Jesus Christ brought humanity a New Testament, the meaning of which is that now every person who believes in God can be freed from sins that make his life difficult and joyless.
In the Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount of the Lord is transmitted, in which He told the people the nine commandments of bliss. These are nine conditions under which a person can gain eternal life in the abode of the Almighty.
By his death on the cross, Jesus Christ atoned for the sins of people and thereby gave them the opportunity to discover the kingdom of heaven in themselves during earthly life. But in order to feel this grace, one must fulfill the commandments of bliss listed in the Sermon on the Mount.
The modern gospel differs significantly from the original source. This is not surprising - it has been repeatedly translated and rewritten. The surviving Ostromir Gospel, dated to the middle of the 11th century, most accurately conveys the content of the 9 commandments of bliss, but it is almost impossible to understand it for an ordinary person who does not have a special education. Not only is the Old Slavonic alphabet radically different from the Russian one, the Gospel uses long-obsolete and retired words, expressions and concepts. Interpretation of the commandments of bliss has been and continues to be practiced by theologians and philosophers throughout the world.
The meaning of the word "bliss"
First you need to understand what the word "bliss" means. The closest synonym is bliss. When we say that we are blissful, we mean - not pushing. In the gospel understanding, bliss means a little different. Christian bliss is grace. To experience bliss in the Christian sense means to be in a state of serene peace. In modern language - do not experience anxiety, doubt, anxiety. Christian bliss is not an analogue of the serene peace of Buddhists or Muslims, as it can manifest itself in the physical world during earthly life as a result of conscious choice and renunciation of the manifestations of the forces of evil. The interpretation of the commandments of bliss explains the meaning of this choice and self-denial.
The Purpose of the Commandments
Biblical commandments mark the milestones of the development of man as a person, the evolution of his spiritual world. On the one hand, they indicate what should be the purpose of a person’s life, on the other, they reflect his nature and reveal what a person has an internal attraction to. Gospel bliss echoes the Old Testament. The 10 commandments of bliss given by the Lord to Moses are more relevant to the material world and the physical relationship between people in society. They indicate what a person should do, but do not affect his mental state.
The seven prohibitions listed in the Sermon on the Mount are sometimes mistakenly called the 7 commandments of the blessedness of Jesus Christ. It is not right. Christ did not reject the prohibitions to kill, envy, create new idols, commit adultery, steal and gluttony, but said that the eradication of these sins results in the emergence of pure love between people. “Yes, love one another,” the Lord commanded, and thereby set people not to track misconduct, but to treat each other with mercy, understanding, and sympathy.
Prominent thinkers such as Meister Eckhart, Henri Bergson, Ignatius Brianchaninov, Nikolai Serbsky and others interpreted the 9 commandments of bliss. Consider each commandment in detail.
About spiritual poverty
The first commandment of the Lord’s bliss says that the first condition of bliss is the feeling of being spiritually impoverished. What does it mean? In earlier times, the concept of poverty did not mean a difficult financial situation, lack of money or property. A beggar was considered a person asking for something. A beggar of the spirit, which means - asking for spiritual enlightenment. Happy or blessed is he who does not ask and does not seek material wealth, but he who acquires wisdom and spirituality.
Bliss is not to feel satisfaction from the lack of material goods or from their presence, but to not feel superior to others in the presence of material wealth or oppressed in the absence of it.
The commandments of the bliss of Jesus Christ set up the acceptance of earthly life as a means to achieve the kingdom of heaven, and if material wealth serves a person to increase spiritual wealth, then this is also the right way to God.
It is easier for a poor person to come to God, since he is stronger than a rich person, is preoccupied with his own survival in the material world. It is believed that he often turns to God for help, and he is more likely to connect with the Creator. However, this is an oversimplified view of what constitutes the path to gaining spiritual wisdom and bliss.
Another interpretation of the commandment is based on the translation of the word "spirit" from the ancient Aramaic language. Then his synonym was the word "will." Thus, a person “poor in spirit” can be called “poor by his own will”.
Comparing the two meanings of the expression “poor in spirit”, it can be assumed that Christ, under the first bliss, meant that the Kingdom of Heaven was reached by those who voluntarily chose only the achievement of wisdom as their goal. And to her alone will direct his will and mind.
On the comfort of the crying
Weeping are happy, for they will be comforted, as the modern commandment says the second commandment of bliss. You should not think that we are talking about any tears. It is no coincidence that this commandment comes after the one that speaks of spiritual poverty. It is on the first commandment that all subsequent ones are based.
Crying is sorrow and regret. A beggar regrets the years spent searching for and accumulating material things. He is sad that he has not gained wisdom before, he recalls his actions and the actions of other people who destroyed their lives, as they were aimed at achieving worldly joys. He regrets the wasted time and effort. He cries that he sinned against God, who sacrificed His own Son to people in order to save them, mired in worldly squabbles and cares. Therefore, one must understand that not every cry is pleasing to God.
For example, a mother’s cry that her son has become a drug addict or a drunkard is not always pleasing to God - if a mother cries that she will be left alone in old age, without the care and care that she expected to receive from an adult son, then she cries only from the disadvantaged vanity and frustration. She cries because she will not receive worldly goods. Such crying will not lead to comfort. He can set a woman against other people whom she will appoint guilty of what happened to her son, and the unhappy mother will begin to think that the world is unfair.
And if this woman begins to cry because her son stumbled and chose a disastrous path because of her own oversight, because from an early age she inspired him only with the desire for material superiority over others, but did not explain the need to be kind, honest merciful and condescending to the flaws of other people? With such repentant tears, a woman will cleanse her soul and help her son be saved. It is about such a lamentation that is said: “Blessed are those who mourn, who grieve because of their own sins. For them, the Lord will find comfort, for the sake of such tears the Lord will show mercy and give a miracle of forgiveness. ”
About the meek
Christ called meekness the third bliss. It seems that explaining this bliss does not make sense. Everyone understands that they call meek a man who does not object, does not resist, who humbles himself in front of people and circumstances. However, not everything is so simple here. A man who does not contradict those who are stronger and more powerful than him cannot be considered meek in the gospel understanding. Divine meekness comes from the first two blisses. First, a person realizes his spiritual poverty, then repents and cries about his sins. Sincere contrition about them makes a person tolerant of the evil manifested by other people. He knows that, like himself, sooner or later they will come to understand their own guilt for the troubles that are happening to them, they will realize their responsibility and guilt for the injustice and evil that they do to others.
The repentant sinner, like no other, is well aware that before God all people are equal. The repentant does not put up with evil, but, having experienced many sufferings, he comes to the understanding that the salvation of man is only in the hands of God. If He saved him, then He will save others.
The preaching of the commandments of bliss is not divorced from real life. The Lord Jesus Christ was gentle, but with anger he fell upon the merchants who exchanged sacrificial doves and candles for money in the temple, but He did not give us the right to do the same. He commanded us to show meekness. Why? Because He Himself commanded - that person who will show aggression will suffer from aggression.
The Lord teaches us that we must be thinking, but thinking of our own sins, and not of strangers, even if they are committed by a priest of the highest rank. John Chrysostom interprets this commandment of bliss as follows: do not mind the offender, lest he give you the judge, and he, in turn, the executioner. Injustice often rules in worldly life, but we must not grumble. We must accept the world as it was created by God, and direct our energy towards improving our own personality.
It is interesting that many modern authors who wrote instructions on how to make friends, how to become happy and successful, how to stop worrying and start living, give the same advice as Christ, but their advice does not work well. This is explained by the fact that they are not consistent with each other and do not have external support. In these tips, a person is opposed to the whole world and must deal with it alone, and following the Gospel, a person receives help from God Himself. Therefore, all such books quickly go out of fashion, and the Gospel continues to remain relevant for more than 2,000 years.
About thirsty for truth
At first glance it seems that this commandment of bliss repeats the first. The poor in spirit seek divine truth, and the hungry and thirsty seek truth. Are they getting the same thing?
Consider this example. Someone says about himself: “I do not know how to lie. I always tell the truth to everyone. ” Is it so? Thirsting for gospel truth does not mean to everyone and always telling it. That truth-seeker, whom we called "a certain person," often turns out to be just a boor who, to his opponent, who did not share his opinions or made any mistake, bluntly reports that he is stupid. Not only does this truth-seeker not be very perspicacious and doesn’t always do everything right, he is unlikely to tell this truth to someone who is stronger and more powerful than him.
So, what is the Divine truth and the desire for it, and what does it mean “thirsty for truth will be filled with it”? This is very accessible explains John of Kronstadt. A hungry man is hungry for food. After satiation, some time passes, and he is again hungry. This is natural in the case of food. But with regard to the Divine truth, everything is somewhat different. God loves those who have received the first three blisses. For this, he gives them a calm and peaceful life. People like a magnet attract others to themselves. So, Emperor Leo left his throne and went to the desert, where Saint Moses Murin lived. The emperor wanted to know wisdom. He had everything he wanted, could satisfy any of his worldly needs, but was not happy. He longed for wise advice on what to do in order to bring back the joy of life. Moses Murin understood the emotional torment of the emperor. He wished to help the worldly ruler, thirsted for divine truth and received it (saturated). Like grace, the holy elder poured out his wise speeches on the emperor and restored peace of mind to him.
The Old Testament Adam and Eve lived in the presence of God, and His truth accompanied them at every moment of life, but they did not feel thirst in her. They had nothing to repent of, they did not experience any anguish. They were sinless. They did not know losses and sorrows, therefore they did not value their well-being and, without any doubt, agreed to taste the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For this, they lost the opportunity to see God and were expelled from paradise.
God has given us an understanding of what we should treasure and what we should strive for. We know that if we strive to fulfill His commandments, He will reward us and give real happiness.
Oh merciful
There are several parables in the Gospel of mercy. These are parables about the publican and the mite of the poor widow. We all know that giving alms to the poor is a God-pleasing business. But even approaching this issue wisely and giving the beggar not money that he is likely to spend on alcohol, but food or clothing, we are not likened to a tax collector or a widow. After all, giving alms to a stranger, we, as a rule, do not infringe on ourselves. Such mercy is commendable, but it cannot be compared with the mercy of God, who gave people to save His Son, Jesus Christ.
The commandments of bliss are not as easily fulfilled as it seems at first glance. However, they are quite within our power. How often, when we learn about the troubles of a person, we say such phrases: “Never mind - you have your own sea problems”, “His fate is, of course, difficult, but everyone has his own cross” or “All the will of God ". Saying this, we are eliminated from the manifestation of true, Divine, mercy.
True mercy, subject to man, can be expressed in such compassion and a desire to help another, which will make a person think about what is the reason for this misfortune, that is, take the path of fulfillment of the first bliss. The greatest mercy is that, having cleansed our hearts and souls of sin, we ask God for help to a stranger to us, so that He hears and fulfills this.
Oh pure in heart
Mercy must be done only with a pure heart. Only in this case will it be true. Having performed an act of mercy, we are often proud of our act. We rejoice that we have done a good deed, and we rejoice even more that we have fulfilled one of the important commandments of bliss.
Orthodoxy and other Christian religions encourage the free material assistance that people render to each other and to the church. They thank the donors, give their names during the sermons, award letters, etc. Unfortunately, all this does not contribute to purity of heart, on the contrary, it encourages vanity and other equally unpleasant qualities inherent in human nature. What can I say? It is sweeter to God who, in the silence of his house, praying with tears for the gift of health and daily bread to some unfortunate person, about whom he knows only what his name is.
These words are not in condemnation to those who donate to the temples or show their generosity explicitly, in public. Not at all. But those who secretly do mercy keep their hearts pure. The Lord sees this . He does not have a single good deed left without retribution. He has received recognition from people already awarded - he is in a good mood, everyone praises and honors him. The second award, which is from God, he will not receive for this work.
Oh the bearers of the world
7 the commandment of bliss speaks of peacemakers. Jesus Christ considers peacekeepers equal to himself, and this mission is the most difficult. In each quarrel there is a fault of both one and the other side. Ending hostility is very difficult. The quarrels are not those who know divine love and bliss, but, on the contrary, people who are preoccupied with worldly problems and insults. Not everyone can establish peace between people who are obsessed with pride, jealousy, jealousy or greed. Here it is important to choose the right words and calm the anger of the parties so that the quarrel ceases and does not happen again. Peacekeepers will be called the Sons of God. Thus said Christ, the Son of God, and His every word is full of great meaning.
About expelled for truth
War is a great way to solve the economic problems of one state at the expense of another. We know examples of how the high standard of living of some peoples is supported by the fact that their governments unleash wars around the world. Honest diplomats, journalists, politicians and the military, who have the ability to influence public opinion, are always harassed. They are imprisoned, killed, defamed by lies. It is impossible to imagine that any of the world wars would end after an honest peacekeeper conveyed to the general public information about the personal interest of a representative of the royal family, the president’s clan, a financial or industrial tycoon in the production and supply of weapons to warring parties.
What is pushing famous and authoritative people to oppose unjust wars, despite the fact that they cannot help but realize that their initiative will be punished? They are driven by the desire for a just peace, the preservation of the life and health of civilians, their families, homes and lifestyles, which means true mercy.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ communicated the commandments of God's bliss to all who listened to him. These were people of different nationalities and faiths. The Lord said that a feat in the name of peace will make them equal to the Son of God. Does it matter to God what faith they profess? Of course not. The Lord came to bring faith and salvation to all. The children's doctor Leonid Roshal and the doctor from Jordan, Anwar El-Said, are not Christians, but they are peacekeepers who prevented the deaths of several hundred people captured by terrorists during a performance in the Moscow House of Culture. And there are many such examples.
About the oppressed for the love of God
How many commandments of bliss did the Lord give to people? Only nine. The commandment of those persecuted for faith and love of God is the last. It refers to a greater degree to the great Christian martyrs who, through their deaths, established faith in Jesus Christ on earth. These people have remained in history as saints. Thanks to them, now Christians can openly profess their faith and not be afraid for their lives and for their loved ones. These saints have been given the grace to stand before the Lord for sinners and ask for forgiveness for them. They help believers in God to cope with various difficulties - both with ordinary, everyday and in the fight against the forces of evil. With their heavenly prayers, they keep the world from perishing. Akathists and entire liturgies are dedicated to them, which are read in all churches on the days of their remembrance.