The Secret Codes in Matthew: Examining Israel’s Messiah, Part 4, by Kevin M. Williams
Fourth, it was a common tool of the rabbis to quote a section of Scripture while intending the entire context. For instance, if I should say, “Our Father who art in heaven,” your mind immediately fills in the rest of the sentence (in theory any way). You instantly recognize that I am referring to what is commonly called The Lord’s Prayer. I do not have to fill in every detail because you already have the passages committed to memory. This was commonly done, and is still commonly done, among the Jewish people. Speak a few words, let the disciples fill in the context.
Let’s begin with the first of the beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If this was a hint to a messianic prophecy, what might that prophecy be?
Examine Isaiah 66:1-2 (emphasis mine throughout). “Thus says the Lord, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”
The King James Version renders “contrite of spirit” as “poor in spirit,” the same verbiage as our Beatitude verse. But it goes on to discuss the haughty in spirit, and their destruction at the hands of the Lord, but the peace of God flowing out like a river to those with pure hearts. Being “poor in spirit” does not mean to be spiritually bankrupt, but to be humble, particularly before God. The context of Isaiah 66 is the redemption of those whose with a poor spirit, Jewish and gentile alike! Only God can redeem and only God can promise life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus promises the hearers the Kingdom of Heaven. Only God can do that. Who, then, is this Jesus?
Matthew 5:4 reads, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Now read what the prophet Isaiah says in 61:1-2. “The Spirit of the Lord God [is] upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.”
Who will offer comfort? The Almighty God. Who is Jesus? The one who read in the synagogue, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” (Luke 4:18), and who said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (v. 21). The Jewish people look at entire sections of Scripture, within its context. Yeshua’s Beatitude could very easily imply messianic overtones that could be lost on non-Jewish ears.
Category: Biblical Studies, Pneuma Review, Winter 2002
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