Exposition of Matthew 5:4-7 Beatitudes
Exposition of Matthew 5:4-7 Beatitudes
The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-10 are a series of blessings pronounced by Jesus on those who embody certain characteristics. Focusing on verses 4-7, we see Jesus blessing those who mourn, the meek, and the merciful.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy" [1].
Literary Context
These verses are part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, a collection of teachings that outline the values and principles of the Kingdom of God. The Beatitudes serve as an introduction to this sermon, setting the tone for the rest of Jesus' teachings. The surrounding verses describe Jesus' withdrawal to a mountain, where he sits and teaches his disciples (Matthew 5:1-2) [5].
Historical Setting
The Sermon on the Mount, including the Beatitudes, is addressed to Jesus' disciples, with the multitudes also present (Matthew 4:25; 5:1) [5]. The historical context is Jesus' early ministry in Galilee, where he is gathering followers and teaching them about the Kingdom.
Key Terms
The terms "mourn," "meek," and "merciful" are crucial to understanding these Beatitudes. "Mourn" (πενθέω, pentheō) refers to those who grieve, often over sin or the state of the world. "Meek" (πραείς, praeis) describes those who are humble and gentle. "Merciful" (ἐλεήμων, eleēmōn) characterizes those who show compassion and kindness to others [1].
Major Exegetical Decisions
One key exegetical decision involves understanding the nature of the blessings pronounced. The Greek word "blessed" (μακάριοι, makarioi) is used, which conveys a sense of happiness or blessedness. The rewards mentioned — comfort, inheriting the earth, and receiving mercy — are seen as future blessings, though some interpreters see them as having present implications as well [4].
Range of Interpretations
Interpretations of these Beatitudes vary across traditions. According to Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, the first three Beatitudes, including those who mourn, concern withdrawal from worldly desires and seeking happiness in God [4]. Thomas Aquinas views the rewards as suitably assigned based on the nature of the Beatitudes and their relation to different kinds of happiness [6]. The Tyndale House commentary emphasizes Jesus' teaching on mercy as a cardinal virtue, highlighting its importance in the final judgment [7].
Function in Tradition
These Beatitudes have played a significant role in Christian tradition, influencing teachings on virtues and the nature of the Kingdom. Luther's Small Catechism, for example, emphasizes humility and submission to one another, reflecting the values of meekness [8]. The Beatitudes have also been used in various liturgical and devotional contexts, shaping Christian understanding of blessedness and virtue.
The connection between mourning and comfort is echoed in Revelation 7:14-17, where those who have come out of the great tribulation are described as having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb [3]. This cross-reference highlights the eschatological dimension of the comfort promised to those who mourn.
The merciful are promised that they will receive mercy, a theme that resonates with other biblical teachings on the importance of showing kindness and compassion to others (Luke 6:36; Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-35) [2, 7]. This underscores the reciprocal nature of God's mercy and human actions.
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 5:7 (BSB) — Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Luke 5:7 cross-references: Exodus 23:5, Proverbs 18:24, Acts 11:25, Romans 16:2, Galatians 6:2, Philippians 4:3”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Matt.5.4 → Rev.7.14-Rev.7.17 (confidence: 27 votes)”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 5:3: Blessed--Of the two words which our translators render "blessed," the one here used points more to what is inward, and so might be rendered "happy," in a lofty sense; while the other denotes rather what comes to us from without (as Mat 25:34). But the distinction is not always clearly carried out. One Hebrew word expresses both. On these precious Beatitudes, observe that though eight in number, there are here but seven distinct features of character. The eighth one--the "persecuted for righteousness' sake"--denotes merely the possessors of the seven pr”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 5 (introduction): THE BEATITUDES, AND THEIR BEARING UPON THE WORLD. (Mat. 5:1-16) And seeing the multitudes--those mentioned in Mat 4:25. he went up into a mountain--one of the dozen mountains which ROBINSON says there are in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee, any one of them answering about equally well to the occasion. So charming is the whole landscape that the descriptions of it, from JOSEPHUS downwards [Wars of the Jews, 4.10,8], are apt to be thought a little colored. and when he was set--had sat or seated Himself. his disciples came unto him-”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Beatitudes, Art. 4: Article: Whether the rewards of the beatitudes are suitably enumerated? I answer that, These rewards are most suitably assigned, considering the nature of the beatitudes in relation to the three kinds of happiness indicated above (Article [3]). For the first three beatitudes concerned the withdrawal of man from those things in which sensual happiness consists: which happiness man desires by seeking the object of his natural desire, not where he should seek it, viz. in God, but in temporal and ”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:7: 5:7 Jesus made a cardinal virtue of being merciful, that is, showing kindness to those in distress (see 6:12, 14-15; 9:13; 12:7; 18:23-35; 23:23; 25:31-46). Those who are merciful now will find God’s mercy in the final judgment.”
- Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran) “Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran, 1529), Likewise,: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time. 1 Pet. 5:5-6.”