Board index ‹ Specific Bible verses, texts, and passages ‹ Matthew

[kristincrhodes]

Hey Jim!!

I need some help understanding the true meaning of Blessed in the Beatitudes. From my online searches I see the word is makarios, some posts say it means fortunate, happy, well-off, others say we don't have English words to describe the meaning. Can you explain for me please? And then what's the response when someone says (just to pick an example vs. 4) "how am I supposed to feel blessed when I lose someone who is most dear to me?"
Thanks so much Jim!!

[jimwalton]

Kristin, Sorry it has taken me so long to answer. I was away for a week without Internet access.

Your question is a good one. I'm glad you asked. Hopefully I'll be able to be of help. But if you have further questions after reading what I wrote, don't hold back in asking more. (I know you won't.)''

You're right that the word is makarios, and it's a tough word to bring into English. The context has to refine for us what Jesus specifically meant by it. While in some contexts it can mean "fortunate; happy; well off," this is not at all how Jesus is using it. Obviously translators have stuck with the word "blessed" because of the religious connotation of the word, but we have to see it in its depth. Jesus uses it more in a qualitative sense rather than a mood sense—a moral quality that speaks of a certain character trait, a depth of being, a perspective based more on the things of heaven than the things of earth, and we just have no English word for such a concept. We can understand it best by looking at what Jesus does with it.

Poor in spirit—the right perspective and character trait is one that sees oneself in proper relation to God—coming as an empty vessel to Him for filling, a person in need to One who will supply.

Mourn—the right perspective and character trait is one who mourns any breech of relationship with God. Bonhoeffer said, "I refuse to be in tune with the world and its standards."

Meek—Renouncing every right of one's own and living for the sake of Jesus (Bonhoeffer again). God works for our ultimate good (Rom. 8.28). A true view of oneself and a true view of God.

Hunger and thirst, merciful, peacemakers, pure in heart—fairly self-explanatory.

So why are we blessed when we lose someone close to us? Let's look at v. 4.

Many commentators (Bill Mills, G. Campbell Morgan, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Warren Wiersbe, Hays, and many more) take it as spiritual mourning over sin, not sadness over tragedy. After all, the context is the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' manifesto of his new kingdom. He's not talking about people who are so removed from reality that they don't mourn over tragedy, or that he just wants unhappy people as followers, but those who are poor in spirit (awareness of spiritual poverty) and mourn because of the damage that sin does to the relationship with God. Hays says, "Mourning only makes sense in view of the eschatological promise that accompanies it. The community of Jesus’ followers lives now in anticipation of ultimate restoration by God. They do not seek to enforce God’s way; rather, they await God’s act of putting things right."

Now, it's also true that we as Christians mourn differently than unbelievers do. We still have natural sorrow over the loss of life, possessions, status, and health. But we have a larger view of life than just our immediate circumstances. We still have spiritual sorrow over guilt, regret, fear, and lack of faith. Our pasts can't be changed, but we can make adjustments as we walk into our futures. And we also have sinful sorrow—our sense of missing the mark of God's glory and repenting from it. While the verse is mostly speaking of the third part, it can also have intersecting implications for the first two as well.

This is probably generating more questions from you, or at least some comments. Feel free to write back.