These verses, the opening phrases of the Sermon on the Mount, hold some of the Bible’s most beautiful and best-loved poetry. Part of its beauty, though, lies in the fact that the meaning is not quite clear. What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? What does it mean to “inherit the earth” or to be called “the children of God.” The fact that there are many possibilities causes us to linger over the phrases, pondering them.

Understood in the internal sense, these blessings show the spiritual states of the various people who could be receptive of the Lord and the new church he was launching. On a deeper level it shows that states within ourselves that can lead each of us to the Lord and to a deeper understanding of His truth today.

The “poor in spirit” are those who know little about spiritual things, but want to learn. Those that “mourn” are those who want to be good, but see no desire for good in their church. The “meek” are those who love to care for and serve others. To “hunger and thirst after righteousness” shows a desire to rise up, to learn about what’s good and to come to desire it.

The “merciful” are those who love their fellow people. The “pure in heart” are those who love only what is good. “Peacemakers” are those who are in harmony with the Lord, gaining knowledge from Him and wanting what He wants. And to be “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” means acting out of love and care for others, even though you are condemned by others for it.

There’s something of a progression there, from those who simply want to learn to those who actively want to be good people to those who actually are good and acting out of love for others. None of it, though, describes those who are learned in the Jewish traditions, or even necessarily observant in terms of ritual; they are, rather, those who sense that it is possible to be a good person and are willing to make the effort.

And they are promised their rewards! The “kingdom of heaven” is the understanding the angels have of the Lord; “comfort” represents ideas that lead to the good of life; “inheriting the earth” is a state of loving others and being loved by them in return. The overall message is simple: If we truly wish to be good people, and are willing to let the Lord teach us how to be good people, we will end up filled with love and wisdom from Him. And that’s what we need to focus on: The desire to be good, and openness to ideas from the Lord. It’s not about ritual and intellectual “correctness”; it’s about ideas that lead us to be good.

But what of being reviled and persecuted? This depicts temptation, when the hells attack our newborn good desires and true understanding. They cause us to doubt our ability to be truly good and question the ideas that are leading us. And they can do it in many ways, reminding us of the fun we’ll be missing or reminding us of all the bad things we’ve ever done to render us hopeless. They will even attack the Bible and the ideas that come to us through it from the Lord; that’s represented by the idea that people also attacked the prophets.

These states, however, are blessed in their own way; only by battling these evils, which are rooted inside us, can we finally fully embrace the good life we have been striving for. That’s why it is pictured last, and that's why it leads to the “great reward” in heaven.

68. 4. Various things concerning charity and good works (Revelation 2:4-5, 19, 26; 3:15).

Their works follow with them (Revelation 14:13).

That all are judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12-13).

The works of charity are taught in fullness by the Lord (Matthew 5,6, 7).

That the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, and He shall render to everyone according to his works (Matthew 16:27).

Thou shalt love God with the whole heart and the neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:35-39).

Iniquity shall be multiplied and the love of many shall grow cold (Matthew 24:12).

Charity is to do rightly in every work, and no more, is clear from the teaching of John to those who asked questions (Luke 3:10-14).

They asked, What shall we do that we may work the works of God ? He answered, It is the work of God that ye believe in Him whom the Father hath sent (John 6:28-29).

A commandment of the Lord that they should love one another (John 13:34-35).

The Father is the husbandman, Jesus the vine. Everyone not bearing fruit in Me, He taketh him away, etc.; and thus that as branches in the vine they should abide in the Lord, and the Lord in them. Otherwise they shall be cast out (John 15:1-6).

Continue ye in my love: he who keeps My commandments abides in My love (John 15:9-10, 12, 14, 17).

That the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them and I in them (John 17:26).

That the Lord gave the mother to John, and he took her unto his own (John 19:26-27), signifies that the church is where the goods of charity are. Mary signifies the church, and John the works of charity.

That John followed Jesus, and Jesus said, If I will that he tarry till I come (John 21:20, 22-23) signifies if the works of charity remain till the coming of the Lord.

Jehovah, Thou hast wrought all our works in us (Isaiah 26:12).