Diverse Beatitudes – Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
Posted By Macedon on December 19, 2024
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Read the beatitudes carefully to notice the difference:
When he saw the people, he went up into the mountain; and as he sat, his disciples came to him. And when he had opened his mouth, he taught and said,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5: 1-12).
Take a heed furthermore: I would call the aforementioned beatitudes, the special beatitudes, uttered before His Apostles, alone, on the mountain, these differ from the ordinary beatitudes, which the God-Man Christ speaks before the faithful people, after healing multitude of their infirmities and those possessed (by demons), down on the plane – as is the reading in today’s Gospel:
“ And He came down with them and stood on a level place with many of His disciples, and, a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
‘Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed, great is your reward in heaven,
For in like-manner their fathers did to the prophets.'”(Luke 6: 17-23).