Mt 5:1-12
1When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2He began to teach them, saying: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,/ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven./ 4Blessed are they who mourn,/ for they will be comforted./ 5Blessed are the meek,/ for they will inherit the land./ 6Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,/ for they will be satisfied./ 7Blessed are the merciful,/ for they will be shown mercy./ 8Blessed are the clean of heart,/ for they will see God./ 9Blessed are the peacemakers,/ for they will be called children of God./ 10Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,/ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven./ 11Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
RICH MAN, POOR MAN: Most people in Palestine were poor folk, farmers, workers at the various trades, the am-ha-aretz (literally, “the people of the land,” those looked upon with contempt as unbelievers or having no knowledge of the Law), and slaves. They lacked material resources, were weak, or had no status or honor.
On the other hand, a small class of rich people included the landed proprietors, the wealthy merchants, and those close to the seat of political power. While not all wealthy people were corrupt and unfair, most were looked upon as greedy and unjust. (People then—explains bible scholar John J. Pilch—believed that all goods of the earth had already been distributed; hence, an individual became rich because he had power to take wealth from those who were weaker.) The landowners were accused of grabbing the lands of the poor and maltreating their servants, the merchants bribed their way to their trading fortunes, and the royalties lived in their splendid palaces and courts.
In the culture of the time that valued honor, being poor, being defrauded of one’s wealth or honor, and being persecuted would be truly unfortunate. In the Beatitudes, however, Jesus promises the reward of God for those who have been “shamed” not because of bad luck or laziness, but because of the “greed” of the wealthy. God who is the true arbiter of honor will restore to the socially unfortunate their true status, while God will bring down to shame the rich who have victimized the poor.