learners lounge thursday

Blessings by Grace Radio

Are you ready to learn lets do that! The beatitudes are "blessed sayings" that come from the opening verses of the famous Sermon on the Mount delivered by Jesus Christ and recorded in Matthew 5:3-12. Here Jesus stated several blessings, each beginning with the phrase, "Blessed are ..." (Similar declarations appear in Jesus' Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:20-23.) Each saying speaks of a blessing or "divine favor" that will be bestowed on the person who possesses a certain character quality. Beatitude Meaning The word beatitude comes from the Latin beatitudo, meaning "blessedness."The phrase "blessed are" in each beatitude implies a current state of happiness or well-being. This expression held a powerful meaning of "divine joy and perfect happiness" to the people of Christ's day. In other words, Jesus was saying "divinely happy and fortunate are those who possess these inward qualities." While speaking of a current "blessedness," each pronouncement also promised a future reward. The beatitudes introduce and set the tone for Jesus' Sermon on the Mount by emphasizing the humble state of humans and the righteousness of God. Each beatitude depicts the ideal heart condition of a citizen of God’s kingdom. In this idyllic state, the believer experiences abundant spiritual blessings.