"Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
- "Blessed" literally means to be fully satisfied; the joy that comes from salvation; this joy is not the result of favorable circumstances in life but comes from being indwelt by Christ; it denotes far more than happiness
- "Poor" literally means to be helpless; to come to the end ourselves and recognize we are spiritually bankrupt without Christ
- "Mourn" a sorrow for sins for ourselves and for others
- "Meek" a willingness to see ourselves as we really are; an inward honesty evidenced by submission to God and His word
- "Hunger" a constant recurrent satisfaction with God's righteousness; the nourishment received from being filled is expended in hungering anew for another filling
- "Merciful" a caring attitude toward those in misery; they take the heartaches of others and make them their own
- "Pure" is a condition which can only be acquired through the continuous cleansing that believers experience when they have fulfilled the previous conditions of blessedness; the purer a person becomes the more clearly they can see God
- "Peacemakers" are not simply those who try to stop the feuding between people; they are believers who have experienced the peace of God and who bring it to their fellow human beings
When we reread Matthew 5:1-9 in light of these definitions it truly opens our eyes to the revelation Jesus was showing His disciples and now to us. May the Lord "bless" you in fresh and exciting ways!