He posts about Matthew 5:3 (par Luke 6:20)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Luke is different, and his difference is more than a meaningless distinction: Blessed are the poor.” Full stop.
After a few good thoughts he lands on this:
No one can promise a future kingdom to the poor who doesn’t work for those poor in the here and now to instantiate that kingdom now.
Very often I hear good Christians dismiss the work of the poor because Jesus said, they'd always be among us, so why go overboard trying to fix the problem, wait until Jesus restores all things for that to happen. That takes people off the hook when it comes to compassion. I think McKnigt's insight into this kingdom reference is right on.
It seems that 1. we will never be able to fix poverty or the equality of all people on this side of eternity, 2. one day the poor will no longer be poor in God's fulfilled Kingdom; 3. if this is where God's vision is headed, or what he promises, then it's a value kingdom people should be pursuing now - even if it will not be complete; 4. I must do something now because I know what things are meant to be like in light of God's kingdom, and going to be like later in God's fulfilled kingdom.
for Jesus' kingdom reverses everything observable now in this world. Hope, then, rules among those who follow Jesus. Hope for a future of God’s kingdom. A hope that ...simultaneously motivates behaviors and vision now.
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