Chapter 8: Such Powerful Light
The Pure in Heart
Blessed are the pure in heart.
What is the heart? Three main categories of interpretation.
1. Cleansed from sin and/or sinful desires
Kierkegaard’s title “Purity of Heart Is to Will One Thing” Is a good description of what this means. Typically seen as action and desire. “For the next 1,400 years, it was common to describe purity of heart as avoidance of temptation and the desires that lead to sin.”
Especially Chastity. Christian has always had an ascetic streak. The pagan culture that Christianity grew up had chastity as a virtue.
Apatheia and the mystical contemplation of God. Apatheia, in Stoicism, refers to a state of mind in which one is not disturbed by the passions. It is best translated by the word equanimity rather than indifference. In the east, purity of heart was seen as freedom from passions. And they viewed purity as necessary for contemplative prayer. Western reformers objected because it limited purity of heart to just a few.
Regeneration/Entire sanctification.
2. Single-mindedly seeking God.
This strand started post-reformation.
And seeking the things of God (compassion, justice, kindness).
Integrity. “ In this sense, purity of heart is not at all a lack of sin or even of sinful desires, but rather an acknowledgement of one’s own helplessness, one’s own failure to wriggle free from the grip of sin, and a wholehearted turning toward God for mercy. Purity of heart is telling the truth about one’s own sinful state. ”
How does on get purity of heart?
By faith: justification and participation in Christ.
Embody the previous five beatitudes.
They will see God
There is inherent tension in this statement since the Bible sates over and over that we cannot see God.
Now, as through a glass, darkly; but then face to face
Now (and then): bodily. There has been debate over the centuries about being able to see God in human form. This largely divides into Western though and Eastern thought.
Now (and then): spiritual/intellectual. To see God is to delight in him.
The restored image of God.
Invisible God, visible Son.
Like the angels.
The eyes of the resurrected body.
Conclusion
“The vision of God is the telos—the ultimate end and true purpose—of human existence. To see God is for the self finally to come to rest, cleansed and made whole. As Edwards wrote, “There is no darkness can bear such powerful light.”
Quotef From: Rebekah Eklund. “The Beatitudes through the Ages.” Apple Books. https//books.apple.com/us/book/the-beatitudes-through-the-ages/id1551836162