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"Blessed are the poor in spirit..."


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"... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:3

 

What does "poor in spirit" mean? Lack of courage? Meek? (but He addresses the meek directly a little further down, saying they'll inherit the earth) Stupid? Broken? Emotionally stunted? I don't know.

 

And is this something I should aspire to, as a Christian? something that can be developed? or is it a matter of, you either have it or you don't?

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bentnotbroken

Matthew Henry's commentary says it means this is spoken in a way to invite souls to Christ.

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Matthew Henry's commentary says it means this is spoken in a way to invite souls to Christ.

 

You mean kinda like the Statue of Liberty? "Give me your tired, your poor..."??

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todreaminblue
"... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:3

 

What does "poor in spirit" mean? Lack of courage? Meek? (but He addresses the meek directly a little further down, saying they'll inherit the earth) Stupid? Broken? Emotionally stunted? I don't know.

 

And is this something I should aspire to, as a Christian? something that can be developed? or is it a matter of, you either have it or you don't?

 

 

for those who are low in spirit because life gets them down maybe, who go through trials and we all do....when people take hard knocks and feel it in their spirit.....there's that promise that no matter how bad it gets people suffering and in poor spirits will find a place in heaven ....theres a place there....i would hope that is one possible meaning to a sentence that is highly interpretative..I dont think anyone should aspire to be poor in spirit...humble maybe..there is a sentence in the bible somewhere about joy and giving joy to others ,a sentence about helping the afflicted and the needy and of being humble and meek....those are aspirations...i think the sentence says something about when you are poor in spirits to take comfort in the fact the kingdom of heaven has a place for those who suffer..but i am no bible scholar I only hope I have it right...deb

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bentnotbroken
You mean kinda like the Statue of Liberty? "Give me your tired, your poor..."??

 

 

Maybe those who are broken and have no where else to turn or who have little faith in their fellow man or in God.

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Don't expect a correct teaching on that phrase from about 75% of modern churches. You're better off reading what the ancient church fathers had to say about it.

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BetheButterfly
"... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:3

 

What does "poor in spirit" mean? Lack of courage? Meek? (but He addresses the meek directly a little further down, saying they'll inherit the earth) Stupid? Broken? Emotionally stunted? I don't know.

 

I personally believe poor in spirit has the meaning that we acknowledge that we need God. To me, poor denotes neediness. For example, if I am poor as in not having money, I need money. Being poor in spirit to me then is needing the spirit (of God) and acknowledging that.

 

Another reason I think that is through putting all the Beatitudes together:

 

Matthew 5 (I boldened some.)

Matthew 5 NIV - Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount - Bible Gateway

 

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

 

1. Being poor in spirit (acknowledging we need God's help) helps us be able to love God and others. (Matthew 5:3)

 

2. Mourning (acknowledging one's failures/disobedience to God, as well as the sadness that comes with understanding the seriousness of hurting others) helps us love God and others. (Matthew 5:4)

 

3. Meekness is like humility, which goes very much with acknowledging we need God, also shows a teachable heart, which helps us learn how to love God and others. (Matthew 5:5)

 

4. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness means an intense desire to do what is right, and is very important in loving God and others. (Matthew 5:6)

5. Being merciful to others is an action that strongly displays loving God and others. (Matthew 5:7)

 

6. Purity in heart is beautiful, like clean pure water is healthy for us to drink. Purity in one's heart makes loving God and others much easier. (Matthew 5:8)

 

7. Peacemakers promote God's love and actively show love to others. (Matthew 5:9)

 

8. Being persecuted for doing what is right is very difficult, because not many people enjoy being persecuted. However, enduring persecution, insults, and slander for loving God and others is the highest point of love, since it is love that endures obstacles... it's love that endures war without hurling the weapons of persecuting, insulting, and slandering back, and yet wins. (Mathew 5:10-11).

 

Putting all those together, one can see how important it is for Jesus' followers to be loving: loving God and others. This includes acknowledging their need for God, mourning (over sin, as well as the hurt others are experiencing), being meek/humble, desiring to do what is right, being merciful, pure, and peaceful, as well as even enduring persecution - that's love. :)

 

And is this something I should aspire to, as a Christian? and work on having something that can be developed?
Yep. Following Jesus' teachings is a growing process. It takes a lot of time and learning experiences, and when we fall, we need to get back up, acknowledge we are poor in spirit, mourn for our sin, have a meek/humble heart, desire to do what is right, be merciful to others, strive to keep our hearts pure, be a peacemaker, and even endure persecution if that so happens.

 

or is it a matter of, you either have it or you don't?

It's a matter of growing in these traits. It takes time, like how a tree takes time to grow. :love:
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I think spirit here means arrogance. Believing that all you have and all you do is from yourself while dismissing that you are a creation of God.

 

I think it's when you give yourself all the credit and give Him none.

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Great post!

 

Interesting observations from everyone.

 

One interesting thing Christ does in the Beatitudes, is contrast the Kingdom of Heaven with the world's system. A constant theme in the bible, especially as Christ explains the various ways the Kingdom operates. He mainly did this through parables, but when speaking to his disciples (notice Matthew 5:1, he is teaching his disciples), He was often straight forward (John 16:29).

 

Poor in spirit, basically means someone that:

 

1) Is contrite before the Lord.

2) Has a mind focused on heaven, rather than earth (Christ said you can tell this by where a man or woman stores their treasures: Matthew 6:19)

3) Recognizes that only God can accomplish anything eternal (what really matters: we come into this life with nothing and leave with nothing, except with what we did for God and did with His Son Jesus), which keeps him or her humble.

 

"“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and --contrite in spirit-- and trembles at my word."

 

Stephen, the first Christian martyr (if you don't count Christ), also quoted this passage from Isaiah during his trial. Notice Stephen directly goes from quoting Isaiah, which says that God will only esteem those that are contrite, and turns around and rebukes the Sanhedrin for being "rich in spirit"; prideful. Also know that at this time, many of the religious leaders saw themselves as superior (sound familiar ;)) than the common folk b/c only they knew the Law and the traditions of the elders in an in-depth way. Christ basically did a lot of preaching on this topic, and showed that they actually nullified God's laws through their traditions and were spiritually blind for not being able to recognize the Word incarnate...Jesus...but that is another thread :) Here is the last part of Stephens testimony. The whole passage is interesting, and you can read it in Acts 7; Stephen basically gives an entire summary of the history of Israel, up to the dispensation of Grace! Very cool.)

 

“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.

What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’ “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

 

Pride is used to get ahead in this world, but according to God, pride is a snare. Why? Because essentially it says we are "rich in spirit", i.e. believe we have no need of God, and can accomplish things on our own, especially as it relates to doing good deeds. Who are we doing the good deeds for? Do we do them to be seen of men, and to receive praise from men? Or do we do them to receive praise from God? What is the true motive? Christ expands on this further in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. Many examples of this, one that immediately stands out:

 

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

 

Another example, from Acts 3:

 

"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth...Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ...He jumped to his feet and began to walk. When all the people saw him they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him...The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus..Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

 

When we are poor in spirit, we realize that God directs our lives and it is through His power that anything eternal (the nature of the Kingdom of God is eternal) is accomplished.

 

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes.

 

Lots more could be said :)

Edited by TheFinalWord
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Gosh, I vote that as post of the month.

 

Thanks man...I know you're a hardcore researcher, so your vote counts for like 12 lol :D Oops was that pride from me? I think that answers OP's other question. Salvation is a point action, but also a very linear process ;)

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Feelin Frisky

From a secular standpoint, the poor in spirit to me would be the depressed and hopeless. Promising them "heaven" might cheer them up. They didn't know of Proazac.

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From a secular standpoint, the poor in spirit to me would be the depressed and hopeless. Promising them "heaven" might cheer them up. They didn't know of Proazac.

 

Yep. Can't argue that.

 

But even Laotse and Taosim agree with the idea of being poor in spirit. My favorite part of Laotse's book is where it says--paraphrased--that the "man of character" actually appears to be stupid and without direction like an infant who has lost his mother. This is because the "man of character" doesn't follow the world's system and therefore appears lost in comparison to others, but is actually self-aware and wise. Such irony in life.

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From a secular standpoint, the poor in spirit to me would be the depressed and hopeless. Promising them "heaven" might cheer them up. They didn't know of Proazac.

 

That is a good point! Nice post.

 

For the rich, it was also depressing and hopeless to be poor in spirit when they found out that meant they could only serve one master :)

 

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Awesome posts here in this little thread! Mulling & pondering... Nothing to add except thanks!

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BetheButterfly
Awesome posts here in this little thread! Mulling & pondering... Nothing to add except thanks!

 

Yeah, it's cool to have a Bible study on the spirituality and religious beliefs section,

 

I learned a lot on this thread! Thanks to everyone!

Edited by a LoveShack.org Moderator
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poor in spirit/spiritual poverty: Emphasis, I'm thinking, is on the spiritual part, i.e., focusing on spirituality and a relationship with your Maker, rather than being caught up in the things of this world. You know, a bit of a wordplay ... material wealth versus spiritual poverty.

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This concept goes hand-in-hand with Jesus' saying:

 

"I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:23-24)

 

Obviously he didn't say a rich man CAN'T enter the kingdom of God; just that it's HARDER. This is because rich people tend (key word "tend") to find comfort and security in their worldly possessions, rather than in the security of God--especially spiritual security. There are countless examples of God actually destroying anything which we rely upon other than him. Perfect example is Egypt in ancient times. Egypt symbolized worldly security and dependence in the eyes of Israel. God warned them several times through the prophets to not look towards Egypt for their security. Obviously they didn't listen--being human--and so God turned Egypt into a barren wasteland where the Nile no longer makes it plush and fertile. Interestingly, however, Egypt has come to represent the same thing in modern times again. Take a look at the dynamics in the Middle East and you'll see it.

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BetheButterfly
poor in spirit/spiritual poverty: Emphasis, I'm thinking, is on the spiritual part, i.e., focusing on spirituality and a relationship with your Maker, rather than being caught up in the things of this world. You know, a bit of a wordplay ... material wealth versus spiritual poverty.

 

Agreed :)

 

People tend to seek what they feel they need more of, and when we feel we need more of spirituality, we seek it and realize how much we need God's Spirit leading us! :bunny:

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But I do love the bible, it leads me towards grace and peace. It literally shuts my eyes to the outside world. I then live in my world, or according to the words of God, until I can take that first step into the real world.

 

Then why, for example, does the Bible acknowledge that there are other "gods"? (And it's not referring to idols made out of gold.) Psalm 89:6 and Ezekiel 15:11 clearly state that God is AMONG these heavenly beings (or "gods") and that there is no other like him. Notice it doesn't DENY other gods. It doesn't "shut its eyes" to the world.

 

Religion is a product of man.

 

Jesus would agree.

 

"Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men."

-Jesus

Edited by M30USA
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I think this topic is also in agreement with the Scripture that says "that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in God's sight." (Luke 16:15b)

 

What things are highly esteemed among men? The "pride of life" (1 John), power, external beauty with internal wickedness, haughty spirit, the pursuit of wealth (Proverbs 23:4), and many other things which focus on the ways of the world and not the ways of God.

 

On the flipside, we see that God actually loves the things we reject. The best example of this is Jesus. It is said regarding him that "the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."

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UpwardForward
I think this topic is also in agreement with the Scripture that says "that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in God's sight." (Luke 16:15b)

 

What things are highly esteemed among men? The "pride of life" (1 John), power, external beauty with internal wickedness, haughty spirit, the pursuit of wealth (Proverbs 23:4), and many other things which focus on the ways of the world and not the ways of God.

 

On the flipside, we see that God actually loves the things we reject. The best example of this is Jesus. It is said regarding him that "the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."

 

Yes, and we will continue to see the impact of dismissing God and His representation.

 

He gives us choice.

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