The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch
The Beatitudes
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6
Ok - so first of all I think we need to look at what righteousness means. We will again go to the 1828 Webster Dictionary to see what it says:
Righteousness:
1. Purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to the divine law. Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law. It includes all we call justice, honesty and virtue, with holy affections; in short, it is true religion.
2. Applied to God, the perfection or holiness of his nature; exact rectitude; faithfulness.
3. The active and passive obedience of Christ, by which the law of God is fulfilled. Daniel 9.
4. Justice; equity between man and man. Luke 1.
5. The cause of our justification.
The Lord our righteousness. Jer. 23.
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Just as our physical bodies hunger and thirst - so should our souls hunger and thirst for righteousness.
"No human agent can supply that which will satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul."
MOB pg. 18
But the good news, just like everything else God will supply this need as well!
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
God not only supplies what is needed - he initiates the relationship.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Revelations 3:20
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
John 6:56
This means relationship.
Jesus comes to our door and knocks - asking for relationship. When we let Him in we are showing our willingness for a relationship with Him. And as we continue to hunger and thirst for Him - we are led into a relationship with Him.
And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
John 6:35
"As we need food to sustain our physical strength, so do we need Christ, the Bread from heaven, to sustain spiritual life and impart strength to work the works of God. As the body is continually receiving the nourishment that sustains life and vigor, so the soul must be constantly communing with Christ, submitting to Him and depending wholly upon Him. "
MOB pg. 19
To study even further into this beatitude - just click on the link above- MOB- and it will take you to the chapter that will go more in depth.
Matthew 5:6
Ok - so first of all I think we need to look at what righteousness means. We will again go to the 1828 Webster Dictionary to see what it says:
Righteousness:
******
Just as our physical bodies hunger and thirst - so should our souls hunger and thirst for righteousness.
"No human agent can supply that which will satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul."
MOB pg. 18
But the good news, just like everything else God will supply this need as well!
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
God not only supplies what is needed - he initiates the relationship.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Revelations 3:20
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
John 6:56
This means relationship.
Jesus comes to our door and knocks - asking for relationship. When we let Him in we are showing our willingness for a relationship with Him. And as we continue to hunger and thirst for Him - we are led into a relationship with Him.
And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
John 6:35
"As we need food to sustain our physical strength, so do we need Christ, the Bread from heaven, to sustain spiritual life and impart strength to work the works of God. As the body is continually receiving the nourishment that sustains life and vigor, so the soul must be constantly communing with Christ, submitting to Him and depending wholly upon Him. "
MOB pg. 19
To study even further into this beatitude - just click on the link above- MOB- and it will take you to the chapter that will go more in depth.
I love how you bring out that Jesus not only promises to fill the need, but also makes the first move in the relationship. So good of Him to seek us out!
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