The beatitudes open the Sermon on the Mount with a series of surprising blessings from Jesus. In Matthew 5:3–10, Jesus names people whom the world often overlooks and calls them blessed. Luke, for his part, records four blessings in the Sermon on the Plain. Together, the beatitudes reveal what life in God’s kingdom looks like. So in this article we will walk through each blessing, listen to its promise, and compare Matthew’s version with Luke’s.
Where the Name of the Beatitudes Comes From
In the Latin Vulgate, each blessing begins with the word beātī, which means “blessed.” Similarly, the original Greek uses makarioi, with the same meaning. For example, the Latin for “Blessed are the poor in spirit” reads beātī pauperēs spīritū. Cicero coined the Latin noun beātitūdō to describe a state of blessedness. Later, printers placed it in the chapter headings for Matthew 5 in various editions of the Vulgate.
The word then entered English as “beatytudes” in the Great Bible of 1540. Over time, readers came to prefer the spelling we use for the beatitudes today. In addition, opinions differ on how many separate statements the passage holds, ranging from eight to ten. However, most scholars count eight. These eight follow a simple pattern. First, Jesus names a group of people usually thought unfortunate. Then he pronounces them blessed.
Matthew also sets the scene with care. Jesus sees the crowds, goes up a mountain and sits down. Then his disciples come to him, and he opens his mouth to teach them (Matthew 5:1–2).
Blessings for the Poor in Spirit and Those Who Mourn
The first of the beatitudes turns ordinary expectations upside down:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
Interpreters have read the phrase “poor in spirit” in many ways. A.W. Tozer described it as “an inward state paralleling the outward circumstances of the common beggar in the streets.” In other words, it is not a call to material poverty. Instead, it points to an awareness of spiritual need. The idea is that when one recognizes how much one needs God, God will satisfy that need by giving himself. On the other hand, those who do not believe they need God will not find him revealed to them.
William Burnet Wright added a helpful warning. He set the poor in spirit apart from the “poor spirited,” who “consider crawling the Christian’s proper gait.” So humility before God is not cowardice.
The second blessing speaks to grief: “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Here Jesus promises comfort to those who mourn.
Meekness, Righteousness and Mercy in the Beatitudes
Next, Jesus blesses the meek and promises that they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). The term was familiar from the Old Testament, for example from Psalm 37:11. Many have praised this blessing, including Mahatma Gandhi. Yet others have viewed meekness with suspicion. Friedrich Nietzsche, for instance, saw in it what he perceived as a slave morality. Still, Jesus counts the meek among the blessed in the beatitudes.
The fourth blessing reads: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Jesus promises that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled.
The fifth blessing turns to mercy: “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). In Christian teaching, the works of mercy have resonated with this theme. These teachings emphasise that acts of mercy provide both temporal and spiritual benefits.
The Pure in Heart, the Peacemakers and the Persecuted
Jesus then says, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Among the beatitudes, this one belongs to a group found only in Matthew. That group also includes the meek, the merciful and the peacemakers. This blessing holds out a remarkable promise: to see God.
The term peacemakers has traditionally been interpreted to mean not only those who live in peace with others, but also those who do their best to promote friendship among humanity and between God and man. St. Gregory of Nyssa interpreted it as “Godly work,” an imitation of God’s love of man. Likewise, John Wesley said that peacemakers “endeavour to calm the stormy spirits of men, to quiet their turbulent passions, to soften the minds of contending parties, and, if possible, reconcile them to each other.” Jesus gives them the name children of God (Matthew 5:9).
Finally, Jesus blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Once again, he promises them the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). A ninth blessing then speaks to the disciples (Matthew 5:11–12). It refers to the bearing of reviling. R.T. France considers these verses to be based on Isaiah 51:7. Jesus tells them:
“Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.” (Matthew 5:12)
Comparing the Beatitudes in Matthew and Luke
Luke places his version of the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Plain. There, Jesus lifts up his eyes on his disciples and speaks four blessings (Luke 6:20–22). His words sound direct and personal:
“Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20)
In addition, Jesus blesses those who hunger now and those who weep now. He promises that they will be filled and that they will laugh (Luke 6:21). He also blesses those whom men hate, separate from their company and reproach for the Son of man’s sake (Luke 6:22). Then he says to “leap for joy” because their reward in heaven is great (Luke 6:23). This verse appears to parallel Matthew 5:11–12.
The differences are worth noticing. The term “poor in spirit” is unique to Matthew. Its introduction spiritualizes or ethicizes the poor in their predicament, in alignment with Isaiah 61. Luke, by contrast, focuses on actual hardship: poverty, marginalization and rejection, with the poor seeing eventual vindication. Moreover, Luke follows his blessings almost at once with four woes in Luke 6:24–26. These woes are distinct from the Seven Woes of the Pharisees in Luke 11:37–54.
Scholars also read the structure of the beatitudes in different ways. Each beatitude is commonly read as consisting of a condition and a result. In almost all cases the phrases are familiar from an Old Testament context. Dallas Willard offered a minority reading. In his view, both versions bless people considered unblessable by the prevailing assumptions of their time and place. Such people are blessed in spite of their condition, because the Kingdom of Heaven is now available to them. Alfred Edersheim had offered a broadly similar reading earlier.
Living the Beatitudes Today
Taken together, the beatitudes present ideals that focus on love and humility rather than force and exaction. They echo the highest ideals of Jesus’ teachings on spirituality and compassion. Similarly, the Epistle of James contains a verse worded much like the beatitudes: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial” (James 1:12).
So these blessings invite us to come to God aware of our need. They encourage us to mourn, to hunger for righteousness, to show mercy and to make peace. The beatitudes remind us that Jesus names as blessed people usually thought unfortunate.
