The Beatitudes Part I

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The Beatitudes Part I

The so-called "beatitudes" (Mt. 5:3-12) are written is a Hebraic poetry form called Synonymous Parallelism. In this form of poetry the same basic statement is made in parallel lines, using the same sentence structure, but with differing words. In the "beatitudes" each parallel line begins with: "Blessed are the..." (Mt. 5:3f) The Hebrew word for "blessed" here is ASHERI (such as in Ps. 65:5 & Deut 33:29). ASHERI is an exclamitory term for "blessed" or "Happy". There are two Hebrew words for "blessed". These are BARAK and ASHERI. ASHERI differs from BARAK. BARAK for example is ALWAYS the term used to bless YHWH, one would NEVER say that YHWH is ASHERI. Whenever a man is blessed with the word BARAK it is always a blessing that is initiated by YHWH. A man cannot BARAK himself or another man, nor can he receive BARAK from another man.

And ASHERI is not something a man would ever bestow upon YHWH. What we learn from the usage then is that BARAK blessing is given to man by the grace of YHWH undeserved and unearnable, but ASHERI is a happiness, a blessing that results from positive action. For example: Happy/blessed (ASHRI) are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Torah of YHWH. (Ps. 119:1) ...he that keeps the Torah, happy/blessed (ASHRI) is he. (Prov. 29:18b) (see also Ps. 1:1 (2); 112:1; 119:2; 128:1; Prov. 8:32; 16:20) Thus ASHERI is NOT the undeserved blessing which comes by the grace of YHWH. The ASHERI blessing RESULTS FROM OBSERVING YHWH'S TORAH. The Aramaic translator renders ASHERI with TUVIHON. TUVIHON comes from the Semitic root TOV meaning "good" or "benefical". The Aramaic translator understood that because these things caused ASHRI (the blessing earned by Torah Observance and good deeds) they were good or beneficial.

If we reduce the gematria (numaric value) of ASHERI and TUVIHON each to a single digit they both reduce to a seven. Seven being the number of completeness and perfection. Thus from the Hebrew we understand that the list of items in the beatitudes bring one the blessing or happiness one receives as a reward for good deeds and Torah observance. And from the Aramaic we understand that this is a list of things that will be good for us and will benefit us.