The Beatitudes

This week in Gospel Doctrine we are studying Matthew 5, the Beatitudes. How to teach this??? What a great Sermon, little admonitions of how to live/how to BE, but a hefty bill to teach. The Beatitudes were given to Jesus' Disciples, his most faithful, the ones who would carry on his work and go forth and teach the people. It was not given to the multitudes, although when we examine it, it is sort of a blueprint to "perfection", the essence of Christ, the attitudes if you will, to become more like him and bring eternal happiness, not fleeting carnal happiness. In the latter verses of Matthew 5, Jesus introduces several higher laws. Jesus came to do away with the Law of Moses, and in its place, gave many directives that were of this higher law. His wording is "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time"........"but I say unto you" Basically he is saying, "They used to say this," ....."but now I say this."

For example, verse 21, says (paraphrased) They used to say do not kill, BUT I say do not even be angry with your brother. The verse also says "without a cause" but in Joseph's Smith's inspired translation of the Bible (after all, the Bible has been translated hundreds of thousands of times), Joseph Smith was inspired by the Lord to remove the words "without a cause." So we can take this to mean, that EVEN if we have JUST CAUSE to be angry, we are commanded not to. Again, this is a higher law, a Celestial Law versus a Terrestrial Law. "He who refuses to forgive, burns the bridge he himself must one day pass." So knowing this, why do we still often not forgive those who have hurt us? We seek retribution, we seek our Justice. We want what is fair, (in our minds). I guess if Faith is like a little seed, which when planted in good soil, grows, and grows eventually bearing good fruit. Anger is also like a seed which when planted can grow until, if we don't repent of it, lingers, festers, and eats away until we can't shake it off. Advice of the Day: Pray for those who hurt you, and leave it to God! And pray for me that I can teach this lesson! :)