BEATITUDE

- “BLESSED”
- the eight statements made by Christ about people who are blessed.
- Beatitude inherited its blessedness from the Latin word beatus, meaning both "happy" and
"blessed."

8 Beatitudes
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- The first Beatitude Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount appears in Matthew 5:3. "Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The “poor in spirit” are those who are
humble and recognize that all their blessings come from God.
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- This second beatitude references mourning, which is most commonly associated with things
such as death, tragedy, and loss. How could Jesus ever claim that these are blessings when it
feels as though they bring nothing but hopelessness and sadness?
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- In the third beatitude, meek does not mean weak. Meekness is better understood as virtuous
gentleness. A strong person is free to be gentle if he chooses. The weak person has to be
gentle or the violent man will throttle him! Meek means gentle, humbly patient, docile, or
submissive.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
- The fourth Beatitude blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. It represents more
than those who are hungry. Yet, in these Beatitudes, Jesus uses this final earthly despair to
include righteousness. It, too, is twofold in purpose.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
- The fifth beatitude states: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
The merciful give what they have themselves received, mercy. The merciful forgive as the Father
Himself forgives, and it is in this forgiveness that the merciful find their joy.
6. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
- Of all the beatitudes, this theme shines through the most clearly in the sixth beatitude, found in
Matthew 5:8, which says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” When we are
presented with the concept of purity, often our minds are led straight to abstinence, sobriety or
having a clean, sinless life.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
- Thus, Christ introduces to the world the seventh beatitude: Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called sons of God. Christ promises that those who reconcile persons are sons of
God. Full peace comes about when the parties are not just not enemies but friends.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
- This is the eighth and final beatitude spoken by Jesus Christ during the Sermon on the Mount.
This scripture makes us painfully aware that persecution will come against those who love Jesus
Christ and are his followers. The good news, however, is that it also speaks of the wonderful
reward for those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

OTHER MEANINGS
#1 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Be satisfied with what you
have. Share the good things we have with others because God wants us to.)
#2 Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Comfort those who are suffering. Help
others feel better about themselves after a loss.)
#3 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
(Humility-a true sense of who you are. Get the ego out of the way.)
#4 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
( Do what is fair for everyone. Think WWJD)
#5 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
(We forgive those who are unkind to us. Look for ways to show kindness to others.)
#6 Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
(We do what is right just because we know it is the right thing to do.)
#7 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
(We try to bring God’s peace to the world. We control our behavior so people can see Jesus in us.)
#8 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
(We are willing to stand up for God’s laws even if we are teased or insulted.)

FROM QUIZ
TRUE OR FALSE
1. The promise of the beatitude is experienced by all. FALSE
2. The greatest reward promised by the beatitudes is oneness with God. TRUE
3. Meekness means always keeping quiet. FALSE
4. Poor in spirit means recognizing God's worth in one's life. TRUE
5. The mourning mentioned in the second beatitude is caused by sin. TRUE
6. The Beatitudes assures that no matter how bad things are now, good thing will surely happen. TRUE
7. Beatitudes can be seen in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke. TRUE
8. The invitation of the Beatitudes is open to all. TRUE
9. Being pure of heart frees us from encountering temptations and occasions to sin. FALSE
10. To hunger and thirst is an invitation to do whatever what one can using any method conceivable to
obtain what one yearns for. FALSE
11. The meaning and concept of being "poor in spirit" refer to individuals who often feel empty within their
earthly life because they have lost everything due to unfortunate predicaments within their family. FALSE
12. The kingdom of heaven is an embodiment of grace. TRUE
13. The nature of morality is dynamic for the purpose of the transformative culture and innovative society.
FALSE
14. The term "children of God" is an underlying statement which proves God's purposively selection of
followers. FALSE
15. Persecution for a belief signifies a commitment to martyrdom and righteousness, embodying the
steadfast dedication to one's convictions and the pursuit of moral integrity. TRUE

IDENTIFICATION
16. What causes the comfort promised to those who mourn?
ANSWER: God's consolation and the promise of eternal happiness.
17. What was Jesus sustaining for the people when he preached about the beatitudes?
ANSWER: Hope and vision of God’s kingdom.
18. What is the ultimate desire of a person who is poor in spirit?
ANSWER: To belong to the kingdom of heaven
19. What right do we have to claim and demand for as we inherit the land according to the 3rd beatitude?
ANSWER: Justice and Peace
20. Literal meaning of the word beatitude.
ANSWER: Blessed