What Does "Blessed" Mean? (The Beatitudes Pt. 1)

Key takeaways

The word 'blessed' ('makarios') in the Sermon on the Mount invites a deeper understanding beyond surface-level perceptions of happiness or success.
Jesus’ Beatitudes challenge conventional societal views on who is 'blessed', emphasizing that the impoverished, mourning, and marginalized are the recipients of God's kingdom.
Understanding the Hebrew word 'ashrey' and its translation helps clarify Jesus' radical redefinition of the 'good life' in the context of his message.
The podcasts promote an exploration of different cultural and historical interpretations of blessing, encouraging listeners to engage with biblical texts thoughtfully.

Summary

Understanding Blessing in the Bible

In this episode, the hosts delve into the meaning of the word 'blessed' as it appears in the Sermon on the Mount. They introduce the Greek word 'makarios' and its Hebrew counterpart 'ashrey', which conveys the idea of the 'good life'. The episode emphasizes how these terms inform our understanding of Jesus' message about who is truly 'blessed', suggesting that cultural perceptions of blessing often miss the deeper biblical meanings.

Jesus’ Counterintuitive Beatitudes

The hosts explore how Jesus’ teachings in the Beatitudes turn conventional ideas of blessing on their head. They discuss how Jesus identifies those often seen as unfortunate—like the poor in spirit and the mourners—as the truly blessed. This counterintuitive perspective is essential to grasping the radical nature of Jesus' message, as it invites listeners to reconsider what it means to experience and recognize blessing in their lives.

The Importance of Contextual Language

A significant point discussed is the importance of understanding the linguistic nuances in biblical texts, particularly how translations can affect the interpretation of key concepts like blessing. The hosts highlight how the cultural and historical context of Jesus’ teachings impacts the understanding of terms like 'ashrey' and 'baruch', as well as how these words are observed and expressed in various cultural contexts.

Engaging with Different Perspectives

The podcast underscores the value of engaging with different interpretations and traditions surrounding biblical texts. References to other wisdom literature, such as the writings from the Wisdom of Ben-Sira and the Dead Sea Scrolls, illuminate how the concepts of blessing and the good life were perceived in ancient Jewish literature, providing a richer context for understanding the Beatitudes.

Show notes

Sermon on the Mount E4 – What does Jesus mean when he calls people “blessed” in the first section of the Sermon on the Mount? The Greek word translated as “blessed” is makarios, and its Hebrew equivalent is ashrey, which means “the good life.” But there’s another Hebrew word for blessing, barukh, which refers to blessings from God. In this episode, Tim, Jon, and guests unpack what it means to be blessed according to Jesus’ counterintuitive message as he ushers in the kingdom of the skies.

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Timestamps

Chapter 1: What Jesus Means by “Blessed” (00:00-13:24)
Chapter 2: The Meaning of Ashrey in Other Hebrew Literature (13:24-17:55)
Chapter 3: What Is the Good Life? (17:55-21:06)
Chapter 4: Jesus Reframes the Good Life (21:06-33:33)

Referenced Resources

The Wisdom of Ben-Sira (Ecclesiasticus) by Yeshua Ben Sirach
Interested in more? Check out Tim’s library here.
You can experience our entire library of resources in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.

Show Music

Original Sermon on the Mount music by Richie Kohen
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

Show Credits

Dan Gummel is the Creative Producer for today’s show. Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer; Cooper Peltz, managing producer; Colin Wilson, producer; and Stephanie Tam, consultant and editor. Tyler Bailey and Yanii Evans are our audio editors. Tyler Bailey is also our audio engineer, and he provided our sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Special thanks to Ben Tertin, Breon Gummel, and Rick McKinley. Today’s hosts are Jon Collins and Michelle Jones.

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