Jesus said this to teach that those who grieve over sin, both their own sin and the brokenness of the world, will experience God’s comfort. This statement is part of the Beatitudes:
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
(Matthew 5:4)
The mourning Jesus speaks of is not mere sadness over personal loss but a deep sorrow that flows from recognizing the seriousness of sin and its consequences. It is the grief that comes when we understand how sin offends a holy God and brings destruction.
This kind of mourning is seen in Psalm 51:17:
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.”
Such sorrow leads to repentance, which opens the way for forgiveness and restoration. Paul explains this in 2 Corinthians 7:10:
“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
The promise attached to this beatitude is that those who mourn “shall be comforted.” This comfort comes through the assurance of God’s mercy, the cleansing of sin through Christ, and the hope of eternal life. Ultimately, God will wipe away every tear:
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.”
(Revelation 21:4)
This beatitude reminds believers that grief over sin is not hopeless despair but a pathway to the joy of forgiveness and the peace that only God can give.
