As a young man, I remember hearing the word “beatitude(s)” thrown around the church. I remember hearing about people memorizing them or studying them, how they were the favorite verses of some, or even a sermon or two about them. But my question has always been, “what does that mean?” I don’t know that word, it sounds old and churchy, definitely not trendy or new. So I read them.
The funny thing about the “Beatitudes” is that nowhere in the text does Jesus or anyone else call them such. Nobody announces, “These are the Beatitudes, read them, love them, live by them.” Nowhere does it define the word. In fact, the best way to define The Beatitudes is by lumping them together with little actual definition. The Beatitudes are simply a collection of verses describing the blessing of a select few types of people. Webster defines the word beatitude as “supreme blessedness or happiness.” And to the best of my interpretation, that is just what the people are that Jesus describes. They each will receive a great blessing and thus, be very very happy.
So what are they?
My list comes from Matthew Chapter 5.
- Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for they shall inherit the earth.
- Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall 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 are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Now each of these deserves a post of its own, but I want to focus on a select few. As I was studying this list, I noticed one thing that seems to me to be very important. The first and last of the persons listed both receive the kingdom of heaven. That’s HUGE. The poor and those who do right by them both receive the same thing! The keys to the kingdom, the eternal home, the place ordained for them since the time was not, this is given to both alike. This goes to prove Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Further, it brings to light Matthew 20:16, So the last will be first, and the first will be last (context includes 14 and 15). So these are all well and good but what about some of the others?
What about the peacemakers? What does that mean? The dictionary seems to think that a peacemaker is one who works between parties, unbiased, and settles disputes. One who brings about compromise. But this doesn’t seem to go along completely with christianity. For a Christian there isn’t really much to compromise, in fact, it’s almost more about not compromising than about compromising. So what might it mean? I think it may be better defined with the image of a righteous warrior. The goal is not to kill, steal, and destroy but to bring about security and protection — to return that which is bad to a state that is good. That is the goal of a peacemaker. They will be known as children of God.
Now I want to ask, “are all of these characteristics of different people or can the be the characteristics of just one man?” I believe that at any point in life, one can exhibit one or all of the Beatitudes in the same breath. In fact, I believe that Jesus did that at every moment of his life. Are we not called to be like Jesus in every way possible?
Let us remain in these attitudes,
in Christ,
Adam
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