When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:1-12
One of Jesus’ well known sermons was the Sermon on the Mount, starting with the Beatitudes.
We visited the Mount of Beatitudes. A member of our group read the passage from Jesus’ sermon on the mount. You could see how Jesus made his parables to birds, as they flew around at the top of the mount. You could see cities on a hill and the beautiful Galilee below.
October 23, 2019
Growing up, I’d often had Sunday School classes focused on text from the Sermon on the Mount, and while I’d grown up reading it, I’m not sure I really read it. Most of us have read the version above, or one very similar to it. The above script comes from the NRSV version – as does much of the scripture I’ve posted here. But I want to change it up and reflect on Eugene Peterson’s interpretation of these scriptures from The Message.
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Matthew 5:3-12
A lot of times, I have struggled understanding certain passages of scripture.
You’re probably thinking, Abbey, the Beatitudes are not that difficult to understand. And I get it. I can read them and have some understanding of what Jesus is saying. But I also think that there can be a lot more to the words Jesus used than we are reading. The scriptures have been translated, the words in the English language have come to have different meaning over time.
Also a lot of times reading scripture requires thinking, praying and reading multiple translations. Sometimes it requires reading other’s interpretations to make sense of it all. I am thankful for Eugene Peterson and his translation of the Bible from the original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures into conversational English.
Because honestly, I don’t always consider myself as merciful, as meek, as hungering and thirsting for righteousness or as being persecuted. But I do try to care for those around me, I try to be content with the things I have, I have an appetite for God, and I have had people who have said lies about me or have put me down. I can relate to those things. And by exploring other translations and reading what others have written about specific verses in my Bible app, I find connections to scripture.
Standing at the Mount of Beatitudes and wandering through the gardens, I was able to experience what Jesus saw and heard as he preached in the Galilee.
The birds flying in the air, the water below, the cities across the sea. Lost in nature. Being able to understand the setting in which the scriptures occurred is such an incredible blessing. I hope that as we are journeying, that the photos and videos I’ve shared can help provide just a part of this setting too.
Lord, thank You for those who have gone before us to discern and pray over Your words that we may better understand them. I pray that as we read Your scripture and study it that You may stir in our hearts and that we may hear Your message. Amen.
Abbey Jo
Adventures with Abbey Jo 
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