The Beatitudes

I. Introduction (Mat 5:1-2)

From Nazareth, Capernaum, Lake Galilee…unto a mountain, and a great spiritual teaching (EDIDASKEN AUTOUS): Jesus, the Teacher, unfolds the spirit of the Law, perfectly embodied in Himself [1]; He reveals the heart of Jehovah God (Mat 11:27, Jhn 1:18, 12:49, 17:8, 2Cr 4:6), and in no small way He reveals the character of discipleship. It is His Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5-7), prefaced by nine blessed promises; beatifications (the Greek adjective is MAKARIOS—blessed, happy, cognate with the Latin BEATUS) attending a very specific sanctification unto Jehovah God. This preface, its felicities and their means, its spiritual and practical (corporeal) character, is the concern of this study. In the sections below, Jesus’ protasis (the antecedent in a conditional sentence) is given in black font, and His apodosis (the consequential clause in a conditional sentence) is given in red font (Fig. 1). It must be kept in mind that these beatitudes address believers; Jesus’ disciples (followers) are in view here; notwithstanding, the beloved unbeliever is invited to follow Him and so partake of His blessings that unfold below (“A Letter of Invitation”).

II. The Beatitudes (cf. Col 3:12-15)

A. The Poor in Spirit

Are Blessed For Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat 5:3; cf. Isa 57:15)

The poor in spirit, as also those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness (Mat 5:10), may both alike expect to lay claim to the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven summarizes the essential teaching of Jesus (Balchin 194). Table 1 lists Jesus’ many references to the Kingdom of Heaven. From these references one may endeavor to build up a portrait of this Kingdom from Jesus’ perspective; from how He paints it.

One poor in spirit may be one whose demeanor is like unto the materially poor. The poor are grateful for every blessing that comes their way. The poor are not presumptuous; they oftentimes do not know where their next meal is coming from, or how they are going to “make ends meet” so to speak, thus faith in God—His provisions, His care—is much more apt to be a way of life for a poor person, than for one who is secure in themselves and this world (1Ti 6:17-19). In this way the poor are certainly blessed (Mat 19:24), for faith in Jehovah God translates to Salvation (“Righteous Faith”), to life eternal in His presence, and thus by default bespeaks of a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. And one poor in spirit would consider a place in the Kingdom of Heaven to be something of great treasure, would acknowledge the same as a blessing, gratefully, to Jehovah God. In contrast, one world-fat, rich and secure, and spirit-fat, proud and lifted up, doing things their way, not God’s way, would disdain such a spiritual blessing, would minimize it, and rather would value this life, the praise of men, secular security, physical looks, and the like, preeminently.

One poor in spirit may be one who practices self denial, who does not fill their belly and their soul with fat things—choice goodies and vanities—but like our Lord, fasts much, prays much, and lays aside personal glories, yea, pursuit of personal glories, in lieu of service to God and others. One poor in spirit has a much stripped-down notion of self such that self denial is no great chore [2].

By default the poor in spirit are those who endeavor to live their life in conformity to the divine law of Jehovah God—this is a statement of the pursuit of righteousness (which they find fully not in and of themselves, though they do their part, but in Jesus Christ [“Righteous Faith”]). One poor in spirit recognizes their great need (poverty) for God in this.

In another sense, as sinners, we are all, without Christ, poor in spirit; still the Kingdom of Heaven may be ours by embracing Him and clinging to Him, by His grace (“A Letter of Invitation”).

B. Those Who Mourn

Are Blessed For They Shall Be Comforted (Mat 5:4; cf. Isa 61:1-2, 2Cr 1:3-4)

To mourn is to be sad or sorrowful, many times with respect to the loss of of a loved one. The Greek verb is PENQEW—which can mean mourn, mourn for, lament (wail, bewail, bemoan). The protasis here is very unwelcome; even so, sooner or later it visits us all, maybe more often than we seemingly can bear. The apodosis reveals the heart of our God (Rev 7:17). He is a God of great compassion (Lam 3:22, Mat 14:14, 15:32), acquainted with our sorrows (Isa 63:9, Jhn 11:32-36, “Isaiah Chapter Fifty-three commentary”). And the apodosis is emphatic—“…they shall be comforted…” But how can one be meaningfully comforted by God in the midst of one’s grief if that which one bewails willfully slipped into eternity without God (Christ)? Friend, there is comfort only for a believer; a believer mourning the loss of a believer (“A Letter of Invitation,” “Children of the Resurrection”).

Imagine for a moment the implications of Mat 5:4 for the believer [3], for this verse is somewhat counterintuitive (at first glance most of the beatitude couplets appear somewhat counterintuitive). We suppose that what Jesus is relating here is that when mourning inevitably comes to the believer, for it surely will in this fallen world (“Have You Considered My Servant Job”), there is blessedness even in that for the believer because God Himself will comfort them—the point being that God’s comfort is so great, so surpassing, that even the causes that bring mourning may be considered a blessing. A sober, eternal perspective, and a tight, embracing tether to Jesus Christ, is surely to some degree a manifestation of His comfort. Notwithstanding, we are sure that our God’s comforting a given believer is as personable and appropriate and special and unique as the fingerprint He designed for them.

From a different angle, when one mourns one’s sins, one’s offenses toward God, to the extent that one repents and accepts God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the multifaceted comfort of God’s grace follows in another sense, and replaces all the pain and misery and sorrow attending separation from Him owing to that Sin with this blessed comfort (Psa 51).

C. The Gentle

Are Blessed For They Shall Inherit the Earth (Mat 5:5; cf. Psa 37:11, Tts 3:2)

Here the protasis refers to those with a gentle spirit, the meek; the Greek adjective is PRAUS. O how trying human relations are oftentimes! The meek are purposely modest and submissive in effort to avoid any manner of conflict. The meek do not seek their own way; they do not hasten to seek justice at any and all cost when wronged, but instead they prayerfully restrain themselves, and time and again turn to God in faith to see them through, or to vindicate them if it pleases Him to do so. The meek wait for God and let Him fight their battles, according to His design, His schedule. The meek feel the same relational and/or situational anger, frustration, hurt, and pain that is common to humankind, but what blessedly characterizes them is that they see beyond this, to God, through their faith in Him, and they resolve to act in a relationally healing manner while they prayerfully wait for Him. Thus they are much like faithful Abraham, and perhaps this is why the Lord Jesus says of them in His apodosis that they shall inherit the earth (Rom 4:13).

D. Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

Are Blessed For They Shall Be Satisfied (Mat 5:6; cf Psa 17:15, 42:1, Isa 61:10)

Here is revealed a divine principle; it is reiterated by Jesus’ servant Paul (Gal 6:7).

God promises that there is coming a day when all wrongs will be righted, a day when righteousness will prevail—for those who hunger and thirst for the same; for those who nourish themselves on God through Jesus Christ (Jhn 4:10, 14, 6:35, 46-48, 51), because He is God’s Standard of righteousness (Isa 53:11, Jer 23:5, 33:15, 1Cr 1:30, 1Jo 2:1). To hunger and thirst for righteousness is of necessity to hunger and thirst for God, and to be satisfied in this pursuit is to gain blessed eternal life in His presence through the credited righteousness of Jesus Christ (“Righteous Faith”).

E. The Merciful

Are Blessed For They Shall Receive Mercy (Mat 5:7; cf. Mic 6:8, Zec 7:9, Luk 6:36)

Here again the divine principle just mentioned in D above is at work, in a different context.

A heart of compassion drives mercy, and a compassionate heart is necessarily a loving heart. In this way the heart of our triune God is revealed in Redemption, the quintessential expression of mercy [4].

Notice that the protasis-apodosis couplet is positive. God does not explicitly say here that one’s withholding mercy redounds to His withholding mercy, but He does elsewhere (Mat 6:14-15, 18:23-35, Mar 11:25, Luk 6:37, 7:47), thus it is near sure that a merciless heart is in peril, for such is a heart that knows not the consummate blessing of God’s mercy. Let us hasten to be merciful, for we are all in desperate need of the full measure of God’s mercy in any and all conceivable ways [5].

F. The Pure in Heart

Are Blessed For They Shall See God (Mat 5:8; cf. Psa 17:15, Jer 4:14, Mat 15:17-20, 1Ti 1:5)

Pure as in “clean” is meant here (the Greek adjective is the plural KAQAROI).

This beatitude couplet almost speaks for itself, because it is clear that God will not (indeed, cannot) fellowship with a dirty (sinful) heart, which is the norm for humankind. This verse shows us again that were it not for the imparted righteousness of Jesus Christ, no one would see (ORAW) God (=eternal separation from Him) [6]. It shows us too that God’s sacrifice at Calvary (Redemption) was a purposeful act on His part so that fellowship with humankind might be realized: God desires to have fellowship with us, thus it is our surpassing happiness that we shall “see” this indescribably awesome great God, owing to one’s faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ imparts the purity of heart that God requires for fellowship. Here is Grace. He did the heavy lifting, we embrace His Sacrifice, repent of our sins, and actively follow Him. He couldn’t have made it easier for us (no doubt because His desire to fellowship with us is very great, is beyond our understanding).

G. The Peacemakers

Are Blessed For They Shall Be Called Sons of God (Mat 5:9; cf. Jas 3:17-18, see “Children of the Resurrection”)

If Jesus is the Prince of Peace (amen; Isa 9:6), and the Son of God (amen; Mat 26:63-64), then it comes as no surprise that the Son Jesus here stipulates that His brethren must by definition be similarly about the business of peace. The construction of this couplet—a peacemakers protasis, and a follow-on Sons of God apodosis, is highly consistent theologically coming from the lips of the Prince of Peace and the Son of God. This consistency may seem quite obvious to us today, but it would not have been very obvious at the time of this couplet’s utterance—it took some time for the Holy Spirit to bring clarity here to the Church.

Peacemakers have a spirit of reconciliation; they labor for reconciliation, no matter what the personal cost may be to themselves (oftentimes it is quite high).

Peacemakers are weighed down by strife; it grieves their soul. Said positively, peacemakers rejoice greatly in harmony.

Peacemakers weigh their words, their actions, in effort to avert strife on their part up front [7].

H. Those Persecuted Because of Righteousness

Are Blessed For Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat 5:10; cf. Psa 37:12, 2Cr 4:17, 2Th 1:4-5 ,1Pe 3:14, 4:15)

It would follow that those poor in spirit, as discussed above, are apt to be persecuted, for such righteous are easy “targets” of all manner of wickedness; our Lord is possibly making that connection here [8].

Finally, it is one thing to be persecuted because of righteousness, and another to be persecuted for some other reason, be it good or bad.

I. Those Persecuted, Insulted…Because of Jesus

Are Blessed For Great Is Their Reward in Heaven (Mat 5:11-12, cf. Isa 51:7, Jhn 15:20, Rom 8:35-39, 2Cr 4:11, 17, 2Ti 2:12, Jas 1:12, 5:10-11,1Pe 4:13-14)

Jesus stands in place of all the righteous protasis sanctifications heretofore. When persecuted for Him, not only does a saint (=Jesus’ Kingdom subject) come under the dominion of the God of Heaven, which necessarily covers all the apodosis beatifications heretofore—such a one’s blessing transcends even that—great is their reward in His Heaven. This bespeaks of great things to look forward to—things that of necessity exceedingly outweigh the persecution endured [9]. One must of necessity know from God, as here, that it is exceedingly worth one’s while to endure persecution on account of Him, to endure sanctified for Him.

III. Concluding Comments

This pulpit was interested in the beatitudes that preface our Savior’s Sermon on the Mount. We saw in these verses a protasis/sanctification-apodosis/beatification couplet structure and approached the spiritual and practical (corporeal) character of each couplet from that perspective.

We thought that the first couplet’s protasis sanctification, the poor in spirit, was foundational to the rest of the protases, not least because Jesus spoke it first, and in relation to His overarching preaching on the Kingdom of Heaven. We discussed the poor in spirit from the perspective of their disposition and perhaps means being like unto the materially poor, and the lowly (humble), sober with respect to considerations of God and others vis-a-vis self. This couplet’s apodosis, The Kingdom of Heaven, would seem to be foundational to Jesus’ teaching per se, thus the preeminent position of this beatitude couplet when considered in the aggregate.

To mourn bespeaks of grief, heartache, sorrow; this is pain that might be deadened for a moment corporeally, but the blessedness that Jesus promises here is comfort; eternal comfort, to this humanly irreparable and painful condition. Sooner or later most everyone mourns; it is a comfort already, even now, beforehand, to know that thoroughgoing, eternal comfort accrues to the believer in the face of mourning; praised and thanked be our great God for it. As said in the main text, it must be assumed (amen) that our God’s comfort is so great, so surpassing, that even the causes that bring mourning may be considered a blessing, seeing that His comfort is consequential to mourning for a believer.

The gentle, or meek as it is rendered oftentimes, refers to those with a gentle spirit. We said that the meek are purposely modest and submissive in effort to avoid any manner of conflict; that they do not seek their own way, or hasten to seek justice at any and all cost when wronged, but instead they prayerfully restrain themselves, and time and again turn to God in faith to see them through, or to vindicate them if it pleases Him to do so. We said that the meek wait for God and let Him fight their battles, according to His design, His schedule. It was thought that what blessedly characterizes the meek is that they see beyond the same relational and/or situational anger, frustration, hurt, and pain that is common to humankind, to God, through their faith in Him, and that they resolve to act in a relationally healing manner while they prayerfully wait for God. We connected this to faithful Abraham, and thought that perhaps this is why our Savior says of them in His apodosis that they shall inherit the earth.

We thought that God satisfying those who hunger and thirst for righteousness reveals a divine principle spelled out by Galatians 6:7. We said that God promises that there is coming a day when all wrongs will be righted and when righteousness will prevail for those who hunger and thirst for the same, that is, for those who nourish themselves on God through Jesus Christ, because He is God’s Standard of righteousness. It was said that to hunger and thirst for righteousness is of necessity to hunger and thirst for God, and to be satisfied in this pursuit is to gain blessed eternal life in His presence through the credited righteousness of Jesus Christ.

That the merciful shall receive mercy reveals again the divine principle just mentioned in a different context. We said that a heart of compassion drives mercy, and a compassionate heart is necessarily a loving heart. We supposed that in this way the heart of our triune God is revealed in Redemption, the quintessential expression of mercy. With respect to this couplet we thought based on peripheral Scriptural evidence that a merciless heart is in grave peril in that such a heart does not know the consummate blessing of God’s mercy.

We said that God will not (cannot) fellowship with a dirty (sinful) heart, which is the norm for humankind, and so it only follows that the pure in heart are the ones who will see God. Here we come to appreciate again that were it not for the imparted righteousness of Jesus Christ, no one would see God. It shows us that God’s Sacrifice at Calvary (Redemption) was a purposeful act on His part so that fellowship with humankind might be realized. It is our surpassing happiness that if we accept His redemptive grace on His terms we shall manifestly fellowship with this great God, forever.

When studying the beatitudes one is struck by our Lord’s peacemakers protasis and follow-on sons (or children) of God apodosis, in that this is highly consistent Christian theology. It seems to us that only One claiming to be the Prince of Peace [10] and the Son of God would think to create an extraordinary beatitude couplet that qualified human deification (sons of God like unto Jesus) on the basis of personally self-evident (Jesus understood) Father-pleasing peacemaking like unto His own. This is so rational and consistent theologically one is left in awe of it (let alone the implications); indeed, all the more awesome because this theology had not yet been clarified by the Holy Spirit at the time of this couplet’s utterance (it took centuries to grasp this connection).

We said that peacemakers have a spirit of reconciliation, that they labor for reconciliation, no matter what the personal cost may be to themselves (witness the Cross). We noted that peacemakers are weighed down by strife, that it grieves their soul. Peacemakers rejoice in harmony—amongst humankind, between humankind and Jehovah God. It was said that peacemakers weigh their words, their actions, in effort to avert strife on their part up front.

The poor in spirit are apt to be persecuted, for such righteous are easy prey for all manner of wickedness. We thought that Jesus seems to connect persecution for the sake of righteousness with the poor in spirit; both apodoses are centered on the Kingdom of Heaven, a mainstay of His preaching and teaching. It is interesting that the Kingdom of Heaven thesis rather bookends Jesus’ beatitudes: possibly the importance of this thesis is being brought to our attention; may our Lord open our understanding here.

The ninth beatitude, like the eighth, has a persecution protasis, centered on Jesus specifically this time. We said that Jesus stands in place of all the righteous protasis sanctifications, and that when one is persecuted for Him, not only does a saint come under the dominion of the God of Heaven, which clearly covers all the apodosis beatifications—such a one’s blessing transcends even that—great is their reward in His Heaven. Because persecution for Christ oftentimes greatly tests human resolve, we thought that the insights given by our Lord here concerning reward were lovingly intended to assure us that it is exceedingly worth our while to endure persecution on account of Him—to endure sanctified for Him.

The beatitude protases guide us in attaining to the keynote of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

‘Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect’ (Mat 5:48).

As the great Sermon unfolds, one can see how its substance might find fruition through its beatitude preface, this mindset. To grasp that dynamic, that important catalyzing-type connection to the rest of the Sermon, is maybe foundational for a right understanding of the beatitudes.

If the beatitude protases communicate a state of being that resonates with the perfection of the divine Law, the heart of our Father God, then the beatitude apodoses communicate a state of being that resonates with the concomitant divine Blessing. It is our great savior God, yea He, who has effected this.

Praised be your Name great savior God; how good it is that we have you…