Matthew 5:3-12 are what are commonly referred to as the Beatitudes.  They are simple phrases, which are the statement of the secrets of the Kingdom of God, hidden for the ages.  For some reason, even to myself, they seemed so hard to understand.  Perhaps it is that they are not taught that often, or looked at as not as relevant, but as I have come to know them, they perfectly describe the man in faith.

There are eight of them, all identical in form, each having four parts.  The word “blessed” is really a compound word meaning “happy” with the equivalent of the prefix “macro-“, so “macro-happy”, or “hugely happy”, or “super happy”, or, simply “Most Happy”.  “Most Happy are” is the first part.  Second we have a group of people.  The verb “are” is always present tense.  The people are happy in these conditions.  Third is the word “for”, meaning “because”.  The people in the condition (#2) are Most Happy  (#1) right then because (#3)…  Because of what?  That’s the place of faith.  Finally, the truth of the Kingdom of Heaven.  #4. Read more…