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.