Matthew 5:1-10
1One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2and he began to teach them. 3“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 4God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. 6God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. 7God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. 9God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 10God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Matthew 5:1-10 · NLT · read the whole chapter ↗
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Context
these lines are called the beatitudes, and they're how Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount. each one starts with "God blesses" and flips what people thought a blessed life looked like.
Matthew 5 opens with Jesus seeing the crowds and going up the mountainside to teach. the beatitudes come first. each one names a kind of person and the blessing God gives them.
they would have surprised the people listening. they lived under Roman rule, many were poor, and plenty of people assumed God's blessing showed up as money and power. Jesus says God's blessing rests on people who know they need him, who grieve, who are humble and hungry for what is right, who show mercy and make peace, and even on people who suffer for doing right.
this week's focus is verse 8, the pure in heart.
What it means
the Greek word for pure means clean, and a lot of teachers read it as a heart that isn't split between God and everything else. the promise that comes with it is huge, because they will see God.
did you know? the name beatitudes comes from the Latin word beatitudo, which means happiness or blessedness. Matthew 5:3-10 lists eight of them.
Think about it
what's one thing pulling your heart in two directions right now?
Try this
this weekend, when you notice your attention getting pulled in two directions, take a minute to bring it back to God.
talk about it: which of these blessings feels the most surprising to you, and why?