Sermon on Mount, Beatitudes, "the realm of the skies."
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Happy those mourning for they themselves will be summoned.
Again, the line begins with humor. Jesus created a series of contrary statement using the various meanings of the same word, the Greek term translated as "blessed" but meaning "fortunate." The terms also means "wealthy" and "happy." The poor were "wealthy" and those mourning are "happy."
The confusing word here is the one translated as "comforted" which actually means "summoned" ("called upon"). It also means "to demand," ("called from") "to encourage," ("called along") and "to excite" (called beyond"). What are those mourning called to? What does death call us to pay attention to? The implicit answer comes from the context of "the realm of the skies."
Our sense that no life is lost is an invitation to something beyond this life.
μακάριοι “οἱ πενθοῦντες,” ὅτι αὐτοὶ “παρακληθήσονται.
Happy those mourning for they themselves will be summoned.
Blessed(CW) are they(CW) that(IW)] mourn(WF): for they (MW) shall be comforted(WW).
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "blessed" means "blessed" primarily in the sense of "lucky" or "fortunate" without a sense of a "blessing."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "they " means "the ones."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "that" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "mourn" is not an active verb but a participle, "mourning."
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "themselves" after "you" for emphasis.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "comforted" should be "summoned."
Blessed(CW) are those who(IW)] mourn(WF): for they (MW) will be comforted(WW).
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "blessed" means "blessed" primarily in the sense of "lucky" or "fortunate" without a sense of a "blessing."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The "who" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "mourn" is not an active verb but a participle, "mourning."
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "themselves" after "you" for emphasis.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "comforted" should be "summoned."
God(IW) blesses(CW,WF) those who(IW) mourn(WF), for they (MW) will be comforted (WW).
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "God" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "blesses" means "blessed" primarily in the sense of "lucky" or "fortunate" without a sense of a "blessing."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "blesses" is not an active verb but an adjective.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "who" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "mourn" is not an active verb but a participle, "mourning."
- MW -- Missing Word -- This subject pronoun duplicates information in the verb so it needs a "themselves" after "you" for emphasis.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "comforted" should be "summoned."
Blessed -- (CW) The word "blessed" in Greek is an adjective from a root word meaning "happy" or "fortunate." In Jesus's era, all luck was attributed to divine favor but this is not otherwise a religious word. It has no relationship to the Greek verb "bless" or the noun "blessings." This word can also mean "happy". This sets up an interesting play on words that only works in Greek, saying "happy those mourning,"
are -- There is no verb "are" in the Greek source. It is implied by the equating of "workman" with "worthy" both in the Greek form of subjects.
they -- (CW) The word translated as "they" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
that -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
mourn: -- (WF) The word translated as "mourn" is a participle of the the Greek verb meaning "to wail" and "to lament." This word is closely associated with the idea of mourning.
for The "for" here is a causal adverb that means "seeing that", "because", or "since."
they -- The "they" is the pronoun used explicitly as the subject of the final phrase. This is unnecessary in Greek because the subject is also a part of the verb ending. Jesus only uses the pronoun when he wants to emphasize i t as we would say "they themselves".
missing "themselves" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "they themselves.." .
shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
comforted. -- (WW) The Greek word that translated as "comforted," literally means will be "to be called near." So it primarily means "to be summoned" since it is in the passive. It also means "to demand," ("called from") "to encourage," ("called along") and "to excite" (called beyond"). We will see this word again when it is translated as "to call," "to beseech," and "to pray", (Matthew 18:32, Matthew 18:29, and Matthew 26:53). In all of them, "call upon" works best in English both in the sense of "summoned" and "to ask." In Luke 15:28, it is translated as "intreated" (entreated).
Blessed -- (CW) The word "blessed" in Greek is an adjective from a root word meaning "happy" or "fortunate." In Jesus's era, all luck was attributed to divine favor but this is not otherwise a religious word. It has no relationship to the Greek verb "bless" or the noun "blessings." This word can also mean "happy". This sets up an interesting play on words that only works in Greek, saying "happy those mourning,"
are -- There is no verb "are" in the Greek source. It is implied by the equating of "workman" with "worthy" both in the Greek form of subjects.
those -- The word translated as "those" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
who -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
mourn: -- (WF) The word translated as "mourn" is a participle of the the Greek verb meaning "to wail" and "to lament." This word is closely associated with the idea of mourning.
for The "for" here is a causal adverb that means "seeing that", "because", or "since."
they -- The "they" is the pronoun used explicitly as the subject of the final phrase. This is unnecessary in Greek because the subject is also a part of the verb ending. Jesus only uses the pronoun when he wants to emphasize i t as we would say "they themselves".
missing "themselves" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "they themselves.."
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
comforted. -- (WW) The Greek word that translated as "comforted," literally means will be "to be called near." So it primarily means "to be summoned" since it is in the passive. It also means "to demand," ("called from") "to encourage," ("called along") and "to excite" (called beyond"). We will see this word again when it is translated as "to call," "to beseech," and "to pray", (Matthew 18:32, Matthew 18:29, and Matthew 26:53). In all of them, "call upon" works best in English both in the sense of "summoned" and "to ask." In Luke 15:28, it is translated as "intreated" (entreated).
God -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "God" in the Greek source.
blesses -- (CW, WF) The word "blesseS" in Greek is an adjective from a root word meaning "happy" or "fortunate." In Jesus's era, all luck was attributed to divine favor but this is not otherwise a religious word. It has no relationship to the Greek verb "bless" or the noun "blessings." This word can also mean "happy". This sets up an interesting play on words that only works in Greek, saying "happy those mourning,"
those -- The word translated as "those who" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
who -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "who" in the Greek source.
mourn: -- (WF) The word translated as "mourn" is a participle of the the Greek verb meaning "to wail" and "to lament." This word is closely associated with the idea of mourning.
for The "for" here is a causal adverb that means "seeing that", "because", or "since."
they -- The "they" is the pronoun used explicitly as the subject of the final phrase. This is unnecessary in Greek because the subject is also a part of the verb ending. Jesus only uses the pronoun when he wants to emphasize i t as we would say "they themselves"
missing "themselves" -- (MW) The subjective pronoun repeats the information in the verb so it should be repeated in English like "they themselves.." .
will -- This helping verb "will" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
comforted. -- (WW) The Greek word that translated as "comforted," literally means will be "to be called near." So it primarily means "to be summoned" since it is in the passive. It also means "to demand," ("called from") "to encourage," ("called along") and "to excite" (called beyond"). We will see this word again when it is translated as "to call," "to beseech," and "to pray", (Matthew 18:32, Matthew 18:29, and Matthew 26:53). In all of them, "call upon" works best in English both in the sense of "summoned" and "to ask." In Luke 15:28, it is translated as "intreated" (entreated).
μακάριοι (adj pl masc nom) "Blessed" is from makarios (makarios) which means "blessed", "happy," and "fortunate."
“οἱ (article pl masc nom) "They that" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones.
πενθοῦντες,” [25 verses](part pl pres act masc nom) "Mourn" is from pentheo, which means "to bewail", "to mourn", "to go into mourning," and "to lament."
ὅτι (conj) "For" is from hoti (hoti), which means "for what," and "wherefore." A form of hostis (hostis), which means "that", "anyone who", "anything which", "whosoever," "whichsoever" and "anybody whatsoever."
αὐτοὶ (adj pl masc nom) "They " is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."“
παρακληθήσονται.” [6 verses](verb 3rd pl fut ind pass) "Will be comforted" is parakaleo which means "call in", "send for", "invite," "summon", "address", "demand", "exhort", "encouraged", "excite", "demand," and "beseech." It means literally "call closer." The prefix, para, means "beside", "from the side of", "from beside,", "from", "issuing from", "near", "by", "with", "along", "past", "beyond" and so on. The based word kaleo, means "call", "summon", and "invite". I
OR it could also be from the Greek verb paraklaomai,
What are mourned called upon to go or do? Since the topic is mourning, we can only assume that mourner are being summoned "beyond" this world, the realm that is "near." Both "near" and "beyond" are the basic meanings of the prefix of the "called near" verb.