Blessed!

Ron Writes

A constant source of frustration for my wife, who proofreads all my articles, is my constant use of incomplete sentences. In my defense, it’s not accidental. The thought can be conveyed. Made emphatic! Made even more emotional, or forceful without the aid of English grammar. My space is limited, and my readers are brilliant enough to supply the missing parts. Right?

It might surprise you to learn that the famous phrase in the beatitudes of Jesus (Mt. 5:1-12), “Blessed are” is not in the original. Neither in the Aramaic Jesus spoke, nor in the Greek in which it is recorded is there a verb. The verbs were added by the translators to make it conform to English grammar. What does this mean for us?

The beatitudes are more than statements. They are exclamations! These are not commands, do this and be happy. These are not formulas for insuring future happiness. These are affirmations! “O the bliss of….”

The word “blessed” (Gr. makarioi) is more than the idea of being happy. It’s a powerful word that conveys “Divine joy” or perfect bliss. We conclude that Jesus is giving us guidance for happiness – If you want to be happy do this. We’re used to advice. We’ve turned it into a Divine self-help book, “Do this and be happy.” If this isn’t what Jesus is doing, then how are we to understand this?

Recognize you’re blessed! Jesus was addressing people who felt pretty bad about themselves. They weren’t like the Scribes or Pharisees who had all the answers. Their religious leaders had “the corner on the market” with God while they felt judged daily. They were unworthy. They weren’t doing enough. They weren’t good enough. They were being persecuted. They yearned for God but felt like they constantly fell short. Do you realize how blessed you are?! O the bliss of those who are poor in spirit. O the bliss of those who hunger and thirst. Do you ever feel too bad about yourself to feel blessed? O the bliss of the utterly helpless who puts their whole trust in God!
If you read the sermon on the mount and feel self-righteous, you misread something. But if you understand how loved by God you are – How blessed!