September 14, 2009

Lament and be Summoned

Again? Really, maybe it's me, but I don't think this is minor...

"Mourn" in our day always has the connotation of death or a great loss. Again, the best interpretations and explanations of Matt.5:4 tend to bring out that this has to do with mourning our sins and inadequacy before God. But the most basic meaning of the greek word is "lament" or "bewail". Yes, that's archaic, but I think it's much more general, and in that sense it's probably more appropriate.

The reward for lamenting in this beatitude is to be comforted. I guess that makes sense assuming the paired contrast, but there's probably a double meaning here, at the very least, because the root meaning of 'parakaleo' is "summon". So Jesus said if you lament, you will be called to come in. "In" where? The Kingdom, undoubtedly.

Happy are those who beg to the Spirit, because they get the Kingdom of Heaven.
Happy are those who lament, because they will be called in (and comforted).

I may just be playing in the sandbox here, as I was before, but that does bring out a bit more continuity, does it not? I'm actually afraid to begin looking up the rest of the passage! But now, of course, right or wrong, I pretty much have to keep going...

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