As Jesus delivered His Sermon on the Mount, He initiated His discourse with the Beatitudes. These teachings are the antithesis of what the secular world defines as “winning” and superficial happiness. The Beatitudes describe a blessed state that is foreign to society.
The Greek word for blessed means “happy, blissful, or to be enlarged.” But Christ’s application of the word goes well beyond these meanings. Blessed, as Christ uses, articulates a spiritual wellness that is divinely generated by the Holy Spirit. It is a condition of the faithful, and one that will generate eternal rewards.
A blessedness that is found in godly sorrow, self-control, and even in persecution is one-hundred eighty degrees from society’s idea of happiness. Jesus obliterates secular concepts of human self-reliance and success as He points to a humility that relies on God. Only this blessedness can be authored by Yahweh.
Contrarily, worldly happiness describes shallow emotions that are produced by physical pleasure, self-actualization, status, and abundance of various kinds. Pursuit of human happiness correlates to the notion of human progress and satisfaction. Man’s ideas of happiness absolutely conflict with true blessedness experienced by the faithful.
Spiritual wellness does not seek the things of the world. It does not seek war, is never victimized, does not mock, and does not seek its own. Quite the opposite, it relies on God above all things, prays for others, seeks peace in all circumstances, and endures persecution without engaging in violence or revenge.
In short, the blessedness that Christ describes is viewed as the “losing side” in the world. As with all red letters, human notions of what is good are blown to part. It becomes impossible for us to align Jesus with any human agenda.
Consequently, we should thank God for His character that contradicts the world. If He described blessedness as men like to have it, I would not be posting this blog. I would not exist, but I do because of His mercy.
Over my following three blogs, I’ll be breaking down the Beatitudes in detail. The richness of the Lord’s words is immeasurable. Praise Yahweh!
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and 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 shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
What the world has to offer as happiness is really death to the soul. I’m so thankful that He has given me saving grace; eyes to see and ears to hear His truth. I don’t deserve it.