What does Matthew 5:6 mean?

The next of Jesus' statements is about an appetite for righteousness. This is another one of the Beatitudes: short statements about blessing from a godly perspective. Here, Jesus states that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, meaning they have a good thing. Why? Because they will be satisfied. Commentators point to two possible meanings for "righteousness" as used in this verse. First, Jesus could be talking about people who are eager to be declared righteous by God. They want to be made righteous, themselves, and to conform to the will of God. In that way, they are sincerely seeking to be saved. Those who come to trust in Jesus for their forgiveness from sin will receive exactly that from God (Romans 5:17). They will be saved.

Another view is that Jesus has in mind those who are hungry to see righteousness "win." They long for justice to prevail. They want what is right to overcome what is wrong and evil in the world. These people, too, will be satisfied, because the kingdom of heaven will bring an end to all unrighteousness. Their appetite for righteousness will be completely satisfied.