Attitudes From The Mount

The Sermon on the Mount is basically concerned with two human needs–attitudes and conduct.

“Attitude” is from the same root at “aptitude.” Both come from the Latin root aptus, which means “fit.”  Both have to do with what a person is “apt” or “fitted” to do.  Needless to say, a good attitude is a basic and necessary ingredient, no matter the course of action or endeavor.

“Conduct” is from conducere, to direct or lead together.  The word describes the course of action a person takes, how he conducts himself toward a route of pursuit. Our word “conduit” comes from this same root and has to do with channeling things together, or how something is conducted.

The Beatitudes are all mainly matters of attitude, although each of them has somewhat to do with conduct as well. They describe those who meet with God’s approval.

“Blessed,” as used in the Beatitudes, is not the same thing as “happiness,” though it is translated that way in some renditions of the New Testament. “Happiness” as the term indicates, depends on what “happens,” and describes good fortune or good luck in most instances.  “Blessedness,” on the other hand, has an exalted feeling of tranquility no matter the external circumstances.  So, blessedness is at least an exalted form of happiness. In the Beatitudes “blessed” is used to imply God’s approval, to indicate how he views one who is properly dis-positioned, or has the right spiritual inclination.

While there is no etymological connection between attitude and beatitude, the concept is the same in both words–both constitute a right disposition of heart and mind. Never is there a better example of what constitutes a right attitude than in the beatitudes. The Beatitudes–powerful attitudinal reaches.  Powerful attributes and dispositions that come with subscription to the love and regard manifested by Him who loved them to perfection–Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.            ~Dee Bowman