Who are the blessed ones?

The Beatitudes get their name from the Latin word that means "happiness." (If you want to know, the Latin word is beatitudo.)

The Greek word used in Matthew is makarios (mah-kar-ree-os). Greek is the language of all of the New Testament writings.  

The Greek word, like the Latin, refers to someone considered as happy, fortunate, prosperous. 

In Jesus’ world, this word usually referred to people who were to be envied because they had good social status, prosperity, privilege. They were the ones who did not have much to worry about when it came to daily living and necessities. The Blessed Ones were the ones who had a relatively secure life and a future ahead of them. If someone had difficulty or pain or burden, those who are "blessed" could overcome, because they had the means to do so. And to be "blessed" was to overcome, because best way ahead in life was to triumph over adversaries and adversity, to come out on top. The Blessed Ones were traditionally the ones who were thought of as recipients of God’s favor. “Things are going well for you! The gods are in your favor! Consider yourself happy and fortunate!”

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In the first century, the ways of the Roman Empire benefited those who had privilege and the ability to achieve and be prosperous. Those who did not have means or status struggled in the Roman Empire’s system of living. They were not thought of as "blessed" and the hope for experiencing the "blessed" life was pretty slim. This was the case for the vast majority of people -- including Jesus' disciples and many on that hillside in Galilee overhearing Jesus speak these words. The "Blessed" were the few.

We can easily look down our noses upon the Roman Empire, so long ago, and shake our heads in pity. They just didn't get it. So inhumane, so unjust. How could they create a system where so few could experience life's blessing?

We should probably pause before we do this too quickly. The Roman Empire was not a conspiracy of the "bad guys"--the ruthless, barbaric, power-hungry, triumphalists. The Romans did not think they were bringing evil and injustice to the world. In fact they believed that they and their Roman ways brought peace (Pax Romana), justice, liberty for all who would jump on board and submit to their ways. They really believed their ways of life and outlook on what life's about were truly the best. They believed they were fulfilling the will of god (in their case Jupiter). 

We're a lot like them. 

Much of our society is good-intentioned. Our ideals are good, we believe. We believe our ways bring justice, peace, and hope to the world. Even our participation in the economic practices, so we're told, propel us toward human goodness. Just watch the advertising. 

And it's dominantly through this lens that we understand "blessed," the good life, the human pursuit. We're still captivated with coming out on top. "Blessing" is usually always associated with good experiences, with abundance, and with prosperity.

And being "blessed" is not everyone's experience. 

Although Jesus gives promises of hope, being "blessed" according to Jesus is not about overcoming adversaries or adversity or coming out on top.

Jesus’ ideas of “blessed” suggest we might not have it right. Jesus' proclamation typically shatters our bright ideas. It's a simple matter of what's called the "two ways." Matthew's gospel lives within this framework. There are two ways: Jesus' way and everything else. Unfortunately, everything else does not bring about or participate in the fulfillment of God's promises that began in Genesis 12 with Abraham. And, as God's promises were God's response to a world and humanity spiraling into self-destruction, it's either Jesus or nothing else to save humanity and redeem the world.

The Beatitudes are ground zero for defining what Jesus' way looks like.

As you read the Beatitudes of Jesus it’s not hard to notice that the ones Jesus calls "Blessed" are quite removed from how many people would see things. You're to be envied, you're fortunate, if you are poor (in spirit), if you mourn and grieve or if you are overlooked because you're humble and meek. Yeah, right, Jesus.

But that's the idea. Jesus' Beatitudes are meant to shock the hearer and reader. They pronounce blessing and promise comfort while at the same time they shock listening ears. Jesus calls "fortunate" or "happy" the very people to whom nearly everyone else would say, "Oh, that's too bad," or, "I'm praying for you, life must be tough." Jesus says it is these who are blessed.

Typical Jesus. Messing up our comfortable categories.

So the “Blessings” Jesus pronounces really get at deeper things. They force readers and hearers to rethink how they understand not only blessing, but what kind of God is behind the blessing, and what view of the world it supports. We would do well to take note and wonder who our "god" is in our culture today.

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The movie The Pursuit of Happyness is a great example to think about here. Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a failed businessman who loses everything--his money, business, home, and wife. The movie follows Chris and his son as they struggle through life on the streets. Eventually Chris, through hard work, makes a way and gets noticed. He comes out on the other side with a good job, restored purpose, and renewed life. He played the game and came out successful. Happiness found. #blessed

Here are a couple thoughts. The movie makes us feel good. We walk away with a belief that there is hope. But we don't walk away with a transformed vision. We walk away with a glimmer of hope within the  current vision of "blessed."  

Jesus' Beatitudes suggest that we need to change our vision. Happiness or blessedness should not so simply be associated with the situation when Chris Gardner got on his feet and found success.  Jesus challenges us to think of being "blessed" differently, to imagine a world where foundational ways of looking at life are overturned, where the "blessed" are not the successful or the ones for whom it finally works out.

How dare he.

This is not because Jesus is mad at the world. It’s because everything in our world is broken. Even our ideas of “blessed.” And so Jesus is giving a portrait of the ways of God's kingdom, but from the vantage point of the human kingdoms and ways of earth, God's blessing does not identify. In other words, we can't just insert Jesus into our human conceptions of what it means to be blessed. We must begin with Jesus. And if everything in the world is under the rule of sin and death--including our pursuits of happiness--then when Jesus comes on scene to paint a picture of who are "blessed" or "fortunate" in God's economy, it's going to look very different. Some might say upside-down.

I say rightside-up in an upside-down world.

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Jesus' pronouncements of blessing do not emphasize glory, climbing the ladder, contentment, overcoming, or triumph. Jesus doesn't say that the fortunate are the ones who endure pain or grief and come away better. Jesus says "blessed are those who mourn" and "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice." Not blessed if you get through and overcome; blessed in the midst of mourning. Not blessed when you experience justice; blessed in the struggle and hunger for it. Jesus pronounces as "blessed" the very ones who are marginalized, pitied, ignored, the ones who struggle--because the world is not right and God's kingdom is not of this world.

Imagine a house. Imagine Jesus standing at the door. You approach the house. Jesus says, "Are you poor in Spirit? Do you mourn often? Would you classify yourself as "meek"? Are you a peacemaker?" 

You answer with hesitation. "Well, no, not exactly all of the time."

Jesus replies, "Then this house isn't for you. Sorry." He shuts the door.

This would never happen! But it's how we envision the Beatitudes -- as giving us a level of spirituality we need to achieve, but just can't. Here's a better way.

You approach the door and Jesus opens it. He says to you, "Welcome! Welcome in! This is where the poor in Spirit are blessed. This is where the meek inherit the earth. This is where those who mourn are comforted and the peacemakers thrive. Welcome in! Come and find yourself here."

You go running into this house because it is where you want to be. Jesus' house is where all of us in the world who do not experience "blessing"  finally know the embrace of blessing because in Jesus' house...the poor in Spirit are blessed here, those who mourn are blessed here, the meek are blessed here. 

It's a reality vastly different from the world outside. Dwelling in the house, finding your identity and outlook shaped by the ways of Jesus' house, existing among the people in Jesus' place--it changes you and everyone there. And you exist in the world differently as a result. You find you become one of the "blessed."

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Think, Talk, Apply

Let's ponder for a moment again the question of how you, how we, build and order our lives. What's the center that we build our lives around and that balances our world? What ideas of being "blessed" or "happy" or "fortunate" steer the course of our lives and our pursuits?

It's interesting to notice all the times we come across the word "blessing" or "blessed" in daily life. Make it a task for the day to pay attention to this, or invite those in your home to do this. With what do people associate being "blessed"? How does it square with what Jesus says? What conclusions do you draw or thoughts do you have after doing this? What do you do about this?

Read through the Beatitudes again and pause at each one to reflect on the descriptions of those who are blessed, fortunate, happy. Talk with those in your home about how these statements both challenge you and inspire you to know the heart of God more. How do Jesus' statements challenge common outlooks in our world today?

What is “blessed” or “fortunate” in our culture? Who is “in” that group? What does this say about our “god” in our culture?

How do Jesus’ Beatitudes force us to think in a different way about being blessed or happy? According to Jesus’ Beatitudes, what is the pursuit of “happiness” or “blessedness” all about?

What about Jesus makes the outlooks on life in the Beatitudes different than if some other great teacher spoke these things?


(Forgive the sketchy sound quality. I'll talk with Mr. Fever about this. We'll be sure to come to an understanding on the matter...)