Blessed

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

BLESSED

Luke 11:27-29

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." 28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." 

NIV

There might be a better rendering of what Jesus said when investigating the Greek text and understanding the intent of those words. His response may well have been along the lines of, “Blessed rather are those who hear the divine expression, the Christ of God and preserve or keep him.” If we see these as the word of God and obey, we have to come to the conclusion that we cannot obey it one hundred percent just as the Israelites could not obey the Law of Moses either. That was the point God was making to them, so they would see they cannot justify themselves by the law and they would need a Savior, the Christ of God, the word, as it is expressed by John in his gospel. John said the word was with God and was God. So here we have to conclude that Jesus was referring to himself as the word of God and that a person is blessed if they receive, keep watch, to guard the Christ in their lives. It has nothing to do with obeying the law, in that sense. Yes we should live in a manner which pleases God, but we cannot obey one hundred percent otherwise we would then be perfect and have no need for Christ, the word of God. On the other hand, that is no reason to reject his commands and live in any manner we please, for that would be rejecting God, himself and we would be condemning ourselves. But the point Jesus was making is the truth of the whole gospel, the complete good news. We are to perceive Jesus, understanding who he is, that fact he said he was the truth, the light and the way, that no man could come to the Father except through him. That is what we need to hear in order to be blessed. This woman saw Jesus as a great man, who was born of a woman and that Mary deserved the praise for raising such a great man. But Jesus told her that she needed to perceive who he was, the word of God, and to guard her heart with him. To look to God, not a human to give praise. This is the truth of our lives. We hear, we perceive Jesus, the word of God and we obey in the sense of knowing, understanding and accepting him as the truth, the light and the way, and accept his work on the cross for our sin, knowing he is the only way to the Father. That is why we are blessed.