THE CONTEMPORIZED BEATITUDES
A study of these Beatitudes, in the original Greek, gives a slightly different
impression than in the King James Version. Take a look:
Christ, during His first visit with us, quite often gave us helpful information
concerning the nature of what we should be like, and in
fact, how to pattern our lives and attitudes. He told us to strive to be
sinless, and we know we should be like Him. However, one of the
strongest sets of codes He left with us were the Beatitudes.
It is difficult to relate to sometimes hard to understand and strangely worded
examples of how we should be; especially in the language of the time of King
James. While this is the sanctioned interpretation of God's Word, it does bring
us to task to search the hidden meaning in some of the words not used commonly
in these days. It is not that God wants to "hide' His messages: He wanted us to
seek Him, and if we study His Word using the proper helpful
devices--concordances, Hebrew/Greek dictionaries, and good old Webster's--we
often will find much more there than the common English has translated.
His Word should be thoroughly searched for every drop of meaning; when this is
done, we often find descriptions and relevancies that apply
directly to us, and our particular situations. Such is the divinity of the
Bible. It is then that the real learning process begins, and our lives can be
brought into line with His expectations.
God's Word is not dead; it is alive, and has meaning for all of us--especially
now, in these days--and not just people who lived long ago.
Indeed, His Word is contemporary, and that
is easily proven.
I will now provide information of the Beatitudes--reinterpreted (contemporized,
if you will) using the above mentioned devices. It will bring new application,
new understanding, and new life to these great words.
1. "Blessed are the poor In spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
First off, the word "blessed" is interpreted to mean "fortunate" or "well-off."
"Poor in spirit" re-interprets to "strict of principle."
It now reads:
"Fortunate are the strict of principle, for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven."
2. "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."
Mourn is re-interpreted to mean "plea for mercy, pray to be excused, express
desire to be forgiven." "Ardently repent" is even closer.
Comforted re-interprets to "called for." So, the statement now reads:
"Fortunate are they that ardently
repent of their sins, for they shall be called for."
Of course, when we repent, we are saved through Christ; but could this also be a
look into the future?
"Behold, I shew you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible;
and we shall be changed."
This evidently is in reference to the Rapture; "at the last trump"--the clarion
call for all those who have come to the Lord Jesus Christ. "Fortunate are they
that ardently repent of their sins, for they shall be called for." When the
trumpet sounds! "Called out" in the Rapture; "Called away" from the penalty for
sin; "Called in" to the marriage supper of the Lamb; even "called from" the
terrors of the tribulation. (We will cover this later on in the book.)
Incredible!
3. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
Meek as in "mild," meaning temperate; as in humble, unpretentious, not proud,
arrogant or overbearing. Many would think of "meek" as "a
milktoast character, trodden down and submissive." Not so! Inherit as in
"possess or acquire." Earth meaning "pertaining to things characteristic of the
earth; worldly possessions." The statement more closely reads:
"Fortunate are they that are unpretentious and temperate, for they shall
(can) acquire worldly possessions."
I think the main point here is that if your attitude is one of thankfulness for
what you have, to God, and if you don't lord it over the less fortunate ones--it
doesn't cause you to become egotistical and materialistic--like the "rich man
and the eye of a needle"--God can allow you to have the good things of the earth
in abundance, because there is no chance He will lose you to them. He came not
only to give us life, but to give it more abundantly--not rob us of our
Christian purpose.
4. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they
shall be filled."
Hunger, as in "toiling for daily;" after, as in "to follow;" righteousness,
meaning, from the original Greek, "justification;" filled, as in "supply food in
abundance" (an obvious reference to the Bread of Life, which comes from Christ).
It is easier to understand this way:
"Fortunate are they which do strongly desire justification from Christ,
for they shall be abundantly supplied."
5. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
Merciful, as in "having compassion for; showing pity for; beneficient toward;"
Mercy translates to mean "compassion by Divine Grace." See
how the two similar words have different expression in the original Greek? One
means us toward our other people; the other means God
toward us.
It translates:
"Fortunate are they that show compassion for the less fortunate, for they
shall receive Divine Grace from the Most Fortunate."
6. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Pure, as in "clean, or clear;" heart, as in "thoughts or feelings;" see, as in
"perceive, discern, experience, acknowledge." I think it is now pretty clear:
"Fortunate are the clean of thought and feeling, for they shall (can)
perceive, experience, and acknowledge God."
7. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of
God."
Peacemaker--"one who pacifies, unites, enters into reconciliation, reconciles;"
So:
"Fortunate are they who cause reconciliation among their brethren, for
they shall be called the people of God."
This can also apply to our charter: carry the Gospel to everyone. That
Gospel causes reconciliation between man and Jesus, who then
reconciles us to the Father. In our work of earthly and heavenly reconciliation,
we are the people of God, through and like Jesus.
8. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven."
Persecuted--"fearful; filled with dread; a servant; given to;"
Righteousness--"from equity: 'a body of legal doctrines developed to enlarge,
supplement, or override a narrow, rigid system of law.'" Sake--"cause;"
Kingdom--"present existence;" Heaven--"to rise above; happiness; the Gospel
(Christianity)."
(Christ came to fulfill the Law ((Ten Commandments)) once and for all; could
this be the same "narrow, rigid system of law?")
Let's see how it now reads:
"Fortunate are they who serve, and are pursued by the enemy of the Gospel,
in its cause, for they shall rise above it in the existing happiness of Christ."
9. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all
manner of things against you falsely, for My sake; rejoice, and be exceeding
glad, for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you."
Revile--"chide, taunt, attempt to disgrace;" evil--"saying hurtful or malicious
words;" falsely--"propagating erroneous Christian doctrine;"
sake--"because of."
It can be restated:
"Fortunate are you when men attempt to disgrace you, and taunt you, and
cause you to be filled with dread, saying hurtful things
propagating false Christian doctrine, because of Me; count yourself as fortunate
to be in the number of the prophets persecuted in the same ways before you; your
heavenly reward will be limitless."
This study is not meant to add to, or subtract from the Holy Words of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ; the Good News must be preserved for all
men to hear undefiled. However, He did say "Seek, and ye shall find." This is an
attempt to contemporize the truths of the Beatitudes, which
represent Christs' efforts on the mountain, as He gave His sermon which teaches
us how to be, how to think, how to live, and how to pray.
Perhaps due to these efforts you can more clearly understand the meaning and
import of these words, which apply to us now just as much
as it did to the listeners to the Sermon on the Mount that day. Those people
were listening.
Are we?
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