The Upside-Down Politics of Jesus: Rethinking the Beatitudes (Sermon on the Mount Series)

Jul 27, 2020

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How the Beatitudes challenge political assumptions and offer a radical vision of Jesus’s kingdom built on humility, mercy, and justice. Kicking off their Sermon on the Mount Series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford unpack Matthew 5:1–12 to reveal why the Beatitudes aren’t ethical commands to climb, but a radical redefinition of who is truly blessed in God’s kingdom.

Key Takeaways: • Jesus’s Beatitudes are not personal moral checklists—they are declarations of divine blessing for the poor, meek, and forgotten because the kingdom is already present and available to them. • These blessings are steeped in Old Testament echoes, especially Isaiah and the Psalms, pointing to the restoration of Israel through an upside-down kingdom. • The Beatitudes reflect a communal vision of society that centers the marginalized while indicting systems of power that oppress. • Jesus redefines “blessing” to illuminate how proximity to power or wealth can often blind us to divine reality—and how pain and suffering can prepare hearts to receive the kingdom. • Christians are called not to "be meek" to get blessed, but to recognize the already-blessed nature of those who the world devalues.

Resources Mentioned: • Matthew 5:1–12 – Link to passage • Isaiah 61 – Link • Psalms 24, 37, 107 – Key background to the images in the Beatitudes • Tim Mackie (BibleProject) on “stringing pearls” – BibleProject.com • Lee Camp’s “Scandalous Witness” – Book on Amazon • The Didache (early Christian church manual) – Link to translation • Shadow art examples – Google search: Shadow Art Sculptures

Join us as we challenge traditional readings of Scripture and explore the revolutionary Jesus we often miss. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow Voxology Podcast on social to stay up-to-date and contribute to the conversation.

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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy