The podcast explores the meaning of 'blessed' in the Sermon on the Mount, discussing its biblical roots and its lost meaning in modern society. They delve into the concept of blessedness and human flourishing, and how Jesus redefines the notion of blessing. They also discuss the difference between pronouncing God's blessing and the ideal state of blessing. The hosts introduce their series on the beatitudes and focus on the meaning of being meek.
Read more
AI Summary
Highlights
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Jesus redefines the concept of being blessed using the word 'Ashre' to describe the good life, which challenges societal notions of fortune and privilege.
The Beatitudes represent an apocalyptic unveiling of the upside-down nature of God's kingdom, where the seemingly powerless and disadvantaged are identified as the privileged ones who will ultimately receive God's blessing and inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Deep dives
The Concept of Ashre: The Good Life
Jesus redefines the concept of being blessed, using the word 'Ashre' to describe the good life. Ashre is a wisdom word that aims to persuade listeners to see a certain way of life as the ideal state of blessedness. It is a subjective description of a state of happiness, privilege, or fortune that is observed by others. Jesus points to those who are traditionally seen as unfortunate or lacking in the good life and declares them Ashre, highlighting the paradoxical nature of God's kingdom. The blessings Jesus describes in the Sermon on the Mount are meant to challenge societal notions of fortune and privilege.
The Reversal of Values: The Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus presents a radical reevaluation of values in the Beatitudes. He proclaims that the kingdom of God has come near and brings a total reversal of societal hierarchies and estimations of good fortune. The Beatitudes represent an apocalyptic unveiling of the upside-down nature of God's kingdom, where the poor in spirit, the mourning, and the meek are identified as the privileged ones. The blessings in the second line of each proclamation reveal that God's kingdom operates on a different logic, and those who seem to lack power or comfort will ultimately receive God's blessing and inherit the kingdom of heaven.
The Double Perspective of Ashre and Baruch
The distinction between Ashre and Baruch sheds light on Jesus' message. Baruch is the Hebrew word that expresses God's blessing and abundance in someone's life. It signifies safety, security, and prosperity that come as a divine gift. Ashre, on the other hand, is the observer's perspective of the good life. It is a wisdom word used to persuade others to see a certain way of life as the fortunate or blessed one. Jesus reframes societal norms and challenges perspectives by calling those who are typically seen as unfortunate or lacking Ashre, and by declaring that they are the recipients of God's blessing. This reframing is possible because of the surprising nature of God's kingdom, which Jesus brings near.
Sermon on the Mount E4 – What does Jesus mean when he calls people “blessed” in the first section of the Sermon on the Mount? The Greek word translated as “blessed” is makarios, and its Hebrew equivalent is ashrey, which means “the good life.” But there’s another Hebrew word for blessing, barukh, which refers to blessings from God. In this episode, Tim, Jon, and guests unpack what it means to be blessed according to Jesus’ counterintuitive message as he ushers in the kingdom of the skies.
You can experience our entire library of resources in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.
Show Music
Original Sermon on the Mount music by Richie Kohen
BibleProject theme song by TENTS
Show Credits
Dan Gummel is the Creative Producer for today’s show. Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer; Cooper Peltz, managing producer; Colin Wilson, producer; and Stephanie Tam, consultant and editor. Tyler Bailey and Yanii Evans are our audio editors. Tyler Bailey is also our audio engineer, and he provided our sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Special thanks to Ben Tertin, Breon Gummel, and Rick McKinley. Today’s hosts are Jon Collins and Michelle Jones.
Powered and distributed by Simplecast.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode