Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
What does Matthew 5:8 mean?
Jesus here gives eight characters of blessed people, which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. The poor in spirit are happy.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Matthew 5:8-9 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the pure in heart - That is, whose minds, motives, and principles are pure; who seek not only to have the external actions correct, but who desire to be holy in heart, and who are so. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. They shall see God - There is a sense in which all will see God, Revelation 1:7 . That is, they will behold him as a Judge, not as a Friend. In this place it is spoken of as a special favor. So also in Revelation 22:4 , "And they shall see his face.
Key words
- Blessed
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Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God Here, too, we are on Old Testament ground.
- heart
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Not in the head; for men may have pure notions and impure hearts; not in the hand, or action, or in outward conversation only; so the Pharisees were outwardly righteous before men, but inwardly full of impurity; but "in heart".
Context in Matthew 5
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Matthew 5 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as birth and preparation. Matthew presents Jesus as Davidic Messiah, new Moses, teacher of the kingdom, suffering Son of Man, and risen Lord who commissions the nations. Read this chapter with the wider themes of fulfillment, kingdom of heaven, and discipleship in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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