Beatitude | Definition, Etymology, List, & Facts (2024)

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What is the etymology of the word "beatitudes"? ›

The word "beatitude" has its origins in Latin. It is derived from the Latin word "beatitudo," which means "blessedness" or "happiness". The concept of beatitude has its roots in religious and philosophical traditions, particularly in Christianity.

The poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those persecuted because of righteousness—these are the people who have pursued God by rejecting pride and self-sufficiency, which is the path of sin and idolatry.

Each beatitude depicts the ideal heart condition of a citizen of God's kingdom. In this idyllic state, the believer experiences abundant spiritual blessings.

Meaning of beatitude in English

complete happiness that comes from being blessed (= made holy) by God: Levy captured the hands and faces and bodies of worshippers in attitudes of grace, ecstasy, and beatitude. [ U ] formal. great happiness and calm: He wore a perpetual look of amiable beatitude on his face.

The Greek word used in the Beatitudes is the word μακάριος (makarios). which means “blessed,” “happy,” or “prosperous. “Originally, this word did not have religious connotation and rather was used to refer to any fortunate person as measured by material security and prosperity.

The Beatitudes sum up Jesus' teaching about what it means to live as a child of God's kingdom. They can be found right at the beginning of a long passage of teaching by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel, known as the Sermon on the Mount.

The Beatitudes are a series of blessings that are found in the fifth chapter of Matthew in the Christian Bible. These blessings were given by Jesus to his disciples during the Sermon on the Mount. Each blessing offers a future reward to the person possessing a specific character quality.

These Beatitudes are taught by Jesus as the foundations for a life of authentic Christian discipleship and the attainment of ultimate happiness. They give spirit to the Law of the Ten Commandments and bring perfection to moral life. That spirit is ultimately the spirit of love.

Anyway, here they are—the Beatitudes in my own words: Blessed are those who are humble, unselfish, compassionate, and kind, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for all the injustices and suffering in the world, for they shall be comforted.

What is the message in the Beatitudes? ›

In summary, the inner happiness spoken of in the Beatitudes is God's gift of blessing granted to those who choose to be disciples. This blessing is a result of the realization of a person's spiritual poverty (5:3) and an acknowledgment of one's total dependence on God (5:5).

The Beatitudes give Jesus' description of the cha. The word 'blessed' literally means “happy, fortunate, blissful.” Here it speaks of more than a surface emotion. The word 'Beatitude' itself means “supreme blessedness or happiness.” Jesus was describing the divinely-bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful ...

For the poor in spirit, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Those who mourn “shall be comforted.” The gentle “shall inherit the earth.” Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness “shall be satisfied.” The merciful “shall receive mercy.” The pure in heart “shall see God.” The peacemakers “shall be called sons of God.” ...

The Poor in Spirit

The first Beatitude Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount appears in Matthew 5:3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The “poor in spirit” are those who are humble and recognize that all their blessings come from God.

Matthew 5:3–12

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

According to Jesus in the Beatitudes, it is the lowly – those stooped low – who are blessed by God. This runs counter to the normal uses of that word for blessed, makarios. What does it mean to be blessed? The Greek word for "blessed" used in the Beatitudes is makarios (plural: makaroioi).

A refined meaning of this phrase has been seen to say that those that are quiet or nullified will one day inherit the world. Meek in the Greek literature of the period most often meant gentle or soft.

#1 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Be satisfied with what you have. Share the good things we have with others because God wants us to.)