Beatitudes

The term “Beatitudes” comes from the Latin word beatitudo, which means “blessedness.” The word does not appear in the English Bible. It refers to the state of being blessed, as described in the Old and New Testaments. In the Bible, Hebrew and Greek words translated as “blessed” describe God’s favor toward people.

The formal statements “happy is” and “blessed is” often appear in the Bible. They occur 26 times in Psalms, eight times in Proverbs, ten times in other Old Testament books, and 13 times in the Apocrypha.

These blessings are spoken about people who live rightly and place their faith and hope in God. They describe a life lived close to Yahweh, the personal name of God in the Old Testament. Such people experience God’s forgiveness, love, and favor.

This blessing affects every part of life. It brings well-being, peace, and fruitfulness in family life, temple worship, public life, and a person’s inner life. A blessed person shares in the goodness and life-giving work of the Creator. This person lives a full life. A full life is the kind of life God intended people to live before him.

In the New Testament, references to “blessing” occur:

seven times in the book of Revelation,

three times in Paul's letter to the Romans, and

once in John’s Gospel.

Matthew and Luke give special attention to this theme. This is why these teachings are often called the Beatitudes.

There are important differences between Luke’s “sermon on the plain” in Luke 6:20–23 and Matthew’s “sermon on the mount” in Matthew 5:3–12. In Luke, Jesus gives these blessings soon after choosing the 12 disciples (Luke 6:12–16). However, he speaks to the whole crowd.

Luke presents the coming of God’s kingdom as a reversal of people’s present social conditions. He places four blessings beside four warnings of judgment. He also moves from the present tense to the future tense. This strengthens the contrast between present suffering and the coming change.

In Matthew’s account, God’s kingdom has already begun. The use of the present tense shows this. Jesus speaks especially to his disciples, not to the public in general.

The sermon stands between two important statements. Jesus says that he did not come to destroy the law of Moses but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). He also says that his followers must have a righteousness greater than that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).

For this reason, Matthew’s Beatitudes focus more on the inner life of a disciple. They describe the kind of life Jesus produces in those who follow him. This life can begin now because Jesus has already begun to establish God’s kingdom.

The eight Beatitudes describe the qualities of people who belong to this kingdom. Their lives should reflect the life of Christ. By human standards, these people and their situations may seem weak or unfortunate. However, God is present with them. Therefore, they are truly blessed, and others should follow their example.

See Teachings of Jesus Christ.