Jody101

I believe the beatitudes were the foundational teachings that Jesus was laying for his church. I believe the purpose of the sermon on the mount was Jesus introducing Himself and reintroducing to the people who God was (is) after years of the teachers of the law possibly distorting the truth for their own gain. The paradox was introduced to show the difference what the teachers of the law were preaching and the truth that Christ was revealing to the people. I believe the beatitudes were the inspiration that Paul drew from when he wrote many of the things in Galatians including the fruits of the spirits. He took them and expanded upon them even more. When we understand these words from the sermon on the mount, even we can expand from what Paul wrote.