The Beatitudes

[freezerman2000]

Are one of the most beautiful sections in the Bible...So full of hope!
Your thoughts?
What is your favorite section? (not a single verse)

 

[If Not For Grace]

Have you defined "Blessed" w/relavance to those verses? Anybody?

 

[Franny50]

Blessed Are Those that Mourn,For They Shall Be Comforted.
Absolutely beautiful! It brings to mind another bible passage that God is familar with our sorrows.

 

[Knee V]

I really like the "epistles" section of Revelation (first few chapters).

I'm particularly fond of 1 John (and just about everything by John, for that matter).

The more I read Psalm 119 the more I love it (I've been a HUGE fan of the Psalms for a long time).

So I guess my favorites are the Psalms and everything written by John (I know that those are not really "sections", sorry).

 

[jcp988]

I don't know that I'd call the beatitudes "beautiful" or "hopeful." Don't get me wrong they def are in their own way. But they are also very challenging and so us how far we are from God and how much we need Him. In that sense they are beautiful, cause we have hope in him. But also hard because makes us look at ourselves and see how far away we are.

I love love love the story of Hosea, to me it is one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible.

 

[prancer2]

I love love love the story of Hosea, to me it is one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible.

Me too! I relate to it in my own way.

The beatitudes are excellent. My favorite is "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." I often feel poor in spirit. I'm so glad the earth is our temporary home; I'd like to just do my part and be reunited with God in heaven as soon as possible.

 

[janealex]

My favourite is also the same as it mentioned above. i like it.

 

[Maid Marie]

Regarding the Beatitudes, I like how it is so counter cultural for Jesus' time as well as our own. The life as one who is a part of God's kingdom should be characterized by something that is so different than the world around us. I loved hearing that because I find the values of the world to be so wearying, unloving and stressful. I especially love the blessed are the meek part because as a gentle person, I am tired of Christians around me condeming for not being as agressive as they are [I come from a messed up Christian family on Dad's side and a messed up church from childhood]. So when I did my exgetical paper on the beatitudes, I just loved hearing Jesus tell me I was blessed instead.

My favorite section would be the healing passages in the gospels.

 

[Johnnz]

One commentary gives this understanding of 'blessed'.

Matthew 5:1-16

Imagine how the crowd's attention was riveted on Jesus when He uttered His first word: "Blessed." (The Latin word for blessed is beatus, and from this comes the word beatitude.) This was a powerful word to those who heard Jesus that day. To them it meant "divine joy and perfect happiness." The word was not used for humans; it described the land of joy experienced only by the gods or the dead. "Blessed" implied an inner satisfaction and sufficiency that did not depend on outward circumstances for happiness. This is what the Lord offers those who trust Him!
(from The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright © 1989 by Chariot Victor Publishing, and imprint of Cook Communication Ministries.)

John
NZ