My study of the Beatitudes continues with Matthew 5:6. This benediction from Jesus reads,
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
The Greek word translated hunger is peina and it means to be hungry, needy, and desire earnestly. (Strong's). The Greek word for thirst is dipsaó and it likewise means to thirst and desire earnestly. (Strong's). Imagine desiring righteousness as much as you want a glass of water when your mouth is parched, not just when it would be nice to have a drink but when you are thirsty, when you long for the cool water to slide down your hot throat and satisfy your need only the way water can. That is the way we should seek righteousness. Not just wanting it or thinking it would be nice, but needing it, craving it, not able to live without it as the sustenance of our souls.
Righteousness or dikaiosuné is defined as justice, justness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, God's judicial approval. (Strong's). Do you want God’s approval that desperately? Well, there is great news for you if you do.
Jesus said you can be happy because you will be satisfied. The Greek word for satisfy, chortazó means to feed, satisfy and fatten. (Strong's)You may be starving for righteousness, but Jesus will give you so much, you will be fat with it! You won’t have to be sparing with goodness. You do not have to be meager because Jesus will give you plenty to exercise.
Your yearning for righteousness will be fulfilled. He is the source of life, He is the source of eternal life and the only way to the Father. (John 14:6). Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that He was the source of living water and anyone who drank from Him would never thirst again. (John 4:14-15). Your longing for righteousness will be satisfied much deeper than you could imagine. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reads,
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
In Jesus, you are righteous! In Jesus, you are righteousness! Yes, God approves of you! God loves you and Jesus made the way for you to be reconciled to the Father and be righteousness. You aren’t that old self anymore who craved self-satisfaction or worldly things. You are a new creation, you are righteous. You are blameless in the eyes of God. He doesn’t see your sin anymore, He sees your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)
All you have to do is ask Jesus and it is yours. Free! Done! If you sincerely want it, Jesus gives it to you. Then you will find other things happening. You will want that righteousness to be evident in your life. You will want to demonstrate your love for God by wanting to be as good as He says you are. And you will want it for other people too. And as deeply as you want it, Jesus will continue to satisfy your desire for righteousness. You will seek it out. You will pursue that need, the way you go after food and water, not as a luxury but a need. And then you will strive for it above and beyond food or water, but that is okay because Jesus also promised that if you chase God and His righteousness above all else, the rest of the stuff would fall into place. Matthew 6:31-34 reads,
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Do you want God’s approval? Do you want Him to say you are good? He will if you simply ask Jesus to make you right. Jesus promised to satisfy your want for goodness. In fact not just meet the need to make you rich with it.
References:
Strong's. (n.d.). 1343. dikaiosuné. Retrieved from http://biblehub.com/greek/1343.htm
Strong's. (n.d.). 1372. dipsaó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1372.htm
Strong's. (n.d.). 3983. peinaó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/3983.htm
Strong's. (n.d.). 5526. chortazó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/5526.htm
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
The Greek word translated hunger is peina and it means to be hungry, needy, and desire earnestly. (Strong's). The Greek word for thirst is dipsaó and it likewise means to thirst and desire earnestly. (Strong's). Imagine desiring righteousness as much as you want a glass of water when your mouth is parched, not just when it would be nice to have a drink but when you are thirsty, when you long for the cool water to slide down your hot throat and satisfy your need only the way water can. That is the way we should seek righteousness. Not just wanting it or thinking it would be nice, but needing it, craving it, not able to live without it as the sustenance of our souls.
Righteousness or dikaiosuné is defined as justice, justness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, God's judicial approval. (Strong's). Do you want God’s approval that desperately? Well, there is great news for you if you do.
Jesus said you can be happy because you will be satisfied. The Greek word for satisfy, chortazó means to feed, satisfy and fatten. (Strong's)You may be starving for righteousness, but Jesus will give you so much, you will be fat with it! You won’t have to be sparing with goodness. You do not have to be meager because Jesus will give you plenty to exercise.
Your yearning for righteousness will be fulfilled. He is the source of life, He is the source of eternal life and the only way to the Father. (John 14:6). Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that He was the source of living water and anyone who drank from Him would never thirst again. (John 4:14-15). Your longing for righteousness will be satisfied much deeper than you could imagine. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reads,
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
In Jesus, you are righteous! In Jesus, you are righteousness! Yes, God approves of you! God loves you and Jesus made the way for you to be reconciled to the Father and be righteousness. You aren’t that old self anymore who craved self-satisfaction or worldly things. You are a new creation, you are righteous. You are blameless in the eyes of God. He doesn’t see your sin anymore, He sees your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)
All you have to do is ask Jesus and it is yours. Free! Done! If you sincerely want it, Jesus gives it to you. Then you will find other things happening. You will want that righteousness to be evident in your life. You will want to demonstrate your love for God by wanting to be as good as He says you are. And you will want it for other people too. And as deeply as you want it, Jesus will continue to satisfy your desire for righteousness. You will seek it out. You will pursue that need, the way you go after food and water, not as a luxury but a need. And then you will strive for it above and beyond food or water, but that is okay because Jesus also promised that if you chase God and His righteousness above all else, the rest of the stuff would fall into place. Matthew 6:31-34 reads,
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Do you want God’s approval? Do you want Him to say you are good? He will if you simply ask Jesus to make you right. Jesus promised to satisfy your want for goodness. In fact not just meet the need to make you rich with it.
References:
Strong's. (n.d.). 1343. dikaiosuné. Retrieved from http://biblehub.com/greek/1343.htm
Strong's. (n.d.). 1372. dipsaó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/1372.htm
Strong's. (n.d.). 3983. peinaó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/3983.htm
Strong's. (n.d.). 5526. chortazó. Retrieved from Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/5526.htm
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