he first four beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount are focused on our spiritual relationship with God. Those who are poor in spirit understand and believe that they are spiritual beggars. Spiritually they have nothing. They are in great need. They must come to God asking for spiritual help. They are sinners - spiritually bankrupt. As a result they mourn their sins and seek God’s forgiveness. When Jesus said, “Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth,” we discovered that the word for “gentle” had the idea of “yielding to another” just as an animal yields to his master. The animal is “gentle” in its conduct and attitude. It is no longer wild. It yields and submits. Those who submit to God as a tamed animal submits will inherit the earth. Jesus’ fourth beatitude tells us that satisfaction comes when we chase after or pursue righteousness and not those things that we believe will satisfy us. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied.” Most of us pursue pleasure and satisfaction in order to be happy. We have it wrong. A true spiritual relationship with God starts by realizing that we are spiritual beggars. In response, we will mourn our sinful behavior, submit to Him, and pursue holiness. Then and only then will the blessings of the beatitudes fall on us. The next series of beatitudes is the result of a correct spiritual relationship with God.

The First Evidence. Jesus’ fifth beatitude is the focus of this study. It is about mercy towards others.

The Greek words that Jesus used for “merciful” and “mercy” in this beatitude come from the root words ELEEMON and ELEOS. Both words have the idea of “a person who is emotionally moved by another’s suffering and in some way shares in that person’s suffering.” They are emotionally moved by what they see and hear and in some sense suffer. Aristotle said that mercy is an emotional response for someone who does not deserve his or her terrible situation.