Among popular expressions, there are those whose meaning has changed over time. This also applies to them: "Blessed is he who believes." It is known to a wide range of inhabitants from the work "Woe from Wit" by A. Griboedov, but his teacher from Nazareth used it much earlier, at the dawn of our era.
In the mouth of Chatsky
Everyone who read the immortal work of Alexander Griboyedov "Woe from Wit" remembers the bright image of Alexander Chatsky. The young man is a maximalist, smart and deep, honest and direct, sincerely surprised at how Sophia could love another, and whom - Molchalin, a stupid and two-faced careerist.
Arriving in Moscow and first of all visiting Famusov's house, Chatsky realizes that he is not very welcome, and expresses this claim to Sofya. She replies that, they say, they waited every day, every rustle, every guest aroused hope. Chatsky has no time and, probably, no desire to reflect on how sincere these words are. And then the author puts into his mouth an expression that fully describes the state of a young man in love who will not tolerate even a shadow of doubt about his feelings: blessed is he who believes.
The meaning of these words is that he has to (and even so it is easier) just to believethan to analyze and critically comprehend what is happening. Therefore, it is better to take a word and forget these doubts that can torment your chest. Here you can see the echo with Pushkin's lines "…Ah, it's not difficult to deceive me, I myself am glad to be deceived."
Sure, blessed is he who believes. This relieves a lot of suffering, but does not always give a correct understanding of what is happening, as with Chatsky. By the way, it is interesting to compare the title of Griboedov's comedy, which proclaims that grief comes from the mind, with the advanced quote - bliss from faith.
Negative meaning of expression
This catchphrase is most often used in public life in a negative context. For example, many Internet articles aimed at criticizing the existing political power quote Chatsky's words ironically, with sarcasm: "Blessed is he who believes, he is warm in the world!" Here, the excessive gullibility and simplicity of the people is ridiculed, for whom it is easier to live this way, to believe that everything will be in order, to trust the government and promises. Blessed means happy. "Happy" are those who do not see enough to raise doubts, who do not analyze, are not disappointed, in other words, those who live "in rose-colored glasses." Note that we use the word "happy" in quotation marks, hinting at its figurative meaning.
In the mouth of Christ
In the Gospel there is no pure literal expression "blessed is he who believes". But at the same time, we can say with certainty that the source of thisstatements - right there.
Jesus Christ preached the truth about the Kingdom of God in the villages of Palestine. One of his recorded sermons is called the Beatitudes. With his teaching, he turned all the ideas of the people of that time about happiness. For example, he said that blessed are those who mourn, those who are poor in spirit, those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, and so on.
But the phrase "blessed is he who believes" acquires a special meaning in another episode. After death on the cross and resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples. They told the others what the teachers had seen. One of them, known to all since then as Thomas the Unbeliever, said: "… until I see Jesus with my own eyes and put my fingers into the wounds from the nails, I will not believe." Soon, when the disciples were gathered together, the Lord appeared in their midst. First of all, he approached Thomas and offered to check his wounds from the torment on the cross. Of course, Thomas fell at the feet of Christ with the confession: "My Lord and my God"! In response, Jesus uttered the famous phrase: "Blessed are those who have not seen, but have believed."
Gospel Meaning
From the above, it is clear that faith was very important to Jesus. The fact is that both the people and the rulers constantly demanded signs and wonders, that is, proofs. Despite how many sick people Christ healed, resurrected, fed the hungry with a couple of cakes, the majority did not recognize him as the Messiah. Therefore, one day he placed a small child on a hill in the middle of the crowd and said, turning to those around him, that if notyou will be like children - you will not enter the Kingdom of the Father. And who is more open to sincere trust than children? This is the true meaning of the expression "blessed is he who believes"!
Understand the meaning of what was said
So, we found out that the expression in question can have a completely opposite meaning, depending on the surrounding verbal background. It does not in any way speak in favor of or condemnation of faith. "Blessed is he who believes" - who said this phrase, in what context - this is the first thing to find out in order to understand the meaning of the expression. If we read or listen to a Christian sermon, or if it is said by a clergyman or just a believer, then it sounds in the gospel sense. If, with the help of this phrase, they want to emphasize the reluctance of someone to delve into the problem, to understand it - then with irony and sarcasm, Chatsky's words are used more negatively.
