Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
For They Will See God
The Joy of Seeing God
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8 (NIV)
Can you imagine what it would be like to see God? Only a handful of people in the Bible were able to experience something like that, simply because the glory of God has always been too overwhelming for mere mortals. Even Moses, one of the greatest leaders in the entire Bible, could only view God in the form of a burning bush or from the back, not the front. In fact, coming face-to-face with God was such a terrifying experience that when Gideon did it, he thought he was going to die!
That just makes Jesus’ promise about the pure in heart seeing God all the more incredible. You might assume that only those who baptize thousands, memorize the entire Bible, or donate millions of dollars to the church deserve to see God. But Jesus teaches us that the condition for seeing God has more to do with a person’s inner life than their external acts of righteousness.
So what does it mean to be pure in heart? Let’s take a closer look.
Old Testament Purity
The original Greek word Jesus uses for pure is katharos, which you might recognize from the English word catharsis or cathartic (something that releases us or cleanses us). This term is about being clean and pure in a variety of ways, both physically and metaphorically.
The literal sense of katharos (pure) refers to “being clean or free of adulterating matter” (BDAG). In Exodus, this word is used frequently to specify that the gold used for the tabernacle and its furnishing must be pure gold, not something that has been defiled by any impurities.
The ceremonial sense of katharos (pure) has to do with being ritually pure, which we see frequently in Leviticus. Something that is “unclean” needs to be avoided because it is considered tainted, and in the case of physical diseases, potentially contagious.
This is closely related to the next usage, which is moral purity. Someone whose body is pure might still be guilty of moral impurity (sin). Consider these prayers from King David in the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba:
“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin”
“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow”
“Create in me a pure heart, O God”
David is using the language of cleansing and washing to describe his desire for forgiveness in response to his moral failing. This is the language we see in Ezekiel 36:24-27 as well — a promise of a new, purified heart that seeks God.
In summary, purity has to do with being free from all forms of corruption, whether it is physical, moral, or ceremonial. God desires purity inside and out.
Notable Examples of “Purity”
Jesus talks about two different types of purity when he discusses cleaning the outside and the inside of the cup (Matthew 23, especially verse 26). A person might look clean on the outside, but what really determines how pure they are is what they are like on the inside.
The Bible also uses the word “to purify” in the Gospels when people with defiling diseases like leprosy ask Jesus for healing (e.g. Matthew 8:2).
And, the phrase is often connected with a person’s conscience — when they act with sincere motives, they are said to have pure or clear conscience (2 Timothy 1:3).
Loyalty and Sincerity Before God
It might be helpful to think of purity of heart as complete loyalty and sincerity in our walk with God. Michael Wilkins emphasizes the idea of loyalty in his commentary on this beatitude:
“A pure heart describes a person whose single-minded loyalty to God affects every area of life. The pure in heart are those who… have given undivided loyalty to God and his ways. ”
From this perspective, purity is similar to a bride and groom vowing to never love or long for anyone other than their husband or wife. To do so would be a violation of their sacred vow to be devoted to one another in an exclusive way.
John Stott phrases it slightly differently, Instead of focusing on loyalty, Stott uses the language of sincerity when it comes to being pure in heart:
“The primary reference is to sincerity… So the pure in heart are those whose whole life, public and private, is transparent before God and others. Their very heart – including their thoughts and motives – is pure, unmixed with anything devious, underhand or sordid. Hypocrisy and deceit are repugnant to them; they are without deceit.”
To be pure in heart is to be fully transparent in our relationship with God. We come to him with undivided love, devotion, and loyalty. We seek him above all others, and we do not bring any worldly values, beliefs, or distractions with us in our devotion to him. We are undefiled in our hearts, thoughts, and motives.
And if you are anything like me, you probably feel like that is an impossible task to live up to. How can anyone ever be completely pure in heart the way we’ve been talking about? Let’s take a minute to discuss that further.
Only Jesus Can Make us Clean.
The obvious answer to this dilemma is to trust in Jesus to purify us from the inside out, because there’s no way we can achieve this type of purity on our own. In Ezekiel 36, God promises that he will cleanse Israel from their sin and give them a new heart that is inclined to seek him and follow his decrees:
“25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you…”
The key to a pure heart is to trust in God for an inner renewal of our soul. Here are some more specific things the Bible says about how we can become pure:
The message of Jesus purifies us - John 15:3
Our hearts are purified by faith - Acts 15:9
Washed with water through the Word - Ephesians 5:26
Through the sacrifice of Jesus - Titus 2:14. Hebrews 1:3
The blood of Jesus - Hebrews 9:14, 1 John 1:7
Hearts are sprinkled (blood of Jesus) and bodies are washed (water) - Hebrews 10:19-22
Obeying the truth - 1 Peter 1:22
The majority of these verses emphasize God's actions toward us — his message, his sacrifice, and his blood. But there is still an emphasis on our response of faith and obedience. This perfectly captures the way God’s gracious work in history has to coincide with our intentional response in order for us to receive the blessings that he seeks to share with the world. God has done his part by sending Jesus to atone for our sins, but we must do our part to receive the gift that he is offering. Our part has less to do with achieving moral perfection and more to do with trusting in Jesus and choosing to be his disciples.
“For They Will See God.”
The promise for those who let God purify their hearts is that they will one day be able to see God. Perhaps Jesus had Psalm 24:3-5 in mind as he offered this blessing to the crowds:
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 5 They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior.”