Matthew 5:5 Commentary

Basics
Matthew is the first book of the new testament.  It was most likely written between 70 - 110 AD.  The author is anonymous.  The author was most likely Male and a Jew who had heard the good news from followers of Matthew.   The Gospel is synoptic.   It draws heavily from The Gospel of Mark.  It also draws from Q Source (lost testaments of the early church) and from M Source (the teachings of the Matthew Community)

This Gospel does more to try to establish the deity of Christ.   Mark describes the "angel" at the tomb as a young man.   Matthew describes him as a radiant angel.


5 Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth -  What does meek mean?  Certainly not weak. Meekness in this context, I think is a submission to God.   To understand your powerlessness when you compare yourself to God.   Our plans and designs and controls amount to nothing.  Only Gods plans for our life mean something.  And that is really damned hard for me.   I always am trying to control and make things happen.  I'm trying to stop that now.   I'm trying to detach, release, and love from a far when necessary but it is a daily struggle.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled -  The important thing here is not that you have righteousness, but rather that you "hunger and thirst" for it. Not rightness, not authority, not power, God's righteousness.  That requires letting Christ live in you.  Understanding that when you are saved, and you follow Christ, he is there.   That requires accepting that he needs to guide you in your actions and decisions.   I struggle with this one, especially right now.  I know I could manipulate Tami into a full relationship with me again, but instead I am trusting Christ.  And so far things are not going as fast as I want them to.

7. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.   It's not a quid pro quo.   There is no guaranty that you will not be shown mercy if you don't show mercy, but there seems to be an indication here that to get full mercy, you must show mercy.  And I am definitely failing at this one right now.   I need to detach and release from my own selfish desires and just show Tami grace and mercy.

Summary.   Be meek in gods presence.   Understand that he is so great, and we are so small by comparison.   Hunger for what is right and best.   Be merciful.  The way you hope for mercy.