Editing Beatitudes

{{Short description|Part of Jesus' sermon on the mount}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:TissotBeatitudes.JPG|thumb|[[James Tissot]], ''The Beatitudes Sermon'', c. 1890, [[Brooklyn Museum]]]]

The '''Beatitudes''' ({{ipac-en|b|i|ˈ|æ|t|ɪ|tj|u|d|z}}) are blessings recounted by [[Jesus]] in [[Matthew 5]]:3&ndash;10 within the [[Sermon on the Mount]] in the [[Gospel of Matthew]], and four in the [[Sermon on the Plain]] in the [[Gospel of Luke]], followed by four woes which mirror the blessings.<ref name= "Synop" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matthew 5:3-10 - NIV - "Blessed ar... |url=https://www.christianity.com/bible/niv/matthew/5-3-10 |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=www.christianity.com |language=en}}</ref>

In the Latin [[Vulgate]], each of these blessings begins with the word {{Lang|la|beātī}}, which translates to {{Gloss|blessed}} (plural adjective). The corresponding word in the original Greek is {{Lang|grc|μακάριοι}} ({{transliteration|grc|makarioi}}), with the same meaning.{{Efn | "[T]he name of "Makaria", the "blessed" or "prosperous" one— ...as well as the family's membership in the upper classes.{{Refn | {{Citation | title = Gender, Class and Ideology: The Social Function of Virgin Sacrifice in Euripides' ''Children of Herakles'' | first = David Kawalko | journal = Classical Antiquity | volume = 26 | number = 1 | date = April 2007 | pages = 81–169 | url = https://hcommons.org/deposits/objects/hc:14100/datastreams/CONTENT/content | last = Roselli | publisher = University of California Press| doi = 10.1525/ca.2007.26.1.81 | url-access = subscription }}.}}}}<ref>{{Citation | quote = Blessed, happy, fortunate; in Attic, one of the upper classes. | last1 = Liddell | last2 = Scott | title = Lexicon}}</ref> Thus "Blessed are the poor in spirit" appears in [[Latin]] as {{Lang|la|beātī pauperēs spīritū}}.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Vulgate New Testament with the Douay Version of 1582 in Parallel Columns |year= 1872 |page= 5 |publisher= Samuel Bagster and Sons |url= https://archive.org/stream/vulgatenewtesta00jerogoog#page/n21/mode/2up}}</ref> The Latin noun {{Lang|la|beātitūdō}} was [[neologism|coined]] by [[Cicero]] to describe a state of blessedness and was later incorporated within the chapter headings written for [[Matthew 5]] in various printed versions of the Vulgate.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Gospel of the Kingdom |last= Savage |first=Henry Edwin |author-link= Henry Edwin Savage |date= 1910 |page=69 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=IVw7AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA69}}</ref> Subsequently, the word was [[anglicisation|anglicized]] to {{lang|enm|beatytudes}} in the [[Great Bible|Great Bible of 1540]],<ref>{{cite book |title= Great Bible | year = 1540 |page= 431 |url= https://archive.org/stream/GreatBible1540/1540GreatBible#page/n429/mode/2up}}</ref> and has, over time, taken on a preferred spelling of ''beatitudes''.

While some opinions can differ as to exactly how many distinct statements into which the Beatitudes should be divided (ranging from eight to ten), most scholars consider them to be only eight.<ref name="Westmin">{{cite book |title=The Westminster Dictionary of New Testament and early Christian literature |first1=David Edward |last1=Aune |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-664-21917-8 |pages=75–78|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press }}</ref><ref name="Cathenc">{{cite book |title=Beatitudes |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02371a.htm |work=[[Catholic Encyclopedia]] |access-date=September 5, 2013}}</ref> These eight of Matthew follow a simple pattern: Jesus names a group of people normally thought to be unfortunate and pronounces them blessed.<ref name="Synop">{{cite book |title=The Synoptics: Matthew, Mark, Luke |first1=Ján |last1=Majerník |first2=Joseph |last2=Ponessa |first3=Laurie Watson |last3=Manhardt |year=2005 |location= Steubenville, OH |publisher=Emmaus Road |isbn=1-931018-31-6 |pages=63–68}}</ref>

== Matthew 5:3–12 ==
[[File:Saint Cajetan Church, Gustavo A. Madero, Federal District, Mexico11.jpg|thumb|150px|Plaque of the Eight beatitudes, St. Cajetan Church, [[Lindavista]], Mexico]]
[[File:Beatitudes 2016-10-15 2825.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Text of the Beatitudes at Our Lady of Peace Shrine, along [[Interstate 80 in Wyoming|I-80]] in [[Pine Bluffs, Wyoming]] (2016)]]
The nine Beatitudes in Matthew:<ref name= "Westmin" /><ref name= "Cathenc" /><ref>{{bibleverse |Matthew|5:3–12|NIV}}</ref>{{poemquote |
<sup>3</sup>Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
<sup>4</sup>Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
<sup>5</sup>Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the Earth.
<sup>6</sup>Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
<sup>7</sup>Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
<sup>8</sup>Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
<sup>9</sup>Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called the Sons of God.
<sup>10</sup>Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
<sup>11</sup>Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
<sup>12</sup>Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you...|char=|sign=|title=|source=}}

The ninth beatitude (Matthew 5:11–12) refers to the bearing of reviling and is addressed to the disciples.<ref>{{Citation | title = The Beatitudes | first = George | last = Hunsinger | publisher = Paulist Press | date = March 2016}}.</ref>{{Page needed |date=April 2019}}<ref>{{Citation | series =Memorize the Faith | title = The Nine Beatitudes | first = Kevin | last = Vost | publisher = Sophia Institute Press | place = NH | year = 2006 | page = 553}}.</ref> [[R. T. France|R.T. France]] considers verses 11 and 12 to be based on {{Bibleverse |Isaiah|51:7}}.<ref>{{cite book | last= France | first=R.T. | title= The Gospel According to Matthew: an Introduction and Commentary | location= Leicester | publisher= Send the Light | edition= 1 |date=October 1987 | isbn= 0-8028-0063-7}}</ref>

The Beatitudes unique to Matthew are the meek, the merciful, the pure of heart, and the peacemakers, while the other four have similar entries in Luke, but are followed almost immediately by "four woes".<ref name= "Hastings">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c311iUKey8kC |series=Dictionary of the Bible: dealing with its language, literature, and contents, including the Biblical theology |editor-first1=James |editor-last1=Hastings |editor-first2=John A |editor-last2=Selbie |editor-first3=A B |editor-last3=Davidson |editor-first4=S R |editor-last4=Driver |editor-first5=Henry Barclay |editor-last5=Swete |title=Volume I: A–Feasts |first=Rev. Arthur (for entry "Beatitudes") |last=Plummer |year=1898 |isbn=1410217221 |location=[[Edinburgh]] |publisher=[[T&T Clark]] |pages=261–262 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>  The term "poor in spirit" is unique to Matthew. While thematically similar, the introduction of the phrase "Poor in spirit" spiritualizes or ethicizes the poor in their predicament (in alignment with Isaiah 61),<ref>The Oxford Companion to the Bible, Ed. Metzger and Coogan, 1993 p. 688 {{ISBN|0-19-504645-5}}</ref> while the Lucan version focuses on their actual hardship, poverty, marginalization and rejection of the poor who will see eventual vindication.

== Luke ==
[[File:Dirc van Delft - The Eight Beatitudes - Walters W17160V - Full Page.jpg|thumbnail|The Eight Beatitudes. Folio from Walters manuscript W.171 (15th century)]]
The four Beatitudes in {{bibleverse |Luke|6:20–22|NIV}} are set within the [[Sermon on the Plain]].
{{poemquote|
<sup>20</sup>Looking at his disciples, he said:

"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
<sup>21</sup>Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
<sup>22</sup>Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.}}
{{bibleverse |Luke|6:23|NIV}} ("Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.") appears to parallel the text in Matthew 5:11–12.

The four woes that follow in Luke 6:24–26<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|6:24–26|NIV}}</ref><ref name= "Westmin" />
{{poemquote|
<sup>24</sup>"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
<sup>25</sup>Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
<sup>26</sup>Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.}}
These woes are distinct from the ''[[Woes of the Pharisees|Seven Woes of the Pharisees]]'' which appear later in {{Bibleverse |Luke|11:37–54}}.

== Analysis and interpretation ==
{{Gospel Jesus}}
[[File:Church of beatitudes israel.jpg|thumb|left|[[Church of the Beatitudes]], the traditional location for the [[Sermon on the Mount]]]]
Each Beatitude consists of two phrases: the condition and the result. In almost all cases the phrases used are familiar from an [[Old Testament]] context, but in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus elevates them to new levels and teachings. Together, the Beatitudes present a new set of ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction. They echo the highest ideals of Jesus' teachings on spirituality and compassion.<ref name= "Hastings" />

The term ''the meek'' would be familiar in the Old Testament, e.g., as in {{Bibleverse |Psalm|37:11}}.<ref name="hill">{{cite book |last=Hill |first=David | series = New Century Bible Commentary | title = Gospel of Matthew |url=https://archive.org/details/gospelofmatthewb00hill |url-access=registration | location= Grand Rapids | publisher= Eerdmans |date= June 1981 | isbn= 0-8028-1886-2}}</ref> Although the Beatitude concerning the meek has been much praised even by some non-Christians such as [[Mahatma Gandhi]], some view the admonition to meekness skeptically. [[Friedrich Nietzsche]] in ''[[On the Genealogy of Morals]]'' considered the verse to be embodying what he perceived as a [[Master–slave morality|slave morality]].<ref>{{cite book | last= Nietzsche | first= Friedrich | author-link=Friedrich Nietzsche |url= http://www.inp.uw.edu.pl/mdsie/Political_Thought/GeneologyofMorals.pdf |title= On the Genealogy of Morals | trans-title = Zur Genealogie der Moral | orig-year = 1887| year= 1999 |publisher= Oxford University Press | place = US |isbn= 978-0-19283617-5}}</ref>

In Christian teachings, the [[works of mercy]] (good acts that are considered meritorious) have resonated with the theme of the Beatitude for mercy.<ref name= "Peace">{{cite book |last1= Jegen |first1= Carol Frances |title= Jesus the Peacemaker |year= 1986 |isbn= 0-934134-36-7 |location= Kansas City, MO |publisher= Sheed & Ward |pages= [https://archive.org/details/jesuspeacemaker0000jege/page/68 68–71] |url= https://archive.org/details/jesuspeacemaker0000jege/page/68 }}</ref> These teachings emphasize that these acts of mercy provide both temporal and spiritual benefits.<ref name= "Synop" /><ref name="Cathenc" />

The term ''peacemakers'' has traditionally been interpreted to mean not only those who live in peace with others, but also those who do their best to promote friendship among humanity and between God and man. St. [[Gregory of Nyssa]] interpreted it as "Godly work", which was [[Imitation of Christ|an imitation of God's love]] of man.<ref name="Cathenc" /><ref name= "Peace" /> [[John Wesley]] said the peacemakers "endeavour to calm the stormy spirits of men, to quiet their turbulent passions, to soften the minds of contending parties, and, if possible, reconcile them to each other. They use all innocent arts, and employ all their strength, all the talents which God has given them, as well to preserve peace where it is, as to restore it where it is not."<ref>Wesley, J., [http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-23-upon-our-lords-sermon-on-the-mount-discourse-three 'Upon Our Lord's Sermon On The Mount: Discourse Three'], Sermon 23, accessed 11 October 2015</ref>

The phrase "poor in spirit" ({{Lang|grc|πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι}}) in [[Matthew 5:3]] has been subject to a variety of interpretations. [[A.W. Tozer]] describes poverty of spirit as "an inward state paralleling the outward circumstances of the common beggar in the streets." It is not a call to material poverty, but spiritual need. The idea being that when one realizes how much they need God, he will satisfy their need by giving them himself. Conversely, if someone does not really believe they need God, he will not reveal himself to them.

{{Blockquote | These blessed poor are no longer slaves to the tyranny of things. They have broken the yoke of the oppressor; and this they have done not by fighting but by surrendering. Though free from all sense of possessing, they yet possess all things. "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven."|author=A. W. Tozer|title=The Pursuit of God|source=The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing, [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/25141/25141-h/25141-h.htm#Page_23 page 23]}}

[[William Burnet Wright]], seeking to avoid a common misunderstanding of the meaning of poverty of spirit, distinguishes those who are "poor in spirit" from those he calls "poor spirited," who "consider crawling the Christian's proper gait."
{{Blockquote | There are men who fear to call their souls their own, and if they did, they would deceive—themselves. At times such men baptize their cowardice in holy water, name it humility, and tremble. ...They are not blessed. Their life is a creeping paralysis. Afraid to stand for their convictions, they end by having no convictions to stand to.<ref>[[William Burnet Wright]], [https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Burnet_Wright ''Master and Men'' (1894)], pp. 39–40</ref>}}

== In other religious texts ==
Also in the New Testament, the [[Epistle of James]] contains a verse which is worded in much the same way as the Beatitudes; and which shares themes particularly with Matthew 5:10,12:

{{blockquote |Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)<ref>{{bibleverse |James|1:12|NIV}}</ref>}}

In the [[Book of Mormon]], a religious text of the [[Latter Day Saint movement]], Jesus delivers a sermon to a group of people in the Americas shortly after His death and resurrection. This event, believed by adherents to be part of Christ's visit to the Americas around the year 34, is recorded in [[3 Nephi]] 12, where Jesus teaches a version of the Beatitudes similar to that found in Matthew 5.

{{poemquote | <sup>3</sup> Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. <sup>4</sup> And blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. <sup>5</sup> And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. <sup>6</sup> And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost. <sup>7</sup> And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. <sup>8</sup> And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God. <sup>9</sup> And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. <sup>10</sup> And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.}}

Though the teachings in 3 Nephi 12 closely mirror the Beatitudes in Matthew, the Book of Mormon version emphasizes the importance of [[baptism]] and receiving the [[Holy Ghost]], which is seen as central to the blessings. Additionally, in 3 Nephi 12:48, Jesus invites the people to be perfect, "even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect,"<ref name="LDS">{{Cite web |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/12?lang=eng |title=3 Nephi 12 |publisher=Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |access-date=2024-10-01 }}</ref> expanding the call to divine perfection to include Himself, thus highlighting His divinity in the post-resurrection context of the Americas.

The [[Baháʼí Faith|Baháʼí]] [[Tablets of Baháʼu'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas#Lawḥ-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Tablet)|'' Lawḥ-i-Aqdas'']] tablet concludes with 21 beatitudes, including this statement:
{{blockquote|Blessed the soul that hath been raised to life through My quickening breath and hath gained admittance into My heavenly Kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/TB/tb-3.html |title= Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas
|author= Bahá'u'lláh
|author-link= Bahá'u'lláh
|publisher= US Bahá'í Publishing Trust |edition= pocket-size |page= 269 |year= 1988 |access-date= September 4, 2013}}</ref>}}

The [[Qur'an]] mirrors the Bible only in Q:21:105 which resembles {{Bibleverse|Psalm|25:13}} referred to in {{Bibleverse|Matthew|5:5}}; but the Qur'an uses "righteous" rather than "meek".<ref>{{cite book |title= The Quran and the Secular Mind |url= https://archive.org/details/quransecularmind00akht |url-access= limited |first1=Shabbir |last1= Akhtar |author-link= Shabbir Akhtar |date=December 19, 2007 |isbn= 978-0-41543783-7 |page= [https://archive.org/details/quransecularmind00akht/page/n390 380] |location= London, New York |publisher=Routledge}}</ref> The Qur'an (e.g., "say the word of humility and enter the gate of paradise") and some [[Hadith]] (''e.g.'', "My mercy exceeds my anger") contain some passages with somewhat similar tone, but distinct phraseology, from the Beatitudes.<ref name= "Randall41" />

The [[Bhagavad Gita]] and the traditional writings of [[Buddhism]] (e.g., some of the [[Mangala Sutta]]) have been interpreted as including teachings whose intentions resemble some of the messages of Beatitudes (e.g., humility and absence of ego), although their wording is not the same.<ref name= "Randall41">{{cite book |title= Strangers on the Shore: The Beatitudes in World Religions |first1= Albert B. |last1= Randall |year=2006 |isbn= 978-0-8204-8136-4 |pages= 41–44|publisher= Peter Lang }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Buddhism and Society |first1= Melford E. |last1=Spiro |date= May 27, 1982 |isbn= 0-52004672-2 | page = 359|publisher= University of California Press }}</ref>

Six "modern Beatitudes" were proposed by [[Pope Francis]] during his visit to [[Malmö]], Sweden on [[All Saints Day]] 2016:<ref>{{cite web | year = 2016 |url= http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/pope-offers-new-beatitudes-for-saints-of-a-new-age.cfm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161102163658/http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/pope-offers-new-beatitudes-for-saints-of-a-new-age.cfm |url-status= dead |archive-date= November 2, 2016 |title= Pope offers new Beatitudes for saints of a new age| work = Catholic news}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | year = 2016 |url= https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2016/documents/papa-francesco_20161101_omelia-svezia-malmo.html |title= HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS| work = Vatican}}</ref>
{{Blockquote |
# Blessed are those who remain faithful while enduring evils inflicted on them by others and forgive them from their heart.
# Blessed are those who look into the eyes of the abandoned and marginalized and show them their closeness.
# Blessed are those who see God in every person and strive to make others also discover Him.
# Blessed are those who protect and care for our common home.
# Blessed are those who renounce their own comfort in order to help others.
# Blessed are those who pray and work for full communion between Christians.}}

== Bibliography ==
*{{cite book|chapter=[[s:Meditations For Every Day In The Year/The Life and Doctrine of Jesus Christ#371|The Sermon on the Mount (The Beatitudes)]]|title=Meditations For Every Day In The Year|year=1823|publisher=Benziger Brothers|first=Roger|last=Baxter|author-link=Roger Baxter|location=New York|pages=368–381}}
*{{cite book|chapter=The Beatitudes (Day 1 - 9)|title=[[s:The Sermon on the Mount (Bossuet)|The Sermon on the Mount]]|year=1900|publisher=Longmans, Green, and Co.|first=Jacques-Bénigne|last=Bossuet|author-link=Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet}}
* [[Eknath Easwaran|Easwaran, Eknath]]. ''[[Original Goodness (book)|Original Goodness]]'' (on Beatitudes). Nilgiri Press, 1989. {{ISBN |0-915132-91-5}}.
* Kissinger, Warren S. ''The Sermon on the Mount: A History of Interpretation and Bibliography.'' Metuchen: Scarecrow Press, 1975.
* [[Ingo Kühl|Kühl, Ingo]] ''Seligpreisungen der Bergpredigt – kolorierte [[Lithographs|Lithografien]]'' (''Beatitudes of the Sermon of the Mount – coloured Lithographs''), Berlin 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://portal.dnb.de/opac.htm?method=simpleSearch&cqlMode=true&query=idn%3D994097603|title=Seligpreisungen der Bergpredigt nach Matthäus 5, 1 - 12; kolorierte Lithografien|first1=Ingo|last1=Kühl|first2=Steffi|last2=Kassler|first3=Georg|last3=Zölisch|date=May 20, 1997|publisher=I. Kühl|via=Deutsche Nationalbibliothek}}</ref>
* Twomey, M.W. "The Beatitudes". ''A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature.''  Jeffrey, David Lyle ed. Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans, 1992.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Bible}}
* [[Social Justice]]
* [[Community of the Beatitudes]]
* [[Divine Mercy]]
* [[Life of Jesus in the New Testament]]
* [[Mount of Beatitudes]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Commons category|Beatitudes}}
* ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'': [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02371a.htm ''The Eight Beatitudes'' (New Advent).]
* [http://www.beatitudessociety.org The Beatitudes Society] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160618192456/http://www.beatitudessociety.org/ |date=2016-06-18 }}

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{{s-hou|[[Chronology of Jesus|Life of Jesus]]: [[Sermon on the Mount]] or [[Sermon on the Plain|on the Plain]]|||}}
{{s-bef|before=[[First disciples of Jesus]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Gospel harmony]]<br />Events}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Matthew 5#Antitheses|The Antitheses]]<br /><small>in the [[Sermon on the Mount]]</small>}}
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{{Sermon on the Mount}}
{{Gospel of Matthew}}
{{Gospel of Luke}}
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[[Category:Beatitudes| ]]
[[Category:Christian ethics in the Bible]]
[[Category:Gospel of Luke]]
[[Category:Gospel of Matthew]]
[[Category:Hermeneutics]]
[[Category:New Testament words and phrases]]
[[Category:Sayings of Jesus]]
[[Category:Sermon on the Mount]]
[[Category:Vulgate Latin words and phrases]]