The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-10
LESSON STORY.

We have in our lesson passage what
the Lesson Commission regards as sec
ton of Luke's abbreviated report of the
Sermon on the Mount, of which Matthew
(s-7) gives a more complete report.
The scene of the delivery of the Sermon
on the Mount appeals powerfully to the
historic imagination.
After Jesus had chosen his Twelve, and
had announced their names before a COM
pany of believers on the crest of the hill,
which we now naturally conjecture to be
one of the Horns of Hattin,-the record
reads that he came down aith them and
stood on LeveIblace.
Luke describes the multitude which was
pressing toward him as the same great
multitude that had of late been pressing
upon him on the shore of the lake. The
eager people, who had come from the
North and the South and the East, had
found him in his place of retirement.
They thronged toward him. But, behold
ing him with his specially-chosen company
on height above, the crowd had awaited
his coming on a level place on the noun
tain-side.
The mass of people could not be other
wise than eager to hear the Healer, who
was now assuming the office of Teacher.
The record implies that there was an
impressiveness in the gaze of Jesus before
he had uttered word, that wrought
spell upon the multitude.
1. The Blessed Ones, from the
Gospel View-pOint,-vs. 2o-24.
Luke tells us first, after Jesus had taken
his seat before the expectant multitude in
preparation for speaking, that he lifted np
his eyes on his disciples. Since this trans
pires Immediately after the appointment
of the Twelve, we construe these words as
signifying that the Twelve were now close
ly gathered about their Master, and that
his look is specially directed toward them.
He is now to give them, for their guidance,
astatement of the principles on which their
mission is to be fulfilled. He is to unfold
the doctrines which are applicable to all
men and to all time yet his utterance will
be to the new-chosen disciples their Or
dination Sermon.
The principle underlying the Sermon is
the REALITY AND INCoMPARABLENESs OF
THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Not in any covetable outward condition
does Jesus find blessedness. But in every
human condition favorable to spiritual life
and growth he sees the prophecy of beati-
tude.
His opening words Luke are these:
Blessed are ye POOR : for yours is tie king
dom Of God Matthew qualities somewhat
by rendering: Blessed are tile poor in
s4frit. There seems to be a real distinc-
ton made; yet the essential meaning is in
both renderings the same. 1t was, let us
recall, multitude of poor people Jesus
saw before him on that Galilean slope.
The rich, those at ease, were not seeking
Jesus. Many of those then standing before
him were familiar with hardship and suf-
fering. They had been spurned by their
rulers and natural protectors. How nat
ural for him to say, as the immediate sug-
gestion of his beholding eyes: Blessed are
YEpOOr.-Frora Jesus viewpoint power
ty, with all its deprivations and pains, is,
because of the impulse which an unsatis-
factory earthly life must give toward spir-
itual seeking, state on which an aggre-
gate benediction is to be pronounced. 1t
was the fact,-the testimony of his eyes
declared it,-that to the poor then actually
before Jesus the Kingdom of Heaven be-
longed.
Blessed are ye that hunger n0aO. for ye
shall be fkled. Another form of the pre-
vious beatitude. Jesus saw in the multi
tude before him, those who were at the
time in actual pangs of hunger, or ema-
ciated faces showing the signs of past hun
ger. The Gospel would, in its earthly
development, in due time bring visible
abundance to such worthy poor. In virtu-
Gus hunger therefore he saw the prophecy
of prosperity. Matthew'S report that the
benediction was pronounced on those who
hunger and thirst after righteousness, is
but shading of the same thought. Of
course only those who make their physical
hunger a school of endurance, a discipline
in righteousness, can consciously reap
therefrom spiritual gain.
Blessed are ye that aOeeb NOzV i. for We
shall laHgh. Tesus saw sbadowed faces in