SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:8
Bienaventurados los de limpio corazn; porque ellos vern a Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:8
Verse 8. Pure in heart] In opposition to the Pharisees, who affected outward purity, while their hearts were full of corruption and defilement. A principal part of the Jewish religion consisted in outward washings and cleansings: on this ground they expected to see God, to enjoy eternal glory: but Christ here shows that a purification of the heart, from all vile affections and desires, is essentially requisite in order to enter into the kingdom of God. He whose soul is not delivered from all sin, through the blood of the covenant, can have no Scriptural hope of ever being with God.
There is a remarkable illustration of this passage, quoted by Mr. Wakefield from Origen, Contra Cels. lib. vi. "God has no body, and therefore is invisible: but men of contemplation can discern him with the heart and understanding. But A DEFILED HEART CANNOT SEE GOD: BUT HE MUST BE PURE WHO WISHES TO ENJOY A PROPER VIEW OF A PURE BEING." Shall see God.] This is a Hebraism, which signifies, possess God, enjoy his felicity: as seeing a thing, was used among the Hebrews for possessing it. See Psa. xvi. 10. Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption, i.e. he shall not be corrupted. So John iii. 3: Except a man be born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God, i.e. he cannot enjoy it. So John iii. 16. He that believeth not the Son, shall not SEE life, i. e shall not be put in possession of eternal glory. The Hindoo idolaters vainly boast of what the genuine followers of Christ actually enjoy-having the Divine favour witnessed to their souls by the Holy Spirit. The Hindoos pretend that some of their sages have been favoured with a sight of their guardian deity.-See WARD'S Customs.
Probably our Lord alludes to the advantages those had, who were legally pure, of entering into the sanctuary, into the presence of God, while those who had contracted any legal defilement were excluded from it. This also was obviously typical.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart , etc.] Not in the head; for men may have pure notions and impure hearts; not in the hand, or action, or in outward conversation only; so the Pharisees were outwardly righteous before men, but inwardly full of impurity; but in heart. The heart of man is naturally unclean; nor is it in the power of man to make it clean, or to be pure from his sin; nor is any man in this life, in such sense, so pure in heart, as to be entirely free from sin. This is only true of Christ, angels, and glorified saints: but such may be said to be so, who, though they have sin dwelling in them, are justified from all sin, by the righteousness of Christ, and are clean through the word, or sentence of justification pronounced upon them, on the account of that righteousness; whose iniquities are all of them forgiven, and whose hearts are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, which cleanses from all sin; and who have the grace of God wrought in their hearts, which, though as yet imperfect, it is entirely pure; there is not the least spot or stain of sin in it: and such souls as they are in love with, so they most earnestly desire after more purity of heart, lip, life, and conversation. And happy they are, for they shall see God ; in this life, enjoying communion with him, both in private and public, in the several duties of religion, in the house and ordinances of God; where they often behold his beauty, see his power and his glory, and taste, and know, that he is good and gracious: and in the other world, where they shall see God in Christ, with the eyes of their understanding; and God incarnate, with the eyes of their bodies, after the resurrection; which sight of Christ, and God in Christ, will be unspeakably glorious, desirable, delightful, and satisfying; it will be free from all darkness and error, and from all interruption; it will be an appropriating and transforming one, and will last for ever.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-12 - Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people, whic represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. 1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. The see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them. 2. Thos that mourn are happy. That godly sorrow which worketh true repentance watchfulness, a humble mind, and continual dependence for acceptance of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, with constant seeking the Holy Spirit, to cleanse away the remaining evil, seems here to be intended Heaven is the joy of our Lord; a mountain of joy, to which our way is through a vale of tears. Such mourners shall be comforted by their God 3. The meek are happy. The meek are those who quietly submit to God who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcel keep possession of anything else. These meek ones are happy, even in this world. Meekness promotes wealth, comfort, and safety, even in thi world. 4. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are happy Righteousness is here put for all spiritual blessings. These ar purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ, confirmed by the faithfulness of God. Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest. Though all desires for grace are not grace, yet such a desir as this, is a desire of God's own raising, and he will not forsake the work of his own hands. 5. The merciful are happy. We must not only bea our own afflictions patiently, but we must do all we can to help thos who are in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others, an help them; pity those who are in sin, and seek to snatch them as brand out of the burning. 6. The pure in heart are happy; for they shall se God. Here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together The heart must be purified by faith, and kept for God. Create in m such a clean heart, Of God. None but the pure are capable of seeing God nor would heaven be happiness to the impure. As God cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity. 7. The peace-makers are happy. They love, and desire, and delight in peace and study to be quiet. They keep the peace that it be not broken, an recover it when it is broken. If the peace-makers are blessed, woe to the peace-breakers! 8. Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sak are happy. This saying is peculiar to Christianity; and it is mor largely insisted upon than any of the rest. Yet there is nothing in ou sufferings that can merit of God; but God will provide that those wh lose for him, though life itself, shall not lose by him in the end Blessed Jesus! how different are thy maxims from those of men of thi world! They call the proud happy, and admire the gay, the rich, the powerful, and the victorious. May we find mercy from the Lord; may we be owned as his children, and inherit his kingdom. With thes enjoyments and hopes, we may cheerfully welcome low or painfu circumstances.
Greek Textus Receptus
μακαριοι 3107 A-NPM οι 3588 T-NPM καθαροι 2513 A-NPM τη 3588 T-DSF καρδια 2588 N-DSF οτι 3754 CONJ αυτοι 846 P-NPM τον 3588 T-ASM θεον 2316 N-ASM οψονται 3700 5695 V-FDI-3P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:8 {Shall see God} (ton qeon oyontai). Without holiness no man will see the Lord in heaven (#Heb 12:14). The Beatific Vision is only possible here on earth to those with pure hearts. No other can see the King now. Sin befogs and beclouds the heart so that one cannot see God. Purity has here its widest sense and includes everything.
