Matthew 5:6-12

Jesus continues teaching the Beatitudes.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

When teaching the Nephites, Jesus gives us more information. “And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 12:6).

“The Holy Ghost is the great comforter and testator and is only one of three who can really satisfy our emotional and mental hunger and quench our spiritual thirst. The Greek world used by Matthew that is translated as ‘filled’ originally meant ‘to feed or fatten and animal in a stall’ and carriers the notion of eating till completer full… Such is the Lords promise to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. He will feed us more than we can possibly imagine or desire initially.”[1]

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

“Jesus is filled with mercy. He does not merely extend mercy through His atoning sacrifice. He is mercy personified … He understands that those of like minds and actions will associate with each other.”[2]

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

“In describing the condition or state of blessedness from having a pure heart … Jesus makes the explicit connection to God’s presence. The environment in which God resides, the celestial glory, is devoid of any impure person or thing … [O]btaining in the mercy of Jesus referred to in the previous beatitude is a prerequisite for becoming pure in heart, which then allows a person to enter God’s kingdom and literally see Him.”[3]

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:9-10).

“It is obvious … when Jesus singled out … the peacemakers and those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, He was speaking out of personal experience. He was the prince of peace in the face of persecution.”[4]

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake [GR on account of me].

“Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).

The righteous are persecuted by the wicked. Christ experienced persecution throughout His ministry. As He hung on the cross, we read, “And they that passed by reviled him” (Matthew 27:39).

We are to rejoice we are persecuted for His sake. When Peter and John were taken before the council because they preached the gospel, we read,

“And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:40-41).”

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[1] The Life and Teachings of Christ, Vol. 1: From Bethlehem through the Sermon on the Mount, A Reading of the Sermon on the Mount: A Restoration Perspective, Andrew C. Skinner.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.