City Life Starter

I. The Word

PSALM 32:1-2

32 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

John 1:46-49

⁴⁶ And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

⁴⁷ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

⁴⁸ Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

⁴⁹ Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

What is “Blessed?” In Christian culture, it is one of most popular Christianese terms to describe an individual’s state of being, especially regarding health and wealth. It is also frequently used to explain how the person is doing, for example:

A: How are you doing, brother Bob?
B: I am blessed.

Here is my issue with this description: If you are not doing well, does this mean that you are not “blessed?” If you are not happy, does this mean you are not “blessed?” Some would believe that if you are suffering, you are not blessed. If you are enduring financial hardship, you are not blessed. If you are going through trials and tribulation, are you genuinely blessed? If you accept definitions as I described above, then yes.

The big question is, is that it? Does this usage of this word truly explain how writers of the Bible attempt to have the readers understand this word?

I do not find that in the Scripture the main point of “Blessed” having to do with health and wealth, but so much to do with one’s state of being with God, their relationship with God they claim to follow. Let me explain.

אַשְׁרֵי

In Hebrew, “asherei” is translated as “blessed.” English translators translated into two major descriptions: Blessed or Happy. As a modern reader, when we hear this description, we automatically think of being blessed with individual’s happiness. Perhaps, it is about being happy or being in the state of joy, but I can be happy just about anything, I can be happy about University of Houston Football Team having a great season (Go Coogs!), or having an excellent meal with a great company of friends.

The Beauty of the Meaning

Every Hebrew word has a root word, which means the word comes from another word or also known as the root word. From this root word, many other words are created. The Hebrew word for “Blessed” also has a root word.

The root word “blessed” derives from is אָשַׁר or “ashar,” and the imagery you get from this word describes why the word blessed come from this word. Ashar means “go straight.” The visual imagery you get from this word would look something like this:

Think of a man or woman who is walking on a straight path. I believe the Bible writers had this picture in mind. A blessed man is a man who is walking on a straight road to a destination without wavering.

The wealth and health do not dictate a man who is blessed, how much money or possessions they have, a significant title they may hold, or even power. A “blessed” individual is a person who is walking on the straight path of God without wavering.

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity.”

In today’s verse, you can see David is describing a man who is complete and whole, a man who has been forgiven by God; to David, this man is “Blessed.” For those who have not received forgiveness of sin from God, is a man who is stuck on the road without any way to proceed. For those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and have been forgiven of their sins, is a person who has given a path to begin their journey of faith. It is indeed the greatest miracle in the history of humanity that God created a means for us to be able to be forgiven and restored through His Son.

Nathanael

I have always wondered what made Nathanael confess Jesus as Messiah, after his initial reaction to Him:

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46)

“Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49)

I believe the key is in Jesus’ saying about Nathanael, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” (John 1:47) parallels Psalm 32:1-2, a person who is forgiven, covered, and whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, Jesus describes this man to be Nathanael, “in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

“How do you know me?” (John 1:48)

God knows. He knows the most critical huddle in our spirituality is to be able to be forgiven for our offenses to Him that paralyzes us. How can He forgive me for all that I have done against Him? Through placing our faith in the Lord and Savior, when we confess our sins and receive His forgiveness.

Under the Fig Tree

“Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” (John 1:48)

I was not there with Nathanael, but whatever He was doing under the fig tree, Jesus saw him that led Nathanael to confess that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe Nathanael was confessing his sins to God, maybe He even read Psalm 32 and recognize how far away he was from God. It is Jesus who sees and hears Nathanael’s confession, broken and contrite heart that He did not despise:

“The sacrifice of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart-
These, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

Are you overwhelmed with your sins and offense against God? Is it preventing you from walking the paths that God has for you? Jesus knows. The Bible promises that if you confess your sins, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

I am blessed because God forgave my sins that I may restore my relationship with Him. I am blessed that I am now walking on the path He has for me. I am blessed that I no longer have to waver in my faith. I am blessed that I am walking with Him.

Are you blessed?