Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
Moral law
I. There is a Divine moral law for the regulation of moral life. The Creator has given a law to every creature He has made, and to every creature its own law. This law Christ reduced to two primary obligations--right affection for God, right affection for man.
II. Genuine obedience to this law ensures human happiness. “Blessed,” etc.
1. The nature of true obedience.
(1) Sincere.
(2) Cordial.
(3) Assiduous.
(4) Divinely inspired.
(5) Spiritual rather than literal, constant rather than occasional.
2. The happiness consequent upon true obedience.
(1) Freedom from shame. This implies consciousness of virtue. Sin is the shameful thing.
(2) Heartiness in worship. The highest happiness of man consists in worshipping with the whole heart. (Homilist.)
Well-doing
I. Human happiness consists in well-doing. “Blessed are the undefiled in the way.” It is not in theories, professions, ceremonies, but in right-doing. There is true blessedness for man only in his deed, not in his mere thoughts or emotions, but in his actions. Inaction is torpor, wrong action is misery, right action is bliss.
II. Well-doing has respect to the Divine. “Who walk in the law of the Lord.” If there really be an atheistic world, that world knows nothing of well-doing. Well-doing can only grow out of a practical regard for the Supreme Existence.
III. The respect for the Divine must be thorough. “With the whole heart.” God must become the Moral Monarch of the soul, inspiring and controlling the whole. (Homilist.)
God’s beatitudes and the world’ s
The world has its own idea of blessedness. Blessed is the man who is always right. Blessed is the man who is satisfied with himself. Blessed is the man who is strong. Blessed is the man who rules. Blessed is the man who is rich. Blessed is the man who is popular. Blessed is the man who enjoys life. These are the beatitudes of sight and this present world. It comes with a shock and opens a new realm of thought that not one of these men entered Jesus’ mind when He treated of blessedness. (John Watson, D. D.)
The truly happy man
The happiest life is that of the man who accepts Christ as his friend and model. Good Matthew Henry says, “You have heard the dying words of many--these are mine: ‘I have found a life of communion with Christ the happiest life in the world.’” This is the testimony of all who have tried it. Hear what Coleridge says: “The Bible, and only the Bible, shows clearly and certainly what happiness is, and the way to its attainment.” Philosophy may culture the mind and uplift the emotions, but it cannot heal a sore heart. Socialism may improve a man’s environment, but it cannot give him happiness. True, deep rest of heart can only come as the result of knowing, loving and following Christ. (The Young Man.)