Crosswalk.com

What Does "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn" Mean (Matthew 5:4)?

Barbara Juliani

So then the entrance is, I have nothing. And then the very next thing is, well what do you do when you have nothing? And you actually, you actually mourn for who you are without Christ. So, the sense is not just a needy orphan who has sort of experienced bad circumstances and isn't needy because of anything they've done, but it's a person who's actually done things wrong.

They've actually gone in the exact opposite direction. They've gone far from God. So then when you see your need and that you cannot turn to Christ on your own, that's when you mourn. And then the comfort of Christ is that He does accept anybody who repents. But that's really the entrance that you really have nothing in yourself to offer and that repentance brings that ... That's what enters you into the Kingdom of Heaven. Having nothing and repenting and turning to Christ.

Matthew 5: Bible Text (ESV)

The Sermon on the Mount

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.