Abstract
Gregory of Nyssa, in his eight homilies on Matthew 5: 1–11, interprets the Beatitudes as a ladder of ethical ascent toward the divine likeness. He must confront, however, two obstacles for the believer during this journey: the incomprehensible nature of God and the fallen nature of man. Gregory demonstrates how the Beatitudes resolve these problems by adapting divine characteristics and putting them within the reach of human nature. This essay examines the various forms of divine accommodation in the Beatitudes and man's movement toward perfect happiness in God.
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