Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just describe a general desire for good, but an intense, almost desperate craving for righteousness itself – that right standing with God which we utterly lack on our own. This profound spiritual hunger is presented not as a passive state, but an active pursuit that God promises to fully satisfy.
Jesus is beginning his most famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, laying out the character of those who belong to God's kingdom. He starts by describing a deep, yearning emptiness – not for worldly things, but for God's own way of living. This hunger and thirst for true righteousness is presented as the very first sign of someone truly seeking God.
When Jesus talks about 'righteousness,' what does he really mean? It's much deeper than just following rules.
Jesus isn't talking about a superficial goodness here. The 'righteousness' he mentions is a complete rightness with God and a holy way of living.
A Right Relationship
It's about being in right standing with God, something we can't achieve on our own. It involves God's forgiveness and His power changing us from the inside out.
Living it Out
This right relationship then flows into our actions – how we treat others, our integrity, and our desire to live a life that honors God. It's a state of being and a way of doing.
Hunger and thirst are primal needs. Jesus uses these powerful images to describe the kind of desire that leads to satisfaction.
Jesus uses the physical sensations of extreme hunger and thirst to paint a vivid picture of spiritual desire. These aren't casual wishes; they are intense, urgent needs.
A Deep Ache
Think about being lost in a desert – the desperate craving for water. Or weeks without food – the gnawing emptiness. Jesus says this level of yearning is what we should have for righteousness.
Never Truly Satisfied by Anything Else
Our souls are designed to crave this righteousness. Anything less – worldly success, pleasure, or even religious routine without heart – will ultimately leave us empty.
What happens when we truly hunger and thirst for righteousness? Jesus offers an incredible promise of satisfaction.
The amazing part of this beatitude is the assurance that this deep longing will be met. Jesus doesn't just say the desire is good; He promises complete satisfaction.
Understand the original words
makarios · Greek Adjective
A state of spiritual well-being and divine favor, describing those who are rightly related to God and are recipients of His grace and promises.
peinaō · Greek Verb
To have an intense, recurring craving; metaphorically, it describes a deep spiritual longing and recognized need for God's provision.
dipsaō · Greek Verb
To long for or desperately seek after something essential for life; spiritually, it represents an urgent desire for that which only God can provide.
dikaiosunē · Greek Noun
The quality of being right or upright according to God's standard, encompassing both a judicial standing before God and a lifestyle of moral integrity.
This passage powerfully echoes Jesus' words, inviting people to 'come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.' It speaks to the same deep, unsatisfied longing and promises abundant satisfaction for those who seek it, mirroring the hunger for righteousness.
Psalm 42:1-2The Psalmist's cry, 'As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O God,' beautifully illustrates the intense longing described in Matthew 5:6. It shows a deep spiritual thirst that can only be quenched by God himself.
John 4:14Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that the water He gives will become 'a spring of water welling up to eternal life.' This directly connects the idea of satisfying spiritual thirst to Jesus and the eternal life He offers, fulfilling the promise of being 'filled'.
John 6:35Here Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.' This is a profound parallel, identifying Jesus Himself as the source of satisfaction for the deep spiritual hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Romans 8:28While seemingly about all things working for good, this verse assures believers that God is working through every circumstance for those who love Him. This speaks to the ultimate satisfaction and purpose found in righteousness, aligning with the promise of being 'filled'.
vincentMatthew 5:6: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Shall be filled (χορτασθήσονται)A very strong and graphic word, originally applied to the feeding and fattening of animals in a stall. In Revelation 19:21, it is used of the filling of the birds with the flesh of God's enemies. Also of the multitudes fed with the loaves and fishes (Matthew 14:20; Mark 8:8; Luke 9:17). It is manifestly appropriate here as expressing the complete satisfactio…
bensonMatthew 5:6: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Matthew 5:6 . Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness — That, instead of desiring the possessions of others, and endeavouring to obtain them by violence or deceit; and instead of coveting this world’s goods, sincerely, earnestly, and perseveringly desire universal holiness of heart and life, or deliverance from all sinful dispositions and practices, and a complete resto…
The verse doesn't just describe a general desire for good, but an intense, almost desperate craving for righteousness itself – that right standing with God which we utterly lack on our own. This profound spiritual hunger is presented not as a passive state, but an active pursuit that God promises to fully satisfy.
Jesus is beginning his most famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, laying out the character of those who belong to God's kingdom. He starts by describing a deep, yearning emptiness – not for worldly things, but for God's own way of living. This hunger and thirst for true righteousness is presented as the very first sign of someone truly seeking God.
Jesus is beginning his most famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, laying out the character of those who belong to God's kingdom. He starts by describing a deep, yearning emptiness – not for worldly things, but for God's own way of living. This hunger and thirst for true righteousness is presented as the very first sign of someone truly seeking God.
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More Than Enough
The word used for 'satisfied' is incredibly strong. It speaks of being completely filled, even to the point of overflowing. It’s the kind of deep contentment that only comes from finally receiving what you need most.
A Taste Now, Fullness Later
While we can experience this satisfaction in part now – through God's grace and living in His ways – the ultimate fulfillment awaits. It’s a future hope where our spiritual hunger will be eternally met.
chortazō · Greek Verb
To be filled or fed to the point of abundance; spiritually, it refers to the complete satisfaction and contentment found only in God.
"“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." — The verse doesn't just describe a general desire for good, but an intense, almost desperate craving for righteousness itself – that right standing with God which we utterly lack on our own. This pr…
