A comprehensive study of the Beatitudes from Rudolf Steiner's Complete Works and the ancient Greek of St. Matthew's Gospel.

Rudolf Steiner revealed a new aspect to the Gospels, profoundly deepening the way we understand Christianity; he demonstrates that it has a cosmic dimension, and that this hidden side is pointed to in the Gospels themselves.

Dr. Anderson's scholarship in ancient Greek has enabled him to pioneer a new modality in New Testament studies: the Initiatory Critical Analysis approach. His academic studies found evidence in the original Greek texts of a hidden layer of meaning, which confirms that the Gospels have an esoteric, cosmic understanding of the Christ. Rudolf Steiner's teachings are explored on the basis of this new, spiritually-informed mode of assessing the Greek text of the Beatitudes.

All of Rudolf Steiner's teachings in published lectures and archive documents on the Beatitudes are presented here, together with a valuable commentary on these lectures by Dr. Anderson.

Steiner's earliest lecture on this theme is included, with a commentary, and alternative versions of some key sentences, to those in the official publication.

Texts relevant to the Beatitudes from old Gnostic-spiritual sources are included. Rare commentary from the esoteric theologian, Origenes, preserved in old codices, not included in his official writings, have been especially translated for this book.