Jesus' Thoughts On Happiness
By Jonathan Mitchell

Jesus taught the multitudes about "happy people" in His sermon on the mount. The word often translated "blessed" has a primary meaning of "happy." So, let us consider who He pronounced as being "happy people."

We will examine this topic in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5:

1. Now upon seeing the (or: these) crowds, He climbed up into the mountain. Then, upon His sitting down, His disciples (students; apprentices) approached (came toward) Him.

2. So, opening His mouth, He began teaching them, progressively saying (laying it out),

3. "The destitute folks [are] happy in spirit and attitude*, because the Realm, Reign and Dominion of the heavens is continually belonging to, is made up of, and is, them (or: Blessed [are] those dependent for support on the Spirit, for the Kingdom from the skies and the atmospheres is continuing from among, and pertains to, them; The people who need to beg for sustenance [are made] happy by the Breath-effect because the Empire of the Heavens is being a source in and for them; The financially destitute folks [exist being] happy and blessed with an attitude that the sovereign influence and activity from the atmospheres continuously exists with reference to them)! [* cf 1QM 14:7]

On offer, here, are four potential renderings of vs. 3. The second one, which begins, "Blessed [are]...," is the more common English syntax. But the subject of this verse is the people. They are people who are destitute, dependent for support, need to beg for sustenance, and are in financial need. But because they are in some way related to the Kingdom (Realm, Reign and Dominion) of the heavens, or from the atmospheres, they are happy in spirit and are blessed.

This is a proclamation by Jesus. He states it as being a fact, not a potential. And then, He gives the reasons why they are happy and blessed:

Because of all this, they are happy in spirit and by the Breath-effect (Spirit). And this begs the question: "Are you happy?" You can be, because the Kingdom of God is within you (Lu. 17:21)

What a revolutionary announcement. It is contrary to their natural conditions and circumstances. It is something entirely new. I dare say that few people really believe this, or if some do, they tend to put this off into some future reality.

4. "Those constantly grieving and mourning [are] happy and blessed because [other MSS: now that] they, themselves, will habitually be called alongside to receive relief, help, aid, encouragement and comfort (will continue receiving the services of the Paraclete)!

This proclamation speaks to a hope and an expectation for future relief from their grief and mourning. We suggest that this expectation comes from the realization of what vs. 3 just proclaimed. The "at hand" access to God's sovereign activities and influences brings "the services of the Paraclete {the Holy Spirit)."

5. "'The kind, considerate, gentle, mild-tempered, egoless and nonviolent folks (people who do not use force)' [are] happy and blessed because they, themselves, 'will proceed to be inheriting the Land (or: be receiving and enjoying the earth as an allotment)!' [Ps. 25:13; 37:11]

Here we have another promise of future blessing and happiness. This seems to be the first introduction of qualifications for inheriting the Land (or: earth). These qualifications are the Fruit of the Spirit, the result of Christ transforming peoples' lives, making them new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). They are the effect of being joined to the Vine (Jn. 15).

6. "The people being habitually hungry and constantly thirsty for the flowing together of eschatological deliverance into fairness, right relationship and justice which characterize a rightwised state of being or situation within the Way pointed out (or: the right direction of justice, in covenantal inclusion) [are] happy and blessed, because they themselves will continue feeding and drinking [of these things] until they are filled and satisfied!

The characterization of being hungry and thirsty for the Life of the Way Pointed Out (Christ) can be compared to the newborn who has just left the darkness of the womb and has now entered into a new realm of existence. The old sustenance is now behind it, and it needs to continue feeding and drinking of a rightwised state of being. Receiving the New Life is a blessing and it engenders happiness. Are you happy?

Recall what Jesus said, in Jn. 7:37, "If ever anyone may continue being thirsty, let him be habitually coming toward Me, and... be constantly drinking." [cf Isa. 12:3; 55:1; Ps. 34:8]

7. "The folks who are merciers (who give and show mercy) [are] happy and blessed, because they, themselves, will be repeatedly mercied (constantly given and shown mercy)!

The natural life of a dominated society provides many opportunities for giving mercy to others. Jesus gave examples of this in the parable of the sheep and the kids (immature goats), in Mat. 25. The sheep (note that this was a designation for His disciples) fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and visited sick folks and prisoners. The kids were oblivious to the needs of others.

This reminds us of Ps. 41:1, "Happy and blessed [is] the person habitually flowing with, and acting intelligently on behalf of, a materially poor person..." [cf Heb. 6:10]

8. "Those who are clean (clear of admixture; pure; consistent) in the heart [are] happy and blessed, because they, themselves, will progressively see God! (or: = The folks that have had the core of their beings made clean [are] happy people, in that they will continue to see the Ground of Being [in everything]!) [cf Ps. 1:1; Ps. 2:12b]

Here is another promise which is based upon an inner condition. And, here is how this condition is met:

"the blood ['ritual detergent' - J. Milgrom] of, from, and which is, Jesus, His Son, keeps on, and is repeatedly, cleansing us (or: is progressively rendering us pure) from every sin (or: from all error, failure, deviation, mistake, and from every shot that is off target [when it occurs])." (1 Jn. 1:7b)

Even David understood that God was the source of a clean heart:

"Create in, and for, me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right, steadfast and established spirit within me" (Ps. 51:10). [cf Heb. 10:19-22; 2 Cor. 3:18]
9. "The ones who make peace and create joining [are] happy and blessed because they, themselves, will continue being called God's sons (or: termed 'sons of, and from, God')!

Paul informs us that, "He Himself is our Peace (or: continuously exists being our joining and harmony)" (Eph. 2:14a). Christ created one, "new and different Humanity centered within the midst of, and in union with Himself" (Eph. 2:15).

In Rom. 8:14, we see that those who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons. And in Rom. 8:15 we are told that we "received a spirit of being placed as a son."

10. "Those being ones having been pressed forward, chased or persecuted in the cause of right, and for the sake of the flowing together of fairness, rightwised relationships, or justice, which comes from the Way pointed out (or: because of [God's] eschatological deliverance into rightness), [are] happy and blessed because the Reign of the Empire of the Heavens continually belongs to, is made up of, and is, them (or: for the kingdom and sovereign activities of and from the atmospheres are continuing from among, and pertains to, them, and are being a source in and for them)!"

This verse needs no comment, but the last clause echoes vs. 3, above. We end this article by simply quoting the following verses:

11. "YOU folks are, and continue to be, happy and blessed people! [cf Rom. 4:7, 8] Now whenever people may denounce, reproach, heap insults on and persecute or chase you folks, and while continuously lying, may even say every bad thing (spreading malicious gossip; [other MSS: every misery-gushed utterance]) down against you - for the sake of Me,

12. be continuously rejoicing and repeatedly express extreme exultation, because your wage (compensation; reward) [is] much (large; great), within the heavens (or: atmospheres [that surround you])! You see, they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. [cf Heb. 11:36-38; Jas. 5:10]

13. "You people, yourselves, exist being (are) the salt of the Land (or: territory; earth). Now if the salt should ever be made dull or tasteless (literally: foolish; nonsensical), in what way will it continue being salted (or: made salty)? It still continues giving strength into nothing (= it still cannot provide seasoning), except being thrown outside, to be repeatedly (or: continuously) trampled down by people (or: tread down under the humans). [cf Lu. 8:5]

14. "You folks, yourselves, exist being (are) the Light of the ordered System (the world of culture, religion, politics, government, and secular society; = the human sociological realm; or: the aggregate of humanity). A city located up on a mountain (or: a mountain range) continues unable to be hidden or concealed.

15. "Likewise, people are not normally lighting a lamp and then placing it under the measuring bowl (or: a one-peck grain-measuring basket), but rather upon the lampstand - and it continues shining and giving light for all those within the house.

16. "In this way, let the Light, which YOU folks possess (or: which has a source in you folks; or: which you people are), shine in front of the People (before the humans), so that people can see your fine works (or: the beautiful works that you are; the ideal acts which come from you folks) and they can give glory to (or: and [these deeds; or: these works of beauty] will bring a good reputation to, and a manifestation which incites praise for) your Father - the One in union with the atmospheres [that surround you folks] (or: within the midst of the heavens)!"

For further exposition on this passage, see my commentary: "Observations on the Gospel of Mark, on Acts, on Philemon, with Comments on the Sermon on the Mount."

Jonathan

PS: 1 Tim. 1:11 offers us an insight which comes in Christ, and speaks of: "the sound instruction, healthful training, and wholesome teaching, [which is] in accord with (or: down from; in line with and on the level of) the Good News (or: the message of goodness, ease and well-being) of the glory, pertaining to the reputation of the assumed Appearance of, and from, The Happy God, which I, myself, was persuaded to believe (or: upon Whom I am made to trust and be faithful)." [cf Rom. 5:2]

Return To Jonathan Mitchell's Page