"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Matthew 5:4
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—such as who mourn for sin with an exceeding great mourning.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sin with a funeral sorrow, as the word signifies.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sin as a man mourns for the loss of his only son, Zech. 12:10, or as Jacob mourned for Joseph, or as David mourned for Absalom, or as the people mourned for the loss of good Josiah, 2 Chron. 35:24-25.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for secret sins as well as open sins.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sins against grace as well as for sins against the law.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for sin as the greatest evil in the world.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for his own sins, Ezek. 7:16; as David did, Psalm 51; or as Ephraim did, Jer. 31:18-19; or as Peter did, Mat. 26:75; or as Mary Magdalene did, Luke 7:38
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn for the sins of others as well as for his own, as David did, Psalm 119:136, 158; or as Jeremiah did, Jer. 13:17; or as Lot did, 2 Peter 2:7-8; or as they did in that Ezek. 9:4.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn under the sense of their spiritual needs.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourns under the sense of their spiritual losses—such as loss of communion with God, loss of the favor of God, loss of the presence of God, loss of the exercise of grace, loss of the joys of the Spirit, loss of inward peace, etc.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn not only for their own afflictions and miseries—but also for the afflictions and miseries of other believers, as Nehemiah did, Neb. 1:2-4; or as Jeremiah did, Jer. 9:1-2; or as Christ did when he wept over Jerusalem, Luke 19:41-42.
"Blessed are those who mourn;" that is—those who mourn because they cannot mourn for these things; or who mourn because they can mourn no more; or who mourn because God has so little honor in their hearts, or in their house, or in their life, or in the world, or in the churches.
Excerpt from Thomas Brooks, 1669
Excellent post Lee.
ReplyDeleteI love all the teachings on the beatitudes.
When I think on those that truly mourned, I think of Jeremiah...and the book of lamentations. A lot of Christians don't get a lot out of that book--I do.
Also of Jesus...of him over-looking Jerusalem and weeping.
I'd love to see any more messages you have on any of the other beatitudes.