Introduction

What Are the Beatitudes?

• guidelines to the basic attitudes followers of Christ should have in relationship to others and to God
• proclamation of a new order for those who hunger and thirst for God; sets a higher standard for his followers, as compared to the Old Law (ie. the ten commandments)

Explaining the Beatitudes

Click on the arrows on the left for an explanation for the verse beside it.

Note: One word appears at the end of each sentence, which reflects the value of the world.

(e.g the world tells us that one must acquire financial status to attain security. To that, Christ says, "Blessed are the poor!")

The first four Beatitudes deal exclusively with humanity’s relationship with God. They are presented in four stages of ascending order: realization, repentance, trust, and continuing quest.

Our lives are to be lived within the framework of realized eschatology in this world. Because we are already (imperfectly) living eternal life, we know the world is not to be avoided, but confronted and changed. The last four Beatitudes deal with the four imperatives of such a Christian life: loving, learning, teaching, and persevering.