Matthew 5:8

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

"Pure"

• to the Jew "pure" meant ritually pure or clean vs. unclean
• "pure" means "clean"
• Matthew 6:1-18 - hypocrites tried to appear clean on the outside but yet their hearts were not clean

"Heart"

• In our culture heart may mean feelings
• In Jesus' culture "heart" referred to the whole of our inner state: thought, will, emotions, conscience or the rational, emotional, volitional core of man
• This was the very center of our being
• The moral and religious condition of man
• Matthew 15:19 - out of the heart comes evil thoughts, immorality, etc.
• James 1:7 - the double minded man receives nothing
• Matthew 6:33 - seek first his kingdom
• PSALM 24 - Clean hands, pure heart from the truthful and those who seek God will behold God. Not those with idols (false ideologies, false worldviews) or those who have lies and deceit

"See God"

• Refers to both 1) the here and now, 2) Future in eternity
• In time the pure see or perceive God in ways that the non-pure can not perceive: Hebrews 12:14; Issaiah 33:14-17; 2 Kings 6:8-17
• In the future this seeing of God will be fulfilled ultimately: 1 John 3:1-3; Revelation 21:22-27