Bless

The word blessing has a complicated pedigree. It has a variety of meanings in the Bible. The Hebrew word is "berakah." The prophet Jeremiah had a secretary and friend named Baruch—a name which itself means blessed. Baruch's full name might have been "Blessed of God." The rich variety of blessings most used in synagogues today begin "Baruch atah Adonai Elohenu ..." Blessed art thou O Lord our God. A rabbi friend of mine tells the joke about a fellow who just bought a Maserati. The fellow went first to an Orthodox rabbi and asked if the rabbi had a "bru'cha" for his Maserati. The Orthodox rabbi, somewhat old fashioned and committed to traditional ways said, "Well, we have a bru'cha for almost any thing, but what is a Maserati?" The man gives up and goes to a Conservative rabbi -- moving up the scale of modernity -- and asks the same question, "Do you have a bru'cha for my new Maserati?" The Conservative rabbi said, "We have many bru'chas, but I don't know what a Maserati is." Finally, in exasperation the man goes to a Reform rabbi asking the same question and the Reform rabbi excitedly says, "Wow, you have a Maserati. That's wonderful! What's a bru'cha?" Those who own a Maserati may be what some might call "blessed" but still may not comprehend blessedness.

The idea of having a blessing, giving a blessing, receiving a blessing, and being a blessing is an ancient and formative idea. It is a reminder of God's presence in, and sovereignty over, all aspects of our lives. Indeed, there is a bru'cha for everything. The Hebrew word literally means "to bend the knees." Solomon, the third king of Israel, got down on his knees and stretched out his arms in front of all the people as he offered a blessing to God at the dedication of the great Temple in Jerusalem [II Chron 6:13, I Kings 8:54]. I would be willing to give almost anything to see this most wealthy and worldly-blessed of the kings of Israel, knee-bowed and body-bent. The word blessing, when used in reference to God, suggests that God is worthy of worship and praise. It is an odd, almost humorous picture, to think of Solomon in all his gold and satin, down there on his knees, his velveted and jewel bedecked rump pointing skyward, offering God a blessing.

But there is another way in which the word blessed is used in the Bible. When it is used in reference to humanity, it often means "fortunate." When we say that a neighbor is "blessed" we usually mean that he or she is very fortunate and materially prosperous. Maserati blessed. On another plane, I often say that I am richly blessed by a wife who is patient with me and two children who shape my life in inexpressible ways. The word blessing in this case does not mean that I am worthy of praise; I am rather the recipient of the goodness of God who is alone worthy of worship and praise.

Bliss

The word "bliss" seems to be related to "bless" in this way. To be blessed by God is to be happy in the most profound sense of that word. The word "happy" may not be the best translation. This English word is derived from "happenstance," which means luck. But with that caution in mind, we'll continue to use the word happy. The collection of poetry known as the Psalms is introduced by the first Psalm which sings of bliss: "happy are those who delight in the law of the Lord, and who think day and night about the right ways of living. They are like trees planted by streams of water, full of fruit and whose leaves never wither." [Psalm 1].

The question is, does material prosperity and fruitfulness come from following all of God's laws? Or does God's blessing help us understand more precisely what it is that we need so that we are happy with what we have? "You can't always get what you want," goes the rock and roll song, "but if you try some time, you'll find you get what you need."

In the teachings of Jesus, there is this sense that we are blessed when we understand things most profoundly. He spoke in parables to help us understand things by painting pictures which engages all our senses. And for those who most deeply understand, Jesus says that their eyes and ears are blessed [Matthew 13:16]. He says that real understanding comes from God, and by that understanding we are blessed [Matthew 16:17]. For Jesus, the most blessed may not be the most materially prosperous. Or, to put it differently, blessings and happiness may come in unexpected circumstances. Those who mourn, who are poor, who are brokenhearted, who are persecuted, who are meek, who are hungry are especially singled out by Jesus as being blessed [Matthew 6 and Luke 6]. Jesus also seems to love the dramatic use of irony. I can imagine that he delighted in the surprised looks on the faces of his listeners when he said, "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven." I'd loved to have been able to hang around the coffee hour conversations following that sermon! For those who thought of blessing as resulting in material well-being, the Nazarene's notions of blessing must have been a thought-provoking lesson at best.

The blessing of the Cross is the most difficult of all the blessings we have to discuss. The blood shed for us and our reunion with God is hardest for most of us to grasp.
It could be best understood by understanding the blessing of suffering itself, which is a subject worthy of it's own and quite separate discusion.