(Isaiah 6:8) We will never reach the breadth and length and height and depth of God's perfect righteousness in this life and so as aliens and strangers (1Peter 2:11-note) our goal and our quest is continual pursuit of His righteousness manifest in and through us as we live our lives in the power of His Spirit for His glory (Mt 5:16-note). Those are good things, but they are not righteousness. Blessed (see makarios) means spiritually prosperous, independent of one's circumstances because it is a state bestowed by God and not a feeling felt. --We cannot go deeper than nature. Our poverty and mourning over our sins (Mt 5:4-note) brings us to see that Christ alone is your Bread of Life and the Living Water our soul needs. What made the difference? I am the Bread of Life which came down from heaven, of which a man may eat and not die. He who in a natural sense has been rescued from perishing in a howling wilderness ought to bless the Lord who brings him again to eat bread among men. We’ve all seen images of starving children in countries experiencing food and water shortages. We would tempt them with Sassy Shads, with brightly colored new Hula Poppers, and buzz baits. "O cursed hunger after gold! You can't make a strong enough effort to achieve perfect righteousness (cf Mt 5:48-note), which is God's requirement, one which is met by the only perfect God-Man, Christ Jesus, and which is freely made available to all by grace through faith (cf 1Co 1:30, 2Cor 5:21, past tense salvation = justification = once for all declaration by God). The Old Testament dwells much on this righteousness, as that which alone God regards with approbation (Psalm 11:7; Psalm 23:3; Psalm 106:3; Proverbs 12:28; Proverbs 16:31; Isaiah 64:5, etc.). Matthew Henry's Commentary. Particular attention should be given to the scriptural meaning of the term "righteousness." Do but hunger and you shall have righteousness; but if we refuse to come up to these terms there is no righteousness to be had for us. But real holiness pervades the whole man: it comprehends the whole circle of divine graces: it reaches to the thoughts and desires of the heart; and assimilates us to God in all his communicable perfections. The person who hungers and thirsts after righteousness, shall be made, 1. The picture is of animals who stayed at the feed trough until they wanted nothing more to eat. Perhaps in these northern climes we might add, How shall we be housed? Matthew 5:10-12 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. If food-hunger is a pain, thirst, which is water-hunger, is a hundredfold worse, and the more critical the need becomes within the living organism the more acute the pain. None of these can be found in a job, a human relationship, money, power, or position. It is only possible to answer by saying, "These things are as they are from the very nature with which God has endowed us.". We need to grow daily in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. I. And here observe, 1. Pastor Phil Newton addresses this most important question as follows…, There is deep soul-searching in this Beatitude. Luke 1:53 "HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed. The prophet Isaiah spoke of this thirst some 700 years before Jesus' sermon recording Jehovah's invitation…, "Ho! And He answered and said to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. Pining means to to yearn deeply; suffer with longing; long painfully, yearn intensely, yearn persistently especially for something unattainable. Let us see to it that we apply the highest standards of right to ourselves, to our relations with our fellow-men, and to our attitude before God, so that we could be content to live alone with God, as the one all-satisfying food of the soul. All the strong basal instincts of human nature must be traced back to the make of our moral being as it was planned by Almighty wisdom, and wrought by infinite power. We worked the shore. When our Lord was here, he hungered after righteousness, longing to do and suffer his Father’s will. And let the one who hears say, "Come." 1 Corinthians 4:11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 1 Corinthians 11:21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. (1) RIGHTEOUSNESS IS A PRIMAL NEED. The vastness and intensty of the religious life. Are you meditating in it?). Our hungers drive us to exactly the right place. Do we know that we have received the life of God? And yet there is a marvelous paradox for the person who genuinely hungers and thirsts for God’s righteousness finds it so satisfying that he wants more and more. we have no "spiritual currency" - the answer of course is that He supplies grace, unmerited favor) and eat. No one of us is self-contained, or independent of the great world of which we form a part. (E. H. Not as though I had already attained, but I press on. 5:7; Lam. Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled, They that hunger and thirst after righteousness, οι πεινωντες και διπσωντες την δικαιοσυνην, hoi peinōntes kai dipsōntes tēn dikaiosunēn, Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament, The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann, Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament, Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary, Heinrich Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament, Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible, Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture, Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament, William Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament, Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament, Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, E.M. Zerr's Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament, Commentary by J.C.Philpot on select texts of the Bible. Righteousness is not merely an absence of sin. Hunger is from the sense of lack. Lift up your heart unto the Lord, and say, "Fill me." Finally, after much effort, the man was able to break loose and emerge from the water. Matthew 18:5-6 New International Version (NIV). A man cannot really have one virtue, and but one, genuine and complete. Spurgeon - Behold, I have longed after thy precepts. He realizes that all those other things that people value so highly are meaningless in comparison to satisfying his hunger. They that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled (see Matt. Oh hunger after that righteousness which ‘delivereth from death’ (Proverbs 10:12). Does your desire for righteousness drive you to Christ for satisfaction? We cast along the weeds. 4 “Blessed are v those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Are you hungering and thirsting for Christ Alone and the righteousness He gives? The problem is, the treasures of earth don’t satisfy. Reprinted by permission. Matthew 5:6. Psalm 132:15-note "I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her needy with bread. It is the logical conclusion to which they come and it is something for which we should all be profoundly thank­ful and grateful to God. God is the only source of true happiness, because He alone offers those intangibles that we mistakenly believe can be found on Earth: contentment, security, peace, and hope for the future. Beware of the other food you take.--When children are unable to take the meal their mother has provided, she suspects them of having visited the confectioner's shop on their way home from school, so that their appetite has become cloyed and sickly. I. (cf Gal 6:7) This world is temporal and fleeting and only a fool would invest in that which is destined to pass away into oblivion (cp 1Jn 2:17-note, Mt 6:19-21, 2Pe 3:11, 12-note). It is passionate hunger and thirst for goodness, for holiness. He offers the fruit of His Spirit, the consciousness of His love and presence, and the many expressions of His character. Don't waste your life, which like flowing grass it will pass away (Jas 1:10-note). They are filled, and they are being filled. FOR PINING - PLENTITUDE! Chaplin.). The world is thirsty for fun, and happiness, and this can be found only in its enduring quality, in Christ. Find Top Church Sermons, Illustrations, and Preaching Slides on Matthew 5:6. Heat increases thirst. Verses 5–8. I. Time and time again I see that [saying he's wrong] . Some have perverted their desires and have no true hunger and thirst for spiritual things remaining. It used at least twice in this sense by Eubulus. Heavenly Father, I desire many things, but only one Each step in growth satisfied yes, but also created a greater hunger and thirst for more. This is conformity to God’s will. That is most desirable which is most durable. This is fellowship of heart most real and thorough. Matthew 5:47 and Matthew 6:7 both compare the behavior of YHWH’s chosen people to that of the Gentiles. Have you ever been filled? It is sad to lose our first love, but it is happy when we mourn for the loss of our first love.If you do not have that appetite after heavenly things as formerly, yet do not be discouraged, for in the use of means you may recover your appetite. '", 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended to glory- cp Php 2:9-11-note)." Personally I have for years carried a burden of sorrow as I have moved among evangelical Christians who somewhere in their past have managed to strike a base compromise with their heart’s holier longings and have settled down to a lukewarm, mediocre kind of Christianity utterly unworthy of themselves and of the Lord they claim to serve. Death always results, whatever the cause, when the hunger of body cells can no longer be met. Well, some spiritual leaders have taken it into their hands to promote specials that God is not offering. (3PFPI), Amplified: Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied! (Lloyd-Jones, D. M. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount), Stephen Olford on hunger and thirst - This was no mere reference to hunger which could be satisfied by a mid-morning snack. Shall be filled (5526) (chortazo from chortos = fodder or grass or herbage of the field in general) means to feed with herbs, grass or hay and then to eat one's fill resulting in a state of being satisfied eat one's fill. This process is fascinating. Are we manifesting long-suffering, goodness, gentleness, meekness, faith and temperance? The idea is to long earnestly for or have strong desire for divine (Christ's) righteousness, speaking not of imputation of His righteousness when one is justified by faith but of one's progressive growth in righteousness (progressive sanctification, growth in holiness and Christ-likeness). The whole Bible teaches that we can have whatever we want badly enough if, it hardly need be said, our desire is according to the will of God! I came to a sacrament as an hungry man to a feast, but now it is otherwise with me. be continually set on being right with You. It is an illustration of our key verse. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy (Wealthy, materialistic America desperately needs to hear and heed this call)? Truly righteous— There is a negative kind of holiness, which is neither pleasing to God nor profitable to man: it consists merely in an abstinence from open sin, and a discharge of external duties. When we do, our hearts sing with the psalmist, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. In this sense “Christ is all” (Col 3:11-Note) to him: and he can say, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? The pain of hunger and thirst is designed to force us to take food, without which the body would become exhausted and die. The term "Sermon on the Mount" was first used by Augustine (a.d. 354-430) in his Latin Commentary on Matthew. It is not simply doing what is right; it is a passionate concern for being right—inside and out. Similarly, the picture behind the word thirst is that of a person or an animal parched and exhausted. The picture Jesus presents is dramatic and is easy to understand. Occasionally there appears on the religious scene a person whose unsatisfied spiritual longings become so big and important in the life that they crowd out every other interest. It brings satisfaction and contentment to our whole being. Impotent dreaming will not do. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Hunger and thirst are the body's way of telling us that we are “empty.” Our natural response to physical hunger and thirst is to seek food and water to satisfy our need. As we seek—search or long intensely for—God’s kingdom and His righteousness, God will continually fill our lives, meeting every need. Of course not. "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."--Matt. Matthew refers to words from the *Old Testament over 60 times. (SERMON NO. Hunger and thirst are physical sensations which in their acute stages may become real pain. The Lord Is My Shepherd. We have before us the new call of thirst — a thirst for righteousness. Ps 107:9 For He has satisfied (Heb - saba = to satiate; Lxx = chortazo = feed, satisfy) the thirsty (Heb = shaqaq; Lxx = empty) soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. And lead me in the everlasting way Robert Murray M’Cheyne (The impact of Robert Murray McCheyne) expressed this desperate hungering for righteousness, crying out…, “Oh God, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be!”. Too many Protestants set up the idol of gold in the temple of their hearts. 1 Unless we hunger after righteousness we cannot obtain it. There is no qualification at all, it is an absolute statement, it is an absolute promise — 'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.' When the stomach is full of wind a man has little appetite to his food. The Puritan Thomas Watson writes that Jesus' words…. However we try, still a thing looks morally better because we want it. . Jesus says. It is not merely a desire to see righteous-mess prevailing in the world at large. Matthew 5:6 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Matthew 5:6, NIV: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." The love of earthly things will quench the desire of spiritual. Matthew 5:6, KJV: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." We have a vision of the land of righteousness and blessedness from which we have come. They shall be satisfied with it. What did He mean? “Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37b). It ebbs and changeth. Through the passionate pursuit of God’s righteousness in our own lives—living in God’s will day in and day out. Cramming.). We must look for what is clearly offered by the Word of God. What is it that you must have—it drives your life, consumes your thoughts, directs your impulses? ‘Reuben found mandrakes in the field’ (Genesis 30:14). Our minds are apt to stray to them almost unseasonably; or at least to hasten back to them when escaped from the estrangement imposed by the necessary cares and business of life. "The Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7 is possibly the … Consider this: Luke's abbreviated account of this message as compared to Matthew validates the fact that one should understand that these verses address general attitudes about godliness rather than specifics. We cannot stand before God in our own rags of righteousness. THE LIFE OF JESUS AS COVERED But what is the precise meaning of “righteousness” here? ‘Thy loving-kindness is better than life’ (Psalm 63:3). Matthew 5:6 "Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." 3. God judges, and our heart rejoices in the verdict. David’s zeal for God illustrates what Jesus meant when He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matt. In classic Greek peinao means to hunger and by extension it means to long for something which is necessary for sustenance of life and can range from simple desire for a meal to starvation brought on by poverty or disaster. 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