How many Beatitudes are listed?

How many Beatitudes are listed?

• A. Seven
• B. Eight
• C. Six
• D. Five

Answer: (B)

Beatitudes are Jesus’ blessings pronounced at the start of the Sermon on the Mount. In the Gospel of Matthew, there are eight of these blessings: Blessed are the poor in spirit; those who mourn; the meek; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; the merciful; the pure in heart; the peacemakers; and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Luke records a shorter version with four blessings. Because the standard listing in Matthew contains eight, eight is the correct count. The other options don’t match the Matthew account (and Luke’s four is a different, shorter list), so the eight-fold Beatitude is the commonly accepted total.

Beatitudes are Jesus’ blessings pronounced at the start of the Sermon on the Mount. In the Gospel of Matthew, there are eight of these blessings: Blessed are the poor in spirit; those who mourn; the meek; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; the merciful; the pure in heart; the peacemakers; and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Luke records a shorter version with four blessings. Because the standard listing in Matthew contains eight, eight is the correct count. The other options don’t match the Matthew account (and Luke’s four is a different, shorter list), so the eight-fold Beatitude is the commonly accepted total.