“Happy are those who long to be just and good, for they shall be completely satisfied.”
JESUS: MATTHEW 5:6
What does Jesus mean by “hunger and thirst” in this beatitude? What are some things that people in our society hunger and thirst after?
What do you usually think of when you hear the word righteousness? What does righteousness mean? How did the Pharisees and the teachers of the law define righteousness?
Most scholars point to Matthew 5:20 as the theological center of the Sermon on the Mount—”For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” What did Jesus mean by this verse and why would it have shocked the listeners of his sermon?
Why is it important to note that Jesus doesn’t say “blessed are the righteous” but rather “blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness”?