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Eight blessings (5): The blessing of the merciful       [Matthew 5:7]     We have already meditated on “The blessing of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” the fourth of the eight blessings Jesus taught.  That blessing is ‘satisfaction’.  There is one point that we did not go into more detail as we meditate on the fourth blessing.  There are three meanings of the word “righteous” (Swanson): (1) The first meaning is righteousness, what is right, justice.  One example is Matthew 5:6, which we have already meditated on, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”  Another example is Matthew 5:10 – “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Here, “righteousness” is “God’s righteousness,” not “self-righteousness” or “righteousness of the law” that the Pharisees sought.  And the righteousness...