The word “blessed” in the verse above is the Greek “makarios,” and it means, “To be supremely blessed.” It’s a transcendental blessing. It means you’ve been lifted beyond the ordinary realm. The believing ones are independent of circumstances. They’ve been lifted to another level. “Makarios” isn’t a bestowal, but a lifting. It’s a blessing of separation. You can be blessed as in “eulogeo,” that is, things are conferred on you, but in “makarios,” you’re separated; you’re lifted; then others take special notice of you and say, “He’s supremely blessed; he’s not like us; he doesn’t belong here.” What a blessing!
This is something totally new coming from the Master about the new creation. He says, “Blessed are those who have not seen but yet believed.” He’s referring to those who have been freed from their senses or the flesh. This was the message that Paul was able to grasp which many of the disciples couldn’t quite comprehend. He tells us in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” This, in other words, refers to the Church that lives in the world, but has been transported beyond this realm of human limitations; the sense-realm.
This theme is further expressed in the Spirit’s prayer through Paul for the Church in Ephesians 3:16-17, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith….” Christ dwells in your heart by faith, not by feeling or sensory perception. We’re not like those who say, “I feel the presence of God in me now;” no! We’ve passed that level! We’ve been transported (“Makarios”) beyond that realm.
We’ve been catapulted by faith into the realm of existence where the Word of God is the only reality; the realm where we walk by faith and not by sight. This is the new creation; we’re supremely blessed! Hallelujah!
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