Why the Beatitudes Matter More Than We Realize

The Ten Commandments are foundational to Christian. No doubt about that. They laid out God’s moral law, clear directions about how to live, how to honor God, and how to treat others. Don’t steal. Don’t kill. Honor your father and mother. Boundaries, rules, protection. They were given to set a people apart and show what righteousness looked like under the old covenant.

But here’s what I’ve been thinking about. As New Testament believers, is that where our focus should stay? Are the Ten Commandments the highest expression of how we’re supposed to live?

I don’t think so.

When Jesus began His public ministry, He didn’t start by reciting the Ten Commandments. His first major teaching was the Sermon on the Mount, and at the heart of it are the Beatitudes. These were His first public words of teaching, and that tells us something. These words mattered deeply to Him and they should matter deeply to us.

The Beatitudes don’t just tell us what to do or not do. They show us what kind of person a follower of Christ becomes:

Poor in spirit - humble before God

Mourners - those who grieve over sin and brokenness

Meek - gentle, not self-asserting

Hungry and thirsty for righteousness - always seeking what’s right in God’s eyes

Merciful - quick to forgive and show compassion

Pure in heart - not divided, but sincere and focused on God

Peacemakers - those who bring reconciliation

Persecuted for righteousness - those who stand firm no matter the cost. 

The Ten Commandments say: Don’t murder. The Beatitudes say: Be meek and merciful.

The Ten Commandments say: Don’t bear false witness. The Beatitudes say: Be pure in heart.

It’s not that the commandments don’t matter, they do. But the Beatitudes take us beyond external rules and show us what it looks like when God transforms the heart. When we let the Spirit work in us, we naturally fulfill the law, not out of duty, but because of who we are. It’s written on our hearts according to the scriptures. 

So yes—the Beatitudes deserve our reflection. They’re not just moral guidelines. They’re the first words Jesus chose to speak publicly, and they show us the kind of life that pleases God.