The teaching returns to the Gospel of Matthew and stresses the necessity of understanding the word “poor” in its proper context. A foundational distinction is drawn between the Kingdom of the Heavens and the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of the Heavens is the royal reign from the heavens over the kingdoms of men, exercised through watchers, and was offered specifically to Israel. The Kingdom of God is the sphere of authority God personally wields in relation to the saved across dispensations. Jesus taught both because He addressed salvation and the promise of the kingdom to Israel. Failure to maintain this distinction leads to confusion when reading Matthew.
The purposes of Christ’s ministry further display the difference. He came to reveal God to man, to display His love for the Father (the Father sent the Son), to bring the Mosaic Law to completion by nailing it to the cross, to judge meaningless religious traditions, to require Jewish disciples to pick up their cross and potentially lose family and synagogue standing, to learn obedience as a worthy high priest and Savior, to witness the truth that includes victory over the sin nature, to offer the Kingdom of the Heavens to Israel, to perform signs and miracles confirming His deity and the nearness of the kingdom, to seek the lost of Israel and bring eternal life, and to destroy the works of the devil.
Jesus begins proclaiming “Change your mind, for the kingdom of the heavens is at hand.” Walking by the Sea of Galilee, He calls Simon Peter and Andrew, then James and John. These four men were not poor, ignorant, or low-quality fishermen; they operated a fishing business with partners and multiple boats, were devout and law-observant Jews, and already knew Jesus was the Messiah. John and Andrew had previously been disciples of John the Baptist and had spent time with Jesus (John 1:35–42). When called, they immediately left their nets, boats, and father because they recognized the Messiah. The phrase “fishers of men” is noted in connection with the Christian fish symbol. After the resurrection, the Jerusalem leaders marveled that Peter and John were uneducated in the elite Jerusalem schools yet bold; this did not mean they lacked intelligence or training. Peter’s refusal in Acts 10 to eat unclean animals further demonstrates strict law observance.
Jesus then travels throughout Galilee teaching in synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease. This healing fulfills the promised sign that the Messiah had arrived. Fame spreads through Syria; multitudes from Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan—regions inhabited by Jews—follow Him. No Church exists at this point in Scripture.
Seeing the multitudes, Jesus ascends a mountain, sits, and teaches. At this stage He has only the four disciples with Him, though the entire crowd hears. The Sermon on the Mount cannot be applied directly to the Church. The Church is a mystery hidden until after the crucifixion and resurrection (1 Corinthians 2); had the rulers of that age known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Inserting the Church into Matthew 5 produces contradictions with Christian instruction because Jesus is speaking to Jews under the offer of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
The Beatitudes must be read against prior revelation concerning the coming tribulation. Daniel 9:26–27 states that after sixty-two weeks the Messiah is cut off, not for Himself, and the people of the prince who is to come destroy the city and sanctuary. That prince (the man of lawlessness, the beast of Revelation, the fourth beast of Daniel—not “the Antichrist”) confirms a covenant with the many for one week, then in the middle of the week ends sacrifice and offering and brings desolation. Israel remains under the Mosaic Law during this period (Matthew 24:20). When the abomination of desolation appears, Israel flees into the wilderness (Matthew 24:15–18; Revelation 12:6). God brings them into the wilderness of the people to plead face to face and pass them under the rod, separating those who belong to Him (Ezekiel 20:35–37). The second half of the tribulation is the purging of unbelievers from Israel so that only believers enter the Millennial Kingdom. Christians are not appointed to this period; the standing away (rapture) occurs first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed afterward (2 Thessalonians 2).
Matthew 5:3 therefore reads, in this setting, “Happy are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of the heavens is pertaining to them.” The Greek term commonly rendered “blessed” means “happy.” “Poor” is not limited to financial lack; its root sense is to lack something. The phrase specifies “in spirit.” The human being consists of spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The spirit is the rational center (1 Corinthians 2:11); the soul is the emotional center that animates the body and interprets the senses. “Poor in spirit” denotes one who is lacking in rational perception or understanding of what is occurring—not mental impairment. In the tribulation context, after the man of lawlessness breaks the covenant and sets himself up as god in the temple (2 Thessalonians 2:4), those who are unaware of the desecration are happy. Ignorance of that particular reality is bliss in the moment. This stands in contrast to Christian instruction: believers are to possess spiritual understanding and are not present during the tribulation.
Scripture must be interpreted by asking what the passage says and then determining how, if at all, it applies, rather than asking “What does this mean to me?” Allegorizing produces personal interpretation. The Mosaic Law is not for the Christian; grace is a license to act righteously and frees from the bonds of sin, whereas the Law demonstrated that no one can be righteous by works.
