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THE FIRST WORDS OF JESUS: Meditations on the Eight Beatitudes is finally completed and published by CrossTies Ministries. The book has a copyright, an international code number (ISBN), is listed on Bowker's Books in Print and will soon be available through online bookstores such as Amazon.com.

 

            This short work seeks to answer two questions:

 

·        Why are the Beatitudes positioned in the New Testament as the first teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ?

·        Are the Beatitudes indeed both the introduction to the person and work of Christ and the connecting link between the Old and New Testaments?

 

Although the book is only 55 pages, it is packed with 172 footnotes pointing to Bible passages in both the Old and New Testaments. The purpose of the footnotes is to encourage readers to study the passages in their context in order to corroborate the teaching of the text.

 

In addition, the text is printed on sturdy paper and each page is faced with a blank page on which to make notes. Further, the book is wire-bound so that it may lie flat to facilitate such note taking.

 

In the first four Beatitudes Jesus teaches that He is the merciful King who gives His disciples His righteousness and, by the power of His Spirit, new birth as beloved children of the Heavenly Father. In the next three He teaches His disciples to relate in mercy and love to their fellow men. In the eighth, Jesus calls His disciples' attention to the reality of persecution and opposition, even as He, their Master, was persecuted. The eighth is the closing parenthesis of all eight, complementing the first, which also promises the kingdom of the heavens and the ever-present power of the King to guide and protect.

 

The book serves as a guide for both personal and group study of the person and work of Jesus Christ and of the life of His faithful disciples. It points disciples to the Biblical teaching that Jesus is the fulfiller of the prophecies contained in the Old Testament about the promised King and His kingdom. He is the one who came to fulfill those promises, who is present in His Word and who is coming again in glory.

 

 

The First Words of Jesus is available free to pastors and teachers on the Synodical roster for review purposes. It is also available to groups within churches as a fund raising tool. The cost during this pre-distribution phase is $12.00. Groups may keep $5.00 of that cost for their own use. Once this phase is completed, the cost through the website and through online bookstores will increase and will include taxes.

 

The First Words of Jesus  will be soon followed by a 50- lessons workbook to help students pursue these teachings in even greater depth.

 

Meditations on the Eight Beatitudes

 

The sub-heading of The First Words suggests the major purpose behind this book. We are inviting our readers both to read and then to meditate, contemplate, ponder and deliberate upon the meaning of Jesus' first teaching in the New Testament. Obviously the book could have been written in much greater detail and in a different manner, but we chose not to do that. Rather, we present it as an encouragement to our readers to develop and record their own thoughts. In that spirit, I will be sharing some further thoughts of my own in these newsletters in coming months.

 

All eight Beatitudes open with a decisive pronouncement of  Blessed. The word is makarios in Greek. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament it refers to the Hebrew esher.  It may, of course, also be translated happy, referring to the nearly unbelievable inner joy of those who participate in and are a part of the kingdom announced and ushered in by Jesus. These believers wait in certain hope for the full salvation promised by him., hope based upon Jesus' glorious resurrection from the dead, Even now they begin to experience its fulfillment in their hearts and lives as they hear Jesus speak to them forgiveness in His Word and dine at his Supper.

 

This happiness was anticipated and even partially experienced by believers during the time of the Old Testament. The Psalms again and again reflect it. For instance, Psalm 1 begins with

 

"Blessed (esher) is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked . . . But his delight is in the law (torah - teaching) of the lord. (1:1,2)

 

Psalm 2 is a Messianic Psalm, that is it speaks of Jesus. In its final verse we read:

 

"Blessed are all who take refuge in him (the Son of God)."

 

We can go on and on, citing many O.T.  passages that use the word "blessed." There are 42 of them in all. Another is Psalm 34:8

 

            "Taste and see that the lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."

 

             My understanding is that the lord of the Old Testament is none other than Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11). Therefore all these passages speak about the happy estate of all who put their faith and trust in our blessed Savior.

 

            Jesus' teaching is based upon the revealed Word of God contained in the Old Testament Scriptures. So we must assume that he is inviting us to ponder those Scriptures as we consider the source of our blessings. We do not  nor can we earn or gain his blessing by some kind of humility implied in the phrase that follows, "the poor in spirit." The blessing comes from him as a pure and undeserved gift.

 

            I'll share some other thoughts with you in this letter next time. For now, let me offer you, my readers, the opportunity to share your thoughts through this same letter, based upon your meditations on the Blessed sayings of Jesus, his First Words in the New Testament. Send them to me via e-mail. I'll be happy to publish them.

 

† † †   Keep our work in your prayers. Above all, we need your prayers. Also, if the Lord moves you to support our work, join us. Become a member. Send a one time or a monthly donation. We are only able to continue because of your prayers and your love. For more information go to http://crosstiesministries.org/membership/membership_information2.htm.   Dr. Alvin H. Franzmeier CrossTies Theological Director. Write to me at   alandsyl@airmail.net