One day, when Jesus once again saw large crowds streaming toward him
"to be healed of their diseases," he decided instead to preach to them.
It was time to present his great vision and articulate his halakha,
his legislative teachings. This speech would become known as the Sermon
on the Mount, which contains eight blessings known as the Beatitudes.
The Greek expression Makarioi ("Blessed are . . . ") as used in Matthew was a popular rhetorical flourish that frequently appears as ashrei ("Happy are . . . ") in the Hebrew Scriptures (Psalms 1:1; Job 5:17; Daniel 12:12).
Another close parallel to the beatitude "Blessed are the meek, for they
will inherit the earth" is Psalm 37: "But the meek shall inherit the
land." (Psalms37:11)
Or in Jesus' words:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:3-6)
