Andrew,
The logical argument goes something like this:
Normally to be meek or to be poor or to mourn or whatever is something
which is *not* associated with the feeling of blessing or happiness. (I
include both because the semantic domain of MAKARIOI in Greek seems to
stretch across parts of these to domains in English.) What Jesus is
saying here is that there *is* actually a reason to feel blessed or
happy in these "bad" situations because the state of being in the
situation is going to result in something which *is* desired.
In other words, if MAKARIOI is "A", the present state of the person is
"B", and the act of God is "C", then B results in C, which should cause
the person to be A. Your logic is that B results in A which results in
C.
> Big Greeks, HELP!
As this term has been used in the past, I don't qualify. Yet I still
felt I could answer you.
Paul Zellmer
Southern Methodist Missions