Matthew 5:10-16

KJV
[10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
[12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.


These are lovely, but don't have much in the way of moral value. This is the inspirational section.

[13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.


Here is more of the beautiful sloganeering that I grew up on, maybe because it was in Godspell? I love this Jesus, providing rules to live by... a moral poetry.

Matthew 5:3-9

KJV
[3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
[5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
[6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
[7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
[8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
[9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.


and here I am facing some of the most important words in my life.

I knew there was a reason I was here, reading the New Testament.

Surely these words point to something... to someone. Someone conceived of this philosophy, this miraculous paradoxical key to living.

I've seen parallels to Cynic philosophers, to Zen koans, but there is something distinctive about this ... this ... I'm not sure what to call it. Writing? Or is it from an oral tradition? I'll call it simply poetry. There's an issue of "voice" here, but what fascinates me is I don't know if Jesus is author or character. There has always been controversy over Shakespeare, for example: did someone else write Shakespeare's plays? But even the most plausible-sounding theory falls apart when I see the writings of this purported Shakespeare. The "voice" just isn't there. In the same way, I hear a "Jesus voice," but unlike Shakespeare, this voice is obscured, covered in layers of transcription and interpretation and translation.

Yet I hear it. And this is one of those places where it is loudest and clearest.

I am staggered by these words, I always have been.

Notice also how little these words have to do with the presidency of George W. Bush, or the radio show of Rush Limbaugh.