Truly Blessed
ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 5:1-12 (1881 WHNT)
1ιδων δε τους οχλους ανεβη εις το ορος και καθισαντος αυτου προσηλθαν [αυτω] οι μαθηται αυτου
2και ανοιξας το στομα αυτου εδιδασκεν αυτους λεγων
3μακαριοι οι πτωχοι τω πνευματι οτι αυτων εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων
4μακαριοι οι πενθουντες οτι αυτοι παρακληθησονται
5μακαριοι οι πραεις οτι αυτοι κληρονομησουσιν την γην
6μακαριοι οι πεινωντες και διψωντες την δικαιοσυνην οτι αυτοι χορτασθησονται
7μακαριοι οι ελεημονες οτι αυτοι ελεηθησονται
8μακαριοι οι καθαροι τη καρδια οτι αυτοι τον θεον οψονται
9μακαριοι οι ειρηνοποιοι οτι [αυτοι] υιοι θεου κληθησονται
10μακαριοι οι δεδιωγμενοι ενεκεν δικαιοσυνης οτι αυτων εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων
11μακαριοι εστε οταν ονειδισωσιν υμας και διωξωσιν και ειπωσιν παν πονηρον καθ υμων ψευδομενοι ενεκεν εμου
12χαιρετε και αγαλλιασθε οτι ο μισθος υμων πολυς εν τοις ουρανοις ουτως γαρ εδιωξαν τους προφητας τους προ υμων
There in Matthew’s New Testament Greek is what he quotes Jesus saying, the Beatitudes of his Sermon on the Mount, our Gospel for tomorrow. Always for All Saints we read and hear the Beatitudes. Why, why do we read the Beatitudes this day? Jesus is teaching us, it's his guide for happy, contented living under the Lord. Counter to what I thought when memorizing and reciting these beautiful verses both for my mother and as a child at Cove School in the 1940s, and at school having a star put by my name for completing part of the year’s Bible memory work, the Beatitudes do not teach what we must do and be for sanctification, holiness. Rather, the word Jesus uses is “makarioi”-- the Beatitudes describe a happy, fortunate life. It isn’t “blessed”as in sanctified, it’s “blessed” as in fortunate, happy, content, having received a blessing from God. To bring the idea down to earth: I am blessed to be alive this morning.
Why is the NT Greek printed above? Simply to show that the predicate adjective is μακαριοι which means “happy.”
My absolute preference for memory, translation and liturgy is nevertheless still and always the King James Version:
Matthew 5:1-12 (KJV)
1Seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
TW+ μακαριοι in +Time
Ἀληθῶς μακαριοι!
Truly blessed!