• The Beatitudes - Day 1

    <br />Approved by God

  • What kind of person is approved by God? This is the question Jesus answers in what has become known as the beatitudes. Before you read the beatitudes, consider this question. Why should it be of prime importance for me to be approved by God?

  • The Beatitudes - Day 1

    <br />Approved by God

  • Matthew 5:1-10 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.  2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

    3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

    5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

    6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

    8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

    9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

    10

    "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

  • The Beatitudes - Day 1

    <br />Approved by God
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  • Read the beatitudes again and focus on the 8 blessings that the blessed receive. What do you notice about the first and the eighth blessing?

  • Matthew 5:3-10

    "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

    "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

    "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

    "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

    "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

    "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

  • The Beatitudes - Day 1

    <br />Approved by God

  • This literary structure is called an inclusion. ‘This means that everything bracketed between the two can really be included under the one theme, in this case, the kingdom of heaven.’

  • How else are the 1st and the 8th blessings different from the rest? (hint: consider the verb tense)

  • Matthew 5:3-10

    "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

    "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

    "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

    "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

    "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

    "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

  • As we have seen, these are all blessings of the Kingdom. What do you think this difference in verb tense might indicate about our experience of the Kingdom of heaven?

  • The Beatitudes - Day 1

    <br />Approved by God

  • In this meditation we have seen that the beatitudes present the blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven. The present and future tense distinctions in the blessings indicate that there is an already/not yet dimension to our experience of these blessings. In other words, the Kingdom of heaven is ours now, yet the full consummation of the kingdom is still to come.


    In the next meditation, we will begin to examine who the blessed person is. In other words, we will see who it is that recieves the blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven.


    Until then may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 


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