Friday, September 13, 2024
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn – Matthew 5:4 Submitted by Kay Crumley
We have studied the Beatitudes many times over the years is you, like me, have been in church much. When reading this one I have always thought it had to do with those who are sad about having lost a loved one or property, something of great value. However, this was a verse of the day. I had been studying and had my Bible app set to the Amplified version so when this came up it had a different meaning which led me to wonder what I should learn about this verse.
Below is Matthew 5:4 in the CSB version. It is the wording for most versions and is what I have always learned or studied.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. CSB
The Amplified versions add expanded meaning to several of the words in that verse as you see below. I like the expansion of the meaning of ‘blessed’ in the AMPC version.
Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted! AMP Classic
Then I compared the two Amplified versions.
“Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted]. AMP
The first AMPC version broadens the understanding of the word Blessed. Have you ever been enviably happy? Can you think of a time when the circumstances all fell into place, and you were just beyond able to express your happiness? Maybe it was at your marriage, the birth of a child, or landing the prefect job or promotion. Everyone who knows you well envies your happiness. However, even that doesn’t compare with the happiness we experience because of God’s favor and grace. Nothing measures up to His love for us demonstrated by His death on the cross for our sins. The revelation or mystery that we are the recipients of His forgiveness, His gift of mercy and matchless grace is beyond my comprehension. All I can do is accept it and then give Him all my praise and worship. We are only blessed because of Him in our lives. John 1:6 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. In Him alone can we be forgiven and refreshed by God’s grace that comes from His fullness, Jesus being fully God and fully man.
Let’s consider who the mourners are? Jesus promised that they will be blessed. They are those who I have always considered are being addressed, those who have lost something of great value. However, we see that they are also all of us who realize the great debt we owe for the sin and are repentant for our sins. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 9 I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death. We are to grieve over our sin because that will cause us to repent. In that sense all of us should be mourners. As such we are blessed. But even more, we are comforted. We are never alone in our grief. our burden of sin lifted. Jesus made a promise in John 14:16 that we will always have a comforter; And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. The AMP version shows that ‘counselor’ can also mean advocate or comforter. Jesus’ promises never fail. When we repent and follow Him, we are given the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. He is our advocate between us and God, He is our comforter in times of trouble, and He is our counselor advising us to stay on the right path.
So, this verse for me takes on more meaning for the blessing I have in Him. I need to grieve every time I sin and repent so that I can live with the full benefits of His blessings and comfort.
