The Hidden Secrets in the Beatitudes

Last night, I spent a lot of time thinking about the Beatitudes and realized that taken together they formed a very powerful pattern. This pattern is hidden unless we consider the original Greek meaning of the words.

First, there is a progression of the type of people who are being blessed. First, there at those who are "poor of spirit" or as we discussed, more literally, "lacking in spirit." Then Christ goes onto those mourning for a loss, those who are meek (humble), those who hunger for an ideal state, those who show mercy, those who are pure of spirit, those who make peace, those who are pursued (followed) for their ideal state, and finally, those who are persecuted for following Christ. Do you notice the evolution here? We start with the weakest and move toward the most spiritually strong.

The beatitudes describe progress towards realization and power. First we are weak in spirit, which means arrogant and self-centered. Then, life teaches us about loss and sadness. This makes us meek and humble. We begin to yearn for an ideal state. We start showing others mercy. We seek to atone for our errors and purify ourselves. After growing spiritually, we try to make peace among others. We are then followed, pursued, or hounded for wanting to be in an ideal state. Finally, we are persecuted for following Christ. To me, Christ was clearly describing a spiritual evolution.

Strangely, enough, this evolution seems to continue in the way Christ describes what will happen to people in these various stated. Remember, the Beatitudes, are constructed as a loop, started and ending with promising the kingdom of heaven to those both the starting and ending states. I think that this means we have to go back to the first Beatitude to continue the progression. What happens after we are persecuted for following Christ? We are promised that we can come under the rule of God and join the kingdom of heaven.

Again, there is a progression. First, we join the kingdom of heaven on earth. Then we are summoned (or are comforted) which can mean that we are called to God. Then we inherit the earth, which can mean that we are buried or that we are successful in life. What happens then? We are satisfied or fulfilled. We are shown mercy. We see God. We become children of God. Then, we again join the kingdom of heaven this time in the afterlife. After that, we know true joy. Which, of course, it the topic of the next line in Christ's teaching.