Righteousness and the beatitudes. This is a fun pairing.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe.
— 1 Corinthians 1:21 (NRSVue)

Verse 21 is cited three times in the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration. First it is quoted, in Article 2: Free Will (FC, SD 2.10), as part of the argument that without the Spirit, sin binds human reason keeping faith from making sense so that salvation cannot simply be an intellectual exercise.

Later in the same article (FC, SD 2.51) this verse is quoted again to make the same point, and then goes on to unpack the necessity of hearing God’s Word proclaimed. It’s really good, so I’m just going to quote it:

All who want to be saved should listen to this proclamation. For the proclamation and the hearing of God’s Word are the Holy Spirit’s tools, in, with, and through which [God] wills to works effectively and convert people to God and within whom [God] wants to effect both the desire for and the completion of their conversion.
— Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration,
Article 2: Free Will (FC, SD 2.52)

Finally, verse 21, along with verses 30 and 31 are cited in Article 11: Election (FC, SD 11.12) among the list of citations showing that God gives us teachings in scripture on election so that we might come back to the Word and find hope.

In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…
— 1 Corinthians 1:30 (NRSVue)

Verse 30 is cited three times, but spread throughout the Book of Concord. The first citation is a quote in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 4: Justification (AP 4.86) to show that Jesus is our righteousness, so only faith in Jesus justifies before God.

The second citation is in the Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article 3: Righteousness (FC, Ep 3.1) as part of the introduction of agreement. There is unanimous confession among Lutherans that “Christ alone is our righteousness.” How that works is where the questions come in.

Finally, verse 30 is cited through editorial insert in the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 5: Law and Gospel (FC, SD 5.22) to emphasize the biblical grounding of the claim that Jesus “was made our righteousness.”

…in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
— 1 Corinthians 1:31 (NRSVue)

Verse 31 is cited once when the quote in the verse is quoted in the Smalcald Articles, Part 3, Article 13: Justification and Good Works (SA 3.13.3) as a solid reminder that works must follow faith but will not save us or make us righteous before God. So if we boast…

Matthew 5:1-12

Chapter 5 as a whole is cited by Luther in the Large Catechism, Part 1: The Ten Commandments, The Fifth Commandment (LC 1.182), but as the footnote with the section indicates, the actual verses being cited are Matthew 5:20-26.

[Jesus said,] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 5:3 (NRSVue)

Verse 3 is cited through editorial insert in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 27: Monastic Vows (AP 27.46) in response to the Confutation citing Matthew 19:21 (Jesus said to him [the rich young man], “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me”). The simple response is that this verse is being read out of context. Poverty is required of the rich young man, not because every Christian should give up their wealth but because the rich young man loved his property more than God. Melanchthon states is directly:

The poverty of the gospel does not consist in the abandonment of property, but in the absence of greed and of trust in riches, just as David was poor in the midst of a very rich kingdom.
— Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 27: Monastic Vows (AP 27.46)

We can wrangle over just how poor in spirit David was later…

[Jesus said,] “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
— Matthew 5:6 (NRSVue)

Verse 6 is cited in the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 11: Election (FC, SD 11.30) to show that hungering and thirsting for righteousness is an accurate (sometimes the only accurate) description of those who will be saved. The desire to live a righteous life before God does matter.

[Jesus said,] “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”
— Matthew 5:7 (NRSVue)

Verse 7 was apparently quoted in the Confutation because Melanchthon tells us in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 4: Justification (AP 4.254ish, depending on edition) that this verse was among those quoted to insist that works make us righteous before God. Melanchthon’s response is quite measured here. His argument is not that works are unnecessary, but that when we talk about works we must always follow that with the good news of faith because without faith the works cannot be good.

TheoThru

This set of citations that pair 1 Corinthians 1 and Matthew 5 sets a great stage for presenting the gospel in the general sense—both Law and Gospel. God’s blessings com in those very moments when it seems to the world like God is judging us the most. The good news of God becomes a reality in our lives when it is most obvious that our works cannot help.

What if the beatitudes are not about how to live a righteous life but about encountering God’s righteousness as a gift?
How do the beatitudes call us to view other people who seem to be going through a difficult time different?