Blessed are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

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Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness

Scripture: Mathew 5:6 (ESV)

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Devotion:

          Today we tackle another beatitude. This verse declares that the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness will be both blessed and satisfied. What does it mean to hunger and thirst in this way, and how will that hunger, and thirst bring about righteousness. “A person who is starving for righteousness, whether in one’s own life or in one’s environment, is not a happy person, if that person is focused on his or her immediate circumstances. Happiness comes from the assurance that all righteousness will someday be fulfilled. The believer will personally become perfected, never to sin again, and the kingdom will be purged of all unrighteousness.”[1] Thus we see that our hunger and thirst is based on a future hope of being perfected in the new heavens and the new earth when Jesus returns to make all things new.

          Next, we must consider what is this righteousness for which we are to desire so much that we hunger and thirst for it. “Righteousness in Matthew is not so much ‘being good’, still less legal correctness, but rather a synonym for the Christian life, viewed as a relationship with God focused in obedience.” [2] Our relationship with Christ focusing on obedience to the law of love brings about righteousness in our present lives, and as we saw above, we look forward to righteousness as it is ushered in at Jesus return.

          Thirdly we do a brief study on the word satisfied in the text. The word in the Greek carries with it the meaning of “to be filled completely” The same word is used in the feeding of the five thousand. “20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.[3] Here it carries with it the meaning of spiritual satisfaction. “It is manifestly appropriate here as expressing the complete satisfaction of spiritual hunger and thirst.[4]

          What does this beatitude call us to do or to be? It calls on us to be people who strongly desire that God’s kingdom be brought to fruition in our present day lives. We are also to have hope for the future where Christ’s return brings with it a world that is completely righteous. Let us pray that it may be so.

Prayer:

          Holy God make us to be a people to desire to see your righteousness on this earth. Help us to be spiritually hungry and thirsty for this righteousness both in this life and the next. Teach us to earnestly seek your kingdom with a deep hunger and thirst that only you can satisfy. Make us righteous so that the watching world may see how we live and give you the praise. Amen


[1] Stuart K. Weber, Matthew, vol. 1, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 59.

[2] R. T. France, Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 1, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 99.

[3] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 14:20.

[4] Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 1 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 38.

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