Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit
In the Sermon in the Mount, we read the first of 8 beatitudes or blessings: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. (Matthew 5:3 NIV) In the Sermon on the Plain, Luke’s version of this beatitude Jesus simply says, “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20).
It is interesting that some have dropped “spirit” from Jesus’ words and interpreted the text as if there is some kind of blessing in being stricken with material poverty; or as if being poor automatically merits the kingdom of heaven in some way—perhaps to make up for all the suffering. While I don’t believe it’s wrong to recognize in these words God’s compassion for the materially poor of this world, a deeper study of the text makes it clear that He isn’t talking about “material poverty” in this beatitude. The Greek word used in both scripture references is “ptochos”. It means a spiritually destitute poverty. But let’s dig in a bit further.
Firstly, the scripture says both material poverty and material wealth have their snares.
“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” (Proverbs 30:8-9)
This passage emphasizes that both scarcity and abundance can be dangers for our souls and that Agur's prayer in this Proverb is a reminder to seek God's guidance and to be content with what we have.
So, when Jesus blesses those who are the “poor in spirit” and says “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” he’s referring to spiritual poverty. Those who are in spiritual poverty are bankrupt and have nothing to offer God for entrance into His kingdom. They cannot pay to enter the kingdom. They cannot work to earn a place in the kingdom. Consider the parable in Luke 18:14-19 where the tax collector prayed in the temple, “God be merciful to me a sinner”. He modeled for us that all the poor in spirit can do is come to God and beg for His mercy and he went away justified. Those poor in spirit are so aware of their own sinfulness that they know there is nothing they have to offer but surrender.
Yet others, like the Pharisee in that same parable, may not even realize that they are in the deepest and most profound kind of poverty. The Pharisee thought he was “rich” in terms of righteousness before God. That he was “spiritually self-sufficient”. He even looked “sufficient” in the eyes of the people around him. He was confident that all his good deeds and faithful religious habits assured him of God’s full acceptance. But he never realized that he stood before God as spiritually “wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked” (Rev. 3:17); and so, he never cried out to God for the mercy that he so desperately needed and therefore was not at all justified in God’s sight.
But when we come to terms with the truth about ourselves—when we realize that, however else the people of this world see us (poor or rich) we all stand before God so destitute that we dare not even look up to heaven but only cry out, “God, be merciful to me a sinner”. That’s when we realize that we have nowhere to turn but to the cross of Jesus Christ—that’s when we begin to understand what’s required in becoming a follower of Jesus Christ; that is, to lay aside all pride, all self-righteousness, and admit we are poor in spirit and yield our will to God’s will.
If you wish to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must come to grips with this beatitude and face the truth about your condition. Every man or woman must recognize that they stand before God in desperate spiritual poverty.
Take heart - Ephesians 2 says there is good news! We can be made alive in Christ and receive the blessing of the kingdom of heaven Jesus promised in Matthew 5:3.
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10)
Lord, we try so hard to be self-sufficient, to be "rich in spirit." But ultimately our efforts to rely on ourselves fail. By your grace, help us realize just how much we need you. So, we come to you, not full of riches or full of ourselves, but empty, needy, truly poor in spirit. And you, Lord, meet us in our poverty. Amen
Credit: Ron Kelley
It is interesting that some have dropped “spirit” from Jesus’ words and interpreted the text as if there is some kind of blessing in being stricken with material poverty; or as if being poor automatically merits the kingdom of heaven in some way—perhaps to make up for all the suffering. While I don’t believe it’s wrong to recognize in these words God’s compassion for the materially poor of this world, a deeper study of the text makes it clear that He isn’t talking about “material poverty” in this beatitude. The Greek word used in both scripture references is “ptochos”. It means a spiritually destitute poverty. But let’s dig in a bit further.
Firstly, the scripture says both material poverty and material wealth have their snares.
“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” (Proverbs 30:8-9)
This passage emphasizes that both scarcity and abundance can be dangers for our souls and that Agur's prayer in this Proverb is a reminder to seek God's guidance and to be content with what we have.
So, when Jesus blesses those who are the “poor in spirit” and says “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” he’s referring to spiritual poverty. Those who are in spiritual poverty are bankrupt and have nothing to offer God for entrance into His kingdom. They cannot pay to enter the kingdom. They cannot work to earn a place in the kingdom. Consider the parable in Luke 18:14-19 where the tax collector prayed in the temple, “God be merciful to me a sinner”. He modeled for us that all the poor in spirit can do is come to God and beg for His mercy and he went away justified. Those poor in spirit are so aware of their own sinfulness that they know there is nothing they have to offer but surrender.
Yet others, like the Pharisee in that same parable, may not even realize that they are in the deepest and most profound kind of poverty. The Pharisee thought he was “rich” in terms of righteousness before God. That he was “spiritually self-sufficient”. He even looked “sufficient” in the eyes of the people around him. He was confident that all his good deeds and faithful religious habits assured him of God’s full acceptance. But he never realized that he stood before God as spiritually “wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked” (Rev. 3:17); and so, he never cried out to God for the mercy that he so desperately needed and therefore was not at all justified in God’s sight.
But when we come to terms with the truth about ourselves—when we realize that, however else the people of this world see us (poor or rich) we all stand before God so destitute that we dare not even look up to heaven but only cry out, “God, be merciful to me a sinner”. That’s when we realize that we have nowhere to turn but to the cross of Jesus Christ—that’s when we begin to understand what’s required in becoming a follower of Jesus Christ; that is, to lay aside all pride, all self-righteousness, and admit we are poor in spirit and yield our will to God’s will.
If you wish to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must come to grips with this beatitude and face the truth about your condition. Every man or woman must recognize that they stand before God in desperate spiritual poverty.
Take heart - Ephesians 2 says there is good news! We can be made alive in Christ and receive the blessing of the kingdom of heaven Jesus promised in Matthew 5:3.
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10)
Lord, we try so hard to be self-sufficient, to be "rich in spirit." But ultimately our efforts to rely on ourselves fail. By your grace, help us realize just how much we need you. So, we come to you, not full of riches or full of ourselves, but empty, needy, truly poor in spirit. And you, Lord, meet us in our poverty. Amen
Credit: Ron Kelley
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