Morning Bible Study: What the Bible Says About Righteousness, Matthew 5:6

Matthew 5: 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

Commentary

(the following is from Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary, 1706 -- www.christianity.com)

"They that hunger and thirst after righteousness are happy, v. 6.  Blessed are they, if they suffer hardships for and with a good conscience; let them hope in God, who will see justice done and right take place. 

1. Righteousness is here put for all spiritual blessings. See Ps. 24:5; ch. 6:33. They are purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ; conveyed and secured by the imputation of that righteousness to us; and confirmed by the faithfulness of God. To have Christ made of God to us righteousness, and to be made the righteousness of God in him; to have the whole man renewed in righteousness, so as to become a new man, and to bear the image of God; to have an interest in Christ and the promises—this is righteousness. 

2. These we must hunger and thirst after. 

• We must truly and really desire them, as one who is hungry and thirsty desires meat and drink, who cannot be satisfied with any thing but meat and drink, and will be satisfied with them, though other things be wanting. Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest and importunate; "Give me these, or else I die; every thing else is dross and chaff, unsatisfying; give me these, and I have enough, though I had nothing else." 
• Hunger and thirst are appetites that return frequently, and call for fresh satisfactions; so these holy desires rest not in any thing attained, but are carried out toward renewed pardons, and daily fresh supplies of grace. The quickened soul calls for constant meals of righteousness, grace to do the work of every day in its day, as duly as the living body calls for food. Those who hunger and thirst will labor for supplies; so we must not only desire spiritual blessings, but take pains for them in the use of the appointed means. 

Those who hunger and thirst after spiritual blessings, are blessed in those desires, and shall be filled with those blessings. (1.) They are blessed in those desires. It is a desire of God's own raising, and he will not forsake the work of his own hands. (2.) They shall be filled with those blessings. God will give them what they desire to complete their satisfaction. The happiness of heaven will certainly fill the soul; their righteousness shall be complete, the favor of God and his image, both in their full perfection."