The Beatitudes
10 Truths
What are the Beatitudes?
“Beatitudes” comes from the Latin for blessedness. There are nine Beatitudes in Matthew and four Beatitudes in Luke. Luke also has a set of “woes”that probably go with the Beatitudes.
Scholars argue over whether the Beatitudes are rewards or requirements to enter God’s Kingdom. My stance is that they are both rewards and Jesus said a high standard for His followers to exhibit in the world.
Where can I find the Beatitudes?
You can find the Beatitudes in two of the Gospels. The most popular version is Matthew’s Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. Luke also has a list of Beatitudes in Luna 6:20-23.
What is the meaning of "Blessed"?
The word “blessed” appears at the beginning of every beatitude. Bible versions describe it as either “blessed” or “happy.” It appears in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) for a state of happiness because of God’s intervention in a person’s life.
You are blessed in the Beatitudes because God is rewarding you for having these qualities or experiencing God’s blessing and favor because of these character traits.
The word “blessed” is linked to God’s interaction with that person. It is not happiness for happiness’s sake. Your godly values challenge worldly values for God. You don’t always experience this blessed state right away or even in your lifetime. It can be a reward given later.
I hope you enjoyed this first teaching on the Beatitudes. Please reply with your preference for every week or other week and your thoughts and questions about this first teaching. Have a blessed week!
How are the Beatitudes arranged?
In Matthew, the Beatitudes are arranged in two groups of two with an expanded beatitude at the end. There are nine in all. He uses a literary device called an inclusio.
It means the first and eighth Beatitudes have the same ending, “ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Each of the eight Beatitudes refesr to “Those who” while the ninth Beatitude refers to the disciples, “You who.”
In Luke, there are four Beatitudes followed by a statement of rejoicing. Then there are four woe statements. We will look at the Beatitudes only in this study.
What is the Beatitude Formula?
Every beatitude in Matthew, except for the last one, has a formula or form that it always uses. They begin with the word “blessed” to give the state of the person who follows the criteria of the beatitude.
The criteria that must be met comes next. This is all on the first line of the beatitude. The second line gives the result of having the attribute in the criteria.
Example:
Blessed – a person interacting with God in this attribute experiences His favor
Are the poor – a person must be ported to experience God’s blessing
For they will inherit the kingdom of God – the result or because of God’s blessing, what a person receives as God’s blessing