “Sermon on the Mount.” In the first part, he gave hope to those who felt hopeless. Notice, these people that he describes as “blessed” were not evil people. Evil people may feel persecuted and hopeless (rightly so). In the case of evil people, repentance is a good thing. But these people were without hope because they were persecuted. Therefore, Jesus offered them hope. He offers all of us the same hope today. He can transform all of our obstacles into great blessings. We can all be blessed by these attitudes.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) The anticipation of a “coming kingdom” was tremendous. It was so great that Matthew 11:12 proclaims: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” They were wrongly trying to take the kingdom (hence the phrase “the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence”). John the Baptist had built up so much anticipation in people for an imminent kingdom that the violent were ready to take it by any means. Many believed that subtle, haughty, evil, violent and combative people were necessary to bring it about. (Machiavellianism anyone? Have we noticed that after thousands of years of Machiavellianism, man is no closer to world peace than he has ever been?) Many were Zealots. When Jesus fed the multitudes with five barley loaves and two small fishes, they were ready to use force to make him a king. (John 6:15) Jesus refused. He never considered the use of violence to obtain any of his objectives.(Some cite his throwing out of the money changers from the temple. But even here he used his moral and spiritual authority. He overturned the tables of the money changers. He did not have to touch anyone. Others cite his anger at this fig tree because he cursed it and it dried up. Perhaps they may have never considered that this fig tree symbolized the future of a people that had failed to accept him and to bear fruit?) On one occasion, Jesus invited his disciples to bring along a couple of swords (merely as tokens of violence) to show them the place of violence in his kingdom. Notice what Jesus said to Peter when they came for him in the garden. “And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:51-53) With twelve legions of angels at his disposal, Jesus could have easily conquered the entire world with deadly force. But, as we have already seen in his temptation, that was never his objective. (Acts 7:49, Isaiah 66:1 )

How were the poor in spirit to obtain a heavenly kingdom? To the violent, the poor in spirit are simply useless and powerless. They are not a factor. But Jesus told them they were powerful. Jesus assured the poor in spirit that they were the ones (not the haughty and the violent) who would ultimately possess the heavenly kingdom. Even if they felt powerless, with the help of God, it would be theirs. This was very “good news.” Therefore, there was no need for them to be like Herod, the Zealots or any of the others who thought violence was the answer.

The fact is, attitudes are much more permanent and powerful than military might. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32) Self control is much more powerful than any robotic killing machine that man has ever devised. Furthermore, humility of spirit (like Jesus had) is beneficial to man's ultimate spiritual and eternal welfare. As Zechariah was instructed to say to Zerubbabel (the grandson of the once cursed Jehoiachin by which the Jews question the genealogy of Jesus because his children had been cursed): “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6) This was a humble and a spiritual work. God does not need to use physical force to bring about a spiritual or heavenly kingdom. Instead God uses spiritual force. Physical force and anger are counter productive to spiritual objectives. (James 1:20)

We wish that many in the “religious right” would notice this “poor in spirit” condition. Trying to establish a heavenly kingdom on earth by physical violence is counter to this necessary attitude. There are several things wrong with military objectives designed to the establish a heavenly kingdom on earth. (Note: In this article we are not lamenting or denying the legitimate existence of the nation of Israel. We are personally happy that Israel exists. It may be the will of God. We are just denying the need to use force or to have a spiritual reign on the temple mount in Jerusalem which some have equated with the “heavenly kingdom” or the “new Jerusalem.”) First, Jesus has already established a “spiritual” or heavenly kingdom. (Acts 2ff.) Therefore, he does not need to come back and establish another earthly or “physical” kingdom on the temple mount (which is part of his footstool). Such an effort would blaspheme the spiritual effort he made in the first place. It mocks his death on the cross. Second, Jesus did not use force, or have his disciples to use force, in establishing his spiritual kingdom. In our estimation, a military endeavor to establish a new temple in Jerusalem would nullify the “poor in spirit” cause and effect relationship. The use of force by the servants of God is certainly not a legitimate way to exhibit a humble attitude; and, therefore, obtain a heavenly kingdom.

We are well aware of some claims that the new kingdom has not yet come because there is no evidence for it. They say that the establishment of a heavenly kingdom (or peace on earth) has been a total failure. For example, they make a literal interpretation of Isaiah 11:6 (“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”) Some rabbis will usually say: “When I can look out my window and see a literal transformation of nature, then I will know the kingdom of heaven is really here. I will be able to see it.” But we interpret Isaiah 11:6 as a spiritual regeneration. For example, those who have been perhaps as ferocious as a lion (wicked) will be able to change their nature (repent) so that they can lie down with the lamb (good people). This passage is not a literal or a physical reality that can be observed by looking out the window. It is a spiritual regeneration. It is an individual regeneration. Only a small “remnant” of people will ever be successfully regenerated. (Matthew 22:14)

Another aspect of being “poor in spirit” is the exhibition of a receptive attitude. Even John the Baptist, who noticed the moral characteristics of the Pharisees, did not consider them to be very good candidates for the coming kingdom. As spiritual leaders, they were really not as Godly as they thought they were. (Luke 18:11) Perhaps that is why John exclaimed when he saw them coming to his baptism:  “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Matthew 3:7-10) Comparing people to a subtle and a deadly brood of vipers is certainly not a very good recommendation. John did not express very much hope. Remember the question above. Machiavellianism anyone?

Jesus did not express very much hope for the Pharisees either. Perhaps that is why he spent most of his effort and his time with the common people. In fact, after Jesus had rebuked the Pharisees for the “tradition of the elders”, he advised his disciples: “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:14) It was almost like Jesus was saying: “They are so hopeless. Don't spend too much time on them.” We are sure that Jesus had not completely written them off; because there were many good people among them. Let us not forget the apostle Paul. But Jesus seemed to be telling his disciples that they would be much more productive elsewhere. This is really a sad commentary.

We remember the lamentation of Paul: “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 9:1-5) It is truly a shame that more of his people were not “poor in spirit.”

We see many in Israel today, surrounded by all of their enemies, hoping for salvation from heaven. The whole world is wondering. Many (along with some in America) are vainly trusting in military superiority and the idea that the Jews are the “children of Abraham.” Even the US is engaged with them in their struggle to bring in the “kingdom of heaven.” They believe that war is the solution. Oh that they would all hear the words of Jesus to Zacchaeus. “This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:9-10) There is always hope for the downtrodden! Theirs could also be the kingdom of heaven.