Introduction :

According to biblical Scholars, the original Beatitudes quote appears to be:

        “Blessed are you who are poor,“

        ” Blessed are you who hunger now,”

        “Blessed are you who weep now,

Even today, two thousand years later, the beatitudes of Jesus turn everything upside down!

Society, any society, will find us blessed when we are rich, when we are healthy and beautiful and when we are laughing. The poor and the sick suffer not only their poverty and sickness but also suffer the derision of society and loss of its blessing.

The blessings of Jesus are given to our innermost core. They can’t be lost.

Sickness, or famine or financial ruin can’t take them away.

The first way of Jesus has us move from the hollow blessings of society to the blessing of our inner core described by Jesus.

 

The sayings of Jesus as riddles or “Koans”:

A koan is a short riddle like saying that appears to be nonsensical on the surface but that has deeper meanings and challenges a person to think.  Koans developed in Zen Buddhism 600 years after Jesus lived.  A Zen student will spend weeks or even a lifetime meditating on one short phrase or story to gain a depth of understanding.

A koan has four possible levels of meanings.  The first is literal.  At the literal level the statement makes no sense.  “What is the sound of one hand clapping” is an example of a koan where the literal makes no sense.  The second level is psychological. How does this apply to a person themselves.  The third level is societal.  How does this apply to society.  The fourth level is spiritual.  One sees through to an inner aspect of humans in which we are all the same.

A koan would be: “Blessed are the poor” or “Blessed are the hungry” or “Blessed are those who weep”.   Our first response would be that this is silly or simply untrue. Meditating on these short phrases will bring transforming insights.

 

The Sayings of Jesus:

The Beatitudes of Luke

Luke 6: 20-21

20 Then, raising his eyes and looking at his disciples, Jesus said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

The Beatitudes of Matthew

Matthew 5: 1-10

5 On seeing the crowds of people, Jesus went up the hill; and, when he had taken his seat, his disciples came up to him; 2 and he began to teach them, saying

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are the mourners,
for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the gentle,
for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.

7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will find mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted in the cause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

Stories and Commentary: