Why does Jesus bless those who hunger and thirst for righteousness?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Matthew 5:6

Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
Luke 6:21

As a deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Psalm 42:1-2

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you; my soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water…. I lift my hands to you in prayer; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land thirsts for rain.
Psalms 63:1; 143:6

Hunger and thirst are metaphors we can all relate to. We know how satisfying a cool drink of water is when our throats are dry and how welcome a good meal is when we haven’t eaten in a while. But how many of us have ever hungered and thirsted for righteousness? What would that even look like?

Why does Jesus bless the meek?

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5

How would you feel if someone described you as meek? Most of us define “meek” as timid and subservient. We see meekness as ineffectiveness–people who don’t have the courage, willpower, or resources to stand up for their rights. But while most of us associate meekness with weakness, Jesus associated it with godliness.

Why does Jesus bless those who mourn?

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Psalm 51:16–17

The dictionary defines mourning as a feeling of grief or sorrow that is the result of a profound loss. Most of us associate mourning with the death of a loved one, but the mourning Jesus speaks of is entirely different. He is referencing one of his favorite Bible passages. In Isaiah 61:2–3, God says he will “comfort all who mourn” and replace their mourning with “the oil of gladness.”

Why does Jesus bless the poor in spirit?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. –Matthew 5:3

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.   –Luke 6:20

Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with eight remarkable beatitudes. The first is the most important because it introduces the other beatitudes and puts them in their proper context. And the first beatitude is distinctive in another way: while the other beatitudes speak of being filled with something, the first one is about becoming empty. God cannot fill us with his Spirit if we are already filled with something else.