The Beatitudes

About
The Beatitudes are eight blessings in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew.
Each is a proverb-like proclamation, without narrative, "cryptic, precise, and full of
meaning. Each one includes a topic that forms a major biblical theme". [1]Four of the
blessings also appear in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, and these are
followed by four woes which mirror the blessings.
The term beatitude comes from the Latin noun betitd which means "happiness". In
the Vulgate (Latin), the book of Matthew titles this section Beatitudines, and "Beatitudes"
was anglicized from that term.
Each Beatitude consists of two phrases: the condition and the result. In almost every case
the

condition

is

from

familiar Old

Testament context,

but

Jesus

teaches

new

interpretation. Together, the Beatitudes present a new set of Christian ideals that focus on
a spirit of love and humility different in orientation than the usual force and exaction
taken. They echo the highest ideals of the teachings of Jesus on mercy, spirituality, and
compassion.

Biblical Basis
While opinions may vary as to exactly how many distinct statements into which the
Beatitudes should be divided (ranging from eight to ten), most scholars consider them to
be only eight.[4][5] These eight of Matthew follow a simple pattern: Jesus names a group
of people normally thought to be unfortunate and pronounces them blessed.
The eight Beatitudes in Matthew 5:312 during the Sermon on the Mount each begins
with:
Blessed are...
....the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)
....those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)
....the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)
....those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)
....the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)
....the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)
....the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)
....those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(5:10)

In verses 5:11-12, the eight Beatitudes are followed by what is often viewed as a
commentarya further clarification of the eighth one with specific application being made
to the disciples. Instead of referencing third-person plural "they", Jesus changes to secondperson "you"

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,
for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
R. T. France considers verses 11 and 12 to be based on Isaiah 51:7.

The Beatitudes unique to Matthew are the meek, the merciful, the pure of heart, and the
peacemakers. The other four have similar entries in Luke, but are followed almost
immediately by "four woes".

Analysis and Interpretation

Each Beatitude consists of two phrases: the condition and the result. In almost all cases
the phrases used are familiar from an Old Testament context, but in the Sermon on the
Mount Jesus elevates them to new levels and teachings. Together, the Beatitudes present
a new set of ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction. They
echo the highest ideals of Jesus' teachings on spirituality and compassion.
The term the meek would be familiar in the Old Testament, e.g., as in Psalms 37:11.
Although the Beatitude concerning the meek has been much praised even by some nonChristians such as Mahatma Gandhi, some view the admonition to meekness skeptically.
Friedrich Nietzsche in On the Genealogy of Morals considered the verse to be embodying
what he perceived as a slave morality.
In Christian teachings, the Works of Mercy, which have corporal and spiritual components,
have resonated with the theme of the Beatitude for mercy. These teachings emphasize
that these acts of mercy provide both temporal and spiritual benefits. The theme of mercy
has continued in devotions such as the Divine Mercy in the 20th century.
The peacemakers have been traditionally interpreted, not only live in peace with others
but do their best to promote friendship among mankind and between God and man. St.
Gregory of Nyssa interpreted it as "Godly work", which was an imitation of God's love of
man.