Jesus teaches his disciples about the kingdom of heaven by describing eight characteristics of people who are blessed: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness. For each characteristic, Jesus states that those people will find blessing or reward in the kingdom of heaven. He establishes a new framework for following him focused not on ethical standards but on real life experiences and priorities.